News list
Form 5 pupils stepped into the world of Gilbert and Sullivan as they took on the time‑honoured classic 'The Pirates of Penzance Jr.' The production brought together weeks of commitment, creativity and teamwork. From the first table‑read to the final moments on stage, the children threw themselves wholeheartedly into the joyful absurdity of the narrative, delighting in the energetic songs and the wonderfully madcap humour that runs throughout the piece.
This year’s SJCS ski trip to La Thuile, set in the stunning Aosta Valley in Italy, became an experience that extended far beyond skiing alone. Throughout the week, pupils from different year groups demonstrated a remarkable sense of confidence, kindness and team spirit as they embraced both the challenges of the slopes and the rewards of travelling together as a school community.
Our annual Passion Play took place on the final day of term. It is a well-established tradition at St John's and each year the Sixth Form approach this rite of passage with commitment and a genuine desire to do justice to the story, both individually and as an ensemble.
In the final week of the Lent term we were delighted to welcome pupils, staff and parents from Haileybury for our annual Jazz Evening, a much‑loved celebration of musical talent, collaboration and the joy of live performance. The event brought both school communities together in a vibrant atmosphere of shared enthusiasm, and it set the stage for a night filled with energy, creativity and exceptional musicianship.
The Parents’ Association recently hosted a vibrant and highly successful Quiz Night in Hinsley Hall. It was a fantastic occasion enjoyed by all, and a wonderful example of community spirit in action.
The St John’s community is celebrating an incredible achievement, with our team of runners raising more than £6,800 for the SJCS Bursary Endowment Fund at this year’s Cambridge Half Marathon and the total is still rising. This remarkable sum reflects not only the dedication of our runners but also the generosity and support of families, friends and the wider SJCS community.
Book Week at St John’s burst into life with a wonderful mix of excitement, scholarship and imagination as pupils engaged deeply with reading in every corner of the school. The week highlighted not only the joy of stories but also the essential role that reading plays in cognitive development, critical thinking and academic growth. Reading remains one of the most reliable predictors of long‑term educational outcomes, and this year’s celebrations reflected how strongly St John’s champions that foundation.
Form 5 stepped into the roles of real-life codebreakers as they took on a high-energy cryptography challenge designed to test teamwork, problem solving and computing skills, with the ultimate prize of cracking open a toy safe. The activity forms part of their Thursday afternoon choice sessions where pupils select from a range of enrichment opportunities.
The Form 6 pen tidy project is a dynamic example of how Design Technology at St John’s nurtures creativity, technical confidence, and purposeful learning. With Mrs Wright, our Head Teacher, acting as the client, pupils were set a meaningful and engaging challenge: to design and make a desk organiser that would help her keep her pens in order while also being attractive enough to take pride of place on her desk.
‘Veni, vidi, vici’ felt like the perfect motto as Form 1 brought history to life with their vibrant production of ‘The Romans Rewrite’. The performance, filled with singing, dancing and drama, was full of energy and commitment. The young cast were clearly having great fun on stage, and their confidence, teamwork and sense of playfulness shone through in every scene. What was even more striking, though, was the learning behind it. Through drama, music and movement, pupils explored Roman history in a way that made the past tangible, memorable and properly understood.