I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the warmer weather of Spring.

Since coming back from lockdown, the pragmatic manner we have adjusted class and individual programmes seems to be paying off, particularly for the senior classes. Our policy of assessing where the boys are at, rather than beginning assessment tasks, has allowed those boys who weren't engaged during the lockdown period, (some for very good reasons), to re-establish their learning routine. What was encouraging to us during lockdown was in the student survey, evidence of the level of connectiveness the Collage was able to maintain during the lockdown period. Ninety seven percent of boys when asked the question "Was your Mana Tāne kaiako (teacher) supportive and / or could you contact them during lockdown if you needed to?" answered "yes".This shows to us the importance of the Mana Tane groups and how important initiative has been the school’s progression.

With Spring comes the end of Winter Sport. Unfortunately, many of our teams were unable to complete their season due to the COVID lockdown, which meant many finals were not held.

One sport however, who postponed the finals, and went on to play them after lockdown was Football, Senior and Junior. The Junior team played first, in the week of 20 September, against Shirley Boys’ High. All season, the St Bede’s junior boys have had a positive and enthusiastic attitude to games and practice, urging each other on from the sidelines and they came away from this game 5 – 0 to secure their place as winners. 

The following week, our Seniors were in their final against favourites Christ’s College and managed to secure a 2 – 1 win, to become the 2021 School Premier 1stXI Football Champions. 

This was made more notable as it hasn’t been achieved for 40 years by the 1st XI. Managing the team this year was Mr Chris Hubble; managing the 1981 team was his father Simon, then a staff member. Father and son have been great supporters of the code for a number of years. Pictured is the '81 Team.

This year, we have lost two of our oldest Old Boys, Pat Harnett in April and we have just learnt of the loss earlier this month of Peter Arnold, who lived in England. You will find an article on Peter later in this newsletter.

As this newsletter goes out, the teaching and learning now turns to NCEA exams, which again, due to COVID have been altered, now not due to start until late November and to finish mid-December. We will hopefully be able to hold our Leavers’ Ball on 29 October and Leavers’ Breakfast and Mass 18 November. A busy time ahead for us all.

Until next month

JG Boyle