As Term 4 draws to a close we take the opportunity to formally farewell our Year 13 cohort as they begin the next chapter outside of St Bede’s College. I am sure they will look back fondly on their five years here, particularly with the strong sense of brotherhood this group has fostered.

The Year 13 Leavers' Ball allowed us an opportunity for the boys, their families, and boarding staff to meet prior to the ball, which was as much about celebrating their five years as a St Bede’s boarder as it was about the ball. Plenty of laughter and stories were shared with boys and parents alike about the good and the bad, but the overwhelming theme kept coming through, they will miss this place. A place they have called home for the past five years.

Next stop was the Leavers' Mass, which saw plenty of raw emotion from boys and their parents as it finally dawned on them that next year will look a lot different. Plenty of photos and handshakes, which further emphasised how much this place means to them. This year's Year 13s have certainly left their mark on the boarding school and have played a big part in driving the culture of the place. They have passed the baton onto the next year's group and have left the place in good stead. They leave with lifelong connections, somewhere in between a friend and a brother, a connection only boarding school can provide.