Welcome to our new students. We are so looking forward to welcoming you to the College in September, and it is sad that we have not been able to do the usual things to help you prepare to move to the College. Therefore we have put this section of the website together for you (and your parents and guardians might find it helpful too!)
Below is a map of the College which will help you find your way around. Have a look around so that things will look a little more familiar when you get here in September. You may also like to browse our digital newsletter, College Life, to gain a greater sense of life at St Edmund’s.
Scroll down, and you will find lots of helpful videos, messages from current Elements and Rudiments that also joined recently, information regarding uniform, what to bring, and much more. Father Peter Lyness, Resident Priest, has also created a welcome message sharing our College history here.
We hope all this information and videos will help answer questions you may have, but if the answer isn’t here, contact us, and we will answer it! The best way to ask questions is at the welcome evening or to email us over the summer holidays using admissions@stedmundscollege.org. See you soon!
The Prep School
The Prep School
St Edmund’s Prep, founded in 1874, is a co-educational, independent Catholic Nursery, Pre Prep and Prep school. Guided by the principles of our Catholic faith, but welcoming families of all faiths and none, the Prep strives for excellence and creativity in forward-thinking education. The Prep is committed to the preparation of its students by instilling in them a sense of responsibility and attempting to ensure that they leave St Edmund’s Prep with a solid foundation on which to build their future in the College and beyond.
Please find a Virtual Tour of the Prep below, and do not hesitate to contact Tracey Dickinson at the Prep’s Admissions Office by email tdickinson@stedmundscollege.org.
Bus Park
Bus Park
Each day our minibuses and our bus service provider collects students from 19 different points throughout Hertfordshire, Essex and North London.
Butler Hall
Butler Hall
The sports hall is used each day for and includes a full-size netball court and also has cricket nets. The sports hall is used for all fitness activities as well as badminton, short tennis, basketball, gymnastics and netball. The sports hall also includes a Cardio Fitness Suite and a Weights Room.
Coffee Shop
Coffee Shop
The Coffee Shop is exclusively open for our Rhetoricians (Sixth Formers) at break and lunch times. It is an area where our students can relax and socialise between lessons and study sessions.
Infirmary
Infirmary
All students have access to our own health centre, The Infirmary, which is situated within the College campus. It is a fully-equipped medical surgery, staffed 24-hours a day by qualified nurses. Facilities include a sitting room for unwell Day students, where they can be made comfortable and looked after until they are feeling better, or collected to be taken home. There are also small bedrooms where very unwell Day or Boarding students can be cared for. The College also has its own ambulance on site, should it be required.
Sports Field
Sports Field
We have excellent sports facilities at school which include extensive playing fields for team sports and athletics, a full sized all-weather pitch, a recently refurbished swimming pool, and outdoor netball and tennis courts used interchangeably throughout the winter and summer months.
Boarding
Boarding
Girls’ and Boys’ boarding is an important part of life at St Edmund’s we hope this video gives you an insight into the benefits.
The thriving music school is a busy area of the school with academic lessons taking place every day but also many peripatetic lessons in a wide choice of instruments. The music school includes a main recital room, a sound recording suite and many practice rooms. Choirs, orchestras, rock band and a variety of practice rooms meet here every day.
Douay Hall
Douay Hall
The Douay Hall is the main hall used for assemblies, guest speakers, performances and examinations.
Science Centre
Science Centre
The Science Centre encompasses the three separate disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. It is housed in a block of nine laboratories which have recently undergone major refurbishment, and include dedicated preparation and support facilities, alongside additional sixth form conference rooms.
CCF Huts
CCF Huts
The CCF is an extremely popular weekly activity, providing a superb opportunity for boys and girls to participate in interesting and challenging activities in a disciplined environment. Cadets share in the spirit of adventure, gaining invaluable leadership and team building skills. After a basic training course, students have a range of opportunities, including flying lessons with the RAF, adventure training and field manoeuvres.
Library
Library
The library houses a variety of books and resources for all age groups in the College which is managed by our librarian who supports the students daily and also runs book clubs and visiting author events.
Main Entrance
Main Entrance
When able, this is where you will arrive at the College. Parking is available directly at the front of the College.
Classrooms
Classrooms
Throughout the College, students are taught in small classes (maximum 22) in which they stand the best chance of successful learning.
All classrooms contain an interactive whiteboard with a projector and audio setup to allow our teaching staff to provide media rich and interactive lessons. The curriculum on offer at the College is delivered through our various academic departments. The departments are specially designed with the latest equipment to support the learning for their unique subject.
To aid in independent learning the College has a range of online resources including College email, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and subscriptions to award winning educational websites such as Clickview, Mathletics and GCSEPod. Access to these sites is available both inside and outside the College.
House Areas
House Areas
There are five house at the College and all students are allocated to one where they will have their own dedicated, fit for purpose locker. The Housemistress or Housemaster looks after students both pastorally and tracking their progress at the College.
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool
Indoor, heated swimming 25 metre swimming pool used daily for curriculum sport and also our boarding community for recreational activities.
Cricket Pavillion
Cricket Pavillion
The Cricket Pavilion is allocated for Cricket training and fixtures in the summer term. When not in use for training, students can often be found relaxing in this green space at break times.
Please take a look at the Welcome Booklet below for information, including uniform, timetables, what to bring, homework policy, Miss Simon’s Top Tips and the Code of Conduct.
Please note that for uniforms, the most up to date information will be available via Stevensons, our uniform supplier.
A Day in the Life of an Elements Student
Olivia, Uzochukwu and Marcus take you through a typical day in Elements (Year 7).
SEC Dictionary
Elements
Year 7
Rudiments
Year 8
Grammar
Year 9
Syntax
Year 10
Poetry
Year 11
Rhetoric I and II
Sixth Form (Y12 and 13)
Bounds
Year 7-9
First Division
Year 10-13
Refectory
Dining Hall
Douay Hall
Assembly Hall
Ambulacrum
Main School Corridor
Butler Hall
Indoor Sports Hall
Elephant Entrance
Entrance via Boarding
Clock Quad
The grounds separating Science and the Main Building
The Robes
The red chairs on the Headmaster's Corridor
Who's Who?
There are going to be lots of new faces when you join the College so here are some of the teachers that you will be seeing a lot more of.
For those of you that are joining Poynter House, please click here to hear from your new Housemaster for 2021/22, Mr McNiff.
Meet your Head and Deputy Head of Elements (Y7)
Arriving at school
The following video will help you know what to do and where to go when you arrive at school be it by car and being dropped off at the front of the College or on the school bus.
Lunch - Where, when, how?
We know that lunch is such an important part of the day! Therefore we try and make this as easy as possible to new Elements. You have your lunch every day at the same time, 12.30pm, whilst all other year groups are on a daily rota.
At 12.30pm your lesson finishes, you should put your bags in your lockers in your House area and make your way to the Refectory. Every day, the menu is displayed on the screen at the entrance (the weekly menu can also be found on the website too).
Each day a nutritious selection is provided catering to different tastes and dietary requirements. The following video should help you:
Your House and your locker
When you join the College you are allocated to a House which you will stay in throughout your time at the College and your Elements form is also aligned to your House. The teaching staff of both the Form and House (and of course Miss Simon, Head of Elements) are very important as will help and guide you throughout your time at the College.
Below is a short video about the Houses, where they are and very importantly, how to open your locker!
Welcome messages from recent Elements (Y7) students