Year 11 Leavers’ Celebration

On Thursday, 26th June, we bid a fond farewell to our Year 11 pupils following the completion of their GCSE examinations and their Skills Week activities, delivered in partnership with Palace for Life Foundation.

Just as when they first joined St Mary’s in Year 7 in September 2019, the milestone was marked by a celebration of Mass. We were delighted to welcome Fr Michael from our local parish church, St Mary’s, to celebrate the Year 11 Leavers' Mass. It was heartening to see so many parents in attendance, joining their children for this special and significant occasion.

Fr Michael reminded our pupils of the importance of keeping their faith—guided not only by the values of the Gospel but also by the core principles they have lived by throughout their time at St Mary’s. Our school motto, Fidem Serva—“Keep the Faith”—remains a lasting message for all our leavers as they go forward to colleges, sixth forms, and new opportunities.

Reflection for the Year 11 Leavers of St Mary's Catholic High School, Croydon

Welcome

From your first steps through our gates, you brought your whole selves—stories, cultures, dreams, and questions—and St Mary’s welcomed you as family.

You helped make this school a place where all belong,
where every voice matters, where no one walks alone.
We honour the welcome you received—and the welcome you gave.

Hard Work

You faced exams, deadlines, late nights of study—but also quiet perseverance, group projects, and starting again.

Your hard work became habit; your efforts became strength.
You showed us what it means to keep going when it's tough.

Now we carry that standard with pride, knowing the path you paved makes ours clearer.

Service

In chapel, in classrooms, and in corridors—you served by lifting others: a helping hand, shared laughter, patient kindness.

You made our community better by simply being yourselves.
We remember the campaigns you led, the causes you championed, and the way you lived the Gospel in action.

Memory

From online lessons in lockdown to joyful reunions on the playground, you were the ones who learned resilience when the world stood still.

You made TikToks and Teams calls, masked smiles and silent corridors. But you also made memories that will live in these walls—friendships that will echo, stories we’ll retell, moments stitched into the heart of St Mary’s forever.

Legacy

You raised your voices—for fairness, for justice, for the unheard.

You led with courage in assemblies and tutor groups, shaping our school into something greater than it was.

Your compassion, your sense of mission, your belief in doing right—these are your legacy.

Faith

You walked with faith—sometimes certain, sometimes questioning, but always walking.

Your quiet prayers and loud hymns, your acts of mercy, your stand for truth—all spoke of a living faith that held you and moved you.

And now, as you go, we say with you:
Fidem Serva — Keep the Faith.

Sending Forth

You go now—not away from us, but into the world, carrying us with you. You are ready: not perfect, but prepared.

We are proud—not just of your grades, but of your grace.
Go with heads high and hearts open, remembering always: you are part of something greater.

You are St Mary’s—now and always.

At the end of the Mass, Jaeden, our outgoing Head Boy, welcomed our special guest, Mr Bill Whitmarsh, and presented both him and Mr Shields with one of the commemorative 'Leavers 25' hoodies. Mr Whitmarsh served as Headteacher of St Mary’s from 1986 to 2001, and it was an honour to have him with us.

The celebrations concluded with our now-traditional ‘clapping out’ ceremony, as the entire school community lined the courtyard—cheering and applauding the Year 11 pupils as they made their way from the double doors to the school gates, marking the end of their St Mary’s journey.