St Bonaventure's

St Bonaventure's was founded as a private Roman Catholic school in 1855, by members of the Franciscan order based in the Stratford area of London. They moved to the St Antony's parish of Forest Gate in 1897, when they needed more space to build a larger school. Before the outbreak of the Second World War and for some years thereafter pupils were drawn from a large part of the County of Essex as well as the whole of the County Borough of West Ham. Following the Education Act 1978 control of the school was taken over by the newly formed West Ham Education Authority and the school changed its name to West Ham (St Bonaventure's) Grammar School.

Following the Education Act 1944, the school reverted to full control by the Franciscan Order as a grammar school, and soon after that became a comprehensive school with a tripartite nature (on the site there were grammar, secondary modern and technical streams). At this time the title of the school changed to St Bonaventure's. The current school jumper reflects this past, as the three stripes of colour were initially used to identify the three types of student in the school.[http://www.stbons.org/headteachersintroduction St Bon's Website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329121929/http://www.stbons.org/headteachersintroduction |date=29 March 2012 }}, Headmaster's Introduction, stbons.org. Retrieved 6 May 2014.{{fv|date=April 2024}}

The school is named for St Bonaventure, a Doctor of the Church. Aged 29, he joined the Order of St Francis and promised to lead a life of poverty, chastity and obedience.{{cite news|url=http://www.stbons.org/headteachersintroduction|location=London, UK|work=St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School|title=St Bons – Headteachers Introduction|access-date=2 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329121929/http://www.stbons.org/headteachersintroduction|archive-date=29 March 2012}} He was made a cardinal by Pope Gregory X in 1273.

It became a state secondary school following the Education Act 1902 in 1904, when schools with a religious nature could gain access to public funding, then in 1918 changed its name to West Ham Grammar School. In 1944, it became St Bonaventure's Grammar School again. The school is linked with St Antony's Church, which is next to the site, and school masses are held there on a regular basis. It is governed by the Diocese of Brentwood and encourages and incorporates liturgical worship in all aspects of school life.{{cite news|url=http://www.stbons.org/Mainfolder/St%20Bonaventure%27s%20Prospectus%20Final.pdf|location=London, UK|work=St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School|title=St. Bons -Prospectus|access-date=29 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609012116/http://www.stbons.org/Mainfolder/St%20Bonaventure's%20Prospectus%20Final.pdf|archive-date=9 June 2012|url-status=dead}}

The school was called a "multilateral" in the tripartite system of education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1960 and became a boys' comprehensive for ages 11–19. The school gained Technology College status in 1994 and later Language College status. As a "high attaining school", it was also able to select a third specialism and chose applied learning.

File:Agnus Dei Teaching School Alliance.gif

The school was designated as a teaching school in February 2016. This means that the school has been judged as high performing and can take a lead role in training the next generation of school teachers, providing school to school support and supporting other teachers with their professional development. The school is part of the Agnus Dei Teaching School Alliance, with St Mary's University, Twickenham is the Higher Education Institute partner.

Most pupils are Roman Catholic; ethnic minorities represent the socio-economically deprived local catchment area. It is traditionally heavily oversubscribed for entry to year 7 and accepts 186 students each year.{{cite news|url=http://www.stbons.org/admissions|location=London, UK|work=St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School|title=St Bons – GCSE Admissions|accessdate=29 September 2011}}

• Christopher McCormack (2019–present)
• Paul Halliwell, (2010–2019)
• Paul C. Doherty (interim; 2010)
• Stephen Foster (2003–09)
• Sir Michael Wilshaw (1985–2003)
• Owen Craddy (1974–85)
• Howard Docherty (1957–1974)
• Hugh Lawrence O'Connor (1949–1957)
• Charles Edward Gourley (1919–49)
• A. W. L. Harrison 1907–1920
• David Fleming 1885–
• Germain Verleyen 1873–

The school performs well in the local and national league tables at GCSE level, and in 2012 over 99% of year 11 Pupils achieved five or more A*–C passes, above the national average.{{cite news|url=http://www.stbons.org/gcseresults|location=London, UK|work=St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School|title=St Bons – GCSE Result|access-date=29 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403095358/http://www.stbons.org/gcseresults|archive-date=3 April 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.stbons.org/curriculumovervew|location=London, UK|work=St. Bonaventure's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School|title=Curriculum Overview|access-date=29 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329122039/http://www.stbons.org/curriculumovervew|archive-date=29 March 2012|url-status=dead}}

As a Roman Catholic school, all pupils are entered for a compulsory GCSE in religious studies as well as English, maths and science. In 2005, the school became a language college, meaning that all pupils are also entered for a GCSE in a modern foreign language in French, Spanish or German.

At the end of year 9 students choose their options from a wide range of different GCSE subjects, including history, geography, PE, business studies, sociology, art, music and a selection of design technology subjects.

In 1965 the school football team won the Thomas Lipton Trophy (London & S.E Schools Cup) winning the final 7–0 against Beaufoys at the Old Spotted Dog Ground. Over the past few years the school's football and basketball teams have reached numerous national finals, such as the London Cup Final in football and the Essex Cup Final in both football and basketball. The school's cricket team have also won the Newham Cup several times. Many representatives of the school's football team have become professional footballers.

In 2008 St Bonaventure's became English Schools Basketball Association Under 14 boys national champions, and in doing so became the first team to achieve such a feat in the school's history. It repeated the feat in 2015, with the under 15 beating Holy Trinity and City of Leicester in the finals.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketballengland.co.uk/news/2015/schools-finals-sunday|title=Basketball England Final Results 2015}}

In 2016, St Bon's beat all previous English basketball records by all five year groups becoming Basketball England national champions. The year 7 competed in the Junior NBA winning the final on 22 March 2016. On the weekend of Friday 6 May 2016 to Sunday 8 May 2016, year 11 won, then year 10, followed by year 9 on Saturday then year 8 on Sunday. In September 2016, the school was accepted onto the elite Academy Basketball League (ABL) for post 16 due to the success of the school in all year groups below the sixth form.[https://web.archive.org/web/20161003044112/http://eabl.org/abl/teams/st-bonaventures/ Team on the ABL website]

In 2013, the year 10 team won the Dewar Shield.[http://www.stbons.org/year-10-dewar-shield-winners Year 10] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421050944/http://www.stbons.org/year-10-dewar-shield-winners |date=21 April 2014 }}, Dewar Shield Winners. In 2015, the year 9 football team became the under-14 Essex FA Jubilee Cup Champions[http://www.essexfa.com/news/2015/may/spot-kick-success-for-st-bonaventures Essex FA News May 2015] and the year 7 football team won the Lyca Mobile WHUFC Community Cup. The finals were held in the Boleyn Ground and St Bon's beat WHUFC under-12's 2–1.{{Cite web|url=http://www.whufc.com/articles/20140520/lycamobile-cup-finals-flourish_2236884_3843087|title=West Ham United FC Website}}

Alumni of St Bonaventure's are known as Bonaventurians and informally as Bon's Boys.

{{alumni|date=April 2025}}

• Chuba Akpom, footballer
• David Amess, British Conservative politician, MP for Southend West
• Chuks Aneke, footballer
• Charles Babalola, actor{{Cite web|url=http://www.lamda.org.uk/sites/default/files/babalola_charles.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215559/http://www.lamda.org.uk/sites/default/files/babalola_charles.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Biography|archivedate=12 May 2014}}
• Alex Bailey, former footballer
• Timothy Campbell, The Apprentice 2005 series winner and businessman
• John Chiedozie, former footballer{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
• Jermain Defoe, footballer{{cite web | last=Spencer | first=Clare | title=Why do some schools produce clusters of celebrities? | website=bbc.co.uk | date=6 May 2011 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13112311 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507034049/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13112311 | archive-date=7 May 2011 | url-status=dead | access-date=16 April 2025}}
• Anthony Edgar, footballer
• Peter Fahy, former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police
• Edward Fennessy, electronics engineer, developer of the radar[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/technology-obituaries/6819456/Sir-Edward-Fennessy.html Sir Edward Fennessy obituary], The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
• Desmond FitzGerald, Irish nationalist politician, father of Irish Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald{{Cite web|url=http://www.e7-nowandthen.org/2016/06/from-forest-gate-to-irish-taoiseach-via.html|title=From Forest Gate to Irish Taoiseach, via the Easter rising|first=John|last=Walker|date=21 June 2016|archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517093502/http://www.e7-nowandthen.org/2016/06/from-forest-gate-to-irish-taoiseach-via.html|url-status=live|access-date=16 April 2025}}
• Amos Foyewa, former footballer
• Ghetts, musician{{cite web|url=https://www.stbons.org/st-bons-alumni/|title=St Bon's Alumni|work=St Bonaventure's|accessdate=2025-02-18}}
• Chris Hughton, former footballer, football manager
• John Junkin, actor
• Terry Lawless, boxing manager and trainer
• Stephen Mulhern, TV presenter and entertainer
• Glen Murphy, actor
• Billy Murray, actor
• Divin Mubama, footballer{{cite web | title=School Sport: St Bonaventure's are Essex Cup kings! | website=Newham Recorder | date=3 May 2018 | url=https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/sport/21430768.school-sport-st-bonaventures-essex-cup-kings/ | access-date=16 April 2025}}
• Bondz N'Gala, footballer
• DJ Randall, musician
• Talay Riley, musician
• Bobby Seagull, TV Celebrity & Mathematician{{Cite web|url=https://www.tes.com/news/bobby-seagull-teacher-who-wants-britain-love-maths|title=Bobby Seagull: The teacher who wants Britain to love maths|website=Tes|language=en|access-date=14 May 2023}}
• Steve John Shepherd, actor
• Kiell Smith-Bynoe, actor
• Alex Stavrinou footballer
• Tinchy Stryder, musician
• Les Thompson, footballer

{{Reflist}}

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• [https://archive.today/20141221102425/http://www.edubase.gov.uk/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=102787 Profile], EduBase.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2014.

{{Schools and colleges in Newham}}

{{Diocese of Brentwood}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Bonaventure's Catholic School}}

Category:Secondary schools in the London Borough of Newham

Category:Catholic secondary schools in the Diocese of Brentwood

Category:Boys' schools in London

Category:Educational institutions established in 1875

Category:1875 establishments in England

Category:Voluntary aided schools in London

Category:Forest Gate