St Catherine’s Day Celebrations

The tradition of celebrating St Catherine’s Day was introduced in 1927 and has been done so ever since. Catherine is the Patron Saint of the Haberdashers’ Company and we were delighted to welcome the new Master, for whom the celebrations at Habs Girls were his first public engagement in the role. The day included both traditional and fun elements, with several House activities taking place including the House St Catherine’s Day Quiz, House Netball, House Singing and the House Egg Race, which this year ran its 33rd competition. We also held the final of the Edna Judd Poetry Recital Competition, a longstanding event in the school’s history for students in Year 7 and Year 8.

The day began with the St Catherine’s Day service at which readings from different faiths were shared, this year united by the theme of ‘Love for all’. Music was provided by St Catherine Singers who sang a piece by contemporary composers Gemma McGregor and Philip Moore. Tibi Gratias – I Thank You God was written by Philip Moore to celebrate 40 years of the school at Elstree in 2014 and was commissioned by the Old Girls’ Club. The text was selected both to reference the final line of the school Carmen (Mater tibi gratias) and the poem by E. E. Cummings was one of former Headmistress Mrs Penney’s favourites.

Meanwhile, in the Junior School, St Catherine’s Day was a joyful celebration filled with creativity, fun and community spirit! In Houses, pupils took part in a carousel of exciting activities, from taking part in an energetic drama session led by Razzamataz Theatre School, where they embraced their inner performers, to learning a dance to ‘Reach for the Stars’ organised by Showstoppers. The artistic talents of our Junior School pupils shone as they crafted vibrant works inspired by the bold, colourful art of Romero Brito, which has now been turned into an inspiring mural in the Key Stage 1 corridor. The day also included an act of service, where students made festive cards for the residents of a local care home, spreading cheer and kindness to those in the community. It was a day of learning, laughter and giving, truly marking the essence of our school’s values.

St Catherine’s Day is a day that binds together Habs Girls students of all generations and is a tradition of which we are very proud.