St John's Beaumont welcomes the Queen

Her Majesty The Queen received an enthusiastic welcome when she visited St John's Beaumont yesterday, and officially opened the school's new Sports Centre. On her arrival at the Berkshire school, Her Majesty was greeted by the British Jesuit Provincial, Fr Michael Holman SJ, the Chair of Governors, Fr Kevin Fox SJ, and Headmaster, Mr Giles Delaney, who proceeded to escort the Queen on a tour of the school.

Their first stop was the new Sports Hall, where boys were demonstrating the school's state-of-the-art cricket nets which are helping them improve their sporting skills.  The Queen then inspected an impressive art exhibition, before moving onto the fitness suite and performance studio.  She then returned to the foyer where there is an indoor 30' rock climbing wall, which the boys demonstrated for her with much energy.

Mr Delaney then escorted the Queen around other areas of the school, and she engaged enthusiastically in conversations with the pupils and staff.  On her return to the Sports Hall, the school orchestra played Land of Hope and Glory, after which pupil Joshua Steeds gave a virtuoso performance on the violin.

It was Her Majesty's first visit to the Jesuit preparatory school, although she had visited its Senior School, Beaumont College, in 1961, on the occasion of the centenary of its foundation.  A painting of that event still hangs in the entrance to St John's Beaumont.  The new block, which cost £2.8m to build, is dedicated to the memory of Dermot Gogarty, Headmaster of St John's Beaumont from 1987 until his untimely death in a car accident in 2005.

Mr Delaney, who succeeded Dermot Gogarty, recalled the passion that his predecessor had for the Jesuit education principles of both producing 'men for others' and also for ensuring the development of the whole person, spiritually as well as academically.  He also reminded the audience, made up of parents and supporters of the school, as well as pupils and staff, of Mr Gogarty's energetic support of sporting activities among the boys and his ambition to provide St John's Beaumont with excellent facilities.  This, Mr Delaney said, had now been achieved in his name.  He then invited Her Majesty The Queen to unveil a wooden plaque commemorating the official opening of the Dermot Gogarty Sports Centre.


 St John's Beaumont