Nicholas Breakspear School

During the Buncefield Explosion vandals broke into fifteen of Breakspear's classrooms.[3] After a 2008 renovation of the science classrooms, Chris Reeves made a nativity scene composed of sculptures made from the discarded 1960's desks.[4]

In September 2013 the school celebrated its golden anniversary with a service offered by the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster at SS Alban and Stephen Church in the presence of the mayor of St Albans. The mass was followed by a tree-planting ceremony on the school grounds.[5]

It was recently categorized in 2016 as a 'Good' school but still remains a school with below average teachers.[1]

On 13 January 2016, Prince William ate lunch with Breakspear students at John Henry Newman School as he waited for paramedics. The East Anglian Air Ambulance, of which the Duke of Cambridge is part of, frequently uses the Newman School fields.[6]

After the student leaders' team spent a week in Hoima and Kasambya, Uganda with Kiddies Support Scheme (KiSS) helping families become self-sufficient, they decided to attempt to raise £13,000 by 28 November 2016.[7]

Since 2017 Breakspear students have been able to choose from a breakfast menu of "avocado, bacon and eggs with toasted cheese soldiers, croque monsieur, date and cinnamon bloomer, breakfast smoothies, banana split granola and vegetarian breakfast bruschetta," as well as "breakfast muffins, brioche baps and porridge pots."[8]

To commemorate the First World War centenary, the school displayed crosses with the names of local soldiers and held a special service of remembrance on 9 November 2018.[9]

As part of the 2018 International Men's Day theme of "Positive Male Role Models" Breakspear invited former footballer Jermaine Jonas, Kiss FM DJ Majestic (Kevin Christie), journalist and Home Office press officer Conor Gaffey and kickboxing champion Ciaran Shanahan to speak about mental health.[10]

Breakspear has six houses, each named after a saint whose life is intended to serve as an example to the community. Students are assigned to one of the houses on entrance to the school in Year 7 where they remain until the end of 6th form; whenever possible younger siblings become a member of the same house.

Each member of staff is also attached to a house.

Each house has two designated Year 11 House Captains, and one Sixth Form House Leader, who aides in coordinating house teams, organise activities and events and represent their house at relevant meetings. Houses compete between themselves for the most point accumulated during both terms of the school year.

• Martin Brophy MBE - former chairman of the London Gay Men's Choir.[14]
• Tom Cahill - musician, he played in the band Saving Aimee.[15]
• Fahmida Chowdhury - obtained the highest GSCE at Breakspear when a new grading system was introduced in August 2018 and was Head Girl in 2020.[16]
• Matthew Connolly - professional football player, he started his career at Arsenal and most notably played for Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City.
• Naomi Czuba - starred in an international advertising campaign for Sweaty Betty.[17]
• Ryan Henson - Conservative Party candidate for Bedford at the 2019 United Kingdom general election. He finished runner up to Mohammad Yasin of the Labour Party, who won by just 145 votes.
• Satoshi Ishida - musician, he played in the band Saving Aimee.[15]
• Nick Isiekwe - professional English rugby union player, he has stated that Breakspear aided in his formation.[18]
• Sean Lemon - musician, he played in the band Saving Aimee[15] and is a member of the band Room 94.
• Jessica Martins - Miss Global Madeira 2013-2014.[19]
• Gail Radley - co-founder of Harper & Guy Recruitment Solutions.[20]