This week in our school community: 14 March 2025

Congratulations to all students who performed so well in the GCSE Dance Showcase  

The week began with our GCSE Dance students showcasing their hard work and beautiful dance skills in their final performance to a supportive crowd of family, friends and staff. Congratulations to all students who performed so well on the night and to Mrs Pearson, Miss Williams and Mrs Richards for all of the support and care that has gone into preparing the group so well.

Year 11 GCSE Food Tech practical exams have also started this week and the smells wafting from the Food Tech room suggest that students are doing extremely well and cooking up culinary delights. Best of luck to all involved.

Students in E tutor groups, as well as some of our Year 11 Prefects, have presented wonderful collective worship assemblies on Pope Francis this week, especially poignant as we continue to pray for the Pope's recovery to health as a school community. If you visit school please take some time to see our Lenten prayer table and notice board in reception, with stunning photos of our recent pilgrimage to Rome.

It was lovely to see some parents and carers attend our PTFA Coffee and Cake event this week to talk to Mr Richardson, Mr Jaggon and I about all aspects of the school's Catholic ethos and how that shapes our response to behaviour and our pastoral provision. Don't forget that we have our Lenten parent and carer prayer group next Tuesday, 18 March at 8am - a perfect way to pray as a community this Lent in our lovely Chapel. Our next PTFA meeting is Wednesday 19 March, 6-7pm, in the Reading Room - all welcome to discuss ongoing fundraising projects.

I am attending the ASCL conference for headteachers in Liverpool today and tomorrow; I will be interested to hear the Secretary of State, Bridget Phillipson, talk in a key note lecture to discover how the government is going to support the education sector as we move forward with key areas such as curriculum review, SEND and providing excellent education for all learners.

Finally, new posters have gone up in all student toilets with 'Toilet Etiquette' rules to follow after a spate of some poor behaviour from a minority of individuals, such as eating, drinking, using mobile phones and making a mess on the floor. Please speak to your child about respecting the environment: we wouldn't expect them to behave like this at home or in public so they most certainly should not be poorly behaved in school toilets. Thank you for your cooperation and support in this matter.

Have a wonderful weekend and I will leave you with this short reflection to consider. In his message for Lent, Pope Francis writes:

"This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs....Let us ask ourselves: Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?"

Mrs Melissa George (BA Hons, MA, PGCE) 

Headteacher