Headteacher's Letters

Dear Parents & Carers,

Welcome back to the final half-term of the academic year. I hope you had a wonderful break and enjoyed the warm weather. We wish our Year 11 students every success as they continue with their GCSE examinations. With just two and a half weeks remaining, staff have been impressed by the positive attitude, determination, and hard work shown by students throughout the examination period. They have demonstrated remarkable resilience and commitment, and we are very proud of their efforts so far. We encourage them to continue giving their best as they approach the final stages of their exams.

Catholic Life and Mission

Just before half term, we celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, empowering them to proclaim the Gospel and marking the birth of the Church.

As we begin this final half term, we look forward to celebrating the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. This feast celebrates the mystery of one God in three divine Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a central belief of the Catholic faith.

This is also a special time of year for many families as younger brothers and sisters prepare to celebrate their First Holy Communion. We keep them in our prayers as they take this important step in their faith journey and hope that they enjoy a joyful and memorable day with their families and loved ones.

Water Sports Trip to Spain

For thirty-one of our students, the May half-term break was packed with excitement and adventure during a memorable trip to Tossa de Mar, Spain. Throughout the week, students embraced a wide range of activities, making the most of every opportunity to challenge themselves, develop new skills, and create lasting memories with their friends.

The programme included a variety of thrilling water sports, where students demonstrated courage, teamwork, and determination. Highlights included tackling a climbing wall and soaring across a zip wire, both of which proved to be extremely popular. Students also enjoyed a visit to the local zoo, where they had the opportunity to learn about a variety of animals and their habitats.

The fun continued into the evenings with a range of social activities designed to bring everyone together. Students enjoyed shared meals, took part in a lively quiz night, and danced the night away at a disco. These activities helped to strengthen friendships and contributed to the fantastic atmosphere throughout the trip.

A huge thank you goes to Mr Ford and all the staff who gave up their time to organise and accompany the visit, ensuring that students had such a rewarding and enjoyable experience. We would also like to congratulate all of the students who attended. They were highly complimented by members of the public, venue staff, and activity leaders for their excellent behaviour, positive attitudes, and exemplary conduct throughout the trip. They were outstanding ambassadors for the school, and we are incredibly proud of the way they represented our community.

Year 10 Prefect Applications

We are delighted to invite Year 10 students to apply for the role of Prefect for the 2026–27 academic year. Becoming a Prefect is an excellent opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills, serve as positive role models within our school community, and contribute to school life. Students wishing to apply should complete and submit their application by Thursday 4 June 2026. We encourage parents and carers to discuss this opportunity with their child and support them in preparing a thoughtful application that highlights their strengths, commitment, and suitability for the role. Following the application deadline, a shortlist of candidates will be selected for interview on Friday 5 June 2026. We look forward to receiving applications from students who are keen to make a positive contribution to our school community and take on this important leadership responsibility.

Kindness

At the start of this half term, we are placing a particular focus on kindness and encouraging all students to consider how their actions can positively impact those around them. Kindness is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to strengthen our school community and ensure that everyone feels valued, respected, and included.

We are encouraging students to demonstrate kindness in practical ways every day, including:

• Asking someone how they are and taking the time to listen.
• Holding the door open for others.
• Giving genuine compliments.
• Sharing with others.
• Inviting someone to join a group if they are on their own.
• Standing up for others and helping to prevent unkind behaviour.

We are also reminding students that they have a responsibility to act when they witness inappropriate behaviour. We ask them not to ignore or simply watch when others:

• Are unkind.
• Make a racist comment.
• Use sexist language.
• Use discriminatory language of any kind.

Such behaviour has no place in our school community. We want all students to understand that silence can sometimes be interpreted as acceptance. We encourage them not to tolerate these behaviours and to report any concerns to a member of staff so that appropriate support and action can be taken. By working together, we can continue to build a culture where kindness, respect, and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do.

Year 9 & Year 10 Summer Examinations

Students in all year groups should now start preparing for their summer examinations. Students should create a revision timetable and put time aside to learn key knowledge and do practice questions.

• Years 9&10 – Examinations start Monday 15^th June 2026 and will be spread over a two-week period 

Dates for your diary

Monday 15^th June 2026                  Start of Year 9 & Year 10 exams

Friday 19^th June 2026                      Year 11 Prom

Thursday 2^nd July 2026                    Year 6 Transition Day

Holiday Dates

Thank you for your ongoing support throughout the term. 

Yours sincerely

Mrs M. Henshaw

Headteacher