Headteacher's Letters

Dear Parents & Carers,

A very warm welcome back to all our students and families as we begin a new academic year. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable summer break.

The first week of term is always a busy and exciting time as students move into their new year groups, receive their new timetables and settle back into familiar routines. We are especially delighted to welcome our new Year 7 students, as well as those joining us in other year groups. We wish them every success as they settle into school life and become valued members of our school community. We also welcome other new students who are joining other year groups higher up the school. School starts on Thursday 3^rd September 2026 at 8.25am.

Parent/Carer Information Evenings (5.30-6.30pm)

We are delighted to be running a series of Parent/Carer Information Evenings throughout the year, with dates listed below. These evenings are a welcoming opportunity for parents and carers to find out more about life at our school and how we can work together to support your child. You will have the chance to receive important information about curriculum, pastoral care and student wellbeing, as well as learn more about the support and opportunities available to your child.

We warmly encourage parents and carers to attend. Your involvement makes a real difference, and working together helps us ensure that every student feels supported, happy and able to achieve their very best. We look forward to welcoming you to these important and informative evenings.

Year 11 Leavers

A huge congratulations to our Year 11 students on achieving a fantastic set of examination results. We are incredibly proud of their hard work, determination and commitment throughout the year. This year, impressive outcomes were recorded in RE, Separate Sciences, Geography, Fine Art, Photography, Health & Social Care, Sports Studies and Hospitality & Catering. Results in History, Spanish and Maths also increased. We wish our students every success as they start A Level, BTEC and T-Level courses at college. We also have a number of students starting apprenticeships in a range of areas of employment.

Their achievements are a wonderful example to our current students of what can be achieved through hard work, resilience and a positive attitude towards learning. We hope that our younger students will be inspired by the success of our Year 11 cohort and recognise the exciting opportunities that await them as they progress through the school. Our students can take great pride in seeing their peers achieve such fantastic outcomes, and we look forward to supporting and celebrating the achievements of future year groups in the years ahead.

Catholic Life and Mission

Our first assemblies back in school will focus on the importance of our School Mission Statement. As we begin a new academic year, our School Mission Statement, “In Christ We Grow – Striving for excellence through caring, sharing and achieving”, provides an important reminder of who we are as a school community and what we hope to achieve together. Our mission is rooted in the words of Jesus in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit”. Like branches connected to the vine, we flourish when we remain connected to Christ and support one another.

A new school year brings fresh opportunities, new challenges and renewed hope. It is a time for our students to set goals, develop their talents and make the most of every opportunity to learn and grow. With the encouragement of our staff, families and wider community, we want every young person to recognise and fulfil their God-given potential. Through caring, sharing and achieving, we seek to nurture not only academic success, but also faith, character, confidence, compassion and resilience.

As parents and carers, your support is invaluable. Together, we can encourage our students to aim high, persevere when challenges arise and celebrate their progress and achievements. May this be a year of growth, opportunity, achievement and hope, as we journey together in Christ.

Curriculum

Our Curriculum Overviews have been updated on the school website and provide parents and carers with a clear overview of what your child will be learning in each subject, term by term, throughout the academic year.

We encourage you to use these overviews to stay informed about your child’s learning and to support conversations about their progress and learning at home. They are also a valuable resource for students when preparing for subject assessments, providing a useful guide to the key topics and knowledge they should revise.

Please take a few minutes to explore the Curriculum Overviews and see what your child is learning in each subject this term and throughout the year. https://www.olqp.org.uk/curriculum/curriculum-overviews

Pastoral Care

Students will be introduced to their Form Tutor and will receive their tutor group information on their first day back at school. Below, you will find the names of the Pastoral Leaders for each year group, who are available to support students with their wellbeing, progress and pastoral needs throughout the academic year. Our pastoral team works closely with students, parents and carers to ensure that every young person feels supported, valued and able to thrive in our school community.

Communication with School Staff

For pastoral issues, parents/carers should contact their child’s form tutor.
For academic issues, parents/carers should contact their child’s subject teacher.

• Staff aim to respond to non-urgent queries within 48 hours.
• Please note that teachers are in lessons for most of the school day and often attend scheduled meetings after school. They are not expected to be available outside of school hours.

If the matter is urgent, please inform reception when making contact. Urgent issues include (but are not limited to):

• safeguarding concerns
• a child in distress
• medical issues
• allegations of bullying
• school refusal

These matters will always be dealt with as a priority.

We kindly ask that all communication is polite and respectful. Our staff will always do their best to resolve any concerns. However, please note that staff should never be subjected to verbal abuse or inappropriate behaviour.

Attendance

We would like to remind all parents and carers of the importance of high levels of school attendance and punctuality. Every school day matters, and being in school every day, on time, gives students the best possible opportunity to learn, make progress and achieve their full potential.

Regular attendance is important not only for academic success but also for students’ well-being, confidence and personal development. Attending school regularly helps students to:

• Maintain continuity in their learning and avoid falling behind.
• Develop positive routines, resilience and independence.
• Build and maintain friendships and positive relationships with peers and staff.
• Take part fully in lessons, enrichment activities, trips, clubs and wider school life.
• Benefit from the structure, support and stability that school provides.
• Develop good habits that will support them in further education, employment and adult life.

Even occasional absences can have an impact. Missing just a few days of school can mean missing important learning, assessments, explanations and opportunities that can be difficult to replace. Good attendance is one of the key foundations for success.

Term-time holidays and unauthorised absence

Students who are absent from school because of holidays taken during term time are placed at a significant disadvantage. We therefore strongly remind parents and carers that family holidays should not be taken during term time.

In line with government regulations, schools are unable to routinely authorise term-time holidays. Where an absence is unauthorised, the Local Authority may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) in accordance with the national attendance regulations.

Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) information

The current arrangements for unauthorised school absence in England are:

First FPN within a rolling three-year period

• £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
• £160 per parent, per child if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.

Second FPN within a rolling three-year period

• £160 per parent, per child, with no reduction for early payment.

Third occasion of unauthorised absence within three years

• A further FPN will not be issued.
• The matter may instead be referred directly to the Magistrates’ Court, where a fine of up to £2,500 may be imposed. Further legal consequences may also follow.

We ask all parents and carers to work with us to ensure that their child attends school every day and on time, wherever possible. If your child is struggling to attend regularly, please speak to the school at the earliest opportunity. We are committed to working with families to understand barriers to attendance and to provide appropriate support wherever we can.

Every day counts. Every lesson matters. Every student deserves the opportunity to be in school, learning, supported and part of our school community. Thank you for your continued support in making excellent attendance a priority.

Behaviour

Dates for your diary

Holiday Dates

Yours sincerely

Mrs M. Henshaw

Headteacher