Lent Charity assemblies
This week we will be launching our Lent Charity challenges to all students through their form patron saints. This is a lovely way of taking on the challenge as it is one of the few times when all year groups can get together. Lent doesn’t officially begin until next Wednesday – Ash Wednesday. And the challenge, proper, will not begin until we are back from half-term. But this early introduction will give students time to think about how they can raise money for our twin charities of CARITAS and CARITAS International. These charities work within communities to serve and support them in creating a better life for themselves. The international charity is part of the Disaster Emergency Committee, that provides support to those affected by conflict or natural disaster.
Last year, our students took on the challenge in an amazing and good-hearted way, with lots of activity and excitement especially around breaks and lunch. We hope that it will be just as much fun, and just as successful, this year. Look out for more details.
Confirmation at St John Vianney Parish
This is for students belonging to St Wilfrid’s, St Bede’s and Our Lady’s who are in Year 8 or above. The introduction to Confirmation will take place in the parish centre on Wednesday 6th March, when information will be shared, with an opportunity to ask questions, and then Wednesday 13th March for the first week of the course. Ideally, if those interested could contact the parish office (info@stjohnvianney.co.uk) though you can just turn up to the intro meeting.
Year 11 Revision
There are plenty of revision sessions being offered for Year 11.
Please encourage the students to attend – and there are prom points too.
Year 12 Work Experience
In January all of our Year 12 students embarked on a week of Work Experience. This is a really important week on our school calendar which provides our students with a real-world experience in a vast array of different areas. We had students who had various medical experiences at hospitals and dentist surgeries, as well as working on construction sites (Anna Mullan) to having their own prime time slot on Radio Northwich (Evan Turner). Lots of the newly acquired skills will serve our students well in the preparations for their next steps after A Levels.
St Nicholas would like to thank all of the local businesses who helped support our students throughout their time last week.
Well done to Logan Buckley Robinson who won a Silver & Bronze medal for Winsford Swimming Club in the Relay teams at the Cheshire County Championships.
This is an amazing achievement and a testament to all the hard work Logan has put in.
Year 7 – 5 A-Side Cheshire Champions
After winning the local district competition earlier in the year, the boys went on to represent St Nicholas at the indoor Cheshire finals. They played some excellent football and did not lose a single game throughout the competition.
Well done boys!
Isabelle Camacho
Well done to Isabelle who passed her Grade 3 piano practical with merit.
Amazing achievement.
Your School Lottery
Remember to check your email to see if you’ve won!
049431
One of our supporters won £14.70 in the draw! 😀 🎉
If you haven’t signed up yet visit our lottery here – https://www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/st-nicholas-catholic-high-school
Thank you everyone!
National Storytelling Week
Did you make the most of National Storytelling Week? We certainly did. We decided to showcase a combination of two mediums of story telling, books and TV. Students have been enjoying watching Heirs of the Night, a book based vampire series on CBBC recommended by one of our year 7 library assistants. CBBC has lots of shows which started life as children’s books. It’s a great way to get kids into reading. Check out the link below for more book based CBBC shows.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09gv27d?page=1
Read Harder Challenge 2024: Challenge no. 6
How is everyone getting on in the Read Harder Challenge?
I have some recommendations for those who want to tick off no.6 “Read a middle grade book with an LGBTQIA main character” (“middle grade” means suitable for ages 8-12).
I would love to hear from students and parents who have taken on the Read harder Challenge. Have you completed any tasks yet? Please email any book reviews to k.roberts@st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk. Click the link below for a reminder of the tasks:
https://s2982.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ReadHarderChallenge2024_checklist.pdf
Book of the Week
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The first of three books about Avery and the devastatingly handsome Hawthorne brothers, The Inheritance Games has benefitted from a surge of popularity thanks to “Booktok”.
Avery is a smart, self-sufficient 17 year being ‘looked after’ by her half-sister. They don’t have much money so Avery’s only hope of college is to get a scholarship. Avery’s fortune appears to change when a mysterious visitor informs her that she is to be at the will reading of recently dead billionaire Tobias Hawthorne. It is there that the entire family find out that Avery, previously unknown to them, is the sole heir to Tobias Hawthorne’s billions. But why? And will she be able to satisfy the one caveat to her inheritance and remain living in Hawthorne house for a year? Will she even survive that long? Someone in the family wants the interloper dead and the longer she spends with the Hawthornes, the less Avery is sure who she can trust. Avery and the four Hawthorne brothers compete to play the eccentric Billionaire’s last game to solve the riddle of the will but end up with more questions than answers.
This will be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good mystery and is suitable for 12+.
Best Practice Network are running a series of webinars to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week from the 5th–11th of February.
Our Apprenticeship Routes for School Leavers webinar is particularly tailored for students to learn more about apprenticeships in Early Years and Education.
Webinar on
Apprenticeship Routes for School Leavers
We will be joined by Jess Payne, Recruitment Manager at Snapdragons Nurseries, who will talk about employment opportunities in Early Years.
What is an apprenticeship?
What is the career pathway into Early Years and Education?
How to find an apprenticeship
What an employer is looking for
Q&A
All registrants will receive the recording and slides from the webinar.
4:30 PM – 5:30PM
MMR and Measles
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an increase in measles across the country with a recent outbreak in the West Midlands region of England. Measles spreads very easily among those who are unvaccinated, especially in nurseries and schools, and can be a very unpleasant illness. In some children, measles can be very serious and lead to hospitalisation – and in rare cases tragically can cause death.
The free MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella, and help stop outbreaks in the community. We are calling on all parents and guardians to make sure that they and their children have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
It’s important for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at 1year of age and as a pre-school booster at three years, four months of age. If children and young adults have missed these vaccinations in the past, it’s important to take up the vaccine now from GPs, particularly in light of the recent cases.
Check your child’s Red Book to see if they’ve received MMR vaccinations as scheduled or check with your GP surgery if you’re unsure. Most healthy adults will have developed some immunity to measles but can still receive two doses of the vaccine from their GP too.
Anyone with symptoms is also being advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice.
Measles symptoms to be aware of include:
• high fever
• sore, red, watery eyes
• coughing
• aching and feeling generally unwell
• a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms.
For more information about measles, see the www.nhs.uk website.
To find out more about childhood vaccinations, please visit the NHS website:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
What do I need to know about the MMR vaccine? – UK Health Security Agency (www.blog.gov.uk)
Thank you once again for your continued co-operation.
Yours sincerely
Helen Bromley
Director of Public Health
Lunchtime:
Monday : Linguistics Club, Years 10,11,12,13 in E7
Monday : Memrise Club in L5
Tuesday : Science Club in S5
Tuesday: GCSE Computer Science Revision in C2
Tuesday : Chess Club in M5
Wednesday : Art club – all years in A1 and A2
Wednesday : Easy as Pi – Maths Club – in M6
Wednesday : Dungeons and Dragons in B5
Thursday : Art club -all years A1 in and A2 – KS4
Thursday : KS3 History Club – Week 2 in H1
Friday : GCSE History Film Club – Week 1 in H1
After School:
Tuesday
Performing Arts Club – 3.15 – 4.30 Drama
Food Club – Year 9 and GCSE – 3.15 – 4.30 in T6
Drama Club in Drama Studio – not on this week due to parents evening
Wednesday
Dungeons and Dragons – in the library
Thursday
Art club for everyone in A2
Lunchtime:
Tuesday : Year 9 ensemble1M
Wednesday : Jazz Band (GCSE and A Level)
Thursday : String Ensemble
After School:
Tuesday : GCSE Revision
Wednesday Choir
Thursday ORCHESTRA- Twilight inset for staff
Instrumental Lessons in school
MONDAY GUITAR, PIANO and FLUTE
TUESDAY SINGING
WEDNESDAY PIANO
THURSDAY VIOLIN, CLARINET AND SAXOPHONE
FRIDAY DRUM KIT
If you are interested in learning an instrument in school, please click here
Lunchtime:
Monday : Basketball – sports Hall – Year 9
Tuesday : Basketball – sports Hall – Year 10
Wednesday : Basketball – sports Hall – Year 7&8
Thursday : Football – sports Hall – Year 9
Friday : Football – sports Hall – Sixth Form
After School:
NO CLUBS due to Twilight
Friday 9th Feb ARC Trip
Monday 12th Feb Year 11 Parent’s Evening 4.15 – 7.30pm
Thur 15th Feb-19th Feb Art/MFL Paris Trip
Friday 16th Feb School Closes
SPRING HALF TERM
17 – 24th Feb Ski trip
Click here for future dates
“Everyone Matters – so attendance matters”