Newsletter 10.09.2021

Message from our Chaplain Mairie

Welcome back to a new school year and, for some, a new school. Everyone is very welcome, and it is lovely to have movement around school that is a bit more what we are used to. For this year’s focus we are returning to our school motto, ‘In Omnibus Labora’, which we understand as ‘Always do your best’. We wear this motto on our uniform, and it is on all our books as well as being seen on the website and around the school.

‘Always do your best’ isn’t just about academic effort. It is about being your best self; taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally and physically. It means making the best choices, not the easy choice. It means relating to other people in the best way you can and doing your best for them. St Paul wrote this to his community, two thousand years ago, ‘Do your best. We achieve when we never give up’. (Galatians 6:9). In this new year, with the help of God, let us all take our school motto to heart.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Some of our parishes are starting preparation for Confirmation later in the year. The preparation is organised in the parish and is for young people who have made their Holy Communion and are in Year 8 or above. If you have not yet signed up for a programme there is time for a few more weeks. Please speak to your parish priest or check the parish website for more details.

Covid Testing

We have now finished testing in school. All students with consent have received two lateral flow tests in school, thank you to everyone for their participation. Students have been provided with a home test kit, we encourage all students to continue testing twice a week for the remainder of September, until we await further government guidance.

Music

Instrumental lessons will be starting over the next 2 weeks.

If you have already completed the Microsoft Form requesting lessons then you will be contacted over the next 2 weeks. If you have not had chance yet to request lessons for your child in years 8-13 please complete on this link https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TQCEKBxgKE67QeEw___TRMgP4tV0psBGhiwHTlfdnv1URDZBTUc4NzFXTEVDV0VROU41SlhHREdQVC4u

If your child is in Year 7 and you have NOT YET requested instrumental lessons but would like to do so, please complete on this link https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=TQCEKBxgKE67QeEw___TRMgP4tV0psBGhiwHTlfdnv1UNEZVRU9QMEQyT0FXVzVQSEFYTkozQk9ONC4u

Music – lunchtime and after school

Maths Clubs

Lunchtime Clubs

Year 7, 8 and 9 Languages Games Club
Tuesday Lunchtime in L5

Chess and Rubik’s Club
Tuesday Lunchtime M5

Maths Homework Help
Wednesday Lunchtime in M6

Mathematical Art Club
Thursday Lunchtime in M7

Library News

Bookbuzz books for year 7s

All year seven students will receive a free book each as a gift to welcome them to the library. Students have been given the opportunity to explore a selection of books during their first library lesson. They have been asked to order their favourite title which will be delivered to school in the next few weeks to take home and keep, completely free of charge. Any students who would like to learn more about the books available, or, enter the Bookbuzz competitions can visit the Bookbuzz website at https://www.booktrust.org.uk/what-we-do/programmes-and-campaigns/bookbuzz/students/bookbuzz-books/

Boys After School Football

This week Year 8 and Year 9 boys teams played in their first co-curricular fixtures of the academic year. Both teams played very well with Year 8 winning the tournament and Year 9 being unbeaten in all games.

Thursday night St Nicholas KS4 boys played against Hartford

Year 10 won 5-2 and Year 11 lost 1-0.

It was great to see all players back on the pitch.

We often put sporting results on Twitter