Newsletter 14.02.2025 – St Nicholas Catholic High School

A prayer to share

A Prayer

Lord, we humble ourselves in Your presence.
Help us love mercy and act in ways that are just and right.
Lord, imprint more of Your just character on our souls.
Then we will see things like You do and treat every person in a way that honors You.

AMEN

Message from our Chaplain Mairie

Pilgrims of Hope Lent Launch

This week and next, we will be launching our Lent Charity challenges to all students with a focus on the Jubilee Year – Pilgrims of Hope. Lent doesn’t officially begin until Ash Wednesday, which this year is 5th March. But this advance notice will give students time to plan. And the challenge, proper, can begin once we are back from half-term. We will, during Lent, be raising 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. As Pilgrims of Hope we are going to extend the challenge to the end of the school year, focusing on making a difference in the world through campaigns, raising awareness and community outreach.

Every year, our students take 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 even more 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 Confirmation programme will take place in the parish centre starting from Wednesday 19th March for the first week of the course. Confirmation takes place on 3rd October. If those interested could contact the parish office (info@stjohnvianney.co.uk) or speak to Fr Paul or other clergy. I am also happy to answer any queries but Confirmation no longer takes place in school.

Members of other parishes should check with their parish priest, website or newsletter.

‘Shrek’ – what a success!

Shrek was a triumph! Everyone involved worked so hard to produce three truly magical performances.

In the words of Mrs Milbourne:

What an ogre-whelmingly fantastic adventure this has been! A huge fairy-tale thank you to our incredible cast, crew, and everyone who helped bring this Shrektacular production to life. Theatre isn’t just about performing, it’s about building confidence, finding your voice, and embracing who you truly are. Watching our young performers grow in talent and spirit has been nothing short of magical, proving why the arts are so vital in schools.
At the heart of this show are the Catholic values we hold dear: kind- ness, compassion, and community. Just like Shrek, we’ve learned that true beauty comes from within, and that by supporting and uplifting each other, we create something truly special. This production has been filled with laughter, friendship, and a real sense of belonging, proof that we’re all part of one big swamp-family!
A giant-sized thanks to all who supported us, on stage, backstage, and in the audience. You’ve made this journey unforgettable, and we couldn’t have done it without you!

We also had some brilliant feedback from parents and families – thank you for all your communication – it means a lot to us all.

I attended the first show last evening with my daughter and would like to express what a wonderful and enjoyable evening it was.

The professionalism, attention to detail of the set, costumes/ makeup, orchestra, were excellent. It was clear to see the dedication and time, that has been spent rehearsing for the show, highlighting each unique and individual students’ talent. It was lovely to witness the older students, clearly support and encourage the younger students too.

As a new year 7 parent to the school, It was a joy to see all students, from characters, to lighting/ props and chorus line being encouraged and supported to be their very best!

A show that could have easily been in the theatre – not just a school production! Excellent!

And another lovely one:

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for your incredible effort in putting on Shrek the Musical.

The production was absolutely fantastic—from the wonderful performances, amazing costumes, clever lighting, superb sound, awesome live band and incredible staging, everything came together so beautifully. It was clear how much hard work and dedication went into making it such a success and that’s just the first night!

The students were outstanding, and their energy and enthusiasm were a testament to your guidance and passion. Thank you for creating such a memorable experience for everyone involved!

Sporting Success – Swimming

At the recent Cheshire Swimming Championships, held over three gruelling weekends in Macclesfield & Stockport, Jefferson Jones, 11C, became the Cheshire Junior 200m breaststroke champion & Ed Ma, 11R became the Cheshire Junior 400m Individual Medley champion. Both students, who swim for Winsford Swim Team are off to Cyprus over the February half term to prepare for the National Arena Swimming League National finals to be held in Cardiff in March before racing in Liverpool & Manchester at the North West Regional Championships in April.

Sporting Success – Swimming

Over the past month Edward Smalley has competed in the Cheshire Championships in Macclesfield.

Over the course of the competitions he won 5 silvers, two in 50m backstroke (16 and junior) and one in 400m freestyle, one in 200m backstroke and one in 1500m freestyle. I He also won 3 bronze medals, one in 1500m freestyle junior, one in 100m backstroke and one in 400m IM.

These achievements and his times mean that he has qualified in the Regional taking place in April.

Well done Ed – and good luck!

Sporting Success – Swimming

Hattie Lawson also took part in the Cheshire County Championships 2025. She won: 4 Golds, 5 Silver and 5 bronze medals over 3 weekends of racing. Her dedication to her training and sport is so impressive. Well done! Hattie is a national swimmer in 200m Butterfly. Good luck in all your future competitions.

Sporting Success – Indoor Athletics

This week St Nicholas took part in the Indoor Athletics Championship.

Its was a great day for everyone involved. The Year 7 Girls and Boys and will be representing Mid-Cheshire next half term in the next round.

We are all very proud of the conduct and sportsmanship everyone displayed.

Sporting Success – table tennis

On Thursday Mr Humpries and Mrs Forsey took our table tennis squad to Halton for the Cheshire table tennis championsship.

It was a super high standard and an extremely friendly competition, Rafael and James got through to knockout stages – everyone played well and gave their all.

UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge

Two weeks ago more than 200 students across year 9, 10 and 11 sat the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge. This is a really tough 25 question paper which tests mathematical reasoning and problem solving. The highest performing students across the country receive certificates, including more than 80 students at St Nicholas. The full results for each year group are below, and there are 3 questions from this year’s paper you can have a go at yourself… enjoy!

Year 9 Name	Certificate
Ka Lai Fong	Gold Best in Year
Dylan Evans	Silver
Max Zaremba	Silver
Ben Yeates	Silver
Dylan Meesala	Silver
Stan Shallcross	Bronze
Will O’Reilly	Bronze
Frank Graham	Bronze
Annabelle Hartley	Bronze
Henry Stoneley	Bronze
Chloe Chui	Bronze
James Zeta	Bronze
Jonathan Buckhurst	Bronze
Maisie Sharman	Bronze
Aleksander Wieckowski	Bronze
Will Irwin	Bronze
Benjamin Lear	Bronze
Oscar Ho	Bronze

Year 10

Name	Certificate
James Lewis	Gold Best in Year
Aiden Sham	Gold
Charlie Yarwood	Gold
Aiden Hopley	Silver
Kaitlin Marshall	Silver
Alexander Simmons	Silver
Evan Andrews	Silver
Nneoma Njoku	Silver
Ameen Syed-Hanrahan	Silver
Louis Mcmanus	Bronze
Owen Hull	Bronze
Brandon Williams	Bronze
Esmie Roberts	Bronze
Chi Ting Wong	Bronze
Lisa Davies	Bronze
Thomas Freeman	Bronze
Rufus Reeves	Bronze
Szymon Suchecki	Bronze
Zac Butterton	Bronze
Jonah Ashworth	Bronze
Patrick Longhorn	Bronze
Marcus Ning	Bronze
Jason Zeng	Bronze
Dagmara Krzysko	Bronze
Giorgio Verardi	Bronze

Year 11

Name	Certificate
Edward Smalley	Gold Best in School
Zachary Mikoleizik	Gold
Joe Smith	Gold
Hugo Shum	Gold
Oliver Boyers	Silver
Sinead Garrard	Silver
Charlie Fitzsimmons	Silver
Jefferson Jones	Silver
Henryk Wieckowski	Silver
Edward Cranmer-Gordon	Silver
Alexander Hubbard-Storrow	Silver
Peace Chilakalaka	Silver
Noah Kasmir	Silver
Charles Larkin	Silver
Nathan Lee	Silver
Aaron Shepherd	Silver
Grace Bird	Bronze
Chloe Yip	Bronze
Erin Pritchard	Bronze
Andrzejewski Joe	Bronze
Dylan Fern	Bronze
Sara Gasparini	Bronze
Joshua Geaves	Bronze
Molly Scott	Bronze
Constance Scurry	Bronze
Niamh Sheahan	Bronze
James Smith	Bronze
Francis Holbrook	Bronze
Harry Bainbridge	Bronze
Victoria Morek	Bronze
Matthew Ross	Bronze
Belle Brown	Bronze
Timmie Jacob	Bronze
Edward Ma	Bronze
Jemima McHale	Bronze
Esme Thorpe	Bronze
Evie Grensinger	Bronze
Harry Walker	Bronze

Employee Readiness Programme

Today our Year 13s are getting a taste of interview and CV writing techniques.

Representatives from local employers have volunteered their time to conduct formal interviews with our students.

After an initial presentation of what employers are looking for, it is wonderful to hear the preparation and our Year 13s have put in – the room is currently buzzing with questions, answers, conversation and even a few laughs.

PTFA News

The PTFA would like to wish you all a wonderful half term break.

We look forward to seeing you soon. Our next meeting is on Monday 10th March at 5.15pm in school. Everyone is welcome.

Refer a friend and win!

PTFA Lottery

Our latest jackpot winning number is:
572212

One of our supporters won £17.70 in the draw!

Please consider joining our school lottery if you’ve not already done so as it helps raise funds for school. Thank you for your support as always.

www.your.schoollottery.co.uk

Kind regards,

You PTFA

Library and Literacy

Library and Literacy

February 14^th is International Book Giving Day!

The aim: to get books into the hands of as many children as possible. And what better day to have it than on Valentines Day so you can share your love for books your family?

How to take part.

Wrap up a book as a surprise gift on the 14th.
Take your child to the library.
Take some time out of your day to read to your child (teens are not too old to be read to. They still enjoy it).
Swap your TV time for family reading time.
Donate some books to a hospital/shelter/school.
Share your activities on social media using #BookGivingDay to inspire others.

Why is it important to encourage the love of reading?

Boosts vocabulary and language skills – Children exposed to books from an early age develop larger vocabularies and stronger language skills, setting them up for better communication and academic success.

Strengthens brain connections – MRI scans reveal that reading increases neural activity in key brain regions responsible for comprehension, critical thinking, and empathy. A 2018 study from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found that children who read frequently had stronger white matter connectivity, improving cognitive function.

Improves focus and memory – Unlike passive screen time, reading demands concentration, helping children develop better attention spans and memory recall.

Enhances emotional intelligence – Reading fiction allows children to step into different perspectives, fostering empathy and social skills. A study published in Science (2013) found that people who read literary fiction were better at understanding others’ emotions.

Library and Literacy

Books to Support 11-18 Year Olds for Children’s Mental Health Week

Children’s Mental Health Week is an important time to focus on the emotional well-being of young people. Books can play a vital role in supporting mental health, offering comfort, understanding, and guidance to teenagers facing various challenges. Below are some recommended books that can help 11-18 year olds navigate their mental health, build resilience, and feel less alone. By making these books available to teenagers, whether through schools, libraries, or at home, we can encourage open conversations about mental health and support their well-being.

As we mark Children’s Mental Health Week, let’s use stories and words to remind young people that help and hope are always within reach.

1. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse – Charlie Mackesy

This beautifully illustrated book is full of heartfelt messages about kindness, friendship, and hope. It’s a great resource for young people who may be struggling with self-doubt, loneliness, or anxiety, offering reassurance and wisdom through simple yet profound storytelling.

2. You Will Get Through This Night – Daniel Howell (Older teens)

Written by YouTuber Daniel Howell, this book is an honest and practical guide to mental health. Co-written with a clinical psychologist, it provides real-world advice on coping with depression, anxiety, and stress, making it an excellent tool for teenagers facing mental health struggles.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky (Older teens)

This coming-of-age novel explores themes of anxiety, trauma, and self-discovery through the eyes of Charlie, a high school student navigating friendship, love, and mental health. Its honest portrayal of adolescent struggles makes it relatable and comforting for many teenagers.

4. It’s Kind of a Funny Story – Ned Vizzini (Older Teens)

Based on the author’s own experiences, this book tells the story of Craig, a teenager struggling with academic pressure and depression. Through humour and honesty, it sheds light on the importance of seeking help and finding hope in difficult times.

5. The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens – Jennifer Shannon

For those dealing with anxiety, this book offers practical strategies based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It provides young people with tools to manage anxious thoughts, social anxiety, and stress, making it a valuable resource for mental well-being.

6. Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig

Although written for a broad audience, this memoir is particularly relevant for teenagers struggling with depression and anxiety. Haig’s personal experiences and insights offer comfort and a reminder that hope and recovery are possible.

7. Looking After Your Mental Health – Alice James & Louie Stowell

This accessible and engaging guide, designed specifically for young people, tackles topics such as stress, self-esteem, social media, and mental health issues. It provides practical advice and encourages open conversations about well-being.

8. Am I Normal Yet? – Holly Bourne (Older teens)

This book follows Evie, a teenager dealing with OCD and anxiety while trying to fit in. It’s a compelling and realistic depiction of mental health struggles, encouraging young people to embrace their experiences and seek support.

After school PE

Week commencing 24.02.2025

Fixtures :
Monday:
Tuesday :
GCSE Practical night
Year 11 Badminton @ HHS
Netball v CHSL Home
Year 8 & 9
Wednesday :
U15 Mixed Cricket @ HHS
Thursday :
Friday:

Clubs:
Monday –
No clubs (staff meetings)
Tuesday –
GCSE revision
All years rugby & GCSE practical evening
Wednesday –
All years netball
Thursday –
All years football
Friday –

Music Co-Curricular

Rehearsals w/c 24^th Feb

Lunchtime

Monday Jazz Band 1M keyboard Club 2M

Tuesday Year 10 Band 1M

Wednesday Woodwind Group 1M

Thursday Strings group 1M

After School

Tuesday Year 11 GCSE Music intervention

Wednesday NO CHOIR Year 13 parents eve & Year 10 GCSE Composition Workshops

Thursday Orchestra & Year 10 GCSE Composition Workshops

Friday Year 10 GCSE Composition Workshops

After School Clubs

Wednesday Dungeons and Dragons
Wednesday Art Club in A2 all years 3.15-4.15

Lunchtime Clubs

Monday
Art KS4 in A2
History Musical Mondays – watching Les Mis– H1
Chess Club and Rubik’s club in M5
Y7 & Y8 Code club in C2
Tuesday:
Computer Science Revision in C2
Wednesday
KS3 Art club in A1
Thursday
Year 7 Book to Film Club in E1
Art club KS4 in A1
Friday
Easy as Pi club (maths)
Year 9 -11 Science Club Week 1
Year 7 and 8 Science Club Week 2

Attendance

Everyone matters – so attendance matters

Upcoming dates

Mon 24^th Feb – SCHOOL REOPENS
Tue 25^th Feb – Year 9 retreat day
Wed 26^th Feb – Year 13 parents evening 4:15 – 7:30pm
Thurs 27^th Feb –Mon 3rd March English & Maths Mocks
Tues 6th March – Music recital evening 6:30pm
Mon 10^th Mar – PTFA Meeting 5:15-6:15pm
Wed and Thurs 12^th and 13th March – Year 11 GCSE food preparation & nutrition practical exam
Fri 14^th Mar – Year 12 reports to parents
Mon 17th March – Year 10 Parents and carers evening.
Mon 24^th Mar – Year 9 exams
Tues 25th March – Year 9 vaccinations
Fri 28^th Mar – Gold & Silver DofE training expedition – 28^th-30^th March
Wed 2^nd Apr – Year 7 reports to parents, Whole school mass
Thurs 3^rd Apr – Year 8 Parents evening 4:15 – 7:30pm
Fri 4^th Apr – Stanley Igoe Cup (year 11) Year 9 exams finish
Fri 4^th Apr – SCHOOL CLOSES 3.15
Wed 23^rd Apr – SCHOOL REOPENS
Thurs 24th Apr – Year 8 vaccinations

Click here for further dates

Click here to download 2024-25 Holiday Dates

Click here to download 2025-26 Holiday Dates