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Newsletter 17.11.2025

A prayer to share

Gracious God,
Thank You for walking with us through every challenge.
 Help us to stand firm in truth, speak with kindness,
and act with boldness even when the path is uncertain.
May we find courage not in ourselves alone,
but in Your presence that never fails.
Guide our hearts to be brave in love,
steadfast in hope,
and generous in faith.
Amen

A Message from our Chaplain, Mairie

Remembrance Day

Last week, our whole school gathered in the yard to commemorate Remembrance Day with a moving service. We offer our sincere thanks to Mr. Smalley for playing the Last Post and Reveille, which brought a profound sense of solemnity to the occasion. As always, we are deeply impressed by the respectful attitude shown by our students during this important time of reflection.
Anti-bullying Week
This week is also Anti-bullying Week. Speaking out against bullying is important for change to happen. Our Catholic Social Teaching talks about the dignity of every human being which means that everyone is unique and deserving of respect. Catholic Social Teaching also refer to the support of, and for, the wellbeing of the community. We work together to create a supporting community, filled with kindness and compassion for ourselves and for others. Change happens when people speak out.
Teams4U Shoebox Appeal
We are delighted to have the Teams4U van arrive to pick up our shoeboxes so that they can start their onward journey to Eastern Europe. I’m sure that many children will be surprised and pleased to open their boxes of goodies in a few weeks time. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the boxes and postage costs. Also to the Student leaders  who led the project over the past few weeks.

Legal academic visits Sixth Form

Dr Shane Sullivan, a legal academic from Liverpool Hope University, paid a visit to St Nicholas on Thursday. Shane ran two sessions with A Level Law students from Year 12 and Year 13.
The first was a session about progression to university, and the differences between studying at Degree Level compared to A Level.  The second session was a sample university seminar based around law and morality in relation to the law of murder. The students were highly engaged during both sessions, and many waited behind at the conclusion of the seminar to ask Shane an array of individual law-related questions.

Year 12 Biology trip

Mrs Pidsley and the Year 12 Biologists had a day in Manchester for a series of lectures by leading academics and science communicators.  It was fun and inspiring with a highlight being, Laurence Hurst, a world leading evolutionary biologist who discussed the differences between humans and other species in an entertaining and informative way. They also learnt about brain injury advancements, coral reef protection,  epigenetics and oncology, as well as de-extinction.
Students also had an exam success workshop which will be incredibly useful. Overall, a fantastic and educative visit.

Sporting Success

Swimming

On Saturday, five Year 7/8 students represented St Nicholas at the English Secondary Schools’ Team Championships at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, Birmingham.
Swimming against mostly independent schools, the girls competed to the highest standard in both the freestyle and medley events, swimming personal bests in each of their races! The team consisted of: Hattie Lawson, Jess Barnett, Alice Ward, Isla Anderson and Lauren Collier with results below:
4 x 50m Team Freestyle: 22nd in England (4th state school in the country)
4 x 50m Team Medley: 13th in England (3rd state school in the country) – we were less than 1.5 seconds off making the final!
It was such a pleasure to see the girls competing to such a high level and I am so proud of their achievements in what was the school’s first time at the National finals.
Mr Armstrong, Head of PE

Football

The Year 10 boys played in the finals of the Mark Allen Trophy on Wednesday evening. Their first game was against Rudheath. St Nics started off very strong and scored after a few minutes. Rudheath grew into the game and eventually equalised in the dying seconds to take the game to penalties. Rudheath went on to win on penalties and progress to the final.
St Nics then played Winsford Academy for 3rd/4th place. It was a very dominant display from the boys, with Ben Yeates scoring two fantastic goals. Winsford scored to make it 2–1, with Callum Chialton making a couple of unbelievable saves to keep the score at 2–1. The game finished, and St Nics ended up 3rd overall in the trophy.
Next Wednesday, St Nics travel to Wilmslow to play in the second round of the Cheshire Cup.

Football

The U13 girls won the next round of the Cheshire Cup on Wednesday against Malbank 5-0 with Freya Hunt and Layla Barlow scoring one each and Sofia Renshaw scoring a hat trick!

 

Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Youth Panel.

We are excited to announce the launch of a new youth-led survey, which aims to gather the views of thousands of young people on policing and police complaints. 

The survey, which launched on Wednesday 22nd October, has been designed and developed by members of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Youth Panel.

The survey aims to:

·                Understand young people’s lived experiences of policing
·                Examine trust in policing and police complaints
·                Look into local differences across England and Wales
·                Involve young people in developing future solutions

Who can take the survey?

The survey is open to young people aged 13-25 years across England and Wales.

How? 

Young people can take the survey here: https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/MSWTBF6 

When?

The survey deadline is Friday 19th December 2025.

Library and Literacy

The 2025 Information Book Award Shortlist
We frequently showcase and recommend new fiction books. Tomorrow, the winners of the Information Book Award will be announced, so let’s take the opportunity to explore the wonderful shortlist of non-fiction. These information books span a huge range: from burps to Black history, AI to jellyfish, and everything in between.
The IBA is now in its 15th year, celebrating the very best information books for young readers.  Judges began with a longlist of 34 amazing titles, then narrowed that down to 12 shortlisted books across three age categories: 0–7, 8–12, and 13–16.
The 2025 Shortlist
Here are the shortlisted titles, organised by age group, and what makes each one special:
Ages 0–7
    • A cleverly designed science book about the human body—fun facts sneak in while you read.
    • A celebration of Black hair history, styles, and identity—showing how hair connects to culture.
  3. This Book Will Make You an Artist by Ruth Millington, illustrated by Ellen Surrey
    • Introduces young artists from around the world in a colourful, inspiring way.
  4. What Is AI? by Neal Layton
    • A fun, digestible introduction to artificial intelligence, created just for early readers.
Ages 8–12
  1. Amazing Asia by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Jason Lyon
    • A vibrant encyclopedia-style book exploring Asia’s cultures, history, food, and more.
  2. How to Walk on the Moon and Other Incredible Ideas About Physics by William Potter, illustrated by Richard Watson
    • Physics made accessible through comics and imaginative explanations.
  3. Inside Story: How the News Works by Jane Marlow (for ITN Productions), illustrated by Terri Po
    • A fascinating breakdown of how news is made, why it matters, and how to think about it critically.
  4. The Jellyfish Garden: Explore Their Curious World by Paola Vitale, illustrated by Rossana Bossù A visually stunning deep dive into jellyfish, exploring their biology and mysteries.
Ages 13–16
  1. Black History for Every Day of the Year by David, Yinka & Kemi Olusoga
    • Short, daily entries spotlighting Black figures, events, and milestones throughout history.
  2. The History of Information by Chris Haughton with Loonie Park
    • A big-picture look at how information has shaped society—from ancient times to modern tech.
    • Philosophy made fun: a guide to happiness using ideas from Aristotle, Zen, and more to build self-confidence.
If you like the look of these titles, check out the Non-Fiction section of Sora for more wonderful information books.
Https://soraapp.com/library/uksecondary
0-7 SL
8-12SL
13-16SL copy

PTFA

The PTFA held their Annual General Meeting on Monday. Thank you to those of you who attended.

The PTFA are kindly financing a new sound system for the assembly hall – this will benefit both students and staff.
Any new members are welcome – keep your eyes peeled for a PTFA social in the new year!
Are you able to match fund? 
If you work for a company who can match fund it would make a huge difference to what we are able to help with.

Careers

NHS virtual work experience

Medicine 

Dentistry

Futures For All is excited to announce that recruitment for our next Youth Council is now open.
We’re looking for up to 20 passionate and motivated young people to help shape the future of careers education across the UK.
Click here for further information

University of Chester Open Days

Community Notices

Tuesday Art club for 11 to 16 year olds

Hartford Christmas Light Up 2025, Sat 22 November

Hartford Christmas Fayre, Sat 29 November

Christmas Craft Fair At St Mary’s Primary

Northwich Rugby Club are looking for new players

Ambulance awareness day

Attendance

Everyone matters – so attendance matters

Lunchtime and after school clubs

PE Co-Curricular Timetable

Fixtures: (week commencing 17th November)
Wednesday
Year 7 & 11 Netball v Cransley HOME
Year 11 boys Cheshire Cup vs. Shavington (H) 2:30pm KO
Year 10 boys Cheshire Cup vs. Wilmslow (A) 2:30pm KO
Thursday
Year 5/6 Mixed Basketball 
Clubs:
Monday
Lunch (12:45 – 1:05pm): Year 7
After school (3:15 – 4:15pm): Meetings
Tuesday
Lunch: Year 8
After school: GCSE practical ,  Table Tennis Club (All Years)
Wednesday
Lunch: Years 9 & 10
After school: Netball (Girls & Boys), GCSE PE Revision
Thursday
Lunch: Year 11
After school: Football (Girls & Boys, All Years) (4pm finish)
Friday
Lunch: Sixth Form
After school: Run Club (All Years)

Music Co-Curricular

Monday
Lunch Altos and Tenors1M Keyboard club 2M
Choir 3.15-4.30pm
Tuesday
Lunch Altos and Tenors1M
Wednesday
Lunch Sopranos 2M
Choir 3.15-5pm
Thursday
Lunch String and woodwind Ensemble
Thursday
Orchestra 3.15-4.15pm

Lunchtime Clubs

Monday lunchtime : Musical Mondays –  watch musicals in H1 – bring your lunch
Tuesday lunchtime Chess Club in M5 – all years
Tuesday lunchtime Mass/Prayer in the Chapel – all years
Friday lunchtime – Dance Club DS1 – 12.35 – 1.10 – Lunch passes available – bring lunch with you.
Friday lunchtime – Year 11 GCSE Computer Science revision in C2.

After School Clubs

Tuesday After School – Performing Arts Club DS1 3.15 – 4.30

Tuesday After School – GCSE DT ‘catch up’ session on Tuesdays 3.15 – 4.15 in T3

Wednesdays after school  – Dungeons & Dragons – 3.15 to 4.30pm (Open to all year groups) In the Library.

Upcoming dates

November 2025

Monday 10th November : Year 11 Exams / Anti-Bullying Week / Year 8 Learn to Learn Sessions / PTFA AGM Meeting 5.15-6.15pm
Tuesday 11th November : 11am Remembrance Commemoration
Friday 14th November : Year 11 Exams finish
Tuesday 18th November : Performing Arts Festival 6.30-7.30pm for friends and families.
Wednesday 19th November : Art Mocks
Thursday 20th November : Art Mocks
Tuesday 25th November : Year 9 Parents’ Evening 4.15–7.30pm
Wednesday 26th November : Year 13 Reports to Parents
Friday 28th November : INSET Day

December 2025

Monday 1st December Year 11 Business trip to Manchester City
Thursday 4th December Year 9 Options Evening 5–6.30pm
Tuesday 9th December Parishioners Advent Dinner 2.30pm / Drama GCSE Practical Devised Exam
Friday 12th December Year 11 Mock Results Day / Chamber Choir Performance at Tatton Park Concert
Monday 15th December Year 9 Curriculum Choices Deadline / Year 7 trip to the Grange Theatre
Wednesday 17th December Christmas Carol Concert
Friday 19th December Year 11 Reports to Parents / SCHOOL CLOSES – 12.30pm

 

Click here for future dates

Click here to download 2025-26 Holiday Dates

Click here to download 2026-27 Holiday Dates