Message from the Head of School

Further to my announcement last week we are delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with the Cathedral Schools Trust (CST) as part of our future trust arrangements. This presents a great opportunity for St Katherine’s and we look forward to exploring this partnership further over the coming weeks.

Commenting on the announcement Neil Blundell, Executive Principal of Cathedral Schools Trust said:      “Cathedral Schools Trust (CST) is delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with the leadership team, governors, students and staff at St Katherine’s School. CST currently includes Bristol Cathedral Choir School, Cathedral Primary School, Headley Park Primary School and Victoria Park Primary School. The trust is also set to open a new secondary school, CST Trinity Academy, opening in north Bristol in September 2019.”   Cathedral Schools Trust also run a successful Teaching School Alliance. For more information about the CST visit www.cathedralschoolstrust.org.

We are continuing to implement our Quality Improvement Plan which I was pleased to share with parents and carers at the recent information evening following our latest Ofsted report. This was a very useful evening – if you weren’t able to attend here is the presentation and a summary of questions asked by parents at the meeting with replies from the school.

As part of our improvement plan we have established three new Associate Headteacher roles, each focussing on a key aspect of improving student learning. I am delighted to tell you that three colleagues will be taking up these important posts:

• Mrs Maringo, Head of MFL, will work alongside Mr Southon to develop a more effective climate for learning
• Ms Jefferson, Head of English, will have strategic oversight for literacy across the school and lead on projects to ensure all our young people develop a passion for reading
• Mr Cook, Head of PE, will work with Michelle Cave, Assistant Headteacher for Teaching and Learning, on improving learning in the classroom with a particular focus on maths and science.

We have been working on developing our ‘Climate for Learning’ (the contribution of pupils’ behaviour to their learning) this year and have reached the conclusion that too much time was being diverted from our focus on learning every day.  As a result we are using several new approaches to help students improve their learning during the school day:

• We have introduced green lanyards to reduce disruption to student learning when others ask to leave the classroom. This has already made a significant difference.
• We are trialling a new school day during term 6 designed to ensure students start the day punctually and are well prepared for a successful day of learning. We will monitor the trial and share the outcome during term 6 before confirming the school day for September 2018. Please read the proposals and send your thoughts and comments to us on this feedback form by 29 June  2018.
• A more significant development for the school is our new Ready to Learn system designed to provide a clear structure that reinforces our high expectations and ensures learning is the focus for all conversations in the classroom.    We will be helping students and staff  adjust to this system during term 6 and all parents/carers are welcome to a Ready to Learn information evening on 4 June 6.30pm-7.30pm to find out more.  We hope you will join us. 

Term 5 is always a particularly busy time with students preparing for their exams and this year has been no different. We ask our young people to do their best and their approach has been mature, showing excellent commitment which is both encouraging and rewarding to see. The half term is a welcome break for these students to relax and prepare for the next phase of exams after the break. We wish them good luck.

Wishing everyone a safe and restful half term break.

Mr J Humphreys

Introducing the new Heads of House

As you are probably aware we are implementing a pastoral house system in September 2018 and are delighted to introduce the new Heads of House: Ms Price, Ms Andrews, Mr Thomas and Mr Murdoch. They will have a pivotal leadership role and oversee the continuity of learning support and welfare of every student in their House. They are all experienced members of staff and some of you may know them well already. Find out more about them and how they intend to approach their important new roles. 

The only thing we don’t have yet is names for the new Houses!  Students have been submitting their suggestions and, along with staff, will vote for their favourite names in Term 6.  We’ll keep you posted.

Key points about the new House system:

As Transition Learning Manager, Ms Ball will help Year 7s settle into school

• All students in Years 8-11 will stay in their current tutor group and together will join one of the new Houses. Students will remain within their House throughout their school career and we will strive to put siblings in the same House to ensure a single point of contact
• Year 7 will be allocated a House when they join but remain as a single year group to support them as they settle into secondary school life. Their key point of contact will be Ms Ball has been appointed as Transition Learning Manager
• Year 12 and 13 students will remain in their existing tutor groups but will be affiliated to a House, acting as positive role models, mentors and leaders to younger students in their House.
• All staff and governors will belong to a House too.

Read full details of the new house system.

Head Student elections

Voting has taken place this term to elect new Head Students of St Katherine’s School. Each candidate made presentations to each year group during assemblies, outlining their vision for the future and different ideas and policies they would like to introduce or change. The candidates also faced their public during a question and answer session hosted at break time, where students from across the school took the opportunity to quiz the candidates on their manifestos.

The candidates were interviewed this week by Mr Humphreys and myself and, taking the student vote heavily into account, have elected Eloise Wheeler and Lewis Mason as our two Head Students for 2018/19.  

Congratulations to Lewis Mason and Eloise Wheeler – our new Head Students

Eloise and Lewis both spoke passionately at interview about their ideas for student well being and bridging the gap between sixth form and main school students moving forwards.

In other student lead appointments, John Hayes will be Deputy Head Student, Mollie Hayward will join the student lead team with a particular focus on mental health while Garvir Khakh will lead on cultural competence across the school.

The students will take up post immediately and we look forward to working with them moving forward to bring about positive change across the school.

Mr Colebourne, Head of Sixth Form

Step into Sixth Form at St Katherine’s

Students who have applied to join St Katherine’s Sixth Form in September are invited to our annual ‘Step into Sixth Form’ day on Monday 25 June.

This is a great opportunity to experience a day in the life of a sixth form student, meet existing Year 12 students and attend taster lessons to get a feel for what each subject will be like at Level 3 BTEC / A-level.

We look forward to welcoming prospective students on the day.

If you have yet to apply for the sixth form take a look at the Sixth Form prospectus to find out what we can offer you.  If you’d like to join us after your GCSEs please complete the application form on the school website and hand it into main reception.

Students commended by the Head of School this term

Attendance update

It’s good to see our drive on improving student attendance is having an impact. Our attendance rate increased in term 5 with 309 students achieving 100% attendance.

Evidence proves that the greater the school attendance, the greater the student achievement. Please help us support your child/children by ensuring they attend every day and in time for morning registration.

If you see a St Katherine’s student in uniform outside the immediate school boundary between the hours of 8:50 and 3:20, please report this to the school switchboard on 01275 373737 or the attendance line on 01275 376882.

Term 5 news round-up

Here’s a quick round-up of Term 5. We post regular updates throughout the year on the school website, Facebook and Twitter.

PE and Sport News

Here are a few highlights from this term’s school sport activities, a full update will be available in the Term 5 Sports and PE newsletter soon.  To keep in touch with sport at St Katherine’s follow @StKathsPE on twitter. 

• Before term started we took a group of footballers to watch West Bromwich fight for survival in the Premiership
• Our year 10 students kicked off the term by leading in baking sunshine at the Spring School Games and then a couple of weeks later leading tri-golf in freezing conditions.
• A group of athletes from Yrs 8, 9 and 10 set 11 personal bests and six new school records at the North Somerset schools athletics meet.
• Girls and boys have been busy all term in cricket, basketball and rounders action competing in a range of fixtures against other schools.
• Our U13 girls have qualified for the Outdoor Cricket County Finals in late June, the U13 boys are still in the competition too.
• A number of students have enjoyed some serious individual sport success this term.  Special mentions for Charlie Rice, Lucie Robertshaw, Kanye Christie, Ashya Gray and Toby Rice who should all be really proud of themselves – more details to follow in the newsletter.

Mr Cook, Head of PE.

Key Dates for Term 6

keep in touch

There isn’t enough space here to showcase the huge variety of student experiences and achievements this term. Keep up to date by visiting the ‘News and Events’ section on the school website, check the school Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @stkathsschool.