This week in our school community: 26 September 2025

...how important it is to feel gratitude for all the bountiful things we have...

 

 

This week we have launched our annual Harvest Appeal and Mr Richardson spoke to students about two aspects of harvest: thanksgiving and giving outwards. He noted how important it is to feel gratitude for all the bountiful things we have, while at the same time consider how we can give in the season of harvest.

As a school, we will be collecting tinned and packaged items for our local foodbank which is one way students can aim to be glowing saints and have a real impact in our wider community. However, we can also give our time, our manners and our respect out freely to make our school environment a happier place to be and I am delighted to see how many students do this on a daily basis when they stop to have a conversation with me, open doors, offer their help or talk to me about their learning.

Thank you to all the staff and families who took time to complete the Catholic Life and Mission surveys last week. We really appreciate your feedback and results were overwhelmingly positive with 91% of parents and carers saying their child is happy at school and that the school enables their child to behave respectfully. The majority of families feel that they understand our Catholic mission and identity and feel their children make good progress in RE. One parent said it "is a joyful, inclusive, Catholic school" and another commented, "This school is exceptional. I’ve never known another school like this one. We are blessed." Any points of constructive feedback will be reviewed, such as alternating the times we offer parent prayer as an example.

Next week we have our Autumn Open Events with Open Morning on Tuesday 30 September and Open Evening on Thursday 2 October. We would like Student Ambassadors from all year groups to serve as tour guides for prospective families on the Thursday evening 6-8:30pm so please look out for the letter to give permission for your child to be involved in this important event. Our students make us so proud every day and we love seeing them touring families around, helping out in department and faculty areas and being such positive role models.

Have a wonderful weekend and I will leave you with this beautiful extract from James B. Kenyon's poem 'Harvest':

The hills are steeped in slumberous haze;

The wind is breathing soft and low;

On tranquil slopes the cattle graze;

Through twinkling light the waters flow.

About the meadows, smoothly shorn,

The cricket winds his cheery horn,

And o'er the calm expanse of sky

The filmy clouds drift lazily.

Across the smiling valley—hark!

How steals the echo, sweet and long,

Of those who sing from morn till dark

The happy harvest song.

God bless!

Mrs Melissa George (BA Hons, MA, PGCE) 

Headteacher