This week in our school community: 9 January 2026

"Happy New Year"

 

Happy New Year! It has been wonderful to be back as a community after the Christmas break and we have celebrated together with our Holy Day of Obligation Masses to mark the Epiphany. Thank you to Fr Martin and Fr Bill for celebrating with us, and for Mr Robinson's organisation. These Masses not only brought us together as a family but also marked the end of the Christmas season. When Christmas decorations have already been replaced in shops with Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter cards and goodies, as a Catholic community we take time to linger and ponder the arduous journey of the Magi as they followed a star to a crib in Bethlehem. 

At the start of the new year, we often set resolutions or goals for the year ahead. As is tradition in January I have invited our community to take part in the annual 'tech detox'. I have encouraged all to spend less time, or give up completely, gaming and endlessly scrolling through social media and spend time doing something else for the rest of this month. It can help to engage in a tech detox with friends or family for moral support so please do encourage each other to spend less time on devices and more time connecting with each other, with forgotten or abandoned hobbies and getting out into nature. 

Thank you to all students who have returned ready to learn and wearing their uniform with pride. It is, however, disappointing to see a small minority of students who have returned with dyed or extreme hair styles, fake nails, false eye lashes and layers of makeup. Please take time to read Mr Jaggon's letter about uniform expectations.

Next week I invite you to join us at 3.30pm in the Reading Room on Tuesday 13 January for the PTFA Coffee and Cake meeting which will have a focus on our sixth form. This is open to any parents and carers with children in any year group who wish to meet our Head of Sixth Form and talk about what life is like in the New Sixth.

Dear Lord,

Thank you that you wanted both rich and poor to see baby Jesus.

Thank you that, as we think about Epiphany,we are reminded that every person is important to you.

Please help us to use all the gifts that you have given to us.

Thank you for all the good things that you give.

Amen

Mrs Melissa George (BA Hons, MA, PGCE) 

Headteacher