This week in our school community: 6 February 2026

Remember, your child’s safety is more important than their privacy.

 

Columban Missionary Writing Competition

We encourage any aspiring writers or artists to participate in the Columban Missionaries media competition, they have great prizes available.

Residential Retreat Weekend (limited places open to Year 7)

Due to Year 8s not filling our allocation of places for a retreat weekend away at St Cassian’s, Kintbury, we are opening up the opportunity for Year 7s to join them and experience their first residential at St Gregory’s.  Kintbury is an amazing Lasallian retreat centre, in the middle of beautiful Berkshire countryside, and is staffed by international Lasallian gap year students.  Fill in the form at https://forms.gle/GNHjktENna2TQEHd8; the deposit can be paid on the School Gateway App.  Activities for the weekend will include a mixture of low ropes/archery/bouldering, art workshops, times of prayer, self reflection and awareness activities – similar to Kilve Court if your child has been there before whilst at primary school. 

£125 per student includes all their food, accommodation, activities and travel.  If your child is entitled to Pupil Premium funding please signup and you will be contacted with details of a subsidy.  

Internet Safety Week

This week, Mr Foley has been educating our young people on the safest ways to navigate the digital world – focusing on the power of AI.  You may have noticed that AI is popping up everywhere these days, and whilst it can be a real asset, Mr Foley pointed out to our students that the most intelligent thing in the world is the human brain – AI cannot replace the emotional intelligence of every living person.  On the subject of this, I came across an article on the Christian website, Crosswalk, that highlights to parents the dangers of some apps and how to keep an open conversation with young children for their safety:

Remember, your child’s safety is more important than their privacy. As a parent, you aren’t being nosy by checking their phone on a regular basis; you are being responsible. Perhaps your family could establish family media rules, such as having to check with a parent before downloading a new app or game. Having a common charging area so you can easily check phones could also be a good system for your family.

Also, take the time to explain to them (at an age-appropriate level) why you are asking them questions and checking their phone and privacy settings. Many children do not realise just how much information they are putting out there and how dangerous it can be.  Christian parents are called to instruct their children in biblical wisdom:

Never forget these commands that I am giving you today.  Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working.  Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder.   (Deuteronomy 6:6-8)

Today that includes teaching them to apply biblical wisdom to media. Teaching your children how to choose appropriate apps and use them responsibly is vitally important in our media-saturated world.  New apps are constantly being created, so it’s important to monitor what your child downloads. Mostly, it's important to know what each and every app does, whether it has any benefits, and where they can expose your children to danger. Our focus here isn't so much on the geocaching types of adventure apps (think Pokemon Go) where the dangers involve wandering without paying attention.  Mostly, we want to help parents become aware of the online tricks predators use. Some of the following lesser-known-to-adults apps are worth keeping an eye out for and having conversations with your children about:

1. Poof - Hides other apps on your phone. You select which apps you would like to hide and their icons will no longer show up on your smartphone screen.  If children have apps that they want to keep hidden from their parents, all they have to do is download this app and “poof,” their screen is clear of any questionable apps. /p>

2. Omegle & ChatRoulette - These apps allow you to video chat with strangers, randomly being assigned a new person to speak with.

3. YikYak - All Yik Yak users are anonymous. They don’t create a profile or account, but they can post comments that are accessible to the nearest 500 people (within a 1-5 mile radius). A psychiatrist called this the most dangerous app he’d ever seen because it “can turn a school into a virtual chat room where everyone can post his or her comments, anonymously.

Mr Robinson

Lay Chaplain