During this holiday season, I encourage you to take the time to reflect on the blessings in your life and to spend quality time with your loved ones.  It is a time to come together as a community and to show kindness and compassion to those around us.

This week students will spend time in our end of term Easter services to reflect on the above message and we will finish our term with two days of activities to support the wider growth of students around personal development through our SJP experience days.  Full attendance is required and school will finish on Thursday 28 March 2024 at 15:10.

Once again, it has been a very busy term full of exciting and engaging activities that our students participated in.  Some of the highlights included our Year 7 First Steps residential to Conway, our fantastic performance of The Addams Family at the Gladstone Theatre, 77 pupils visited Paris, 40 pupils went to London with our Media Department and all our year groups participated in our Big Lent Walk in order to raise money for CAFOD.  These are just a small number of the events that were available to our students, to find out more please ensure that you follow us on Facebook: SJPHeadTeacher or X (previously Twitter): @SJPHeadteacher 

On our return after the break we will be extending Form Time to enable tutors to spend additional time doing their usual Monday Monitoring checks of students’ readiness to learn.  As you know, there is a basic expectation that all pupils come to school equipped with a pen, pencil, ruler and calculator.  This should be in their SJP school bag, alongside their planner and any books they have been completing homework in, which need to return to school.  In addition, pupils should be in full school uniform, including shoes, and not be wearing jewellery or make up.  Phones should be switched off and kept securely in bags or inside blazer pockets.  Any confiscated items can be collected from our main reception, in line with our school policy.  

Form Tutors will record any concerns from their checks and you will receive a notification, via a letter sent through our Arbor system, to inform you of any concerns regarding the expectations not having been met.  May I politely remind parents that hair styles (including shaved heads) judged to be extreme by the Head Teacher are not permitted.

We ask for your continued support in ensuring your child attends school prepared for the day ahead, fully equipped in line with our uniform and appearance policy, ready to learn.  The two-week break ahead allows time to ensure all of the above can be addressed in time for the start of the third term. 

Three weeks after our return from the Easter break, students in Year 11 and 13 will embark on their GCSE and A-Level exams.  I would encourage you to support your child to find time over the Easter break to study and revise for these exams to allow them to be fully prepared.  It is also important to balance this with some time out and activities to support their mental health and wellbeing. 

I want to express my gratitude for your continued support of our school and for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your children.  Your partnership is invaluable, and we are truly blessed to have such dedicated and caring parents in our school community.

As we break for the Easter holiday, I wish you and your family a joyous and blessed Easter.

I look forward to welcoming our students back after the break.  School reopens for all students on Monday 15th April 2024 and all students should be on the main yard before the gate closes at 08:35. 

Warm regards

 

Mr Peadar McLoughlin

Headteacher