Dear parents and carers,
this weekend we, along with the global Christian Brothers family, celebrate the Feast Day of Blessed Edmund Rice, Founder of the Congregation, on Sunday 5th May. In recognition of our Founder we distributed a celebration cake to all Year groups at Form Time today. It was enthusiastically received! Our Lay Chaplain, Mr. Tom Murray, also delivered online reflections to Key Stages 3 and 4.
Year 11 GCSE Modern Language Speaking Tests have now ended and the Controlled Art Exams will also conclude in midweek. This opens the way for the beginning of written GCSE Exams, with RE on Thursday morning and Biology and German on Friday. Please ensure that your sons use this weekend for productive revision and get plenty of rest during the week. Staff will be leading revision sessions in all 3 subjects during lesson time next week.
As we look to the future, letters offering 6th Form places have been distributed to Year 11 students today.
I am pleased to bring you news of some recent impressive student achievements. Taylor Houghton (Y9) has had his academy contract extended with Everton FC and is playing for their Under-15 team in an international tournament later this month. Patrick Gambles (Y13) has received a Foyle Young Writers Merit Award and his original creative writing has been included in their current Young Writers’ Anthology.
On a less positive note, some boys continue to vape with the tacit consent of their parents, usually in the toilets. We remind parents that it is illegal for under-18s to buy sell or use a vape, which are designed to help adults stop smoking! Our vape alarms are very effective and we continue to apprehend and sanction offenders. I bagged a couple yesterday! Some vapes contain banned ingredients and high levels of nicotine. They can also lead to allergic reactions, as 2 boys have discovered recently! If you have nut or other allergies, you risk a reaction from other boys handling them. This really is a mug’s game!
Monday is a Bank Holiday so I hope that you and your sons enjoy the long weekend together. Please do not send them into College until Tuesday morning!
Best wishes,
Simon Duggan
Headmaster
