St. Boniface's College Head teachers Blog 25.10.13

Well we are at the end of the term when pupils get a chance to stop and reflect on all they have done over the past seven and a half weeks. It certainly seems to have flown by again. There have been many lovely moments here in school where I have felt immense pride at what the huge majority of pupils have done and how they have portrayed themselves in the community. Pupils talking of a pride in their College at the whole school photograph, parents comments about returning to values and standards of the St. Boniface’s of old and staff talking of various methods of teaching and learning to excite pupils, all helps me feel that progress is being made. We will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do and I am confident that with your continued support we will quickly once again regain our spot as a leading educational establishment within Plymouth and beyond… please forgive me but there is a passion!

 I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the pupils and staff for all their hard work this term, the College is about people and encouraging them to be the best they can. On a sad note we say goodbye to Mr. Matson in the Science department after securing a teaching post closer to home and Mr. Griffin from technology in securing promotion. Both colleagues will be sorely missed but we wish them well and thank them for what they have both brought to the College. On the upside we are very excited to announce the arrival of Mr. Polson into Science and Mr. Chapman into technology to replace our departing colleagues. I was very impressed with both these new colleagues in their interviews and feel confident that they will help ensure that St. Boniface’s continues to move forward.

 The College has a trip to New York taking place next week and I hope that all those involved have a wonderful time exploring The Big Apple – I look forward to hearing the stories on their return

 Year 11 mock exams start on Wednesday 13^th November and I would ask that year 11 parents encourage their son’s to utilise the week break to do some revision for these. The more work put in now the easier the Summer exams will be.

 

Mr. Baines has been hard at work overhauling the Blue Card system with the new much improved version coming out initially via the Sims Learning Gateway, SLG, but then via paper to you. I hope that you will find the Blue Cards of use in supporting your son with his academic studies.

 A note of thanks for those who have returned the paper regarding free school meals, service children and Ever 6 – if you have not yet done so could I ask you to please return by Friday 8^th November. Also a reminder about ParentMail – if you have lost the information or haver had any difficulty the please contact S. Purdy here at the College, spurdy@stbonifaces.com

 

I wish you all a very happy half term and look forward to seeing bright cheerful faces on Monday 4^th November at 8.45am.

 

Year 7

Well, the year 7’s have made it to the end of the first term at St Boniface’s! I do hope that your sons have had a smooth transition and that they are enjoying the time here at the college.

I thought I would take this opportunity as we head into our half term break to remind you that any concerns or worries you have, please don’t hesitate in contacting either myself directly or your son’s tutor. I do find myself repeating this very regularly, but I really am very proud of my extremely skilled transition tutor team here at St Boniface’s. The tutors are specialised in dealing with a range of Year 7 pastoral issues and are very keen to build that ever so important link between home and school.

 On with the Year 7 notices for this week! Well, it’s been an extremely busy one! Following the mufti day on Friday for Motiv8, the students were straight back into learning on Monday morning and focussing on their final week of the term.

This week’s assembly was presented by Miss Heduvan and 7E and it was a lovely, thought provoking assembly. At the end of the assembly, I was delighted to present some awards for the Year 7’s first term at the college. I am so incredibly proud of the effort and achievements of the boys in my year group and they have had over 500 entries onto SIMS from teachers for this! I rewarded 26 students with a writing pen for over 5 entries onto SIMS for effort. There were so many students that were almost there, so I really hope to be able to give out more awards leading up to Christmas! 7 students received certificates and a writing pen for academic awards, again entered onto SIMS at least 5 times by teachers. Finally, I gave out certificates and pens to 5 students, one from each of the tutors, for effort during tutor time. This was the “Tutor Award”. The students selected by the tutor, were recognised for going above and beyond for not only the tutor, but the tutor group. Well done to all of those who received awards.

Just a last reminder, we will be welcoming the students back on Monday 4^th November.

I hope you all have a very happy and restful half term break.

 

Miss Beales

Head of Year 7

 

Y7 Rugby

The boys completed their first term of rugby yesterday with a draw against Hele's and a hard-fought win over Coombe-Dean. Congratulations to all the squad for their enthusiasm and commitment over the last couple of months. We will have a couple of weeks when we return to continue with training and then the season comes to a pause until the lighter evenings return in February.

B.Tucker

  

Year 8

Many congratulations to the Year group for a very productive term. I have been really impressed with the boys' attitude and approach to school life. Thanks, in particular, to those who have made me smile!

It has been great to get to know the Year group better over the last two months. Many thanks to my team of tutors and mentors who work really hard in order to ensure that their charges are happy and achieving their potential.

May I respectfully remind parents, carers and guardians that the school guidelines on haircuts ask that the boys keep to single-grade haircuts, with the shortest grade being

grade 2. 

I led the assembly last week where we looked at the importance of taking heed of the warning signs around us. This involves all of us taking note of advice and guidance when it is offered.

 Good luck to Chris Hill, Josh and Dayne who have Devon rugby trials this weekend. Callum was also due to participate but, unfortunately, he has damaged his hand.

 Finally, well done boys, have a great break. We look forward to an equally good term upon our return.

B.Tucker   

 

Year 9

 A message from Miss Sanford:

9L produced some outstanding pieces of home learning this week on the Five Pillars of Islam, especially Elliott, Tom, Tom P., Adam, Matthew, George, Louis and Danny- well done!

 Thanks this week go to Mr McKenna LSA who has been doing a lot of work with some of our lads and HMS Heroes.

As a Naval port Plymouth has a lot of connections with the services and therefore it is inevitable that as a consequence we have a number of students from service families.

HMS Heroes , Her Majesty's Schools Heroes is a unique student voice group formed in the City of Plymouth for the support of Service children and young people   Members of HMS Heroes are ambassadors and young advocates for Service families. Most importantly, they are friends for each other, especially in times of need. If your son is from a service family and they want to get involved perhaps they can make themselves known to Mr. McKenna or I as there are several things in the pipeline.

Can I take the time to wish everybody a well-deserved, and a happy and relaxing break, this has been a long term and it is now time to charge up the batteries for another busy term in the lead up to Christmas. For those travelling afar, take care and enjoy yourselves.

Mrs. Mcloughlin

 Year 11

Year 11s Assembly with Babcock Friday 8^th November – Online Applications are now active please prepare CVs and Personal Statements in preparation to apply to the various Apprenticeships that are available.

Please see Mrs Hudson.

 

 

Prayer of Mother Teresa

 

Dear Jesus, Help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go, flood our souls with your Spirit and life. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through us and be so in us that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. Let them look up and see no longer us but only Jesus. Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from you. None of it will be ours. It will be your shining on others through us. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best by shining on those around us. Let us preach you without preaching not by words, but by our example by the catching force the sympathetic influence of what we do the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you.

Amen