Friday 7 March 2014

St. Boniface's Catholic College, Headteachers Blog



Week B March 10th – 14th


Hello once again everyone!

Hope you have all had a good week, as I look out of my window the Sun is shining and the daffodils are out! Another busy week in school as we get ever closer to those key examinations.

I was very pleased to be able to provide a tour of the school for our new bishop, Bishop Mark, on Monday morning. It was a real treat to go into every class with him and see the boys, and girls, all hard at work – he has been kind enough to get back to me already commenting that he was impressed by the level of industry taking place in each classroom. I have asked him to come and visit us whenever he is able to, the door will always be open.

 A reminder to all those who are interested in celebrating our 150th Year that we have a Dinner /Dance arranged on March 28th at Plymouth Albion, please contact Mrs Hudson on 01752 779051 for more details and tickets. Hoping to see as many “old boys” and ladies as possible for what promises to be a very peaceful and quiet evening!

With the season of Lent upon us we celebrated Ash Wednesday the boys were excellent, a real credit to you all. There are many other events planned during the period of Lent and I shall keep you informed.

 

After mentioning last week the wonderful news of securing extra funding for curriculum resources I must also mention that we are now very close to finalising our plans for renovating the post 16 study and common room areas. We hope to put phase 1 into operation after the  Easter break with phase 2 following over the Summer – I would like to thank all the post 16 students who have waited so long for us to deliver for them, we are almost there! The post 16 WiFi system is in and seems to be running well so it really is full steam ahead.

 
I hope you all have a lovely weekend, with Wales winning the rugby of course!

 Mr. Davies

 

 Year 7

A very busy start to the new term last week, the students achieved 207 merits! What an absolutely fantastic achievement! I am so incredibly proud boys, well done! Merits have been awarded for a range of reasons from excellent effort and outstanding progress, to great class work and home learning. Some students have even been volunteering for litter picking duties during lunchtimes and have been rewarded for their positive contributions and being ambassadors for the environment of the college. Well done Year 7! Postcards have been handed out to many students this week, for spellings in English and for Mission Explores in Geography. Well done to all students who have received these.

It was so nice to see so many of you attending the Mentoring Day on Friday, again another great opportunity to discuss and celebrate your son’s academic achievements.

This week’s assembly was cancelled sadly due to the hall being in use for the Year 10 immunisations. We look forward to 7K’s assembly next Tuesday.

On Wednesday, we had a lovely Ash Wednesday service in the hall, where the Year 7 students were able to reflect on sins and look forward to their time of lent. Thank you to Miss Heduvan, one of our Year tutors, for this lovely opportunity.

To continue the extremely high standards that Year 7 demonstrate, please can I ask parents to make a note of the following;

·         Students should adhere to the hair and uniform requirements at all times. Please ensure that the correct outer wear garments are being used (particularly with the adverse weather conditions currently). Students should only be wearing black or navy blue coats, thank you.

·         Mobile phones should not be on during the school day. They should be switched off and in bags so that learning is not disturbed.

·         Home learning should be completed for all subjects in a timely manner. Please can parents insist on checking planners and guiding the students with organisation.

·         Please can parents ensure their son has a reading book in his bag every day to support our reading scheme. This is to further help and improve literacy standards whereby all students will undertake 30 minutes of silent reading each day.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend,

Miss Beales

 

Year 8
Another very busy week at school has passed! It was great to see so many parents at last Friday’s Mentoring Day. I know that you continue to find the system of great value. If for any reason you were unable to arrange an appointment on the day please contact your son’s Mentor so that a meeting can be arranged at an appropriate time.

On a similar point, please note that the Year 8 Parent-Teacher evening is on Tuesday 1st April when you will be able to discuss subject specific detail with your son’s subject teacher. A letter confirming this will be sent out soon.

So far over 2000 good behaviour/progress points have been entered on the system this year, which is a great tribute to the commitment and hard work of the Year group. Well done to all! Leading the points total in 8B is Antoine T. with 82; in 8E Callum C. and Will D. Both have 116; in 8G Jordan W. has 133; in 8K Dan C. has 140 and in 8V Sam M. has 85. Great stuff!

Unfortunately, the Year 8 football team couldn’t get the season underway with a win against Lipson on Thursday evening but Mr James has a master plan to improve matters when they face Plymstock next Wednesday. All will be revealed, apparently, at the extra training session that has been arranged for Monday after school!

Mr. Tucker

 

Year 9
 

With Easter approaching, this week saw the beginning of Lent. Lent is the period of 40 days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar.  It is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days.

 Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent and is seen as a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lenten fast that many Christians engage in.
In Ash Wednesday services churchgoers are marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality. This was celebrated in the college by the lads attending an Ash Wednesday liturgical celebration of Ashes in the hall.

This week’s congratulations go to Devan and Liam for getting into the West Devon rugby team good luck with this weekends fixture against Ivybridge and good luck at achieving a place in the full Devon Squad.

 Mrs. Mcloughlin

 
 

Year 10

Miss Sanford’s group led us in assembly Monday morning on the dangers of alcohol abuse.  An interesting and informative delivery by 10E – well done lads!

The Year 10 immunisations went very well this week.  I was very proud of the boys as they had their Polio, Diphtheria and Meningitis C vaccines.  Although they are said to be quite painful, the majority of boys coped very well.  The NHS nurses were impressed with the maturity and levels of respect shown by the boys.  So good was the approach of our students to the day, the nurses finished 90 minutes ahead of schedule.

Parents will soon receive a letter from Mr Ramage regarding the annual Year 10 paintballing reward trip to recognise students with outstanding attendance, behaviour and attitudes to learning.  The event takes place in May at Delta Force, and includes one tutor group (and their brave tutor) each day over a week.

Mr Scott

 
Year 11

 
It was good to see a good number of parents attending your son's last consultation evening on Tuesday and his last mentor day this year on the 28th February.

The progress of the boys that are consistently attending the interventions has been significant. Please keep on encouraging your son to attend the interventions as they are clearly working. 

In conjunction with the excellent CGP revision guide book for maths CGP have also produced a brilliant video tutorial for GCSE maths. You can see a demonstration of the resource at www.cgpbooks.co.uk. It is a resource that looks well worth checking out as an extra revision aid, especially if your son requires that bit more help if he is on the C/D borderline grade for maths.

Mr Redfern

 

Post 16

 
Some of the sixth form have been in the Herald , a large photograph of the "Your Hired" candidates.

 
Last Friday was our Revision Day. It was well received and a lot of valuable information on a variety of topics were introduced, I delivered a Mental Health lesson, with the help of CAHMS, and the nurses. We looked at the handling of stress and anxiety, and how to help each other in our community.

·         A session was done on “Mindfullness”, which practised these techniques.

·          An eagerly awaited session on Diet and Performance, focussing on which foods to improve brain power.

·         A session on Past papers , organisation and revision techniques led by the tutors.

·          Specialised sessions on Science questions led by Mr Ramage, English essays by Mrs Venn and maths by Mr Budge were well delivered, some students seemed puzzled by the structuring of an essay.

·         The afternoon contained sessions on apprentices, university life and student finance presented by Plymouth University.
 

Thanks to all for their planning and delivery.

 

Dates for the near future:

 
20 March UCAS Fair at Westpoint, Exeter, leave 8;15 !!!

2 April; AS Biologists at Derriford on a Patient Awareness Day

 

Mr Tew

 

 

Dear Lord. I shall pass through this world but once. Therefore, any good that I can do, any kind act that I can perform for any fellow – creature, let me do it now. Let me not delay or omit it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Amen

 

 

Week B
 
Monday
Library lunch time – quiz for years 7, 8, 9
Christian Union – lunchtime – C Rogers – Chapel
Geography clinic – lunch – K Beales
Fitness club – lunch
Year 7 & 8 basketball (after school)
School play - Lord of the Flies – after school - P Trimmer
Learning for life centre – lunch time – card club – D Grieve
Library after school – extended learning – 15:20 – 16:20
Film club – lunchtime – C Redfern
REwind – lunchtime – E Heduvan
French revision – after school – J McFarland
Art homework catch-up – lunchtime – J Wills
Year 7 music club – D Ousey
Maths drop in sessions – After School – N Allerton
Tuesday
Learning for life centre – lunch time – card club – D Grieve
Film club – lunchtime – C Redfern
KS3 badminton – lunch
Drama club – lunch – P Trimmer
Instrumental opportunity – D Ousey, C Crossman
Geography clinic – lunch – K Beales
REwind – lunchtime – E Heduvan
Year 8 music club – D Ousey
Art homework catch-up – lunchtime – J Wills
Wednesday
Library lunch time – careers club for all years
Learning for life centre – lunch time – card club – D Grieve
REwind – lunchtime – E Heduvan
Geography clinic – lunch – K Beales
Library after school – extended learning – 15:20 – 16:20
Film club – lunchtime – C Redfern
Fitness club – lunch
Years 9 and 10 basketball (after school)
School play - Lord of the Flies – after school - P Trimmer
Guitar club – D Ousey
German revision/intervention – after school – W Neethling
Art homework catch-up – lunchtime – J Wills
Philosophy club – after school – C Sandford
Games club – lunchtime – K Gosling’s room – Mrs Williamson-Firth
Year 9 music club – D Ousey
Maths drop in sessions – After School – N Allerton
Thursday
Library after school – extended learning – 15:20 – 16:20
REwind – lunchtime – E Heduvan
Fitness club – lunch
KS3 table tennis – after school
Wind band – D Ousey
Geography clinic – lunch – K Beales
Learning for life centre – lunch time – card club – D Grieve
Art club after school – K Gosling
Careers club – lunchtime – room 109 – R Hudson – CV writing, interview techniques
Film club – lunchtime – C Redfern
Wind Band – Mr Ousey - Lunchtime
Art homework catch-up – lunchtime – J Wills
Friday
Library after school – extended learning – 15:20 – 16:20
Film club – lunchtime – C Redfern
KS4 badminton – lunch
GCSE music – D Ousey
Android club – lunch – years 9-11 – W Neethling
Geography clinic – lunch – K Beales
Maths drop in sessions – lunch – N Allerton
REwind – lunchtime – E Heduvan
Art homework catch-up – lunchtime – J Wills
RE revision after school – 15:20 – 16:20 – E Heduvan

 

 

Year 11 Intervention timetable both week A and B

 
Lunch time
After school 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm
 
Monday
 
 
 
Maths (all teachers to provide an intervention group)
Geography
DT
 
French
English ( Mr Trimmer )
English (Mrs Davison) 11O
English (Mr Evans) drop in for all
 
Tuesday
 
 
 
Geography
DT
 
 
 
Wednesday
 
 
 
Maths
Geography
PE
DT
 
 
 
Science
Drama
French
Art
ICT
English ( Mrs Davison) 11O
English (Mr Evans) drop in for all
 
Thursday
 
 
 
Science
Geography
DT
RE (11O only drop in)
 
 
Geography
History
French
German
English (Mrs Davison) 11O
English (Mr Evans) drop in for all
 
Friday
 
 
 
Maths (drop in only) Mr Allerton
Geography
DT
 
RE
English (Mrs Davison) 11O
English (Mr Evans) drop in for all
 
 
Interventions happening during timetabled lessons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
English ‘Master classes’ students withdrawn during timetabled lessons for targeted interventions every Thursday 8.50 am – 4.30 pm
with Ms Lowman.
English -Plymouth University P2 only Wednesday groups of six students.  
Maths – Miss J Gimblett  students extracted from lessons to attend intervention lessons every Monday.
 
 

 

 

Extra-Curricular Clubs 2013-2014

JANUARY- APRIL

 

 
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
BEFORE SCHOOL
Breakfast Club
Fitness
Basketball
All Years
Breakfast Club
Fitness
Basketball
All Years
Breakfast Club
Fitness
Basketball
All Years
Breakfast Club
Fitness
Basketball
All Years
Breakfast Club
Fitness
Basketball
All Years
LUNCH TIME
Fitness Suite + Basketball
 
Year 9 Basketball
Fitness Suite + Basketball
 
Fitness Suite + Basketball
 
GCSE Revision (A18)
Fitness Suite + Basketball
 
Fitness Suite + Basketball
 
AFTER SCHOOL
Year 9+10 Football
PG
All Years, Boxing
AW
All Years, Badminton
Marjon Students
 
 
Year 7+8 Football
RJ
AS Revision
3.40-5pm (A18)
DM
All Years, Table Tennis
External coach
Year 10, 11, 12, 13 and staff. Hash (Cross-Country/Orienteering)
DC
A2 Revision
3.40-5pm (A18)
DM

 

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