Friday, 16 May 2014

St. Boniface's Colelge Headteachers Blog for wb 19.5.14

 Week B               19.5.14

Hello everybody and welcome to my Blog for this week.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all our students both GCSE and A level who are sitting exams. The Year 11 boys tell me that things are going well to date so we are all encouraged. Speaking of Year 11, there appears to be a drop off in lesson attendance now that the exams have actually begun. Whilst I can understand this could I please remind everyone that teachers are available as normal for all year 11 lessons – I would hate for any students to miss out on the few extra marks that could make the difference of a grade because they missed a lesson. As long as parents are happy that hard work is taking place at home and that this is the best way forward then I am happy – these young men should now be mature enough to make such decisions and live with the potential consequences, we are here to help!

Could I please remind parents once again of the two forthcoming school training days on June 2nd and June 20th. School will be closed for all except those taking examinations on both days.

The College had a regular pupil progress check meeting last week and I am very pleased to be able to report that there is significant academic improvement in all year groups compared to last year. This is a great reflection on all the hard work the students and staff have been putting in over the year to date. Well done to all.

Could I also thank Daniel H. and the post 16 leadership team for all they have done for not only the present post 16 pupils and the College but also for all their hard work over the post 16 study area and common room. Many students into the forthcoming years will benefit. I am very pleased to announce that Tim H, Dan’s deputy last year, has been appointed as Head Boy for this forthcoming year. He has a good team around him, also recently appointed, and I am looking forward to working with them in the future. How about a sports hall lads?

Please do not forget our 150th Celebration Dinner at Plymouth Albion on June 27th. Tickets are available from R. Hudson at the College,

 


Plymouth school’s athletic 'super 8' competition

Venue - Brickfields

Year 8/9 boys and girls.

Team of 16 (8 girls from ND and 8 boys from SBC)

We came 2nd out of 5 schools and this now qualifies us for the county championships which is to be held on the 25th June.

 “Awesome day” 

John B - 2nd Long Jump/2nd 100m

Rusiate T - 2nd in shot putt

Kobie C - 2nd high jump /2nd 300m

Ali R - 3rd high jump / 2nd hurdles

Lewis G - 2nd 300m

 Team of 8 girls and boys - won the medley race. (4x100 into 2x200 into 2x400)

Well Done to all – team photo below!

Mr Weaver.
 

 

HMS Heroes photo



 

Year 7

Finally a nice bit of sunshine to head into the weekend.

This week’s assembly was delivered by from Mr Ramage and Miss Heduvan. We got to see some very exciting video footage of Casey Stoner and how passionate he was at always trying to be the best that he could be as a MotoGP rider. We discussed imagining how things could be and how he used this passion and drive to focus on each race. Thank you for the lovely assembly Mr Ramage and Miss Heduvan, I think many of the Year 7’s walked away, in awe of such a great sport.

Next week we have our very exciting Celebration assembly where we have the opportunity to reward the Year 7 students for their achievements. I very much look forward to giving out lots of certificates and prizes.

As a year group we were very excited to hear that Miss Heduvan got engaged last weekend! Congratulations from all of Year 7!

I am concerned with the amount of Year 7 students who are starting to try and bend the rules on uniform. It is expected that all students have the correct uniform and look smart at all times. I know there are occasions where some of the older boys may be seen not sticking to this rule, but I know that their Head of Year is just as strict and on to them, as much as I am! My year group is something I am so proud of and hope, that with your parental support, we can nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand. One of the main issues I have, is appropriate footwear. Students should have leather school shoes and not black trainers. Thank you for your continued support.

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

·         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, sunshine-filled weekend!

Miss Beales

 
Year 8

Thanks to 8G who led our assembly so well last week on the theme of inspirational people. We heard about a wide range of people from the very humble to the very famous. It was particularly interesting to hear about those people who are closest to us in our daily life who provide a fantastic example to us and who encourage us towards living better and using our talents. Thanks to Mr Lord for organising things so well. Ali R. was presented with a certificate for being the top student in a young officials’ course where he was learning to be a football referee. Ali gained the ‘top whistle’ award!

Well done to Lewis E., who reports that his football team beat AFC Plympton 4-2 in a recent cup final. Ben B. tells me that he is playing cricket for the Luckett 2nd team, an adult team, as well as playing for Cornwood U13. Excellent work!

Jack B. reports that his scout group have just completed an adventure training competition across the moors in which they finished 8th out of 19. They got lost apparently but were organised enough to get back on track pretty quickly. Well done to him!

Mr Weaver took a group of students to Brickfields during the week which included Ali R. and John B. from our Year group. They were taking part in a ‘Super 8’ athletics competition in which they finished runners-up. This means that they have qualified for the County finals on the 25th June. John was 2nd in both the long jump and the 100m while Ali finished 2nd in the hurdles and 3rd in the high jump. Well done to both of them!

In counting up all the achievement points on the system this week, the Year group have amassed 3,227 points which is fantastic! Well done to all!

Mr. Tucker

 Year 9

Right on cue, as the exam season starts the sun makes an appearance, let’s hope it stays.

This week saw students from Mr Scott’s computer science class attend a workshop at the Apple store in the mall working on various multimedia projects; by all accounts they had a good time, Alusché was quoted as saying “it was amazing”, they were all happy to come away with a free tee shirt and USB wrist band.

Another group, travelled to Pennycross School to work with their students and a few from Shakespeare Primary together with Wren music on the Sing Music Project, this is building towards a performance at Plymouth Pavilion’s later in the summer – date to follow.

Congratulations to Marcelo who was the proud winner of a Kindle Fire for all his hard work in amassing over 100 merits last term, who will be this terms luck winner.

Again, just a reminder, that all students should be wearing their blazers at all times unless, given permission by the Head to remove it – Non Blazer Day, we need to keep up standards.

On that note, I am off to enjoy the good weather and I hope you will to, until next week, stay safe.

Mrs. Mcloughlin

 YEAR 10

The Year 11 students have now started their GCSEs, meaning the one-year countdown has now begun.  Year 10 students need to remain dedicated and focussed on their studies, revise their work regularly and prepare for the upcoming mock examinations in June.  This week will give students the chance to experience the GCSE atmosphere first-hand. They will sit their exams in the gym and be expected to bring suitable equipment.

I was very proud of the Year 10 students receiving awards at last week’s KS4 Awards Evening. It is always a special moment to reflect on the hard work the boys put in and recognise how far they have come over their time at St Boniface’s so far.

With paintball next week, half term the week after and work experience the week following it, the coming weeks are busy for Year 10 and the pastoral team.

Please ensure your son is signed up for an activity for Celebration Day – this is a whole school event that requires each student to take part in a group.

Mr Scott


Year 11

Good luck to all and remember – the harder you work the easier things become!

 I am concerned that a very few of the Year 11 pupils are unable to control themselves on their way home from exams and are causing disruption in Crownhill and in the local area of the College. Could you please talk to your son to ensure he is not part of this – once individuals have been identified I will ensure those causing the good name of the College to be damaged will stay in school full time until July 18th. I will not allow the actions of a very few to tarnish the reputation we are building together.

Mr Davies

Post 16

Good luck to all taking their AS and A2 examinations!

 Please remember all post 16 lessons revert to normal operation after half term, the A2 courses begin

There is a St. Boniface’s College Celebration day for students on 14th July.

We are very pleased to have been asked to attend the Edmund Rice conference in Manchester on 20th June. 6 members of the post 16 leadership team along with Mr Tew will be present on our behalf. Further details to follow.

Sports day takes place on 4th  July and the support of the Sports Leaders and post 16 students will be needed please.

Mr Tew

 

 

Lord, we pray

For justice and peace in our world.

We pray, too, that those

who use violence as a weapon

may be touched

by the reaction of people

who have been hurt by violence.

Influence each of us, Lord,

to bring justice and peace

to our own part of the world this day.

Amen

 

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