St. Boniface's College Head Teachers Blog

June 3^rd    Week A

 Where has that half term gone?

Hi everyone and welcome to this rather truncated blog with next week being half term. Can I also remind everyone that we have a staff training day on Monday June 2^nd , the College will be closed for pupils other than those taking examinations.

I was very pleased on Thursday that we were able to take a group of Year 10 students up to Oxford University for the day. I know that they had a fantastic experience and trust that the visit will spur them on to gain a place at the University, Cambridge is a nice place as well lads!

Today was our formal Y13 Celebration as these valued members of our community look towards their next steps on leaving the St Boniface’s family. A thank you to Father John and the post 16 team. I would like to thank each one of the students for their contributions to our community over many years, they will all be missed and we wish each of them good health, happiness and success into the future. The door will always be open to come back and visit and share with us your experiences.

A reminder that we have a 150^th Celebration Evening taking place at Plymouth Albion RFC on Friday 27^th all welcome – please contact Mrs Hudson at the College for tickets and further details 01752 779051.

 Year 9 to 10 Transition Evening June 17^th 6pm

Congratulations to Matthew P from St Boniface’s who completed the 35 mile Ten Tor route last weekend. The weather on Saturday was particularly poor meaning the team barely covered half distance on the first day but the team's effort, determination and commitment meant they pressed hard on day 2 finishing with 5 minutes to spare!

Congratulations also to Daniel K in his first year playing in the Plymouth and District Table Tennis League. His team won the divisional cup and he also won the award for the most promising new young player. He won 43 out of his 45 games.

 

A message from Dr Summers regarding an important date for our KS3 pupils and parents

Key Stage 3 Awards’ Evening.

Wednesday 25^th June 2014 6pm

Parents to be notified via email if their son has received an award detailing how to apply for tickets and tutors will inform their tutees.

The evening will celebrate the achievements of the students in their Key Stage 3 years.  The evening will also showcase the musical and dramatic talents of some of our students and there will be refreshments in the catering block before, from 5pm to which you are warmly invited.

 

If you would like to attend, please email Mrs Hudson - rhudson@stbonifaces.com  indicating how many tickets you would like by Monday  9^th June.  Tickets are initially limited to 2 per student, but please indicate if you would like more if there is availability.  Tickets will be given to students through their form tutor.  Parking will be in the church car park and students are to attend in school uniform.

Half Term Idea’s

For All Armed Forces Children

Manager Name: Laura Collicott

email: laura@jumpplymouth.co.uk

Phone: 01752: 782415

 

Jump has offered just £3 for each Armed Forces child, instead of £7 and adults goes free.

The offer is open to all Armed Forces children, which includes the weekends and holidays.

 

Plymouth Life Centre

Sales Manager: Julian Egan

Sales Manager-01752: 606900

Email: julianegan@slm-ltd.co.uk

 Daytime and Sunday evenings are their quietest. They are willing to offer a families’ night, once a week. This will include the sports hall and Swimming and diving lessons, combined, for only £1:50.

 

 

Year 7

A lovely way to end the week, in the glorious sunshine!

This week’s assembly was the eagerly anticipated Celebratory Assembly for this term! I was extremely proud to be giving out such a huge number of certificates to students to celebrate their academic successes! Well done boys! Each tutor gave out an award for the term, well done to George A in 7B, Owen B in 7E, Tyler G in 7G, Jack S in 7K and Cameron H in 7V. I was also able to give out my Head of Year award for this term to Felix P, who has been extremely hardworking and kind to other students. Well done Felix and all who received an award.

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, relaxing half term.

Miss Beales

 Year 8

Another successful term completed! Many congratulations to the boys for all their hard work and commitment during this penultimate term. One more term to go and then it’s into Year 9!

Mr Ramage and Miss Heduvan led the assembly last week on the theme of imagining how things could be. We were asked to consider if we saw the glass as half empty or half full and how that impacted on our approach to life. Mr Ramage related the story of two famous motor cycle racers, Valentino Rosse and Casey Stoner. When Rosse was beaten by Stoner, Valentino’s response was visualising what he had to do to win the next time. Mr Ramage then put this into our everyday experiences and asked us to consider this approach so that we did not waste opportunities to progress. Thank you to both Mr Ramage and Miss Heduvan for a very interesting assembly!

Well done to the cricket team who beat Coombe Dean ‘B’ on Tuesday evening. In their second game, however, they came unstuck against a strong Ivybridge side. Boys, remember that the club operates on a Thursday evening after school and all are welcome.

I wish you all a good week next week and here’s to a very successful final term in Year 8 when we return on Tuesday 3^rd June.

Mr. Tucker

 

Year 9

This week I have been involved in planning for the Year 9 into Year 10 Transition Evening to be held on Tuesday June 17th 6-7pm in the school hall.

The purpose of the evening is to offer parents the opportunity to hear from me as Head of Year about the plans and expectations for the next two years and the outstanding academic and pastoral support we put in place to help each and every student reach their potential.

The structure of the evening will be as follows:

§ 1800 – Introduction to the evening in the main hall – followed by presentations by the Heads of RE, English and Maths.

§ 1815 – Meet your son’s KS4 teachers and Heads of Department in the dining hall – find out about courses, revision guides, equipment needed, home learning arrangements (i.e. weekly homework for all courses) etc.

§ Refreshments will be available from the PTFA.

We are recommending all parents and pupils attend to make the most of the guidance and advice on the evening. As this is a formal school event, pupils are expected to attend in full school uniform.

I look forward to seeing as many of you and your sons as possible.

This week it gave me pleasure to receive an e-mail from one of our parents telling me how her son had been doing this season in his mountain biking, she was obviously very proud and her son too modest to tell me so it has been left to me to share the news: Last weekend Gabriel, came 2nd in the third and final round of the South West XC Series. This result gave him 3rd overall in the Series for his age group. Sunday's race also included the South West Championships where he was 2nd .After these results he is now ranked 18th in the UK for his age group. He still has three more rounds of the National MTB XC Series to race and hopes to improve his current ranking. Congratulations Gabriel and good luck for the next round.

As always at the end of term the lads start to lapse into holiday mode a little too early, many are turning up in incorrect footwear – (Black canvas shoes or trainers) and trousers – (Black Jeans), surprising how many have apparently ripped their shoes etc.!!!!!, the school has a strict dress code and as such any student turning up in incorrect uniform after the half-term break runs the risk of being sent home to change and will be expected to make up the lost time in after school detentions.

Can I also remind you that Monday June 2^nd is a Non pupil day – so students should return appropriately dressed and with the correct equipment on the Tuesday.

Hope you have a good break, stay safe,

Mrs. Mcloughlin

 YEAR 10

I was proud to accompany a trip to Oxford University today with a group of ten Year 10 students hoping to consider a future at the prestigious university.  The trip was organised by Miss Redfern – the G&T Coordinator – who facilitated a fantastic day for the students that included a tour of Exeter College, a presentation about life at Oxford, an around Oxford trail and a mini lecture about lasers by a PhD physicist.  The day was interesting, exciting and raised aspirations for all.  Many thanks to Mr Tew for taking us there and Mrs Hudson for supervising the boys.

The paintball trips have been a huge success this week too – with teachers reporting a range of leadership skills being shown by students across the board.  Thank you to all those taking part – especially Mr Claricoates for facilitating the trip through the week.  Over 60 Year 10 students took part in the opportunity.

I wish the boys well for Work Experience week June 2^nd – 6^th. The aim of the week is to allow students to apply the wide variety of transferable skills they possess from school into the workforce. I look forward to hearing about the visits from the staff.  Thank you to Mrs Hudson for her unending efforts to offer each student a unique opportunity.

Mr Scott

 

Have a lovely week all.

Mr Davies

 

Prayer for Students

Father of Light and Wisdom,
thank you for giving me
a mind that can know
and a heart that can love.

Help me to keep learning every day of my life--
no matter what the subject may be.
Let me be convinced that all knowledge leads to you
and let me know how to find you and love you
in all the things you have made.

Encourage me when the studies are difficult
and when I am tempted to give up
Enlighten me when my brain is slow
and help me to grasp the truth held out to me.

Grant me the grace to put my knowledge to use
in building the kingdom of God on earth
so that I may enter the kingdom of God in heaven.
Amen.