Welcome back!

Dear Parents and Carers

 

I am extremely pleased with this year’s exam results and with the school’s successes across and beyond the curriculum.

 

The building project is progressing well and is on schedule.  We have two teams of builders in -  one for the major project and a second doing some additional work.  Both teams are led by former students of the school.  We are asking all families to contribute to our voluntary building fund.

 

I am proposing some changes to the way in which we report to parents on student progress.

 

‘Open house’ Wednesdays.  The senior team will be available after school each Wednesday to meet with any parents who have concerns or suggestions.

 

Homework is the key to success and those students who undertook their homework tasks with the most commitment were the students who excelled in the recent exams.  Healthy eating is also essential and we have decided to ban formally the consumption of ‘energy drinks’ at the school.

 

We continue to insist on the highest standards in our uniform.  Skirts which are too short and hair which is unacceptable cause issues for us, which can be easily avoided.

 

We are making some amendments to the timings of the school day, but the start and finish times are unchanged.

 

There have been some changes to bus timetables and to the cost of single travel on Stagecoach buses.

 

Please complete the reply slip you received in the post.  We are very keen to move to a predominantly electronic style of communication so your email addresses are important to us.  We are inviting all parents to sign up for Insight, which enables you to access your children’s data, and to use the school App to keep in touch with school events on line.  Both these facilities are accessed via the school website. 

The App, which is a relatively new initiative, is at http://www.stpetershighschool.org.uk/St-Peter-s-High-School-Mobile-App/

 

Success and Hard Work

 

We ended the summer term in a flurry of activity and visits. 

 

One of the school’s biggest successes in the last week of term came on the tennis courts.  The school tennis team came a brilliant fifth place in the nationals this month.  The team made the last eight but were narrowly beaten by Merchiston Castle from Scotland.  They then went on to beat Sutton Tennis Academy (Cheam) with Rhodri Atkinson and Ollie Palmer putting in fantastic displays and winning both their matches with brilliant performances to finish in fifth place in the country.

This is a truly exceptional performance from a team at a comprehensive school.  Well done to the boys and thanks to Keiran Montagu, the coaches and the whole team for all their hard work

Congratulations also to the Under-15 boys who won the County title by beating Bournside.  We wish them well as they progress to the regional stages in September.  They did not lose a single match in the whole season winning every fixture 6-0: a brilliant performance! Very well done to the team:  Rhodri Atkinson, James Holden, Miles Ray and to Brandon Thigpen as well as to Luke Fullard who was unavailable for this match but played for the rest of the season.

 

There is a lot we can learn from the tennis success.  These young people have enormous talent, which has been recognised and developed, but they also work very hard.  They devote many hours each week to practice and fitness and dedicated time to tennis.  The combination of talent, coaching and practice leads to national success of a truly remarkable kind.

 

This pattern exists throughout the school.  In every area of the curriculum, we have talented individuals;  in every area of the school we have talented teachers and coaches;  in every subject we have students who are prepared to give time to their school work.  As a result of this, our A-level results, once again, provide us with something to celebrate.

 

This year, the percentage of A* and B grades at A-level has gone up to 45%.  This is a terrific achievement and it is worth underlining that this means that nearly half of all the results we received were A*, A or B.  No wonder our students were able to take up places at terrific universities, including this year two students, Alessia Tarantino and Gianluca Bertone who gained the high standard of A-level results required to begin courses in medicine.  We are very proud of them and indeed of all our sixth-formers.

Of the one hundred and fourteen students who took three or more A levels, 3 students got 3 or more grades at A*/A and thirty-eight secured three passes A*-B.  Amongst these students were some exceptional performers:

 

·         Pat Davie                            (2014)                 Economics, Jesus College Oxford.

·         Josh Gittings                      A*A*A*                  Mathematics, Warwick

·         Matthew Robertson       A*A*A*                 Medicine, Cardiff

·         Freya Sheer-Hardwick                A*A*A                   Mathematics, Warwick

·         Lawrence Padfield         AAB                       Choral Scholarship (TBC)

·         Sam Brown                        AAC                       Media Apprenticeship NHS

·         Theo Bulless                      AAB                       Chemistry, Birmingham

·         Katherine Dunn               A*AB                     Psychology, Birmingham

·         Jamie Ellis                          AAB                       Engineering, Portsmouth

·         Abbie Jarvis                       A*AB                     History, Exeter

·         Kim Jones                           A*BB                     Mathematics, Birmingham

·         Jack Kirk                             A*AB                     Politics, Bath
·         Matt McKeown                            AAB                     History, Exeter

·         Fran Stansfield                 AAB                       History, Exeter

·         Harry Stansfield              AAB                       tbc

·         Chris Thomas                   AAB                       Physics, Exeter

·         Martha Tomlins               A*BB                     Nursing, Plymouth

·         Jordan Vertannes            A*BB                     History, Cardiff

St Peter’s ensures that students are on the right courses, but we do not place barriers in students’ paths.  Not every student can achieve an A-grade at A-level.  For many of our students a portfolio of passes at C, D and E grades is a real success, which reflects hard work and dedication.  They will go on to college courses and employment with confidence and satisfaction and we congratulate all of them.

Nonetheless, I wish our young people could all work on their A-levels as consistently and with such dedication as our tennis teams.  Those who do work, as we see every year, gain the very top grades and get to the very best universities;  like the tennis teams, like the rugby teams and the gymnasts, like the school choir and drama groups – the list goes on and on - they demonstrate that attending a Catholic comprehensive school is simply no barrier at all to competing with the most expensive and most exclusive schools in the country.

 

I am so disappointed when I find some sixth-formers who prefer to lounge their time away, who abuse the privilege of being allowed off site, who hand in work late, work which is often incomplete or shoddy.  These are not a large number, and Mr Barnard and his team work with them thoroughly and personally, but it upsets me that they need such cajoling when they have been given such a marvellous opportunity.

 

Let’s just take this summer’s tennis team as an example:  they did not prefer to lounge their time away;  they did not abuse the privileges afforded them and they did their work as well as they could.  Every sixth-former, every student in the school, should follow that example.

 

In this coming year, sixth-form courses are changing.  Most are moving in the first year of change to two-year courses.  It is therefore really important that students are on the right courses, courses where they can succeed and excel.  The sixth-form team and teachers will be monitoring work very closely for the first six weeks on the course and at the end of that period, students will receive a formal letter confirming their places on the courses they have begun.   Should we be unable to make that confirmation, students will have met with tutors and college heads to discuss their choices and perhaps to make changes.

 

At GCSE, we have sustained the progress made last year.  We are looking at almost identical overall figures as 2014, with some 64% of students getting 5 GCSEs or more at A* to C (including English and maths) and with over 75% of grades at C or better.    Over the next few weeks, Mrs Stenson, our data manager, will help us to understand in detail all the results and identify areas where we need to focus improvement.

 

Eight students gained all ten GCSE passes at A* and A and 27 gained 7 passes at A* and A.  There were 121 A* grades across the board:  all subjects are enabling students to excel.

 

Building

 

As I write this, the building work looks rather frighteningly messy!  Nevertheless, everything is going to plan and we should have all the rooms available to us at the beginning of term, though work will continue – in replacing the walls room by room – until November.

 

In the end, we shall have much better buildings, and in particular we will have a much better teaching area for Design Technology;  we want this area to be a growth area in the school, with a wider range of academic and vocational courses on offer. 

 

The building costs money.  We received a huge grant from the government – and we’re spending every penny of it! – but other expenses come along which we have to fund from our annual ‘capital grant’.  One such expense, this time, has been on asbestos which has had to be removed. 

 

We regularly ask parents to contribute to our building fund, to help balance the books with this kind of work, and I need to ask you to contribute again, please.  If we received £10 for every student this year, we should get £17,000 which would make a huge difference to our building budget for this year.  We will all see the benefits of the newly refurbished buildings.

 

I ask you to contribute in this way.  Not all of you will be able to – times are hard – but if you can, would you please do so now at the beginning of the year, so that we know where we stand.  I am asking for £10 per student for the building fund to cover the whole year.  I enclose with this letter a bank form, if you want to pay the money in instalments or directly from your bank, and a ‘building fund envelope’ in which you can return cash to your child’s tutor.

 

Very many thanks for your help here.  

 

Reports

 

Several parents have told me that the current assessment letters are confusing.  The nature of this confusion lies in the fact that students are often given good grades for their work – both for homework and for classwork – but then told, in these letters, that they are failing to meet their targets.

 

I am addressing this issue in three ways.

 

Firstly, I am changing the school grading system.  It is now incredibly complicated with levels in some key stage 3 subjects – but not all – with letter grade GCSEs in most subjects but with new numeric grades in English and maths and with many A-levels dropping the AS option.  I have proposed that we place above all this our own scale which uses words we understand.  At the end of this letter, you will get a copy of the new table.  It may look daunting at first!  But for every grading on the report letter, students will be given one of these new ‘words’ and you will be able to see at a glance how they are doing, and where they ought perhaps to be doing better.

 

Secondly, I am asking teachers to be more confident in assessing work.  I see homework books which praise work – sometimes with stickers and all sorts! – and then award grades which are ‘below target’.  Teachers I think are afraid of students becoming complacent, but I think there is a case for praising students who work well and for telling them that, yes, you are on target, even when the target is high.

 

Finally, I am asking teachers to give more time to the assessments for the letters, to make sure there are no embarrassing gaps and to make sure that assessments are accurate and exact.  I am asking tutors to add personal comments about each student to show you that the school understands each student and knows their strengths and where they can improve.  To balance this, I am suggesting that we dispense with the final written report of the year:  I want the three assessment letters to be as good as reports and to show parents how their sons and daughters are progressing through the year.

 

I ask you to support me with this.  During the year, and at the end of it, I shall ask formally for comments about the termly reporting system, and if we need to change it, in part or altogether, we shall discuss how to do this.

 

I want you to feel confident that you know how students are doing, how they can do better, and so on;  I want you to feel sure that the teachers at St Peter’s know your children well.

 

‘Open House’ Wednesdays

 

Support for our work from parents and carers is crucial to us.

 

We are beginning a new idea this year.  Members of the school leadership team will be available in school from 4 pm till 6.30 pm each Wednesday so that parents can speak to them about any issues they are concerned about.  Some weeks will have a special focus – pastoral concerns, progress, etc  (Just to ensure that things go smoothly, we do ask for parents to email by 11 am with a brief mention of their concern or the topic you want to raise.  Please email Reception:  reception@sphs.uk.com.

 

If you are concerned about behaviour, progress; if you want advice about working at home to support the school;  if you would like to get more involved in the work of the school -  all these may be reasons why you should want to come into the school to talk to one of the senior members of staff. 

 

These meetings will take place in the Board Room at the bottom of the site, so parking will be easy.

 

Homework

 

We are monitoring homework closely, and in July 2015 we conducted a full scrutiny of students’ work.  There is still work to do, and there are still areas of inconsistency, but we are pleased overall by the progress being made.

 

In a nutshell, each subject will set twelve homeworks over the year, and students will be given a week to complete each homework.  Students need to learn how to manage their time so that they complete all homework to the best of their ability.  We invite all parents to engage with this, and to look at the work and the marking.  It is important for St Peter’s that all students make progress.

 

Uniform

 

We also ask parents for support regarding uniform.  We do want students to look smart, to feel business-like and confident in class, and to give the best possible impression of the school to our neighbours.  On the other hand, teachers perhaps have more important things to do than nag students about their appearance.  This is an area where students can really help the school – if they look smart from the start – as so many of them do! - we can focus on the key areas of teaching and learning.

 

We are particularly concerned at the moment about girls’ skirts and boys’ hair.  As I mentioned in the newsletter/blog, some boys are copying footballers’ hairstyles which may look good but is not appropriate for study and school.  We are always in a difficult position when we try to address inappropriate hairstyles:  we do not want to keep students out of class – and damage their education – because of their hairstyle, but we can’t accept a free-for-all.  Please help us to work together so that hairstyles – especially boys’ hairstyles – are moderate and sober enough to work with a school uniform. 

 

Secondly, some of the girls’ skirts are too short.  Sometimes this is because the skirt no longer fits;  more often it is because the girls have rolled them over.  In the new term, Mrs Gittins and Mrs Layhe are going to be scrupulous in addressing this issue.  In the long term, we shall consider changing the uniform skirt to one which is harder to roll;  in the short term we may have to insist that girls who seem unable to come to school in a long enough skirt wear trousers.

 

The sixth-form dress code has been very successful in bringing a maturity to the behaviour of many of our sixth-formers.  The boys have opted for a smarter look than the girls, and in the new term we shall be warmly inviting all sixth-form girls to try and dress as smartly as the boys.  Girls need to pay particular attention to skirts and to trousers which should be tailored.   The sixth form dress code is on  the website:  http://www.stpetershighschool.org.uk/Sixth-Form-Dress-Code/.

It may be wrong, but people judge a school superficially and instantly by the appearance and behaviour of its students.  Everyone who attends St Peter’s has to state this when they apply for courses and jobs:  it is therefore in all our interests that everyone who attends the school looks smart.

 

New School Day

 

We are making some amendments to the school day, with an extra study period in the morning and with more even lunchtimes.  Details of the school day will be on the website and in planners.  Start and finish times are unaffected.

 

Buses

 

We need to say a few things about the buses.

 

Firstly, there are some changes to timetables – (particularly to the Brockworth-Hucclecote-Abbeymead service) -  and these are shown clearly on the school website ‘buses’ page; please look closely to check details.

 

Secondly, to pick up the idea of behaviour in public judging a school, behaviour of St Peter’s students on public buses must be exemplary.  It only takes three or four selfish individuals to damage the reputation of the whole school. 

 

We are concerned that in anonymous online surveys, students have told us that the only bullying they experience at St Peter’s is on the buses.  This must stop.  Those three or four selfish individuals are not only damaging the school’s reputation but intimidating other students. 

 

This new year, we shall be working on introducing a ‘prefect’ system for sixth-formers and older students.  They will be given the opportunity to apply to be a prefect, and they will be allocated a small ‘common room’ in recognition of their contribution.  We want them to set the highest standards around the school, and to manage the dining hall;  we also want them to keep an eye on the buses.  They will not be marshals:  they will simply inform us if incidents occur which should not have.

 

Please let us know of any problems your sons and daughters experience on our buses.

 

The school transport system is at threat and we are concerned, as St Peter’s relies on its buses.  We passionately believe of course that what St Peter’s offers warrants the cost of the bus fare.  But every year, the cost goes up, and there is little we can do about it.

 

There is a case for all under-18s to be given free travel on the county’s buses.  This would increase their sense of worth, enable their families to choose schools freely, and would benefit everyone who drives on the county’s roads.  David Drew, the Labour Party candidate for Stroud in the last general election, was convinced by these arguments and include the proposal in his ‘local manifesto’.  However, the seat was won by Neil Carmichael (who has become the chair of the education select committee).  It would be good for everyone in Gloucestershire if we could persuade Mr Carmichael of the strength of this argument.  All schools would benefit, and all families could choose the school they want for their children, whatever their income.

 

Indeed, Stagecoach are increasing the cost of their single ticket to £1.40.  However, they are keeping the weekly cost for St Peter’s students at £13.00.

 

Our job is to ensure that in every way the quality of education at St Peter’s warrants this expenditure, that its distinctive Catholic nature, the quality of teaching and learning available, the commitment of its staff to extra-curricular activities – music, drama, sports, the Duke of Edinburgh Award – and its care of all students continue to be excellent.

 

I should add here that limited financial help towards transport costs is available from the county for families on limited income.  [See their webpage at http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/applyforabuspass or speak to the school.]

 

Healthy Eating

We are very pleased with progress made in the kitchens and the dining hall over the last two years.  The food is more varied and healthier and the ‘cashless catering’ arrangement – though it does have its moments! – helps us to monitor what students are buying.

 

We shall be working in the next term to ensure that our kitchen offers meals and snacks which are fully compliant with the ‘school food plan’ as firmly recommended by the government.  We believe that a good, balanced diet not only helps children’s health but also helps them to work better at school.  We shall keep you informed about this project as it develops.

 

We are facing a small problem, however, with students bringing ‘energy drinks’ into the school.  All the advice we have received confirms that this is a bad practice:  such drinks are not healthy and the caffeine and sugar they include – or similar chemicals – do not help students to concentrate on their work.  We have therefore decided that these drinks will not be allowed in the school in future, and if teachers see them, whether they are being drunk or not at the time, they will be confiscated.  This sounds a little severe, but we prefer dealing with this problem in this way to dealing with the behaviour issues which ‘energy drinks’ promote.  Please support us in this so that we can avoid conflict with students.

 

I hope you have all enjoyed the break and are looking forward to another year’s work at school.  The autumn term is an extremely important one – we get nearly half the year’s work done in this one term!

 

Many thanks for your support of the school.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Philip Rush

July 2015:  The End of the Year

 

We have finished the long summer term and are beginning the holidays.  I need to bring you up to date with recent news and information.

 

On our final day, we said farewell to a group of teachers who are retiring after many years’ service at St Peter’s.  Mr Johns and Mrs Scott have worked with care and energy for many years in the modern languages and the science departments respectively;  Mr McMahon, who has gained huge respect as an RE teacher here, has said his farewells and Mr Curnow, who has been a fixture in the maths department for over twenty years, is putting down his calculator and maths books to spend more time with his family.  And finally, Mr Coughlan, who has been such an important influence at St Peter’s throughout a long career here, is saying goodbye to us. 

 

We wish all these colleagues the very best for the future.  We also wish the best to Miss Mancari (RE) and Mrs Rand (MFL) who are leaving us to take up posts elsewhere.

 

It is salutary to note that with these teachers goes over a hundred years’ experience of teaching at St Peter’s.  It hardly bears thinking about!  However, as Mr Coughlan made clear in his farewell speech, our young staff are full of energy, commitment and ability.  It is for them now to step up, in all their different ways, to fill these huge shoes and to maintain the standards of which we are so proud at St Peter’s.

 

The governors have appointed Mrs Gittins and Mrs Layhe as our new deputy headteachers.  Mrs Gittins has a hugely impressive record as a pastoral leader in the school, guiding heads of year, leading the transition from year 6 to year 7, and taking overall charge of the whole safeguarding system at the school.  Her experience and energy will be extremely valuable to the school.

 

Mrs Layhe is a key leader in teaching and learning at the school, with a wealth of experience and skills as a superb classroom teacher and departmental head.  She pays scrupulous attention to new initiatives in teaching and learning, and filters out the best fresh ideas so that we can maintain the highest standards here.

 

Mr Lax will be taking over as head of key stage 4.  He has had many years’ experience as head of year and has been ‘shadowing’ Mr Coughlan this last term, so that we can move on as seamlessly as possible. Mr Copestake will be taking over from Mr Johns, leading the school’s in-house training programme and the NQT programme for new teachers.  These are two very strong additions to our leadership team.

 

Finally, Mrs Haywood has been appointed to a new post, head of progress.  Her job is simple to explain but rather harder to do:  she has to ensure that all our students in key stage 4 make the best progress possible.  OfSTED are now looking very scrupulously at the progress of students - they want every student, whatever their ability or background, to gain the GCSE grades which they should.  By appointing someone to this role, the school is hoping that no student will ‘slip through the net’ and that we can continue to improve exam results across the board.

 

The governors have had to make these appointments at a time of funding cuts and tight budgets.  We are very grateful that these excellent and committed teachers have accepted posts on terms which reflect that financial position. 

 

You will have read in the press, and seen on TV, stories about the controversies surrounding school funding.  Although politicians promise no cuts to school funding, they are being a little disingenuous: school funding has been cut, especially in the sixth-form, and with sharp increases in National Insurance and pension contributions, the school is having to ‘give back’ a bigger proportion of its budget than before.  All schools are feeling this squeeze and there seems to be no end in sight.  We must manage our accounts tightly and ensure that every pound is spent wisely and to good effect.  Mr Blackshaw has joined us as our new business manager and he is working with the governors and with me to develop a five-year plan so that we can monitor our funding and expenditure.

 

We must not compromise the quality of lessons, the care of the students nor the things that make St Peter’s a special and happy community.  That is why the appointments of Mrs Gittins and Mrs Layhe are so important to me, as they will work with our talented leadership team - Dr Starkey, Mr McAteer, Mrs McHale, Mr Barnard, as well as the new appointments - to ensure that St Peter’s continues to improve as a school even as funding is squeezed.

 

One more initiative I need to inform you about is our decision to run an ‘alternative provision school’ unit here.   Each year we have a small handful of students - just four or five - who find it hard to conform to the rules and requirements of the main school.  If we do not address their needs, everyone suffers, including they themselves.  In the past we have used the ‘pupil referral unit’ in Gloucester to help with this.  However, although this unit is run by dedicated staff and very professionally, it is not always the best solution to the issues our students face.  Therefore, instead of paying for places there, we are setting up and staffing our own unit to address these needs, managed by the PE department.  In this way, we hope that students who need this kind of care will be able to continue with their studies and continue working with their teachers at St Peter’s while being managed a little more closely.  The programme will run at slightly different times from the main school, starting and finishing later, and will enable us to manage unsocial behaviour kindly but firmly.

 

On the one hand, we cannot allow a small handful of students to spoil the education of others, and we shall not do so.  But also, we must care for those students themselves, as long as they want to work with us. 

 

The last half-term of the year is always rather packed with events and trips out.  There are always some hiccups with such activities, but there have been very few, and the trips have enriched the experience of many of our young people, whether they have gone to Bristol Zoo for the day or to the Ardeche for a whole week.  I must thank all the staff who have given of their time and energy to make all these trips work.

 

The ‘writing workshops’ in Slad have been particularly noteworthy this year, with many students given the chance to work with London-based American poet Katy Evans-Bush in a beautiful farmhouse.  This year, she brought with her a big selection of vintage typewriters and huge rolls of paper, and these proved to be an inspiration to our young writers!

 

The year 9 retreats in Stroud were also very successful.  It is very encouraging to me when teachers in their first year or two at the school attend these retreats and come back to tell me how impressed they were with the content and with the students’ response to a day of spirituality.

 

Sports Day in the last week of term was a huge hit and I thank parents for their support for this.  There was a lovely atmosphere amongst staff and students.  It was lovely to see so many young people participating and lovely to see just how talented some of our athletes are!  A big thank you to the PE department for all this work.

 

The school continues to be popular and we will be welcoming new students to every year of the school in September!  We are particularly looking forward to welcoming our year 11 students back as sixth-formers.

 

Towards the end of the holidays, you will receive from the school a letter about the new year which will include information about the exam results and so on.  This letter will also include details about buses, free school meals and emailing.  There will also be some information about uniform and hair-styles.  This year we shall post a letter in the traditional way, so please look out for that, but we want to move to an electronic communication in future.  (Parents and carers who might find that difficult will still have the option to request a ‘proper’ letter!)

 

Perhaps I might say just a little more about hair-styles.  Please help us by making sure that all students return to school with the right sort of hair-style.  Schools are obliged to require their students to look smart and orderly, and although some hair-styles may look great on a Premiership footballer, they do not always work on a year 9 boy in a smart school uniform!

 

During the holidays the school is open on each day and a member of the leadership team is on duty each week.  If you have any queries, please email ‘enquiries@sphs.uk.com’.  (On the other hand, because of building work and updates, the ‘24-hour school’ facility online may not be available constantly throughout the holidays;  please bear with us with that.)

 Do enjoy the break.  I hope everyone finds the opportunity for some relaxation and rest. 

 Philip Rush

 

 

 

 

June 2015

Staff changes • Exams • Junior concert and junior drama • Building work (including phones) • PFA  Family Fun Day • Sixth form study and dress code • SCITT Ofsted • End of Year Mass

You will know I think that there will be some senior staff changes this term and Mr Coughlan and Mr Johns are retiring, and Mr Lester moving on to a senior position in a Cumbrian academy.  We have appointed Mr Lax to take over from Mr Coughlan as head of key stage 4, and Mr Copestake to take over from Mr Johns in charge of professional development and training in the school.  Mr Blackshaw will be joining us as our new business manager.

Mrs Haywood has been appointed to a new position, to be in charge of pupil progress, especially in years 10 and 11.  Her brief is to ensure that students do their best, even when they need extra help or encouragement.  She will co-ordinate all the extra provision the school offers.  Mrs Brindley has been appointed head of year 7.

 

The governors and I are extremely confident about the quality of these appointments and expect the transitions in every case are smooth and effective.

The governors will be interviewing for the deputy headship shortly (an internal appointment) and I shall keep you informed.

We are approaching the end of the summer public exams.  This is always a difficult period, not only for students and families whose lives can be dominated by the exam timetable, but for the examinations staff at school.  There is always the odd hiccup with all the administration of papers, room changes, invigilators, and so on, but this year I am delighted by the smoothness of the operation and I have nothing but thanks and admiration not only for the exam team led by Mrs Shipton but also for Mrs Smith in the kitchen who provided (free!) breakfasts for year 11 students each morning.  We have to hope now that the results in August will reflect all the hard work put in by the students.  Arrangements for the collection of results in the summer will be on the website.

The summer term sees plenty of activities, including sports fixtures, especially athletics fixtures, and these are all going well.  It has been particularly nice to see a group of year 10 students visiting local tourist attractions as part of the English ‘travel writing’ work and to see several groups of students going to Oxford university for introductory ‘taster days’.  Particularly successful have been the junior music and drama evenings:  this week’s junior concert was a splendid and talented affair which came together really well after hard work and rehearsals.  Also good to see our students present the school so well at the cathedral, as part of the Gloucester City G15 celebration of schools.

 
Our big building project is under way.  Although the outcome will be a much smarter school and a much better suite of rooms for design technology lessons, we have to go through a bit of pain first and you will notice some disruption.  In the first instance, we have had to move the main admin office and one effect of this will be that we have cut the number of phones available.  Please be extra tolerant if you find it difficult to call in, and remember that emails to the school will not be disrupted and may be easier for all.  Thank you.

Our PFA Family Fun Day is planned for Saturday 4th July (1 till 4).  This is an updated version of the school fete and will include sports activities for year 5 and year 6 pupils attending the Catholic primary schools.  Free entry!

The PFA would love you to come but would also like to request your help!  Do you have any unwanted (but good, clean condition) school uniform?  Would you consider donating it to the school so it can be sold to raise funds?  Please send it in to reception.

Bottle stall – always a popular stall, and a great fundraiser – could you donate a bottle for our stall?  Please send any donations in to reception.

Do you wish to have a stall?  If so, please contact Jane Ryan jryan@sphs.uk.com at school for full details. Perhaps you would consider baking a cake for our cake stall?  Cakes can be brought into school the morning of the fun day.

 
We really hope that you will be able to attend the event, and thank you in advance for your on-going support of the Parents and Friends Association.  Please remember that with your support the PFA is able to fund extras to enhance your child’s education, such as school minibuses and technical equipment in different departments, and we are very grateful for any support you can give.  Additionally, if you feel you can give some of your time to support us in a practical way, please get in touch.

It’s been lovely to see year 12 back, and taking over the mantle of year 13.  We want to improve the study facilities in the sixth-form and Mr Barnard will be making some changes to the arrangements there so that we can accommodate more students and provide opportunities for different kinds of study.  Sometimes it is important to be able to work silently on your own;  sometimes it is pleasant to be able to talk through work while enjoying a drink.  He is also keen that the sixth-form dress code is fully followed; when the students look smart, they present such an excellent image and set such a good example to younger students.

We have just concluded an OfSTED inspection of the GITEP teacher training scheme, for which St Peter’s is the lead school and the outcome – which won’t be official until next term – is excellent, with very positive feedback from the inspectors and lots of recognition of the high quality of work done by the scheme’s leaders.  A big thank you at St Peter’s for the work of Mrs McHale.

Finally, all parents and carers are welcome at our end of year Mass and presentation ceremony on June 26^th.  Mass in the morning – starting at about 9.45 – and the presentations in the afternoon – about 1pm.  We plan to end that day with early buses at 2.30.  All these timings will be confirmed on the website in the next few days.

 

Philip Rush 

 

May 2015

Dear Parents and Carers,

Three important areas in this new blog.

Firstly, a big thank you to Mr Slaughter and Mr Fullerton for organising the ‘Dench Cup’, an annual football match between the 1^st XI and the staff football team, in memory of Kamil Ciemniewski, a young man who died in sad circumstances over two years ago.  There is also a collection taken at the match each year which raises funds for Gloucester Royal Hospital Critical Care Unit.  I am delighted to report that this time over £1000 was raised for this charity in Kamil’s memory.  (Staff 3 Students 2, by the way!)

Secondly, some of our senior staff are retiring or moving on this summer.  Mr Coughlan and Mr Johns are both retiring after many years of excellent work here, and Mr Lester, our business manager, is moving to a new post in Cumbria.

I am not a big fan of change.  But sometimes change happens to us and we have to deal with it positively and embrace it warmly.  It is hard to believe that someone can come along and step into Mr Coughlan’s shoes, hard to believe that someone can replace Mr Johns;   however, as these two wise teachers know only too well, someone will.  We have advertised the posts internally and I know who has applied for these jobs.  Therefore, I can confidently say that we have the staff here to continue the work fluently, intelligently and sensitively.   

Mr Coughlan has managed the discipline of the school very effectively for many years.  He has been brilliant;  firm and sensitive and loving.  But our heads of year have learnt from his example and our governors continue to be fully engaged with the disciplinary process.  We pride ourselves at St Peter’s on the quality of our pastoral care and I assure you this quality will not be compromised.

Mr Johns has worked inspirationally as a member of the leadership team and as a teacher of modern languages.  But once again, we have in the languages department talented young teachers who have learned from Mr Johns’ example.

Mr Lester is another big loss and his work over the last years, especially with the conversion to academy status and within the diocese, has been essential to the school’s progress.  He has definitely earned the opportunity to take on a challenging job close to the mountains of the Lake District which he loves.  Mr Lester has led on our big building projects and his legacy to the school will last for many years – this summer we have a million-pound refurbishment project to manage and Mr Lester is ensuring before he leaves  that everything is set fair for that project - he has also agreed to answer the phone should I need to ring him for advice!

Finally, Year 11 are also moving on.  They go on study leave today – along with year 12.  I wish them all the best with their exam work and their revision.  Dr Starkey and Mr Lester are ensuring that light breakfasts are available to year 11 – free of charge – from 8.30 before their exams, and after that a short, sharp revision talk  – in the sixth-form common room – to make sure everyone is in the best mental position to undertake the exam.  A warm-up on the touchline before joining the game, as it were.

Our students want to do their best.  During study leave, they need to get up early and focus on revision and learning even on days when they don’t have an exam.  Especially on days when they don’t have an exam!  Drinking water throughout the day helps, and so does taking a break every hour or so for some fresh air.  It’s important to go to bed at the right time and not to worry.  If students take their learning seriously, even at this late stage, they will find they have much less to worry about!

We had a wonderful Mass for our exam students – with a lovely farewell to Mr Amphlett the design and technology technician – and all our students who are facing these exams know that our thoughts and prayers are with them.

 

 

 

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Last week at St Peter’s – Visitors to the school – Year 10 lessons – Year 9 options – Building bids – Orchard - Forthcoming events – Summer uniform

A Good Weekend

Last weekend was a good one for St Peter’s.  I was delighted by the good sense and good order shown by our students during the partial solar eclipse.  The weather was perfect for the event, and the holes in the technology department roof provided the perfect ‘camera obscura’! 

Last Friday afternoon, Miss Fearn of the history department organised a full parliamentary election debate with candidates from Gloucester and Stroud constituencies, including Stroud’s current MP Neil Carmichael.  This was a fabulous opportunity for our sixth-formers to meet working politicians face to face and to learn about our democratic system and the issues facing voters in this spring’s election.

Throughout the day there had been a whole series of activities, coordinated by Mr Hudson and Mr Devane from the ICT department, to mark the anniversary of the Philippines cyclone which so devastated that country.  Special lessons for key stage 3 classes were managed by year 10 students, and in addition there was a cake sale, a candlelit prayer service and other sporting events long into the night.

And, finally, we and the parishioners of Stroud Immaculate Conception enjoyed a wonderful performance by the school Choral Society, led by Mrs Perfect, of John Stainer’s ‘Crucifixion’.  John Stainer’s great-grandson, Andrew, was in the audience and he enthused warmly about the quality of the choir which was pitch-perfect throughout.  A marvellous way to mark a Friday in Lent.

A Good Visit

A local secondary headteacher visited the school this last Monday to undertake a review for us of our ‘pupil premium’ provision.  She praised the quality of teaching and learning which she saw, the quality of marking and homework, and the honesty and enthusiasm of the students whom she interviewed.    She identified some areas where we can work a little more efficiently in administering the pupil premium funding and in ensuring that all students achieve their academic potential.

In the last six months we have welcomed four senior staff on formal visits to St Peter’s:  two senior staff in large comprehensives similar to ours, and two inspectors.  All four of them have focused their praise on the things which we most hold dear:  teaching and learning, homework, and ethos & behaviour.  We are always striving to improve and we are sensitive to any adverse criticism, but sometimes we can afford to reassure ourselves that the staff at St Peter’s are providing a first-class education.

 

Year 10 English and maths

You will all be aware that we changed our pattern of subjects for this year’s year 10 students:  they have one fewer option but more time for English and maths.  I have been speaking individually to all our English and maths teachers, and without exception they assure me that the extra time has helped them to teach more broadly and more carefully and for the students to learn more richly and more deeply.  I am very grateful to them for the quality of their work, and I am delighted by their confidence in the effectiveness of this change.

Year 9 options

All too soon, perhaps, our year 9 will begin their GCSE years and their option evening is fast approaching.  They will follow the same option pattern of our current year 10s.  However, we are not publishing option blocks in advance this year and this is essentially for financial reasons:  we cannot afford to run small groups.  We are asking students to place their chosen subjects in a priority order and then we plan to create efficient groupings from these so that the school can provide the requested options as efficiently as possible.  We are not planning to increase the size of option groups overall – subjects are still generously staffed – but we want to avoid having to run a group for 8 in block A while there is a group of 10 studying the same subject in, say, block C.  A group of 20 is for many subjects an efficient and sensible size.

We had great news about our building bids this week

We are delighted to receive the news from the Department for Education that we had been successful in our two bids to the Condition Improvement Fund for refurbishment of the design & technology and main blocks.  £1.1 million!!

The original 1964 buildings at St Peter's Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre are past their serviceable life. We began the programme of work to refurbish or rebuild these buildings last year with the English block refurbishment which has been transformed.  The next phase in the programme will take place this summer following the approval of our two bids.  We are obviously delighted with this news.

The work will start in May 2015 and will be largely be completed by September when we return after the summer holidays.  The frontage of the school will be transformed – surely a huge fillip when students enter the school – and the design technology area will be modernised and improved. 

Orchard

Eagle-eyed passers-by may notice that we have taken delivery – from Day’s Cottages in Brookthorpe – of thirty apple trees.  All local varieties.  There will be a small orchard, then, at the Stroud Road end of the far rugby field, and we are dreaming of picking our own apple crumble from the branches before too many years have passed.

Forthcoming events

 
Hay festival coach

We have (provisionally) booked a coach to go to the Hay Festival on Friday 29^th May (the Friday in Whit half-term).  Hay Festival is a lively affair in a lovely Borders town -  loads to see and do – but parking can be terrible!  So we think that enough of us may enjoy going by bus and enjoying a day out without having to worry about parking or driving back home.  The coach will leave here at 9, so will arrive around 10.30, and will set off home from Hay at 8 pm.  The cost is £17.50 for adults and £7.50 for students/ children.  Might sound a lot until we remember the cost of parking and petrol!  And any profits will go to the PFA.

Could you let us know if you’d like tickets, please, by emailing Mrs Cameron, rcameron@sphs.uk.com.   We need to know numbers by the beginning of May.  Thank you.

Lawrence Montagu Ball

Following on from the huge success of The Lawrence Montagu Ball last year, the extended school team is delighted to announce an even bigger and better Ball for 2015!  16^th May is the date.

Last year, our guest speakers kept us entertained with stories about their careers and school life here at St Peter’s. The auction prizes were absolutely incredible and included: a signed Andy Murray tennis racket, a signed 1966 England shirt, a one-of-a-kind Harley Davidson leather jacket and a week’s residential revision prize with Oxford International College, just to mention a few! The prizes raised a staggering amount for the foundation and, with your help, we are hopeful of beating that amount this year.

It is a ‘black tie event’ with a 3 course meal and wine.  In addition, there will be guest speakers, an auction with some fantastic prizes, live music (St Peter’s Jazz band) and DJ until late. Tickets cost £40 and the proceeds will all go towards the Lawrence Montagu Foundation.  Champagne reception with canapés starts at 6pm and everyone will be seated for their meal at 7pm.

If you would like to attend, please email Frank (fcarter@sphs.uk.com or call 01452509280) with the number of tickets, before Friday 1^st May.  

We really do hope you are able to join us this year as, I’m sure those of you who attending last year would agree, it was a terrific and enjoyable evening in memory of a fantastic man.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Anniversary Mass

Fr Kevin will be celebrating a Mass in memory of Larry, at 4 pm on 28^th April, in the drama theatre.  All will be welcome. 

PFA

Our school Parents and Friends Association are hoping to raise funds on Saturday 25^th April at Sainsbury’s in Gloucester Quays, by helping with bag-packing.  We are lucky to have secured the slot at Sainsbury’s but now need student (or parent!) volunteers to help.  It is a great opportunity for the PFA to raise considerable funds – can your son/daughter help?  All we need is a few hours of their time between 10 and 6 on Saturday – perhaps they could bag-pack whilst you do your shopping?

The PFA is a very hard-working group of people who arrange numerous events throughout the year with a view to assisting in financing the school minibuses, as well as providing vital funds for one-off items to ensure that your children get the very best opportunities in all areas of their education.  Your support is essential to its success!!   

Summer is Coming …

And we look forward to seeing students in their summer uniform – polo shirts, with sweaters on chilly days – when we return after the Easter break.  It would be really good to see the whole school smart from years 7 to year 13 for the final, sunny, term.

Please enjoy a good Easter break.

Philip Rush

 

 

Keeping Up to Date

This morning I attended a meeting of Gloucestershire secondary headteachers where we listened to a presentation by Sir David Carter, the Regional Schools Commissioner for the south west.  He began his talk by saying that the “only innovation that works is great teaching” and I couldn’t agree more. 

We have been working hard at St Peter’s to set high standards in teaching and learning and to support all teachers in the classroom.  We walk around the school each lesson and have a very clear picture of how hard – and how intelligently – teachers are working and how well students are engaging with lessons. 

Sir David also spelled out that in an outstanding school, the norm is a good lesson with distinct elements of excellence.  It is not practicable, he says, that every lesson can be the perfect lesson.  I think that when I walk around the school I see just that, good lesson after good lesson, and often I am able to see real elements of excellence – a role play in English going well, some practical work in maths to turn abstract ideas into concrete examples, a board game in history, and so on.

There have also been some excellent extra-curricular events lately.  A top-class start to a revised debating society, for example, a visiting poet to the English department, and a lecture on recent Russian and Soviet history from an Oxford university don.  Many thanks to all staff who work to provide these and other extra-curricular opportunities.

There are always exceptions, lessons that don’t go as well as hoped, students losing concentration, but I am sure that St Peter’s is making progress towards providing the outstanding education we all want.

Primary Visit

The English department was delighted to have been invited to spend an afternoon working with year 5 pupils at St Peter’s Primary school.  Everyone seemed to have a really good time retelling an old Irish story from ‘The Tain’ both in drama and writing.  The teachers came back really impressed with the standards set in these year 5 classes and full of enthusiasm to do more such work.

Arrangements are in hand for similar visits to other Catholic primary schools whose pupils come here.

Flame 2

Mandy Baker, our chaplain, and Margaret-Mary McNeill, our senior science technician, along with other staff, led a coach full of students to a big Catholic youth gathering at Wembley Stadium, ‘Flame 2’.  St Peter’s was conspicuous in the size of the group who went, and it is lovely to see the chaplaincy having such a big effect on how young people see themselves.  They are the future not only of the church but of our society.

The Living Your Faith Summer Camps, run by the Clifton Diocese, will be held during August and are intended to encourage children and young people to engage in their faith through fun, games and Spiritual input. They take place in the beautiful surroundings of the Marist Convent in Nympsfield. Week one 3rd -7th August (age7-11 years). Week two 10th-14th August (age12-15). For more details contact Stephen Spurrell on 07860   849460 or livingyourfaith@hotmail.co.uk or look on the website http://www.livingyourfaith.co.uk/

Music Events

We have two important music events coming up.  They’re very different, but both look to be of the highest quality.  Stainer's ‘Crucifixion’ is  a twentieth-century choral work which is most appropriate for Lent and will be performed on Friday, 20th March – next week – at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Stroud. 19.00.  It is a one-hour piece, in English, and features solo performances from Laurence Padfield (bass) and Roberto West (tenor).

In quite a different key is ‘Bondlive’, a week later, on Friday, 27th March at the school. 19.00. ‘Bondlive’ features theme songs from the Bond movies from Goldfinger to Skyfall, all accompanied by St Peter's Jazz Band.  Evening food included and bar. 

Tickets for both of these events can be purchased from St Peter's reception.

Low Income Travel Grants

Parents in receipt of working tax credit at the maximum level (i.e. not reduced to income) or whose children qualify for free school meals are entitled to an additional level of transport assistance. Parents will be required to submit an application for free school meals if their child is not already receiving them in order that eligibility can be confirmed with the checking service provided by the Government. Alternatively, parents can provide paper evidence of their benefits, in which case all pages of the current tax credit notice will be required.  Assistance with transport on grounds of low income will be subject to an annual review whereby transport may be withdrawn if the financial situation has changed.

i) The County Council will provide help to low income families with a child aged between 8-11 years attending a primary school where the pupil attends their nearest primary school and their home to school walking distance is over two miles.

Qualifying parents will need to reapply for transport under this criterion when their child turns eight years old and they are no longer entitled to transport when the statutory walking distance increases from two to three miles.

ii) The County Council will provide help to low income families with a child aged between 11-16 years attending a secondary school where the pupil either attends one of their three nearest secondary schools and  their home to school distance is between two and six miles or attends the nearest suitable school preferred on grounds of religion or belief, where they live more than two miles, but not more than fifteen miles from that school.

School Day

I am proposing some changes to the school day.  We are finding the ‘long lunchtimes’ rather too long (and the ‘short lunchtimes’ a little too short!) and we are proposing a one-hour lunchtime each day.  This has some knock-on effects to lesson timing.  I intend to put a detailed note about this on the website next week and will invite comments from parents.  It would be nice if we could begin a new day after the Whit holiday so that it can become embedded before the September re-start.

Sport

You will all know just how successful the school has become, under the guidance of Keiran Montagu, in coaching tennis players.  Our first team has been seeded in the national finals, which is almost unheard-of for a maintained school and a huge achievement for us.  We enjoyed a recent visit to the school by Bob Brett, the current Performance Director for the Lawn Tennis Association (UK tennis).  Once again we were told what an impressive set-up we have here and how lucky our talented players are to be able to develop their skills and experience with us.

Xavier Woodcock has been selected to represent Gloucestershire in the national cross-country championships in Lancashire.  We are delighted to be able to support Xavier and are excited by his achievements.

The website – and the PE department website which has a link there – carries all up-to-date news about fixtures and successes.

Parking

You will probably have seen from the website that we have a couple of complaints from neighbours about inconsiderate parking.  I am sure you understand that we need to be on the best of terms with our neighbours and that it is good for us to seek the highest reputation in all ways.  I am grateful for the support I received from parents collecting students from school when I spoke to them about this matter.

Finally- revision is a priority

We are approaching the time of the year when the word ‘revision’ will be used almost daily.  It’s really important for year 11 students and all sixth-formers to be managing their work and learning and making it a priority.  A little each day is the key.

Year 12 are working well, but lots of teachers tell me that they need to be working with  a little more energy and enthusiasm.  Don’t leave things too late!

Read each day.  Read over your notes.  Read the books you are studying.  Read books you’ve chosen which relate to your studies.  Read books, magazines and newspapers for pleasure.  Reading is a really important key to success.

 

Philip Rush
Friday March 13^th 2015