Friday 25 October 2019

October break 2019


Students and staff are looking forward to a well-deserved half term break.

Chaplaincy news
Year 7 and year 12 Retreats
The year 12 retreat programme began in the first week of term, allowing students to get to know one another in their form and year group. The days were well-received by the students who were very responsive. Year 7 retreats also went extremely well with both students and tutors finding the experience of a ‘day with a difference’ very rewarding. The focus was on their worth as ‘God’s masterpiece.’ 

Masses for the start of the academic year
We began our academic year officially with our start of year Masses celebrated by Monsignor Liam Slattery. Our theme was ‘Rock Solid,’ providing a link between our ethos and our ROCK values and award scheme (respect, optimism, community and kindness). Both Masses were uplifting with a lovely prayerful atmosphere and excellent student involvement including new altar servers and youth Eucharistic ministers. Our head students read the prayers of the faithful and Year 7 pupils - with their year 11 mentors - led the offertory procession.

Other events
Earlier in the month Year 11 celebrated their patron saint, St Therese of Lisieux, with a Liturgy.

Film night – a showing of ‘The Greatest Showman’ was successful and brought a variety of students from different year groups together with some parents.

The Green Team worked with chaplaincy to celebrate God’s Creation on St Francis of Assisi’s feast day. The activities included younger students contributing to a collage of creation, pledges to be better stewards of creation and some financial contributions to CAFOD world gifts. We are most appreciative to the staff who provided music during the break.

Wear it Pink: as usual we raised money for breast cancer charities during last Friday’s Wear it Pink day and raised £380 for this charity. (Our Wear it Pink day for prostate cancer takes place in February).

Cafod programmes for year 10 and 12 students
Fourteen students from both Year 10 and Year 12 have joined the Young Volunteers and Young Leaders Programme run by CAFOD.

Confirmation programme
Many of our students are keen to be prepared to make their Confirmation with us and arrangements will be made to facilitate this.

Lunch Time Groups
Rock Solid on Monday break two, facilitated by the YFC team.
GLOW on Thursday break two involves prayer activities

Don’t miss Guvna B
Double MOBO award winning urban music star Guvna B is performing a live gig in school on Friday 15th November. Tickets are on sale now for only £3. This is an outstanding opportunity for our young people to be inspired by a positive role model. Guvnor B is also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust.



Languages visit to Normandy
This morning staff and students set off on the languages visit to Normandy. They will visit the D-Day landing beaches & museum; visit war graves; see the Bayeux Tapestry (which some students have been learning about in history); use their language skills by participating in a French market shopping challenge; and taste both snails and frogs’ legs! Previous visits have been a huge success and contribute to the school’s aim to educate pupils culturally, morally, historically & linguistically. Thank you to the staff who are taking the visit.

History and Politics visit to New York and Washington DC
Early this morning students from Years 9 to 13  set off to visit New York and Washington DC on a History and Politics trip. They will spend the first three days of their visit in New York. Excursions include Ellis Island, Liberty Island, the Rockefeller Centre, the 9.11 museum and a walking tour in Harlem. In Washington DC the group will visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum and the American History museum. The focus of the 6-night trip is the history of immigration, civil rights and the political system in the U.S.A and we look forward to hearing all about the visit on their return.


Japanese and Russian students visit St Peter’s
St. Peter's has been giving our students a chance to experience two very different cultures this half term through our buddying scheme with foreign students. Early in September, four of our year 11 students spent a week 'buddied' to a Japanese student of a similar age. The visitors followed the timetables of our buddy students for the whole week as well as spending break times trying to understand each other and teaching each other different things about their respective cultures. It was a great opportunity to learn about another part of the world and to see how young people are similar, no matter where they are from.

In October we welcomed fourteen KS3 Russian students to St. Peter's. Again, they were buddied up with our students, this time from KS3, and again they went to all of their lessons. Although this particular exchange was only for two days, once again it enabled our students to learn about other countries and how other young people are educated.

Both of these visits were very successful. Thank you to Mr Lax for arranging them. He was pleased and overwhelmed by the number of volunteers who wanted to be buddies. We hope to have more exchanges over the year and we look forward to giving more students the chance to be pair up with a visiting student. Every buddy has also gained credit towards their Community ROCK Award badge.



History department visit to the Gloucester History Festival
Over twenty year 11 students participated in the Gloucester History Festival, attending a talk by leading historian Sam Willis (BBC4’s The Silk Road and Britain’s Outlaws) who offered a fascinating new perspective on the Spanish Armada and the Elizabethan Age, a vital part of the students’ GCSE exam content this year. The talk was highly engaging and thought provoking, offering an opportunity for the students to engage with the topic in an interesting format. Several of the students were interviewed after the event and may be used for promotional material for the festival next year. Thank you to Mr Slaughter for organising this visit.



St. Peter’s student Ruby Macklin meets and interviews David Cameron
Whatever their feelings about the man and his decision to call a referendum, this was the headline event at this year’s Cheltenham Literature Festival and the memoir that had everyone talking.  
On Saturday 5th October, students from the St. Peter’s, the University of Gloucestershire and other with local schools and colleges, had the opportunity to go backstage to meet and interview the former Prime Minister.

David Cameron spoke to the BBC’s Sophie Raworth about his memoir ‘For the Record’ on the first day of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival. In one of just two interviews ahead of his appearance, students from the university’s Journalism BA course, and local schools and colleges were given the opportunity to hold the former Prime Minister to account with questions on the EU referendum, Brexit and climate change.

Students from St. Peter’s were invited to enter a competition for places by letter, including the question that they would like to pose to the former Prime Minister. Ruby Macklin’s winning question was “What led to your interest in dementia research and how will your support help to improve patient outcomes?” Mr Cameron was delighted to be asked a question on this topic as he is very passionate about this public health issue. He explained that he is very proud of helping to drive dementia research up the international agenda, having used the UK’s presidency of the G8 to shine a light on the devastating impact of the disease. He hopes that we can find a cure through further fundraising and investment and he is donating proceeds from his memoir to this cause. Ruby’s thoughtful question certainly provided some respite from the inevitable questions on Brexit! Ruby was thrilled to meet him and commented that he was funny and made the students feel welcome and comfortable.

Ahead of the interview, students from schools and colleges across the South West and the West Midlands were invited to a special ‘Journalism and Interview Skills’ workshop with journalism staff, graduates and students from the university. The session included how to ask the right questions, how to get the best out of an interviewee and what to look out for in those all-important answers.

All of the students, teachers and staff from the university then joined the festival audience at The Centaur to hear David Cameron’s perspective on his time in Downing Street, his personal life and, with just weeks to go till October 31st deadline, his decision to call a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. Each student also received a copy of “For the Record” signed by David Cameron himself. It was a memorable afternoon.



Music Department news
A big thank you to all the students and staff (including almost forty Year 7 students!) who sang as part of the school choir at the first two Masses of the school year. They played a huge part in creating the prayerful and joyful atmosphere in both Masses.

On Wednesday 16 October, a Chamber Choir of twenty students from St Peter’s High School performed five movements from Howard Goodall’s ‘Eternal Light’ at Gloucester Cathedral with other singers from Denmark Road High School and Gloucester Choral Society alongside dancers from Ribston High School and the University of Gloucestershire. Year 13 student, Harry Matthews, sang a beautiful solo as part of the performance; this is available to listen to via our Music Department’s website page or via the music department's or school’s twitter feed.




We are delighted that Year 13 student, Romana Protsyshyn, has successfully auditioned for a Choral Scholarship at Keble College, Oxford.  We wish her luck for the upcoming academic interview. Head student, Romana, has been a stalwart of the Choir, Choral Society, Masses and musicals throughout her school career, including in her recent role as Wendy in Peter Pan.

Peter Pan
We have thoroughly enjoyed the whole school production of Peter Pan directed by Mrs Skyrme and produced by Mr Waring with Mrs Perfect as musical director. It is always lovely to see so many students involved, working together as a team and showcasing their talents. More on this production after half term. With photos!

Finally, a date for your diary: St Peter’s High School’s Carols by Candlelight at The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Stroud is on Friday 13th December 2019.

Student Investor Challenge
Ninety-two students have registered and are taking part in the Student Investor Challenge. This is the ‘share game’, a national competition where students have to invest £200,000 of virtual money and play the stock market. This is the largest number of students we have ever had taking part and we look forward to them learning more about the stock market and making lots of virtual money!

Year 11 Amended Curriculum coffee morning for Macmillan
As part of the Key Stage 4 amended curriculum, students are working on the ASDAN Personal Development programme. For a recent task, students had the challenge of demonstrating that they could work as a team to organise a charity coffee morning. The group decided to host a coffee morning in aid of the Macmillan cancer charity.

As a group, they discussed whom to invite and produced some original invitations using their IT skills. They then planned which cakes everyone would make. Each student worked hard to bake a variety of cakes. Every student had a specific job on the day from setting up the room, welcoming guests, serving drinks and cakes and helping each other to clear away at the end. Students were able to demonstrate that they can use many of the key skills they have learnt relating to team work, use of maths, communication and problem solving.

There were lots of compliments from guests about the quality of the baking and the students were delighted that they raised just over £45 for Macmillan.



Christmas card competition
This year we are running a Christmas card competition. We hope to receive designs from students of all ages. Details are below.





Family Festive Fun Fandango
FOSPA (the Friends of St Peter’s Association) are asking for your support of the upcoming Family Festive Fun Fandango on Friday, 29th November from 6-9pm. 

The event will offer families and friends of St Peter’s the opportunity to socialise through activities including a quiz and karaoke. They are also working in partnership with the school’s new catering provider, AIP, to offer some delicious food on the night. 

Tickets will be available from the school reception after half term and it would be great to see lots of friends and family there.



Coming up

Our Sixth Form Open Evening is on Wednesday 27th November from 5.30 pm when students and parents can find out about Key Stage 5 A-level and vocational courses, visit departments and talk to staff.

Guvna B
Double MOBO award winning urban music star, Guvna B, is performing a live gig in school on Friday 15th November. Tickets are on sale now for only £3 (from reception or chaplaincy). This is an outstanding opportunity for our young people to be inspired by a positive role model. Guvnor B is also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust.

We hope that students have an enjoyable and restful break and look forward to seeing them again on Monday 4th November which will be Week 1.