Year 7 students have been working really hard on the Christmas songs project during their term 2 music lessons. Students composed their own musical and lyric ideas around a number of Christmas themes. Music staff then combined these musical and lyric ideas to create complete songs. All of Year 7 worked really hard to learn the songs and actions during their music lessons. 

Special mention to the students whose musical or lyric ideas were chosen to be used in the songs:

Lily Spindlove, Jessica Poupart, Harry Brown, Harvey Napierski, Flo Desylass, Zahra Odaway, Sami Zaghdane, McKenzie Daniel, Mia Batchelor, Alicia McPherson, Noah Roberts, Levi Faulks, Libby Williams, Mia Roberts, Ula Murdoch, Luke Jones, Demmi Matthews, Riley Lewis, Ollie-Jay Haim, Akoya Beckett, Julia Howard, Olly Peppard, Olek Bonicki, Seb Hutchins-Davies, Bethany Hodges, Sam Roberts, Otto Hutchison-Rosario, Myloe Amadi-Brown, Sophia Toto, Lola Wray, Pearl Harris, Mabel Challice, Maddie Passco and Charlie Benyon-Jones.

The five songs were: Winters Night, Covid Christmas, A Wish For Winter, Jolly, jolly Santa and Counting Down to Christmas.

On Friday 10th December the whole of Year 7 came together to perform these songs, accompanied by a band of professional musicians. Year 7 students worked really hard all day; it was amazing to hear all 180 students performing together and made us all realise how much we have missed live music. We hope you enjoy the performance which can be viewed here.

Huge thanks to:

• Natasha Bennetts (for writing 2 of the songs and teaching them to all her classes)
• Andi Nicholls (for writing 1 of the songs and playing the piano in the band)
• Andy Davies (for playing the drums in the band)
• Rob Davis (for playing bass guitar in the band)
• Harry Williams (for recording and mixing everything)
• Alan Francis-Black (for his advice, time and support on the day)
• Sixth form media team - Tilly Hardwell, Harrison Portch, Isobelle Oliver (for filming it all)
• Hannah Weatherson (for editing everything together)
• Lauren Collins, George Fey, Geraint Davies and the site team (for supporting with staging)

If your son/daughter enjoyed being involved in this project please encourage them to come along to choir on a Monday morning in room 26. 

Merry Christmas!

Miss Adams, Head of Music

Another breathless term draws to a close, and each of our Sixth Formers can look forward to an extremely well-earned period of rest. 

As has become tradition, this week saw our tutor group Christmas decoration competition, and it was an incredibly tight contest. In fact, in the end, 6JL’s winter wonderland and 6GAB’s living, breathing nativity scene (pictured) simply could not be separated, and the spoils were shared. That’s what the festive season is all about - or so I thought. In fact, no one was happy and lots of bickering ensued. Maybe that is what the festive season is really all about. 

This term has been a real success story for our student leadership programme. As well as welcoming Helen Argo, executive producer at Aardman, to speak to our students about her leadership journey, it has been a total pleasure to see so many students taking their roles as leaders to new levels. From our EDI group continuing to spread important, positive messages throughout the community, to the expert management of the hugely successful Christmas Fair by our enterprise group, to many Sixth Form students now leading lower school enrichment with aplomb, it is truly inspiring to see the natural leadership instincts flourishing around the school. As we keep saying, leadership and enrichment is all about making your own opportunities. Many of our students are doing just that. 

January brings with it the all-important Year 13 mock season, which students and parents/carers have been informed of. Please, maintain dialogue with the sixth form team and all your teachers in order to ensure you make the most of this process. 

The end of term has seen our year 11 course consultation meetings begin in earnest, and what a pleasure it has been to meet so many students with clear visions for their future - and with St Katherine’s Sixth Form a key part of that future. We know that if you trust us with the next two years of your education, we will do all we can to support and nurture you towards a successful next step, whatever that may be. Thank you to all Year 11 students who have attended; if you have applied but have not yet received an appointment, keep an eye on your emails before we return in January.

As ever, a huge thank you to our community: our Sixth Form students, their parents and carers. Stay safe over the festive period, relax and recuperate, and we look forward to welcoming you back in January. 

Mr Davies, Head of Sixth Form

Congratulations to Stephenson House who have extended their lead by an impressive margin during term two and therefore finish 2021 in first place. 

Stephenson can put their success down to their unrelenting focus on attendance which was the theme of this term's ethos competition. Covid-19 continues to pose its challenges and the Heads of House have enjoyed the friendly competition associated with making sure that their house has the best attendance each day. The House Championship aims to value what we value and therefore making sure we do all we can to ensure that as little learning is lost as possible has been the Heads of House's number one priority in the lead up to Christmas.

The PE Department were delighted to be able conclude the cross country competition at the start of this term. It is a highlight of our sporting calendar and Yousafzai must be congratulated for their grit and determination, winning the overall competition with Stephenson in second place, Turing in third and Pankhurst in fourth.

Our inter house sports this term were benchball and dodgeball and produced some extremely loud and competitive matches that brightened our lunchtimes as the weather began to draw in. It is always so much fun to watch students giving up their lunchtime to compete for their house. Congratulations to Pankhurst who won the year 7 competition, Stephenson who won Year 8, Turing who won in Year 9, and Stephenson and Turing who tied for first place in both Year 10 and 11. Our lunchtime inter house sports competitions are superbly organised by student sports leaders and sixth form students.

The highlight of the Fun Fix Friday competitions this term was the keepy uppy competition which returns to the House Championship this year after its success last academic year. Congratulations to Stephenson House who retain the title from last year.

Every November we celebrate Anti-Bullying Week and this year recognised the importance of 'One Kind Word' by including a kindness competition in the House Championship. A special mention must be given to Pankhurst House whose students took time to show their gratitude to the members of staff who have supported them by writing thank you cards and placing them in pigeon holes. This small act of kindness meant a great deal to those who received a card. Stephenson House received the most acts of kindness positives during Anti-Bullying Week with Pankhurst House in second place.

Students tool part in the Rotary Club's young writer competition again this year and Ms McInerney received many beautifully crafted entries from students across the school. Congratulations to Stephenson House who won the overall competition with Pankhurst in second place, Turing in third and Yousafzai in fourth.

As we near the end of term, Mr Humphreys is writing Christmas cards designed by our students and this year we had some incredible designs submitted. Yousafzai won the overall competition but so many talented students have been recognised by having their cards printed.

As we look ahead to term 3, the Heads of House are working hard with their House Councils to make sure that we start the new year in the right way so that everyone makes a contribution to their house. Can Pankhurst, Turing and Yousafzai catch Stephenson House whose lead is impressive? Can Stephenson House capitalise on the great start they have made and put an end to Turing’s reign as House Champions? We look forward to seeing what 2022 has in store. Thank you to everyone who has represented their house and to the Heads of House and their house councils for their leadership this year. 

Mrs Crocker, Assistant Headteacher

Although we are disappointed to be propping up the bottom of the table in fourth place it has nonetheless been a positive term for Pankhurst House. We didn't win the ethos competition based on attendance, but despite this a number of our students improved their attendance and have reflected on the importance of being at school and learning after missing so much face to face teaching over the last two years. 

The same sentiments ring true around the Accelerated Reader competition. We are not currently winning this but the conversations we have been able to have around the importance of reading have been invaluable. I showed an Ofsted inspector around Pankhurst House at tutor time and was really proud for her to see all of our students reading for pleasure. 

We finished second in the Acts of Kindness competition and it was lovely to see our students going out of their way to 'out' each other for their acts of kindness, some of the them were a bit spurious (does holding a door count as an act of kindness or is it a matter of manners?!) but nonetheless it felt like a wholesome week. We also finished second in the Notice Board competition and the Young Writers competition; well done Jonaz Malcolm for your efforts there! 

Our sports teams had mixed results but the effort has been there, year 7 and 8 in particular did well. A special mention also goes to Alexa Barnard in 8P for earning a marvellous 231 praises this term with no negatives, well done! We will need an effort like that from all of our students next term as the ethos competition is based on the students' praise/negative proportion. I think we can win this and we need to do so if we are to have any chance of winning the House Cup. I've set the students this challenge and I'm looking forward to helping them achieve it. Hopefully we'll all return back refreshed after a break and raring to go.

Mr Murdoch, Head of Pankhurst House

As we near the Christmas holidays it is time to reflect on another busy term for students in Stephenson House. A recurring theme has been the challenge to our young people to be the best version of themselves and this is certainly what they have done. Stephenson House sit proudly on top of the house championship at the end of term 2 and this has been down to the effort and commitment of all students in the house.

Another big focus for this term has been leadership in Stephenson House and we are trying to develop this essential part of the school community. We have met as a leadership team once a week where discussions have taken place regarding a number of topical issues as well as looking at how we can develop our values and ethos. In term 3 we have plans to look at some vertical tutoring (Covid dependent) with students working on projects in mixed year groups for a couple of tutor sessions.

Leadership has also been key in house sport where house captains have done a fantastic job putting out teams for each year group in benchball and dodgeball competitions this term. I have been impressed by the independence each captain has shown in the organising of their teams and ensuring maximum participation in these events. It is for this reason I am sure that Stephenson House won the overall competition with the boys winning the dodgeball and the girls finishing second.

For the first time we have a winner in the young writer competition as Leah Matthews wrote a lovely story titled “what did I do to deserve this”. It is great to see creative writing flourishing in the house and we celebrated Leah’s success in the end of term assembly. Reading and writing sit high on our agenda as a house and the year 7 and 8 students also won the accelerated reader competition. It is great to see young people in Stephenson House challenging themselves academically and broadening their vocabulary.

Attendance has been the ethos competition for this term and I have talked with the house about maximising your time in school to get the best out of your education. I have been pleased with the improvement in some students' attendance and it is great to see how determined students are to be in school as much as they can. This is evident from our success in winning the ethos competition and having the highest attendance out of all the houses. As we move into term 3 and beyond this resilient approach is key to students' progress and their learning.

Our end of term assembly gives us an opportunity to celebrate not only the overall house achievements, but also individual successes. Well done to the students below who had the highest praises for term 2. A big shout out to Ellie Baker 10S1 who had the highest praises in the term closely followed by Felix and Evelyn.

Highest praise earners:

• Eleanor Baker (10S1)
• Felix Huertas (8S1)
• Evelyn Staley (8S2)
• Victoria Karczewska (10S1)
• Ari Westerberg (8S1)
• Buster Barnes (10S1)
• Isobel Healy-Hart (8S2)
• Joshua Healy-Hart (8S1)
• Milly Marlow (10S1)

As you may be aware we have a new house mascot, an eagle which has had no name for the past two terms. The eagle has finally been named and the student leadership team decided that it would be called ‘Stevie’. Stevie will be given out each week for the tutor group of the week in recognition for their contributions to our RED values. Year 11 have had Stevie for two weeks during their mock exams to give them luck. I must say how impressed I have been with 11S and their commitment to their studies in this time period- well done!

In our final assembly of the term I talked about how proud I am to be head of Stephenson House and how impressed I have been by students striving to be the best version of themselves. Paul Stephenson is a role model for us as a house and his motto “from adversity comes progress” drives us on to the best we can. We wrote a card to Paul this week to wish him a happy Christmas and it just serves as a reminder of why our RED values are so important to us and that we strive to use these in our school community.

I wish you all a lovely festive break with your families and friends and I look forward to seeing the students back in term 3 when hopefully we can continue to be top of the house championship!!!

Mr Thomas, Head of Stephenson House

As we reach this festive time of year, I wanted to pull together all of the amazing and inspirational achievements of Turing House members during the term. Turing students and the house as a whole are forever amazing me with their individual and team achievements; consistently demonstrating unity in all that you do. As house head, I am the proud leader of this close knit community which is ably supported by the incredible tutor team and house leaders, Maida and Tacie-Anne.

Last month, Year 11 students were very busy with mock examinations and I want to take this opportunity to commend them for their application and perseverance in preparation for these exams, whilst at the same time continuing with their involvement in House activities during this busy time. I hope you all enjoy a well earned break over the holidays. 

On the whole house front, a combined effort by staff members and the students themselves, saw Term 2 attendance reach an amazing 100% for 71 pupils, well done! This is fantastic and demonstrates real determination, especially in light of what has been a very challenging term for all.

This term’s Tremendous Weekly Turings, all 49 students have been recognised by their tutor for often achieving personal goals, reflecting and making improvements in behaviour or attendance, but in many cases, consistently demonstrating outstanding behaviour or perseverance. For whatever reason, the following students deserve a big well done! 

• 7T: Eleana Antonio, Oscar Thomas, Sam Oakman, Noah Roberts, Harvey Bambury, Lucas Marcovitch.
• 8T1: Cody Gallagher, Anaiya Brady, Cerys Voisey, Miko Botta, Edie Davidson, Dan Stewart.
• 8T2: Oliver Morgan, Eva Stojalowski, Jack Atkinson, Jackson Burbridge, Paige Saunders, Ella Bartovsky.
• 9T: Daisy Finlan, Zac Kington, Liam Bundy, Sofia Hawkesby, Evie Roberts, Laurie Burge.
• 10T1: Will Young, Harley Stanley, Hector Mackenzie-Andrieux, Grace Lowther-Harris, Dom Da Silva, Daniel Millward.
• 10T2: Solanah Morgan, Jack Heptinstall, Mikka Pittaway, Chloe Buston, Kiran Glen-Sawlani, Paige Welsby.
• 11T: Sumeya Maxamuud, Lewis Powell, Luke Welsby, Mohamad Bhatti, Amrit Gill, Ruwada Dahir.

Also worthy of note are the Magnificent Termly Turings. These students have consistently demonstrated one or more of the Turing core values (Unity, Acceptance and Determination) and sustained this over the whole of Term 2. Their resilience is an example to all other students, not just in the Turing community, but across St Katherine’s. Well done to:

• 7T1: Charlie Heptinstall - For always working really hard in all of his lessons, and receiving no negatives at all this year! 
• 8T1: Marcus Perry - For consistently being one of the highest praise point earners each week due to your enthusiastic and dedicated attitude in lessons. Outside of lessons, Marcus leads brilliantly as 8T's sports captain and involves himself, as well as encouraging others, in a range of co-curricular activities.
• 8T2: Luke James - For consistently demonstrating kindness to others, determination in achieving your best in all you do, and doing so with enthusiasm. 
• 9T: Lucas Matthews: For consistently setting himself high standards and being an exemplary role model to others in the tutor group. Lucas is well-respected in the tutor group for his kindness and friendship.
• 10T1: Lucy Holloway: As well as Lucy having the highest number of praise points this term, she always works hard, and is friendly and polite.
• 10T2: Jack Heptinstall - From Mr Cook: "Jack has made a great start to Year 10 and has taken everything in his stride. Jack gets it consistently right day after day and sets a great example to other students. Keep up the great work Jack!"
• 11T: Ysura Ahmed - Mr Court said: "Yusra is one of the all time great St Katherine's students. She has grown up so much in the past six months - becoming  motivated, communicative, supportive and kind." 

Such lovely comments come their tutor and spoken from the heart!

Finally the following named students are the highest Turing praise earners from each tutor group. These students have shown what can be achieved by contributing to school life in every aspect of the academic and wider curriculum.

• Yusra Ahmed (11T)
• Winnie Fey (10T2)
• Lucy Holloway (10T1)
• Oscar Caton (9T)
• Luke James (8T2)
• Marcus Perry (8T1)
• Eleana Antonio (7T) 

Now onto the Tremendous Turing Tutor Group of the term. The reason I particularly enjoy this competition is because from week to week, each tutor group has the opportunity to get it right and receive the top points, whether that be for behaviour ratio or attendance. It also means that at the start of each week, each Turing tutor group is on a level playing field. I can now announce that this term’s Tremendous Turing Tutor Group, and the tutor group who will receive a tutor group treat at the start of next term, is 7T! Congratulations 7T, a well deserved first place.

Now onto a review of the house competitions this term. First the Winter Card Competition, and a thank you to Phoebe Oakman who received 1st place in Turing House, followed by Manon Herzog in second and Oscar Caton and Harvey Bambury in 3rd place. Compared to the other four houses, we were placed in a commendable 2nd place! Thank you to all those who took the time to create a card and support the house.

In the young writer competition, we saw a Turing student come 3rd place. A big thank you to Cerys Voisey for her creative writing and once again supporting the house! 

Next term we have the rearranged Winter House Netball/ Rugby competitions. As Head of Turing House I always pride myself in the fact that we unite as a house and manage to have a team in every competition, something that the other houses have not managed to do this term. It is the Turing students’ demonstration of our house value, unity, that  I am most proud of. #TeamTuring

Now to the breakdown of all the house competitions this term and where our points have been awarded. As always, the house competition that has the greatest impact on our position is the ethos competition. And it was here that we lost 100 points by coming 3rd. But this term is now behind us, we can’t change the past, but only influence the future! We are currently just in 2nd place, 9 points in front of Yousafzai. Although Stephenson are some distance ahead, winning the house ethos competition/ entering full teams in the winter and spring house sport competitions, as well as the lower years quizzing their books and recording their reading logs, plus the other house competitions can easily change and reshape the house standings!

So Turing House, a competition isn’t a competition without a fight, so let’s step up the pace, show the best of ourselves, because….. ‘The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team’

Last but not least, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas/ Festive break, and myself and the Turing Tutors will look forward to welcoming students back on Wednesday 5 January 2022! 

Mrs Price, Head of Turing House

Like most terms, this one has gone by just as quickly! Yousafzai has worked really hard this term to gain as many house points as possible. This has meant that we have moved ourselves up from 4th into 3rd and we are now only 9 points behind Turing in second. Our aim in January is to overtake Turing to secure 2nd and beat Stephenson for first! 

We have had some brilliant wins this term. A big shout out to Lucas Packham who won the keepy uppie for his year group, with over 500 keepy uppies! Yousafzai won the cross country and had a fair go at the benchball and dodgeball competitions. We won the winter card competitions with brilliant entries from Leah Wardingley, Elsie Reed and Logan Nicol. All tutor groups in Yousafzai have worked really hard on their tutor noticeboard which totally paid off as we won the noticeboard competition. 

One of the biggest battles we have been in this term is with Stephenson house for the best attendance. Yousafzai house has worked exceptionally hard to increase attendance and maintain it - Stephenson won this one, but we are pleased to have come second! 

The tutor groups have been fighting it out to claim the elephant each week. 7Y1 have dominated and have held it for the majority of the term by having the best attendance and behaviour. 7Y2 have taken it for a week and it has finished the rounds with 8Y. 

One of my biggest highlights this term has been the meeting of student council each week. The house leaders, tutor representatives and sports captains meet weekly and it is great to see students from different age groups working together and then leading discussions in their tutor groups. Our aim is for next term to have a house quiz where teams are made up from students across the year groups which we are excited about!

It is important to mention Year 11 who have worked really hard this term with managing revising for mocks and thinking about life after GCSEs. A really big well done to you! You have managed yourselves brilliantly and I have every faith that you will continue to do so for the rest of the year. 

I am so proud of all the students in Yousafzai House. We work really hard to be the best versions of ourselves and to make the most of every opportunity that we are given. Thank you to you, as parents and carers, for supporting your young people and their education. I hope everyone has a restful break and comes back in January refreshed and ready for another term - where we will endeavour to become even better and have a few more wins for the house championship. 

For those who celebrate it, have a very Merry Christmas!

Miss Andrews, Head of Yousafzai House

• The run into Christmas has been a busy one with House Sport competitions dominating the scene. Students in Year 10 had their opportunity to run on the cross country course at the start of term having missed out at the end of term 1. The real House Sport drama has been unfolding in the gym at lunchtimes during term 2 where students have been busy competing in dodgeball and benchball competitions. The competitions have been frenetic with over 500 students involved. At the time of writing, students are just about to take to the rugby pitches and netball courts in search of the last points of 2021!
• Fixtures have continued in earnest with girls and boys involved in friendly fixtures for football, netball and rugby as well as many of the year groups enjoying their end of season tournaments already. There are more than 250 students in school who have already earned caps in this academic year which is about 200 more than we managed in the whole of the last academic year! It's been great to see students enjoying the opportunity to represent the school again and we would encourage anyone who is keen to get involved to come along to practices that will continue in the New Year.
• A brave group of runners took on the best that North Somerset had to offer this term with the North Somerset Schools Cross Country Championships taking place in November. The runners put in some brilliant performances for their teams against a really tough field. The standout performance from this year's event came from Heidi Martineau in the minor girls race category. Heidi destroyed the competition with an utterly dominant display of distance running and we look forward to seeing her represent North Somerset early next year at the Avon Schools Championships. There are a couple of other runners who are in contention for selection too so we will just have to wait and see!
• We kicked off December by hosting the North Somerset Indoor Rowing Regatta where our rowers put in a superb set of performances. A whole range of students smashed their individual rows as well as the team relays to ensure that St Katherine’s finished victorious in three of the four competitions with a second place finish in the other. The atmosphere in the gym was electric as students supported their peers. I have to say that not only did St Kath’s perform well on the rowing machines, we were hands down the school that best supported their racers! Well done to everyone who crowded around machines with St Katherine’s rowers on to cheer them on to their best efforts.
• We have two teams in the Somerset Cup with the Year 8 boys and Year 10 boys still going strong. Year 8 enjoyed a decent cup run in the National Cup so will be hoping they can mirror that effort in the local competition. Year 10 were delighted to kick off their campaign with a victory on the road after a tense game down at Westfield. We wish both teams the best of luck as they continue their exploits in the New Year!
• More detail on the above as well as everything else from term 2 will be available in the PE newsletter which you can sign up for at bit.ly/skpenews. You only need fill the form in once and you'll receive your copy automatically each term.

Mr Cook, Head of PE

• 04 January: INSET DAY - School closed to students
• 05 January: Students in school for Term 3
• 06 January: Year 10 Virtual Progress Evening
• 19 January: Art trip to Bristol Museum/ Royal Fort Gardens
• 20 January: Year 11 Virtual Progress Evening
• 24 January: Year 11 Parents Association meeting, 18.30-19.30
• 17 February: Year 9 Options Evening
• 18 February: END OF TERM 3
• 28 February: INSET DAY - School closed to students
• 01 March: Students in school for Term 4

There isn’t enough space here to showcase the huge variety of student experiences and achievements this term. Keep up to date by visiting the ‘News and Events’ section on the school website, check the school Facebook page or follow us on Twitter (@stkathsschool)