On Thursday 7th December students, staff and parents gathered in the canteen for the first ever St Katherine’s community carol event. The evening was run by Christian Union members, Theeban Mahesan and Hope Roberts. We were filled with hot chocolate, mince pies and cake donated by the very talented Mrs Mahesan and we sang Christmas carols accompanied by the incredible Salvation Army Youth brass band. Dispersed throughout the carols Theeban, Jon Kambu, Livie Richardson, Noah Roberts and Mr DeRoemer read passages of the Christmas story explaining how Mary was told she was going to give birth to Jesus and how the angels told the shepherds that Jesus had been born and the shepherds went to worship him and were then joined by the magi who gave gifts to him. The St Katherine’s school choir gave an amazing performance of Walking in a Winter Wonderland and Mary, did you know? Theeban interviewed Noah and James Wamulo who both explained what Christmas means to them and how it was an important time for them both as they celebrated and remembered the birth of Jesus. Mrs Shephard brought along the Christmas market and with sales from that and donations for the refreshments, a total of £88.44 was raised which has been donated to Pill Food Hub. It was a wonderful evening and a lovely way to draw an end to the term. 

Miss Andrews, Head of Yousafzai House

A busy term for our Business Studies students with a number of visits, guest speakers and enterprise events raising money for charities, bringing opportunities to put the theory learnt in the classroom into practice. For our Sixth Form students these experiences gave those applying to university valuable insight into the range of courses on offer.

Early in term 2 our Year 13 business students visited the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, South Wales. The trip was linked to the current personal and business finance topic of study. Students attended a talk which helped them to understand the function of money, the role of the mint in the UK economy and to see the process of ‘minting’ coins. The mint designs, manufactures and exports coins around the world, linking to other topics studied on the course. Students were able to ‘mint’ their own 50p coin which uses the new design of King Charles and will be in circulation in 2024.

In November Kieran O’Donoghue, a Policy Adviser from the Bank of England, came to speak to students about ‘economics in practice’, the role the bank has in managing the UK economy and how it works with the government to reduce inflation and set interest rates. This was to support theory students are currently learning in business finance and for those who are considering studying business finance or economics at university. The visit coincided with the Bank of England announcing their quarterly decision on interest rates and students were able to go through the process and vote on whether they would reduce, maintain or increase rates.

Kieran’s visit was really engaging and gave students the opportunity to ask questions, he fed back that  ‘I really enjoyed the session and the students asked some really excellent questions.’ 

14 Year 12 and 13 business students spent the day working within the UWE Economics department to deepen their understanding of the subject and consider possible degree opportunities post A Levels. Students had access to the Bloomberg Trading Room where they experienced first hand trading shares on the global stock market. They were able to view global financial data, news and information, accessing the same information platform used by leading business, financial and government decision makers and media professionals around the globe. 

In term 2 five of our Year 13 business students successfully applied to join the Bristol University Access to Bristol Business Management and Economics programme. Access to Bristol provides local students with an unprecedented opportunity to experience life at the University within the Social Sciences faculty and supports those applying for degree courses. The business management sessions aim to develop critical thinking and analytical skills, which are highly attractive to employers and for future job prospects. The economics stream gives students an insight into how to think like an economist and apply some of the economist’s tools, such as data analysis and economic reasoning, to better understand these global problems. We wish the students luck as they begin their studies with this programme.

Our Year 12 business students worked together along with Year 12 enrichment students to create a wonderful festive market this year for the whole community. There was lots to purchase including bottle lights, stocking fillers, plants, tree decorations and sweet treats. However the Lucky Dip proved to be as popular as ever with students queuing up! The team raised a fantastic £300 which they have donated to Cancer Research to support the work they do in finding new treatments. On Thursday 7th December some of the social enterprise students set up and ran a small Christmas Market at the Community Carols event and raised £48 for the Pill Food Hub. Thank you to all those involved and for supporting these events.

Mrs Shephard, Head of Business Studies

At time of writing we are only 48 hours from the most hotly-anticipated event in the Sixth Form Calendar. Well, other than A Level results day … no, actually, this is bigger. It’s the Sixth Form Christmas Decorations Competition. Mrs Shephard has still not forgiven me for the controversial decision to award last year’s prize to 6GAB’s spectacular Santa’s Workshop construction. To be fair, if you’d spent weeks constructing an actual Winter Wonderland in your classroom, only to end up with a silver medal, you might be annoyed as well. Who knows what 2023 will bring? Will the newcomer 6GF come up trumps? Will 6SL improve on last year’s bizarre Christmas Rap Battle? Or will this be the year Mr Hodgson’s avant-garde art installation finally receives the credit he strongly feels it deserves? Only time will tell - keep an eye out for our term 3 newsletter to find out…

This has been a long term and, as ever, we have been impressed with the resilience and focus shown by our post-16 cohort. This term’s focus on Wider Reading has been enriching and rewarding, and we look forward to seeing the impact of this supercurricular engagement on students’ in-class learning and future applications. 

The Sixth Form Enterprise Team took a lead on the Christmas Market, and did a stunning job. Mrs Shephard ran out of superlatives to throw at the team, whose hard work led to a donation of £300 being made to Cancer Research. Incredible. 

We have once again had a range of enrichment opportunities and external speakers designed to broaden horizons and grow aspirations. Speakers this term have included the London Interdisciplinary School giving an insight into their fresh, exciting take on further education, as well as Coventry and Bath universities, Screenology discussing careers in the media and law firm Michelmore helping develop our students’ employability skills. We have had trips to the Royal Mint and Warner Brothers studios, while a group of Year 13 students were also taken on a fantastic Economics Taster Day at UWE, sampling their world-class facilities - huge thanks to Miss Gardiner for organising this.

Outside the classroom and onto the muddy fields, our cross-Trust rugby team has continued to go from strength to strength, participating in several fixtures this term. Kanye Christie was very happy to inform us that, due to a brace of tries in their last game, he is now the all-time record scorer for the (newly-formed) CST RFC. Congratulations, Kanye. May your record not last too long. 

Finally, this term has seen three students conduct Oxford and Cambridge interviews, following a range of mock interviews and preparatory sessions, supported by our colleagues at Bristol Cathedral Choir School. We now eagerly await the outcomes of these interviews in the new year. 

Year 13 now turn their focus to their January mocks and external exams, which begin on January 8th. The next two weeks are a time for rest and recuperation among family and friends, but it’s important to also use this time to ensure they are fully prepared for these all-important exams.

Season’s greetings and take care,

Mr Davies, Head of Sixth Form

Unstoppable Stephenson!

As we approach the end of Term 2 we are wondering whether anyone will be able to catch Stephenson House and prevent them from achieving a hat trick of House Championships. They end Term 2 in the lead and it has been some time since anyone else led the competition. Despite end of term tiredness, the determination of Mrs Price, Miss Andrews and Mr Murdoch to prevent another Stephenson win is undimmed.

This term is defined by dark mornings and cold days and that is why we choose to focus on attendance at this time of year. To achieve excellence, you have to show up every day that you are able. This term's ethos competition recognises the house with the best attendance, in order to remind everyone that we need to be resilient to make sure we come to school every day to make the most of the opportunities on offer. The Heads of House have been relentless in their promotion of these key messages and we are delighted that despite all of the winter challenges we face, our overall school attendance is in good shape. Yousafzai House has the best attendance this term and therefore won the 200 points associated with the ethos competition. Turing and Pankhurst tied for second place and Stephenson were fourth. 

There has been so much sport this term with cross country and winter house competitions running back to back. Sport is such an integral part of our community and it has been fantastic to see so many students taking part. In the winter sport competition, Stephenson won overall and Turing won the cross country, a victory that meant a great deal to Mrs Price who values participation most of all.

Term 2 contains so many seasonal competitions that celebrate this time of year and we have had pumpkin carving, Christmas tree decorations and winter photography that concludes in January and it has been fantastic to see so much creativity on show. The highlight of this is always the Winter Card competition and there were so many beautiful and thoughtful designs submitted that Mr Humphreys is using to share Christmas wishes with friends of St Katherine's School. Congratulations to Turing House and in particular Jaihan Singarda who was the overall winner. 

Mrs Crocker, Assistant Headteacher

One of the joys of being a Head of House is that you are never quite sure what the day will throw your way and it's fair to say Pankhurst House have kept me busy over the last seven weeks. We've had a turbulent term, mirroring the weather, however we end the term with much to celebrate.

We have won the Christmas Tree decoration competition for the second year running and also finished second again in the pumpkin carving competition, which was closely fought this year with great entries across the board. We also won the Rock/Paper/Scissors competition for the first time in our history (!) and I thank our competitors for getting involved and winning vital points for the House.

More points were gained in the Autumn and Winter House Sport competitions. A special mention to our year 7 and year 8 boys who finished second in their Autumn sport competitions and to the year 8 girls who finished first. Also worth a mention are the performances of the year 7 and year 10 girls who finished second in their Winter Sport competitions and the year 9 boys who redeemed themselves after a unusually poor showing in the Autumn Sport by getting first in their Winter Sport Competition.

The Ethos competition was based around attendance this term and it was as close a competition as I can remember. Pankhurst House started really well and were leading going into the last two weeks but we dropped off over the last week or so and Yousafzai just pipped us and we held on to share second place with Turing. I was glad the competition ended when it did as we picked up a lot of illness at the end of this term that could have cost us further.

Perhaps the most pleasing development in term 2 was the improvement of the House in the various reading competitions we have at St Katherine's. We have made significant increases in the number of reading logs being completed and have gone from 4th to 1st in the Bucket List book review competition for year 9. We had the opportunity to celebrate three students becoming word millionaires, meaning that they have read a million words over the year so far - well done to Morgan (7P2), Emma (7P2) and Evie (8P), a fantastic effort.

With only 125 points between 4th and 1st going into Christmas it's fair to say that we will all start the holidays optimistic about our chances of success in term 3. Until then I wish everyone a very merry Christmas on behalf of the staff and students in Pankhurst House.

Mr Murdoch, Head of Pankhurst House

As term 2 comes to a close and the nights draw in, I am proud to recount some of the great successes Stephenson House have enjoyed. From sport to art and from quizzes to creative writing, whatever the challenge has been we have met it with integrity, enthusiasm and kindness.

I am extremely grateful to have been handed a house with two outstanding house leaders in Oliver and Abdi. These two young men have fostered a caring, but competitive, spirit in Stephenson House and set a brilliant example for the tutor reps, sports reps and the wider Stephenson community. I would also like to congratulate Abdi on his Hajj and we all look forward to hearing about it when he returns.

At the start of term 2 the students in 11S faced their most rigorous task so far in the form of their mocks. I am pleased to report that they conducted themselves with grace and dignity and have made great steps towards preparing themselves for the summer exam season. Now, more than ever, these students must understand that from adversity comes progress.

With pride and joy, I am honoured to say that Stephenson House are still leading the house championship at Christmas. However, the other houses are close on our heels. We started the term with a bang, as Stephenson House ran away with the halloween pumpkin carving competition. Moving from strength to strength we also were runners-up in both the Christmas card competition and the cross-country house sport contest. Well done to those who led the House and thank you to everyone who competed.

As an English teacher by trade it makes me very proud to see how Stephenson House has become a fortress of reading. We top the charts in years seven, eight and nine for completed reading logs and numbers of books quizzed on accelerated reader. Also, a huge congratulations to Jarra, Wilf, Anouk, Olivia, Plum, Freddie K, Freddie H and Eve who have all read over a million words so far this academic year.

While collectively we are really doing well, we also celebrate individual achievements with our Stephenson Superstars. Every week the Stephenson tutor team nominates a student who has demonstrated the core values of the house and the school. All 42 students receiving this recognition have been acknowledged by their tutors for various reasons—whether it be achieving personal goals, reflecting on, and making improvements in behaviour or attendance, or consistently demonstrating outstanding behaviour and perseverance. Regardless of the reason for receiving this honour, each student deserves a warm congratulations.

• 7S: Olivia Richardson, Plum Morris, Jarra Touray, Anouke Delve, Phoebe Boon and Daisy Willshire.
• 8S1: Ryan Sleigh, Bella Di Nardo, Wren Felton, Jack Weston, Louis Bulmer and Evie Turner.
• 8S2: Freddie Coombs, Mia Jaxa-Aksentowicz, Freddie Kingdon, Freddie Hayes, Isabelle TUrner and Beau Grace.
• 9S: Bence Sandor, Jessica Patten, Sasha Richards, Abbie Hoydan, Iqra Mashuk and Hugo Mildmay-Marie.
• 10S1: Tesheen Ahmad, Lily Stenning, Maisie Bobby, Ben Palmer, Ari Westerberg and Victoria Reid.
• 10S2: Ava Hocking, Corey Walters, Bella Lyons, Charlie Hewson, Jack Taylor and Izzi Healy-Hart.
• 11S: Abdulrahim Yusuf, Oliver Hecker, Oliver Belcher, Yannis Lam, Louie Elliot and Jack Dennis.

To all Stephenson students who have led the way in house sport and competitions, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep up the good work in 2024.

As I reflect on the year and look ahead I must thank one of the longest serving members of the school community, Mrs Julie Ball. After 14 years of service to the young people of St Katherine’s School and the wider local community Mrs Ball is moving on. I would like to wish her all the best in her future endeavours from both myself and the whole of Stephenson House.

So, we reflect on an extraordinary year. I know Mr Thomas moved on with a heavy heart in the summer. I can see why. Stephenson House is a very special community full of some of the most intelligent, kind, thoughtful, competitive, charming and wonderful students. Bring on the new year and let’s see what we can achieve together going forward!

With warm festive regards.

Mr Court, Head of Stephenson House 

As we approach the festive season, it is with great pleasure that I share the incredible accomplishments and inspiration that has filled Turing House during Term 2. Our students have continued to shine individually and as a team, reflecting the unity that defines our close-knit house community.

I am proud to lead a house where students consistently exhibit teamwork, determination and excellence. The support from our Tutor Team and House Leaders, Evie Roberts, George Wilkinson and Roary Gallagher has been instrumental in fostering this spirit.

In November, our Year 11 students faced the challenge of mock examinations with commendable dedication and perseverance. Their commitment to both academics and house activities during this demanding period is truly inspiring. To our Year 11 students, I extend my congratulations and wish you a well-deserved break over the upcoming holidays.

On the broader front, I am thrilled to announce that a collaborative effort between staff members and our students has resulted in an outstanding achievement - Term 2 attendance reached an impressive 100% for 74 pupils. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to the determination and commitment of our students. Well done!

Now, let's celebrate the individual achievements with this term's Tremendous Weekly Turings. All 42 students receiving this recognition have been acknowledged by their tutors for various reasons - whether it be achieving personal goals, reflecting and making improvements in behaviour or attendance, or consistently demonstrating outstanding behaviour and perseverance. Regardless of the reason for receiving this honour, each student deserves a warm congratulations.

• 7T: Eesha Glen-Sawlani, Bruce Malnas, Alex Lincoln, Sofia Mueller, Raia Hunt and Sam Atkinson.
• 8T1: Isla Powell, Ross McGregor, Jay Jackson, Jasper Leung, Jaihan Singarda and Sophia Wilkinson.
• 8T2: Phia Hawkes, Marisa Llewelyn, Oscar Packham, Sam Sims, Skye Smith and Noami Rundle.
• 9T: Faria Azim, Harvey Bambury, Oscar Thomas, Molly Powell, Sam Oakman and Ed Burge.
• 10T1: Naimah Dolla, Matei Achim, Ellie Stallard, Alex Caveille and Rudy Gardner.
• 10T2: Jackson Burbridge, Ella Bartovsky, Eva Stojalowski, Sam Nmai, Thomas Earle and Eliza Hillett.
• 11T: Oscar Caton, Daisy Finlan, Bess Stevens, George Wilkinson, Khianna Palmer and Zac Kington.

At the end of each term, each Turing tutor recognises the outstanding achievements of a Turing student in their tutor group by awarding them the Magnificent Turing Student of the term. This prestigious award is often awarded to an individual who has demonstrated unwavering resilience and overcome their own challenges, or has consistently embodied the core values of Turing House and are shining examples not only within the Turing community but also at St Katherine's. Their commitment to these values serves as an inspiration to their peers and a source of pride for our entire school. Without further ado, let us extend our heartfelt congratulations to:

• 7T: Eesha Glen-Sawlani - Eesha brings insightful and positive comments to any classroom she is in, engaging with work in a respectful and mature way. She has taken the lead in running 7T as a tutor rep and is endlessly motivated despite any challenge. Keep it up!
• 8T1: Erin Whitfield - Erin brings a positivity into the tutor room each day as a member of 8T1 and as sports captain. She is an organised, self motivated student which is reflected in the positive points she gains. Keep up the excellent work!
• 8T2: George Gittoes - A hardworking individual who always tries his best. Has had only positive praise points this term and a positive attitude to learning and his peers.
• 9T: Emily James - Relentless enthusiasm and positivity in everything you do. You set a brilliant example for all of us.
• 10T1: Cerys Voisey - Incredible leadership skills as sports captain this year. Your dedication to the house sport competitions encourages our tutor group to participate and have fun!
• 10T2: Erin Reeves - consistently demonstrates determination through her daily efforts, showcasing an exemplary commitment to their academic journey - 100% attendance and 100% behaviour ratio!
• 11T: Oscar Caton - Oscar is a role model to the rest of the tutor group. He is self-motivated and has worked conscientiously to prepare himself for the Year 11 mock exams this term. He is incredibly self-reflective and is always striving to be the best version of himself.

An ardent  thank you to all participants in the Winter Card Competition. Congratulations to our talented winners:

• Jaihan Singarda - 8T1  (1st place)
• Eleana Antonio - 9T (2nd place)
• Mallory Kennan - 7T (3rd place)

A heartfelt congratulations to Jaihan Singarda for his exceptional first-place entry. Your talent and artistic flair have not only earned individual recognition but have also played a significant role in securing the top spot for Turing House.

I am delighted to share the exhilarating news that, in the Winter Card Competition, Turing House has achieved an incredible 1st place when compared to the other three houses! This outstanding success is a testament to the creativity, dedication and collective spirit of our students. The Winter Card Competition was not just a triumph for our house; it was a heartwarming endeavour that spread joy and warmth throughout the entire school community. To all those who entered in Turing House, your contributions have made a lasting impact, showcasing the positive and creative energy that defines Team Turing.

I am thrilled to share the incredible success of our students in the Winter House sport competitions, netball and rugby. After leading the way in the Autumn House sport cross country competition, Team Turing once again united with determination and skill, showcasing the true spirit of our house.

A special mention goes to the exceptional students of 7T, who demonstrated outstanding sporting prowess and togetherness by securing first place in the netball competition and an impressive second place in rugby. Their commitment to excellence and teamwork embodies the values we hold dear in Turing House.

I am pleased to announce that all students who represented Turing House in these competitions played a crucial role in helping us secure an overall second-place finish. This achievement marks a significant improvement from the previous year and speaks volumes about the dedication and skill of our athletes.

As the saying goes, "The strength of the team is each individual member." Team Turing has once again proven the power of unity, collaboration and sportsmanship. Congratulations to all our athletes, coaches, and supporters for contributing to this remarkable success.

As we celebrate these remarkable achievements, let us carry this momentum into the upcoming term. I am immensely proud of each member of Turing House for your enthusiasm and teamwork.

A few last words from me before I close the last Turing Newsletter of 2023 must go to a long standing member of the school community, Mrs Julie Ball. After 14 years of service to the young people of Turing House and their families, as well as the rest of the school, she is moving on to pastures new. Though not without a huge congratulations from the whole of Turing. Mrs Ball, your dedication to the young people of the school does not go unnoticed, as well as the continued support of parents and staff over the past 14 years! We will miss you, but wish you all the best in your new chapter! 

That brings 2023 to a close. I wish you all a joyful holiday and I am looking forward to our continued success in the upcoming term. 

Mrs Price, Head of Turing House

I think everyone in Yousafzai House is ready to have a good restful break. We have been working really hard this term to try and make up some points in the house championship with a particular focus on attendance. Our efforts paid off and we came first in the attendance competition, winning 200 points for the house! 

There have been lots of other competitions going on this term. One of the biggest shout outs is to Mya Chambers who created the most incredible entry for the Christmas card competition. How she did not win, I do not know! Finn Blakeney, Ava Gordon-Nipress, Charlie Carkeek and Imogen Slee were also picked out for their brilliant entries. Finn Blakeney also entered the tree decoration competition with a beautiful yellow paper snowflake - one of the most intricate things I have ever seen. The year 8 and year 9 girls have put a brilliant effort into their house sport competitions and won for their year group. The year 10 boys dominated in the house rugby competition and a big shout out to Luca James-Neale who played a big part in that. All of this means that we currently hold second position in the house championship which is great! Still a lot to do to catch up with Stephenson and we need a particular focus on our house sport across all year groups. Turing are not far behind us so we need to do everything we can to hold our place. 

Reading is an important element of life at St Katherine’s and a huge part of the house championship. Year 7-9 students need to be filling out their reading log daily and Years 7-8 quizzing their books. Please support your children to do this so we can ensure we win these house competitions.  

We have had a couple of weeks off in-person assemblies this term due to Year 11 mock exams. We met recently where we thought about being an upstander and calling out bullying behaviour and derogatory language. We considered how Malala Yousafzai is an upstander and how she called out the oppressive behaviour of the Taliban against girls in Pakistan and not letting them going to school. We thought about how our words have power - power to hurt or to help and the call upon of all Yousafzai students to use their voice for good.

A big shout out to 8Y who have been working on improving their behaviour and won the elephant for being the best tutor group in Yousafzai at the end of this term - well done and keep it up! 

All in Yousafzai need to take the time this Christmas to rest and be ready for the new year in January, to fight for our place again in the house championship. 

Thank you to all parents and carers for their continued support of Yousafzai students and a big thank you to Yousafzai students who make the house what it is.

For those who celebrate it - I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all! 

Miss Andrews, Head of Yousafzai House

• 02 January: INSET day - school closed to students
• 03 January: Students in school for Term 3
• 10 January: Year 10 Virtual Progress Evening
• 22 January: Coffee with the Headteacher
• 24 January: Year 11 Virtual Progress Evening
• 30 January: Year 8 HPV vaccinations
• 31 January: Sixth Form trip to Cadbury World
• 02 February: Year 9 Aircraft Challenge Stem Day
• 05-08 February: Year 12 Geography trip to Devon
• 07 February: Year 10 Business trip to UWE
• 07 February: Year 9 Virtual Options Evening
• 09 February: End of Term 3
• 09-17 February: Ski trip to Folgaria, Italy
• 19 February: Students in school for Term 4

School Administrator required from 1st March 2024

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic individual to work as part of our general administrative team undertaking a range of reception and clerical duties to support the school.

The successful candidate will need to be:

 - highly efficient and organised with a ‘can do’ problem solving attitude
 - a team player with the ability to work effectively in a busy office environment
 - an excellent communicator with strong interpersonal skills and a calm and professional manner
 - competent and confident using IT (Microsoft and Google Apps)

For more information please see our website.

We need examinations invigilators during exam seasons (including 'mocks') through the year. Hours are flexible between 8 am and 4 pm and can vary according to your availability and the examinations timetable. 

Contract: Casual, required as soon as possible.

Further information about the school, the post and how to apply can be found on the school website, please contact Mrs Bean, Exams Officer, with any queries.

St Katherine’s is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The post is subject to DBS Barred list and Enhanced Disclosure checks.

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)