Recently St Katherine's school students have been completing their Duke of Edinburgh expedition on the Mendip Hills. As part of the award, students must plan and complete a self-sufficient expedition over two days with one night of camping. The weekend started in glorious sunshine in Burrington Combe then headed over Black Down.

The students then walked down by the impressive Black Rock and up onto the top of Cheddar Gorge to take in the stunning views. They then crossed over beautiful fields, tangled with curious cows before setting up camp in the picturesque village of Priddy. The next day, the students started early crossing over rolling hills into the valley of Velvet Bottom, passing through stunning woodlands filled with wild flowers, before finishing on top of Beacon Batch.

The weather could not have been better, with glorious sunshine through most of the weekend. Students really enjoyed the time away with their friends, the challenge of the whole walk and the experience of being in the natural environment. The beautiful Mendip Hills were on display over the weekend, and looked amazing. 

For many, this was the first experience of covering long distances and being entirely self-sufficient. Students showed remarkable resilience, able to find smiles and laughter even when the going was tough. All students should be very, very proud of their efforts, not just this weekend but across the whole of the year, where many students have completed all three other sections of the award. 

Over 90 students were involved. The students represented themselves and the school incredibly well! A huge thank you is owed to all the staff who supported the expedition, either camping or manning checkpoints. Staff give up lots of family time to support the expeditions and help them to run smoothly and I am very grateful for their help and time. 

If any year 9 students wish to continue progressing through the scheme - first step is to complete the Bronze sections they have been working on, before starting Silver next year! Year 8 will have the opportunity to start their Duke of Edinburgh Award next year, with more information coming out after half term.

Next on the calendar, we have students on the Silver award out on the Quantocks, before completing their full expedition on Exmoor. 

Mr Hodgson, Outdoor Education/ Duke of Edinburgh Lead

15 May 2023 marks the start of Mental Health Awareness week and students will use tutor time and assemblies to talk about mental health and wellbeing The focus of this year's MHAW is anxiety.

School can be a source of anxiety for some students. Exam season is upon us and we are all focussed on making sure Year 11 and Year 13 students are in the best place possible, both in terms of their academic preparedness but also in their mindset and resilience.

We are fortunate at St Katherine's School to have an outstanding school counsellor - Leigh Fenton, who not only supports students individually and through targeted group work but also provides staff with relevant bespoke training as well as giving students self help resources that they can use at any time. During Mental Health Awareness Week, we will provide students with the opportunity to explore how anxiety affects them. It is important that we all recognise that anxiety is a normal emotion in us all, but sometimes it can get out of control and then can become a mental health problem. Lots of things can lead to feelings of anxiety, including exam pressures, relationships, starting a new school or other big life events. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems we can face but anxiety can be made easier to manage. Focusing on anxiety for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week aims to increase our awareness, empathy and understanding by providing information on the things that can help prevent anxiety from becoming a problem. 

If students are worried about their own mental health and wellbeing or if anyone is worried about another member of our school community, it is our responsibility to tell someone. There are a number of ways you can tell someone. You can speak to any member of staff at school. Everyone at St Katherine's School has had training so that they know what to do when someone shares something with them. You can also speak to one of our trained student Peer Listeners who can support students with friendships, bullying, anxiety and a range of other problems that young people face. Their training means they know that they need to pass on any concerns they have when they feel someone is not ok. Finally, anyone can complete the Tell Someone form on our school website which can be submitted anonymously.

Students and staff have access to a wide range of resources to support mental health and wellbeing. One of the resources available is this leaflet that provides strategies for dealing with anxiety and includes some sources of support.

By giving space for open and honest conversations about mental health and wellbeing we are aiming to remove any stigma that surrounds mental health and support students to develop resilience and good self care habits that allow them to take responsibility for themselves whilst being well informed so that they can spot warning signs in themselves and others.

Mrs Crocker, Senior Lead for Mental Health

As we approach the end of Term 5, there is only one word on the minds of everyone over in the Sixth Form Block.

Exams. 

The first run of assessments has been tiring and emotional, and it’s worth noting at this point that these are the first external exams that our current Year 13 students have sat since primary school, due to the disruption of Covid. With this in mind, the determination and resilience they’ve already shown is a source of great pride to all of us. Following the brief respite of half-term (a.k.a revision boot camp!), the schedule picks up pace until the final exam on June 23rd. Our core messages to this cohort have been clear:

Block Out The Noise. Make Good Decisions. Value Your Future. Have No Regrets. Do Your Best. 

Good luck to everyone. 

But amongst the intense focus of the A Level season, there have been some moments of real joy. Firstly, the incredible RAG week, which has been detailed elsewhere in this letter - a real testament to the vision, creativity and commitment of our Sixth Form Leaders who created countless smiles and raised a significant sum for good causes. 

Also detailed elsewhere in the newsletter is our Year 12 trip to Oxford University - another source of great pride which helped raise aspirations and broaden horizons. 

And now we look to the future. As well as the remainder of Year 13 final exams, next term we have Year 12 mocks running from July 4th - a hugely important process which affords students vital high-stakes exam practice, as well as helping teachers make accurate final grade predictions. The week of the 19th-23rd June is also Year 12 WEX week, and we are so excited to hear about the diverse array of opportunities that students have enjoyed. 

Finally, our Leavers’ Day on Wednesday June 28th and Summer Leavers’ Party at the Lost and Found on Clifton Triangle on Friday 30th June. This extraordinary group of students have been through so much over the past few years. We can’t wait to get our glad rags on and send them off in style. No one deserves it more. 

Take care. 

Mr Davies, Head of Sixth Form

Tuesday, 25th April, 2023: a day with a legacy for years to come. At a time when many of us are feeling the pinch of the increased cost of living, the misery of a seemingly never-ending winter chill and the increasingly resonant impacts of the Covid pandemic, a chance to create joy and delight in the beauty of our diverse school community was whole-heartedly embraced.

As ever, our passionate students, determined to make a difference to the educational experiences of their peers, worked tirelessly to create and curate an event that enabled our diverse student body to celebrate their heritage. Sixth Form Equity, Diversity and Inclusion leaders, Danielle and Tacie, crafted a vision for a fashion show to recognise and celebrate the fabulous range of cultural heritage in our community. With the expertise of Head Student, Jessica Stanley - Bristol’s number one pageant queen - and her catwalk experience, we were able to support students to stalk the catwalk with pride.

Over fourteen nationalities were represented, with more than fifty students wearing their cultural clothing with visible joy. As one parent, lucky enough to witness the show commented: “Staff and audience were clearly moved and thrilled to see the students take the space and I have rarely seen a group of teenagers be so supportive of each other in a public event.” This is one reason why this event embodied our school values: at St Katherine’s, we strive to ensure that all of our young people feel included, recognised and have a sense of belonging.

In the after-school show, families were invited to parade with their children and we were privileged to appreciate the dance abilities of Mrs Hussein, Mrs Gyimah-Sarpong and our very own Mrs Gill. As one audience member wrote afterwards: “A magic had happened that made both children and parents feel proud and want to be visible.”

Headteacher, Mr Humphreys, was equally moved by the experience he shared along with the year 7 students in the afternoon - “a wonderful experience for our students to come together across the year groups and remind us all of the importance of our individual nationality, culture and heritage - this event has clearly created another important annual event within our rich school calendar”. 

Mrs Gill, Deputy Head of House and DEI Champion, summed up the success of this inaugural event when she said: “My heart burst with pride.”

Ms Jefferson

Last term I spoke about the tentative green shoots of progress with Pankhurst finishing second in the Ethos competition and closing the gap on Yousafzai in 3rd place. This term I'm delighted to report that these green shoots are blossoming and we have further closed the gap on Yousafzai by winning this term's ethos competition by having the most improved attendance figures out of the four Houses. This is the first time we have won this competition! As we know attendance at school has a direct impact on academic attainment so I am really pleased that we have improved in this area and have increased our chances of academic success. I am also pleased that we have closed the gap on Yousafzai to 60 points and that momentum is with us. Term 6 is shaping up to be a really interesting term with the competition so close at the top and between 3rd and 4th.

7P continue to be the jewel in the Pankhurst crown finishing top of their year group for their praise/negative proportion. They are however being pushed hard by 8P1 who have shown real grit and determination to close the gap on 7P. 8P1 were the tutor group of last term and it is a competition between them and 7P for tutor group of the year. Well done both groups! Leading the way in terms of praises are the following students who were the top ten praise earners for Pankhurst House this term: Alexa Barnard 159; Morgan Temple 159; Solomon Shilton 142; ryan Rice 139; Mavis Tsang 134; Seb Hutchins-Davies 127; Jessica-Jade Cowley 127; Agate Domingas 125; Hannah Green 125 and Zac Evans 125. An excellent effort from all of them to set a really high bar for others to try and match. 

Next term sees us enter the summer months and like everyone I am looking forward to a sustained spell of warm weather to ease us into the summer holidays. The Ethos competition will be around P/N proportion and it's a crucial one for us to win. It's been competitive between the houses in this area and it will be close. We are also looking forward to sports day and all of the summer sport competitions as these are an opportunity for us to show what we can do. Here's to a restful hard term before returning to work hard for the last six weeks of the school year.

Mr Murdoch, Head of Pankhurst House

The sunshine has finally arrived and the term has gone in a flash with students in Stephenson House continuing to immerse themselves in everything that is on offer. This was particularly the case in celebrating Paul Stephenson’s 86th birthday where we made a bus selfie cut out to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Bristol bus boycott. Students and staff had fun having photos taken with this. 

It was a pleasure to talk in all house assemblies about the work of Paul Stephenson and how his work has a huge impact on our community. As well as this I discussed what adversity is and how Paul Stephenson has used his voice in a positive way to make progress. It was also fantastic to enable a student in each house to be recognised that week for representing the RED values of Respect, Equality and Determination with a bus ticket and hot chocolate with Mr Humphreys.

This term the ethos competition has been attendance and I have discussed the importance of being in school everyday and being the best version of yourselves. I spoke in our assemblies about how being in school will help their progress in all subjects. Despite this we finished in third place as this was based on improvement on their attendance from term 2. Well done to Pankhurst who had the best overall attendance improvement!!

Other highlights in term 5 were the accelerated reading competition where we finished 2nd behind Turing. It is great to see Stephenson still leading the way overall and is an example to others of how we promote reading across the house. 

Well done to the students who have represented our RED values of Respect, Equality and Determination in Stephenson House in Term 5.

• Year 7: Evie Turner, Ella Waite, James Buschenfeld, Laurie Hocking, Grace Elliott, Joshua Palmer, Ludo Fishbourne, Senul Wickramasinghe.
• Year 8: Theo Harper, Vesper Peate.
• Year 9: Zachary Garbutt, Amie Young, Aaron Calder, Filip Maciol, Izzi Healy-Hart.
• Year 11: Coby Barbosa-Goa, Abi Lebo, Ruby Gray, Ellie Baker, Josie Rafferty, Monty Fishbourne, Sam Peacock, Harvey Niemczyk.

The House championship continues to heat up and it is very clear that the other houses are gunning for Stephenson House. It will take a monumental effort to retain our crown in both the house championship and sports championship. Students in term 6 will need to step up in all aspects of school life if they are able to achieve this. The gauntlet has been laid down and the challenge set. Will we be able to be the first house to achieve back to back Championships?

Finally it has been a great pleasure to appoint Oliver Hecker and Abdulrahim Yusuf as house leaders. They are enthusiastic and passionate about promoting positive change and have talked passionately about the work of Paul Stephenson and how he is a role model for them.

Mr Thomas, Head of Stephenson House 

I hope this newsletter finds you well as we come to the end of Term 5 at St. Katherine's. Despite its brevity, this term has been filled with significant events and achievements for our Turing students.

First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our Year 11 students. They have faced numerous challenges over the past four years, including periods of isolation and remote learning, all while navigating the uncertainties brought about by the Covid pandemic. This term marked their first set of formal external examinations at St Katherine's, and we commend their perseverance and commitment to their studies. I am looking forward to joining them, along with the tutor team, in celebrating their five years at St Katherine's during the Y11 Celebration Day and Prom.

The tireless support provided by our Tutor Team, not only for Year 11 but for all students under their care, is a testament to their unwavering dedication and motivation. We are grateful for their commitment to helping our students perform to the best of their abilities.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to our remarkable House Leaders, Teagan Davidson and Hope Roberts. They have been exceptional role models and a source of inspiration for their fellow House members. Their leadership has set a high standard for our newly appointed House Leaders for Term 6 and the upcoming academic year. Congratulations and good luck to Roary Gallagher, Evie Roberts, and George Wilkinson. Teagan and Hope have left the House in a strong position in the House Championship.

As we embark on Term 6, we are thrilled to see the enthusiasm and effort displayed by our Year 7 and 8 students in Turing House in the Accelerator Reader competition. Term 5 witnessed a tremendous push from Turing House, and we commend all the Year 7 and 8 quizzers for their outstanding performance.

This spirit has also been reflected in the House Ethos Competition for Term 5, which focused on the most improved house attendance since Term 2. We are delighted to announce that Turing House secured the second position, trailing closely behind Pankhurst House. We have been awarded 150 points for this accomplishment. 

Furthermore, we take great pride in the achievements of all Turing House members in the House Championship. With only one term remaining, it is crucial for all Turing students to come together and actively participate in all House competitions during Term 6. We have a real chance to improve our current standing of second place, and we believe that, by embracing our Turing House motto, we can achieve greatness together.

"The strength of the team is each individual member, the strength of each member is the team."

Let's embody our three core values of unity, determination, and acceptance in everything we do and strive to become the House Champions of 2023.

Now, it's time to recognise the Highest Praise earners in each Turing tutor group, as well as the overall highest praise earner since the beginning of the academic year. We congratulate all of you on your achievements, and we encourage you to continue your excellent work.

• 7T1 - T5: Erin Whitfield Since September: Erin Whitfield - 654
• 7T2 - T5: Elsa Fiedor Since September: Walter Rogers - 763
• 8T - T5: Emily James Since September: Emily James - 759
• 9T1 - T5: Matei Achim Since September: William Juchau- Nash - 708
• 9T2 - T5: Luke James Since September: Luke James - 728
• 10T - T5: Caitlin Donovan Since September: Evie Roberts - 445
• 11T1 - T5: Lucy Holloway Since September: Tom Stancliffe- 319
• 11T2 - T5: Leo Oakman Since September: Leo Oakman - 580

Additionally, we want to celebrate our "Magnificent Turings of the Term." These students have demonstrated exceptional commitment to our House and the wider school community. Their attitude and behaviour serve as an inspiration to all students at St Katherine's. Congratulations to all those nominated by their tutors!

• 7T1: Erin Whitfield - Erin consistently works hard in every subject and brings enthusiasm to her role as sports captain. She has gained over 650 praise without a negative point all year. Well done!
• 7T2: Elsa Fieldor - Elsa always has a positive attitude towards learning. She is a kind and caring role model for her peers and a pleasure to have in the classroom.
• 8T: Eleana Antonio - While one of the quieter members of the group Eleana consistently displays excellent dedication and respect. She always comes into tutor prepared for the week and always works hard. She always gives her best and excels in what she does!
• 9T1: Liam Davies - Liam is a role model to our tutor group in so many ways. He is a hard working, dedicated student who also shows compassion and kindness to everyone he meets. Despite being tested in lots of ways this term, Liam has remained resilient and positive throughout. He should be very proud of what he has achieved this year!
• 9T2: Sam Mwangi - Sam demonstrates a genuine enthusiasm for learning, particularly in the area of developing his literary skills. He actively engages in class discussions, consistently asks insightful questions, and shows a true desire to improve. His commitment to learning is truly commendable.
• 10T: Daisy Finlan - Daisy has consistently set high standards for herself this term and met them with ease. She is a role model to the rest of the tutor group for her conscientious approach to lessons and homework. Daisy should be very proud of everything she has achieved this term. Well done!
• 11T1: Tom Stancliffe - Tom has demonstrated his excellent leadership through his help with fundraising and the year 11 yearbook. Well done Tom!
• 11T2: Henry Fairholm - My final magnificent termly Turing goes to Henry for his steadfast approach to his schooling. Seldom have I seen someone sustain such a model attitude and approach throughout all five years of their secondary school careers. I wish Henry all the very best of luck with his summer exams and beyond!

Finally, we would like to wish you all an enjoyable holiday. May the end of May continue to bring sunshine and rewarding experiences.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to an exciting and successful Term 6.

Mrs Price, Head of Turing House

It’s amazing to think that there is now only one term left of the year! It has been a full on term, particularly as our year 11 students have started their GCSEs. It was really good to meet a few times as a whole house in assemblies at the beginning of this term. 

We have been reflecting on our behaviour in assemblies. Yousafzai continues to have the least number of negative points which is brilliant! We always want to focus on receiving as many praise points as possible as this is where it effects our behaviour ratio. Our main ethos competition was for the most improved attendance in which we came third. We have come fourth in the accelerated reader quizzing competition - if your child is in Year 7-8, please encourage them to quiz their book once they have read it and complete their reading log daily! All this means we maintain our third position in the house championship with Pankhurst not far behind. Next term is a big one; particularly with sports day coming up! 

At the beginning of the term we had our celebration of achievement assembly for term 4. This is always such a great opportunity as a house to celebrate our individual students. Emily Brosa, Lara James-Neale and Erinnin Mclean were celebrated as having the highest number of praise points in the house for last term. Each term tutors nominate a superstar in their tutor group, well done to:

• 7Y: Mia Hovell and Leo Esser
• 8Y1: Suzie Berryman-Morris and Amelie Whalley
• 8Y2: Alex Marton and Scarlett Roswell
• 9Y: Eva Gillham and Reagan Mccormack
• 10Y1: Oscar Pearson and Joe Clifford 
• 10Y2: Joe Brooks and Habiba Fatima

I have been so impressed with our new house leaders; Mae and Theeban who have been busy at work representing the house and the school on school panels and helping me out where needed. I really am looking forward to working with them this year and ensuring we can make Yousafzai into the best house it can be! 

Thank you as always to you as parents and carers of our young people and your ongoing support with their education, which as we all should be doing, treasuring it like a diamond! 

Have a really good and hopefully sunny half term! 

Miss Andrews, Head of Yousafzai House

• 05 June: Students in school for Term 6
• 10 June: Y10 Coasts Field Trip
• 14 June: Paperbirds Theatre company workshop
• 15-18 June: DofE Silver expedition
• 21 June: Parents/ Carers Association meeting, 15.00-16.00
• 21 June: Awards Evening, Stephenson House
• 22 June: Awards Evening, Turing House
• 23 June: INSET DAY - School closed to students
• 26 June: Y9 Folly Farm Trip
• 26 June: Awards Evening, Yousafzai House
• 27 June: Y9 Folly Farm Trip
• 27 June: Awards Eevning, Pankhurst House
• 28 June: Y11 Leavers event afternoon and prom
• 28 June: Y13 leavers event
• 29 June: Y6 Inducation day and BBQ
• 29 June - 1 July: DofE Gold practice expedition
• 30 June: Y6 inducation day
• 30 June: Y13 Leavers Party
• 03 July: Step into Sixth Form
• 10 July: Sixth Form Heplus Trip
• 12-16 July: DofE Gold expedition
• 14 July: Sports Day
• 17 July: House Championship Celebration
• 19 July: Y10 Bristol Harbourside Field Trip
• 20 July: END OF TERM 6 - Early finish, buses leave 12.30
• 21 July: INSET DAY - School closed to students

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)