The French Dining Experience

4th November 2019Mrs D Curtis

On Friday 11th October twenty Year 8 students went to Olive Grove Pub in Hednesford and had a French restaurant experience ran by JLH Languages.

Students spoke only in French for the duration of the three course meal and had to order all of their food and drink in French. Students also had puzzles to solve and games to play whilst there. Everyone ordered and ate a three course meal sat at a traditional dining table. Some of the food included soup as starter, roast chicken or vegetable lasagne for main and a warm french crepe or creme caramel as dessert.

All students had a wonderful time and enjoyed practising their French in a real life situation. Marcel  said, “I enjoyed the trip, it was a very exciting opportunity. Overall it was fun, educational and tasty”.

 

 

Basketball Team Success

4th November 2019Mrs D Curtis

On Wednesday 16th October Roy Aneke, Raymond Aneke, Kurt Capuno and Chibuike Ojeli represented the St Edmund’s Catholic Academy at the Wolverhampton Schools Basketball Competition at S. Peter’s Collegiate School .

The team performed exceptionally well and won three out of their four league games. This will see them through to the final which is provisionally scheduled for the 13th November.

Well done gentlemen and keep up the good work.

Mr Selvey

Teacher of PE/Head of Year 11

.

Parents and pupils drive environmental changes at St Edmund’s Catholic Academy 

14th October 2019Mrs D Curtis

In the last academic year, the Principal of St Edmund’s Catholic Academy was faced with a challenge. Staff, pupil, and parent groups have all met with Maggie Hazeldine to ask what St Edmund’s could do to become a more environmentally friendly community. 

 

Inspired by the work of Greta Thunberg,  the academy’s recycling and eco committees have been busy addressing this question. “Listening to parents and pupils I was horrified to realise that at lunch times we were throwing away 88,000 single use plastic food containers a year!” said the Principal.

 

Mrs Hall , the school’s  catering manager was quick to make a change by redesigning the lunches to return to reusable resources and the reduction in waste has been dramatic! Not only is the academy improving the environment but also encouraging a return to healthier eating, with delicious meals and less “takeaway” food. 

 

Mrs Hazeldine said, “ I am so proud of our students and their sense of social responsibility is to be commended. We have  further ideas to establish a swap shop and have also been nominated to receive 30 trees in collaboration with CGI (the multinational IT and Business Consultancy).  Once again this opportunity was driven by one of our parents who works for the company and we are delighted to support their mission to offset their carbon footprint.”

 

“Our Eco committee are now busy discussing  ways in which we can achieve our other goals of global citizenship as we work towards the final steps towards achieving the  Eco Schools Green Flag award.”

Loyola Programme Launch

8th October 2019Mrs D Curtis
September 2019 saw the launch of the Loyola Programme at St Edmund’s which is designed to enable our brightest students to become the best they can be.
The main focus of Loyola is to raise aspiration and achievement amongst our most able students by giving them access to a variety of visits and cultural important experiences.  These include visits to red brick universities, the Globe Theatre, local employers Jaguar Land Rover.  This culminates in an annual trip to CERN in year 12.
Sapientia et Veritas (wisdom and truth).
Mr R Morris
Assistant Principal: Director of Mathematics

Cafod- Climate Change

2nd October 2019Mrs D Ferris

Yesterday CAFOD, the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development, blessed us with a visit. They led a discussion with year 9 students on the topic of  ‘Climate Change- climate change destroys God’s precious gift to us-creation’. Inspired by the teachings of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, we know that responding to the climate crisis requires working together-as families, parishes and countries.

So what can we do?

  • Reduce your meat consumption
  • Could you grow a vegetable garden or wildlife garden?
  • Instead or getting to school in a car, could you go by bus, bicycle or walk?
  • Heating – could you turn the thermostat down?
  • Can you consume less electricity? Turn the lights off, turn plugs off at the mains
  • Do you recycle at home and school- plastic, paper, plastic, crisp packets etc?
  • Could you write to your M.P? Let them know what you are doing to revive our common home

I am sure that there are many more ways you can think of to reduce our negative impact on Earth. 

The poorest countries are the ones most affected by global warming, but are creating the least waste and greenhouse gases!

“ … how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and interior peace,” Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ #10

Sixth Form Open Evening

30th September 2019Mrs D Curtis

Join us for a Sixth Form Open Evening for prospective 6th form students 6:00 – 7:30 pm on Thursday 3rd October 2019.

All year 11 students and parents/carers are invited to attend. This evening provides an invaluable opportunity to get detailed information from subject specialists, talk to current A-Level students and tour the Sixth Form facilities. We provide outstanding opportunities for students in and out of the classroom.

For more information about our Sixth Form, please email: [email protected]

 

Duke of Edinburgh Award Success

27th September 2019Mrs D Curtis

Over the last few weeks 33 year 10 students have taken on the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award at Bronze level.  The award consists of 4 sections; physical, skill, volunteering and expedition. Students have come up with their own physical, skill and volunteering activities. They have either developed skills they already have like dancing or art skills or they have taken up something completely new such as marksmanship or photography.

The expedition section consists of two expedition’s one practice one assessed.  Students have to plan an expedition from start to finish and walk their route as a group 4-7 students.  Each group should be self-sufficient and carry everything they need and be able to navigate themselves to their planned campsite and spend a night camping before setting off on their next day of walking.

On Friday 14th June – students set off from High gate common in their groups and made their way to their campsite. The weather was awful and students realised very quickly that preparation is vital when out on expeditions. The rain was constant and very heavy at times. Students quickly put on waterproofs and some realised how important it is to have these to hand to quickly put them on.  The students battled through the very tough conditions and made it to school where they camped overnight.

They woke up very early, made breakfast, packed away and got started on their 2nd day of travelling.   The weather was a little better for them this time round and students where using the dryer weather to make up some time and get finished earlier.

Students started to arrive back to the end check point around 3pm. A whole hour ahead of schedule.

I am really impressed with the level of determination and resilience the students showed over the weekend. The conditions were extremely tough and all students battled through it and completed the expedition.  I am very proud of them all.

We are looking forward to the next expedition this academic year.

Mr Deeming

Duke of Edinburgh Organiser

Vacancy For Staff Governor

27th September 2019Mrs D Curtis

We are excited to announce that we have a vacancy for a staff governor.

The Articles of Association and Scheme of Delegation of the St Francis & St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Company requires that the local governing body must include one staff governor who has been elected by the staff at the school.

Eligible members of staff are now invited to take part in the election of this staff governor. Official nomination forms are available from Wendy Harding or from the School Website. Forms should be returned to Margaret Gallagher, Chair of Governors, no later than 12 noon, on Tuesday 1st October 2019.

For more information please see click on the links below.

Notice of Election – Staff Governor – Google Docs

Nomination form – Google Docs

Chaplaincy Commissioning Mass

27th September 2019Mrs D Ferris

On Tuesday 24th October, two members of St. Edmund’s Catholic Sixth Form represented our Chaplaincy team by attending Mass at St Chad’s in Birmingham. Students from schools across the Diocese came together to say their Chaplaincy promise, together with all the Lay Chaplains.

The journey was a difficult one due to the rain and road conditions, but we all came together to celebrate with Bishop Kenny who preceded the Mass, along with Fr Paul Whieldon the new Chaplain for the Kenelm Trust, Fr Michael Doleman the Priest for Vocations and Fr Tim Menzies the Cathedral Dean of St Chad’s. We raised the roof in song, while St. Edmund’s students, Sophie Tudor and Seren Young, carried our school banner (fresh from our pilgrimage to  Lourdes) with pride.

Bishop Kenny explained that Pope John Paul was asked by a reporter what the best event he had been to was. He responded twice ‘My Baptism’, because that was the day I became a member of the Church. He continued to speak about what we could do to follow our baptismal promises – even the act of smiling, is following what Jesus would like us to do and be.

Mrs Ferris along with other Lay Chaplains were presented with a certificate from Bishop Kenny on behalf of the Kenelm Trust for completing her qualification on Liturgy and Collective Worship.

May we continue to pray for all the Chaplaincy Teams in our schools and the invaluable work that they do.