We wish Ms Burdett all the very best in the future as she retires this Christmas. She has shown her dedication to the pupils for over 12 years and has really enjoyed her experience.

Ms Burdett described her time at St Edmund’s as challenging, interesting and very worthwhile and would definitely recommend this school for for both students and teachers to join.

Many pupils gave Ms Burdett cards and retirement gifts and expressed how disheartened they feel now she has decided to retire.  

Ms Burdett will definitely be remembered for all her hard work and dedication she gave to the pupils.

The students and staff would like to say thank you and wish Ms Burdett a very happy retirement.

By Jenisha Patel

By Yuting Xue

On the evening of Tuesday 13 December 2016 a Candlelight Carol Service was held at St. Michael’s Church, Coalway Road, Penn. The church was filled with candlelight, music and a warm Christmas atmosphere was felt by parents, family and friends.

Choirs from St Bernadette’s School, St Christopher’s School, St Edmund’s Academy, SS Mary & John’s Academy, St Michael’s Academy, SS Peter & Paul’s Academy and St Teresa’s Academy all came together to fill the air with beautiful Christmas carols.

The welcome and opening prayers was given by  Monsignor Mark Crisp. St Edmund’s Choir sang ‘Angel’s Carol’ by John Rutter and ‘Away in a Manger by James Ramsey Murray’.  SS Peter and Paul’s Academy gave a delightful rendition of ‘There’s a stable’ by Ruth Kenward and St Teresa’s Academy  sang  ‘Little Drummer Boy’ by Simone, Onorati and Davies.  St Michael’s Academy sang ‘Come Celebrate With Us’ by Mrs Jarvis, followed by St Christopher’s School who sang ‘Christmas Lullaby’ by John Rutter.  St Bernadette’s School sang a very moving version of ‘silent Night’ by Joseph Mohr.

All the choirs had worked very hard to make sure the evening was very special and everyone left feeling that Christmas had truly started.

A short video of the Candlelight Carol Service at St Michael’ Catholic Church, Wolverhampton

Logane Stanley is a student in Year 12 who expressed an interest in running a Dance Club at St Edmund’s. Mrs Cartlidge, Curriculum Leader in PE, saw Logan’s potential and seized the opportunity to work with her to get the club set up a week later.

Mrs Cartlidge said, Logan has worked really hard choreographing dance routines and teaching these to the group of Year 7 dancers”.

Well done Logane.  The Year 7 girls love it!

Pictured below:

Sophie Spilsbury, Kirsten Bernard-Keillor, Faith Katanga, Grace Richards,

Esha Ilyas, Emily Radford and Grace Leo

The Great Minds Tour Bus from Staffordshire University popped by on Friday 2nd December to give Year 12 students the opportunity to experience university life. The use of virtual reality allowed students to select their tour through the campus. The students sat back with popcorn to experience the on board cinema which showcased the facilities at the university.

The top deck of the bus allowed students to see what a typical student hall of residence looks like. They sat in the kitchen diner enquiring about entry requirements and the courses available.

A selected number of Year 8 and 9 students also experienced the bus and student Monique Dhillon said “it was fun and interesting”.

Following our recent photographic competitions held by Mr Vaughan, Teacher of Photography, we are delighted to announce the winners as follows:

Summer Competition

1st Place: Marianne Peralta

2nd Place: Amelie Harris

3rd Place: Marho Fovie

Christmas Competition

1st Place: Jaida Devi

2nd Place: Ellie Russell

Well done to all the students who took part in both competitions.  Our Principal, Mrs Hughes said, “The photographs are of such a high standard we should display the students’ work in a calendar”.

Stefanie Evans, Design and Marketing Business Support, has assembled the students’ work into a beautiful calendar which is now on sale at £1.50.  Please contact Reception for more information.

Calendar Images

January – Ellie Russell

February – Fejiro Fovie

March – George Bryant

April – Marho Fovie

May – Samuel Coleman

June – Kushbu Dass

July – Jenisha Patel

August – Marianne Peralta

September – Amelie Harris

October – Kimberly Ochao

November – George Bryant

December – Jaida Devi

Our annual St Edmund’s Day Mass took place on Wednesday 30 November.  Students, staff, guests and other members of our academy community celebrated our patronal feast day.  Monsignor Mark Crisp, Father Paul Whieldon, Father Pawel Bielak and Father Simon Baker, visiting from Birmingham, also concelebrated. At the end of the Mass Monsignor Mark was presented with a gift to mark his Silver Jubilee – 25 years since his ordination into the priesthood.  A celebratory event had been held previously for him at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary and Nursery, one of the four primaries forming part of Bishop Cleary Catholic Multi Academy Company, with St Edmund’s.

Guests assembled after the Mass in the Peace Garden where, to mark the end of the Year of Mercy, a large tiled plaque depicting the face of Jesus Christ was unveiled and blessed by Father Mark.  This plaque, made up of many small tiles, was designed and constructed by Year 10 students from the Technology Department under the supervision of their teacher, Miss Mifflin.

Blessed Edmund Campion (1540-1581) was an English Roman Catholic Jesuit priest and martyr, canonised in 1970 by Pope Paul V1 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England.

Pictured left to right:

Mrs Hughes (Principal), Miss Mifflin (Teacher of Art) Thomas Hipkiss, Paulina Pajak, Molly Kerin, Joseph Tugby  Emilson Eduardo, Taryn-Rose Hough, Leo Thornton, Paige Gostick, Father Mark Crisp and Jenisha Patel.