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.

Maths students’ from year 11 and year 12 attended a series of fun, interesting, eye-opening and ultimately educational lectures on Wednesday 16th November.  The fourteen St Edmund’s students were treated to 5 lectures at Warwick University’s Art Centre Theatre ranging from Maths’ greatest unsolved puzzles, juggling: Theory and Practice, Lies, Damned Lies, and Newspapers through to The Creation of Number and lastly the maths behind magic.  A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all students as well as the accompanying staff, Mrs Badhan and Head of Department Mr Morris.

Left to Righ:  Akash Paul, Eloisa De Gracia, Bartosz Walczak, Victorija Jasiukianec, Joe Makosa, Amber Cavaungh, Ikisha Patel, Arminder Johal, Anthony Orjally, Inderjit Rai, Summa Bains and Sasha Nehal.

There was surprise celebrations during the day today.  We had notification from UNISON this week that our Head Cook, Mrs Dhaliwal had won the ‘Nominate a Star’ Competition for school support staff.

Mrs Dhaliwal was presented with flowers, a card and an invitation to afternoon tea with the Mayor of Wolverhampton with other category winners in January next year.

Left to right:

Mrs Hughes (Principal), Mrs Dhaliwal, Ms Guest (Unison Representative)

and Mrs Raj (Business Director)

Photography courtesy of Mrs Curtis

On Wednesday 23 November students and staff from St Edmund’s Catholic Academy, SS Peters and Paul Catholic Primary Academy and Nursery, parishioners from SS Peters and Paul, St Michael’s and St Bernadette’s, together with friends and family of our beloved Chaplain Monsignor Mark Crisp, attended a Mass of Thanksgiving on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Ordination to the Priesthood of Monsignor Mark.  This was held at St Michael’s Catholic Church, Wolverhampton.

It truly was a joyful Mass with singing lead by St Edmund’s choir, cantor’s from Wilf Jones and a beautiful piece sung by an African choir.  Students from St Edmund’s were altar serving and Mrs Ferris, Lay Chaplain was asked to read the first reading.

In Monsignor Mark’s homily he recapped on different events in his life and how St Francis and St Ignatius has helped and had an effect on his life.

After the Final Hymn ‘Tell out My Soul, which was played 25 years ago at Monsignor Mark’s ordination, everyone was invited to a celebratory buffet and a drink to celebrate.  Many old friends were reunited and new friends were made.

On Friday 11^th November the whole school respectfully attended a Remembrance Assembly led by the Performing Arts Department.

It was very informative as we looked at people’s lives from the arts and entertainment world who took part in the wars, such as Wladyslaw Szpilman who wrote the Pianist, Audrey Hepburn, Roald Dahl, Wilfred Owen and Many more.

We listened to a piece of music by Chopin played by Alex Dongo, Jessica Bradley performed contemporary Dance to ‘In Flanders Field’ by Howard Goodall and we all joined in a song called No Man’s Land by Eric Bogle.

Many staff and students found it very moving when the words and music of ‘Do Not stand at my Grave and Weep’ was played.

Mr Lloyd played the last post during the assembly and at 11 0’clock where the whole community stood silently, wherever they were in school for 2 minutes.

We will remember them.

There are new publications in the Library including:

Thirteen Chairs: Twelve mysterious stories waiting to begin