The wonderful sunshine that we’ve experienced at the start of term and the beauty of the flowers in our raised beds really make us aware, in the words of the old hymn, that 

All good gifts around us

Are sent from heaven above,

Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord

For all His love.

And just as a new crop of flowers has grown through the year, so year 6 students have now become year 7’s and begun a new stage of their lives and growth at St Edmund’s.

In the photos Hayden, Maja and Grace are helping to “deadhead” some flowers. The effect of removing dead or damaged flowers encourages the plant to produce more flowers for us all to enjoy for longer during the term and seeds gathered from some seed-heads will be sown for next year’s growth.

Mrs Nwenwu and Mr White  

Black History Month is a time to honor the rich heritage and contributions of the Black community to society. It is an occasion to reflect on the Gospel’s call to justice, equality, and solidarity, recognizing the struggles and triumphs of Black individuals and communities in their pursuit of civil rights and social justice.

The Catholic faith teaches that all are made in the image and likeness of God, regardless of their race or ethnicity, and Black History Month serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting and valuing the dignity of every human being. It is an opportunity for us to engage in dialogue, prayer, and action to promote racial justice, reconciliation, and healing, in accordance with the Church’s teachings on social justice and love for one’s neighbor.

As part of our European Day of Languages celebrations, parents and carers of our new Year 7 were invited to join us for a ‘European Day of Languages’ themed Macmillan Coffee Morning, between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. today.  All funds raised from the sale will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Students also had the opportunity to get involved in the cake sale at specific times throughout the day and were encouraged to come to the academy wearing clothes to represent a country from Europe.

Mr. Elliot Russell and his daughter Ariya, came along to support the Macmillan Coffee Morning and said, “It has been a fantastically pleasant morning”.

Thank you to Miss Blanchette, Curriculum Leader for Modern Foreign Languages for organising the event.

Photo: Mr. Elliot Russell and Ariya

Photo: Cairo and Jasmine

St Edmund’s Catholic Academy hosted its inaugural whole-school Settling In Evening yesterday, extending a warm welcome to parents and caregivers. This event provided a valuable platform for attendees to convene with their respective form tutors and engage in discussions regarding how the children are settling in and progressing so far this term, their attitude to learning, and their engagement in the wider academy life.

The school community was heartened by the enthusiastic turnout of parents and caregivers, demonstrating a strong commitment to their children’s education.

Claire highlighted the event’s value in enabling attendees to seek clarification on school procedures and homework policies, underlining its role in promoting transparency and understanding. She felt reassured that the children were settling in well.

Shelly said, “Everyone was very welcoming and it was a great opportunity to meet form tutors, build contact between parents and the school, and reassure us that the children are settling in well”.

Vik said, “I enjoyed being at school and seeing what my child sees every day and making connections with the school. I asked a question that needed further investigation and it was answered before 9 am the next morning”.

#parentpartnership

Photo: Vik, Claire and Shelly

We are pleased to announce our new Senior Prefect Team has been appointed.

The application process was rigorous and extensive, involving cover letters, video presentations based on Laudato Si, and panel interviews. Each student performed with confidence and pride on the range of activities, events, and super-curricular work they had done over the years.

Senior Lead Prefects: Christina Cudjoe and Olivia Lavan

Lead Prefects: Gabio Pothen and Tabitha Kirby

The team is working on leaving a legacy for future generations based on sustainability and celebrating minority groups in our diverse community.

Photo (Left to Right): Olivia Lavan, Tabitha Kirby, Mrs Hazeldine, Gabio Pothen and Christina Cudjoe

Once again, St Edmund’s is delighted to report some fantastic GCSE results with many
students thrilled to achieve top grades.

Our top achieving students include:

Raphael Peralta – four grade 9s; six grade 8s
Kiera Dallas four grade 9s; six grade 8s
Aswin Valentine Pushpakaran – three grade 9s; four grade 8s; two grade 7s
Stella Ojo – four grade 9s; three grade 8s; three grade 7s
Aniya Birdi – one grade 9; five grade 8s; four grade 7s
Aedan Mapalo – one grade 9; three grade 8s; six grade 7s
Phallan Wakeley – one grade 9; seven grade 8s; two grade 7s
Lauren Butler – one grade 9; seven grade 8s; two grade 7s

Principal Mrs Hazeldine said, “This year 11 cohort have truly applied themselves, and this hard work and dedication is demonstrated in their GCSE results. The resilience and positivity of staff and students throughout the covid years is clear today. I could not be more proud of this aspirational community that cares for every single child. We are very excited to welcome our largest ever sixth form cohort next month. Congratulations class of 2023!”

Photo: Daniel Slodowski

Photo: Stella Ojo

Photo: Kiera Dallas

Photo: Aniya Birdi

Once again, St Edmund’s is delighted to present the fantastic achievements of our year 13
students. This year we want to highlight the success of students accessing higher-level
apprenticeships with top global organisations such as Jaguar Land Rover, BBC and
AstraZeneca.

Amongst the many higher achievers:

Niven Rooprah (A* A* A) has secured a higher-level apprenticeship with the BBC based in
Salford /University of York (Data Science)

Martyna Szpojankowska ( B C D ) has secured a higher-level apprenticeship with AstraZeneca (Laboratory science)

Navin Sonsana (B B C) has secured a higher-level apprenticeship with Jaguar Land Rover
(Product design and development engineer) with Warwick University

Yusuf Bhogal (A* A* A A) Chemical Engineering with a year in industry (University of
Birmingham )

Kyle Luis (A* A A B ) Chemistry with a year in Industry (University of Cardiff)

Gurjot Singh (A* A B B) Physics and Astro Physics (University of Birmingham)

Crystabel Rufus Shaba ( D* D* A B ) Pharmacy (De Montfort University)

Principal, Maggie Hazeldine said, “I am thrilled that our young people have achieved such
outstanding grades this year. We pride ourselves on the bespoke advice and guidance we give to each student so that they can pursue truly aspirational career paths. They have made their school and their families very proud indeed.”

Photo: Niven Rooprah, Kyle Luis and Gurjot Singh