Duke of Edinburgh Walk

12th May 2022Mrs D Curtis

The Duke of Edinburgh day walk was a great success!

Students spent Saturday 7th May walking around the Kinver area following a route they had pre planned. While walking students were learning how to use a map and a compass and navigate accurately.

After 25000 steps, 16km distance covered and 6 hours of walking, all 41 students finished their day.

Next stop is the qualifying expeditions!

 

For more information about Duke of Edinburgh Award please check out the website: https://www.dofe.org/do/awardachievement/

 

Magistrates’ Mock Trial Competition Success – 9th May

11th May 2022Mrs D Curtis

The Magistrates’ Mock Trial Competition gives KS3 students the opportunity to act out court cases in competition with students from other schools.  Having spent the last few months tirelessly preparing their cases, our group of Year 8 students took on roles as lawyers, witnesses, legal advisors, ushers, magistrates and court reporters – each of these roles challenging in their own way.

Although a little nervous when the competition began, our students rose to the challenge wonderfully and both our Prosecution and Defence teams won their cases in their respective trials.  The teams were truly victorious and received wonderful comments from both the professional judges and the organisers of the event.

Well done to all the students involved!

Arsenijs Aleksejevs

Natalia Atwal
Isha Bawal
Sophie Handley
Roshan Hayre
Oghogho Izedonmwen Irabor
Felicity Jukes Higgott
Natalie Kyei
Holly Portlock
EA – Y9
EN – Y8

Sixth Form Role Models

10th May 2022Mrs D Curtis

Our Sixth Form is thriving. Many students have secured some amazing opportunites and achieved wonderful grades. Check out the presentation to find out more:

Dr Kakroo’s Visit to St Edmund’s

10th May 2022Mrs D Curtis

We were delighted to welcome former student, Basit Kakroo, back to St Edmund’s this week. He shared his pathway to becoming a doctor at New Cross Hospital with aspiring medics in years 10, 11 & 12. 

 

Basit explained his role, describing his daily routine and the demands of the job. He also went on to give advice on how to prepare for the UCAT medical exams. Basit even found time to catch up with his teachers, including Miss Moore who was his form tutor.

 

Ashpriya (Year 12): “I found it really insightful to hear the perspectives of a former student. In particular, it was useful making a connection with someone local who can aid me with work experience and the interview process.”

 

Photo: Dr Kakroo and aspiring medics in Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12

 

Gjovani Gives Back to Albania

9th May 2022Mrs D Curtis

This Easter holiday I went back to my ethnic country Albania and decided it was the perfect time to give back to the community. I spoke to my local bishop to offer my time with the church. I was baptised at “Katedralja NĂ«nĂ« Terezja” and worked at the charity home where I was able to work with two Italian nuns who guided me in helping two boys with cerebral palsy.

 

Throughout the four days I volunteered there, the two nuns, who didn’t know much Albanian themselves, taught me how to support and care for Nikola (left) and Fabian (right), which did take me far out of my comfort zone as I have never experienced caring for people with different-abilities before. I was able to grasp a different outlook on life through the two boys and how they live their day to day lives, by helping them with tasks such as building a picture board for their room and playing with bubbles to help their hand to eye coordination. One aspect that stood out to me was how neither of them was able to communicate through speech, however, we were able to communicate through non-verbal communications such as certain movements and oculesics, which did make me think of how humans can present what they feel in so many different ways that aren’t just speech.

 

I also helped out with an older group of people with down syndrome and autism by completing a colouring book with them. It was inspiring to talk to them and how they have been able to overcome their challenges even without access to advanced technology. I was very proud of the work the church has done as I could see how grateful the group of people were to have been given the resources and life skills to take them into the world and that the church has been able to build a strong inclusive community life in the county.

 

I believe that we should, as students aspiring to follow the CARE values of the school, reach out and contribute our time to help our local community (charities, homes for the elderly and others), as the knowledge and experience gained are unique compared to any other work experience and, in a world where everyone wants to be heard, all they want to do is listen.

 

 

 

Gjovani Cinari

Year 12

 

Pharmacy Discovery Day at the University of Wolverhampton

29th April 2022Mrs D Curtis

On the 7th of April, a group of  Year 12 students were given the incredible opportunity to gain insight into what pharmacy is all about at the University of Wolverhampton. It was a day packed with an array of different experiences: from gaining a taste of the university’s unique approach to teaching, to conducting chemical experiments using their excellent laboratory facilities. It was a day of valuable insight and excitement.

 

We were introduced to pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences as well as pharmacy and learned to differentiate between each type of course and the vital roles they play within the pharmaceutical industry. Using our newly acquired knowledge, we used their learning system- which focuses primarily on independence and team work- to test our retainment and recall abilities. This allowed us to develop our communication, teamwork and decision making skills and also obtain a flavour for the working environment at university.

 

In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to visit the laboratories to use their specialised equipment to carry out a range of experiments. The objective was to uncover which mystery drug we were given a sample of. This allowed us to gain first hand insight into working within this atmosphere. The activity helped to improve our organisational skills and abilities to work with complex machinery, but also our ability to come to sensible conclusions.

 

This was a truly fantastic experience! We would collectively like to give a warm thank you to Dr Mark Hewitt, Dr Stephen Anderson, Dr Waseem Kaialy and Dr Matthew Palframan for leading this fantastic discovery day! 

 

Ashpriya Basi and Merciya Selvamahan (Year 12)

 

Photo left to right: Arabella Caligdong, Wadha Shahid, Sophia Roldan, Martina Szpojankowska, Brientony Jeyarajan, Shadi Hamadamin, Ashpriya Basi, Merciya Selvamahan

Girls Active Event

22nd April 2022Mrs D Curtis
Twelve Year 9 girls had the chance of taking part in a Girls Active event at Aldersley Stadium during the last week of term.
The Girls Active programme helps schools understand what motivates girls to take part, enabling teachers to work with girls through consultation and leadership to make the necessary changes to their PE, sport and physical activity provision to engage all girls in ways that appeal to them.
The girls embraced all of the activities that ranged from Dunk it to Hip Hop!
Well done girls and thank you to Mrs Ridley for taking them, it is much appreciated.

Exam Invigilator Vacancies

13th April 2022Mrs D Curtis

We are seeking to appoint to St Edmund’s Catholic Academy a number of Exam Invigilators to work under the supervision of the Examinations Officer to ensure the smooth running of both external and internal examinations.

Good numeracy and literacy skills required together with the ability to be flexible and to be able to relate to children and adults.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3JC34Mr

Egg-cellent Egg Donations

12th April 2022Mrs D Curtis

What a novel effort the Sixth Formers made this Lenten period! We are pleased with the 200 Egg-cellent contributions donated. 

 

The Haven Wolverhampton supports women and children who have been subjected to Domestic Abuse and women who are at risk of homelessness. This charity has been selected by the students.

 

Special thanks to each and every Sixth Former who purchased an Easter egg, Mrs Hogg who collated this huge selection of eggs and to Mrs walker who made the special egg delivery to The Haven. 

 

Happy Easter

 

 

 

Photo: Mrs Walker (Teacher of Religious Education) & Haven Fundraising staff member

 

Ukrainian Donations Delivered

12th April 2022Mrs D Curtis
Over the past 1/2 term staff and pupils at St Edmund’s have been donating toiletries, food and medical supplies to be sent to help those suffering from the fallout of the Ukraine Invasion.
In coordination with one of our parents, Mrs Willets who has been assisting at the Ukrainian Centre in Wolverhampton, 2 carloads of donations have been sent.
These items have been sorted, packed and are on the way to the people that need them.  A special mention to Mrs Grant, Assistant Head of Year who along with fellow members of the Women’s Ministry of Bethel All Saints Apostolic Church, Wolverhampton have generously added to our collection.
Special thanks also to another of our parents, Mr Nicholls who has very generously donated a lorry load of medical PPE which has also made its way to Ukraine.