End of Term Newsletter – Summer 2024

Welcome to our End of Term Newsletter for Summer 2024. You can read below, a letter from Mrs Jackson, and see all our news highlights of the year so far.

Letter from Mrs Jackson:

Dear Parents and Carers

As we approach the end of another academic year it is time to reflect on all our successes and achievements here at St Benedict’s. We have had an amazingly successful year, and I am incredibly proud of our school, our students, and our reputation in our community.

Our biggest achievement this year has undoubtedly been our successful Catholic school inspection. To receive such positive feedback about students was wonderful. The behaviour of students was described as excellent, and I am delighted that the impeccable behaviour of the vast majority of our students was recognised.
We, as always have seen great success in the sporting arena, with no less than 5 county championship winning teams. We have also seen many individual successes across a range of sports. We are enormously proud of each of them.

We have also excelled in the arts. We have many successful clubs and societies including craft, art, singing and the school band. The curriculum is always being enhanced by our talented teachers to include many trips, visits, and visitors across the year.

The life cycle of a school continues relentlessly on, but it never makes the goodbyes any easier. We have bid farewell to Year 11 and Year 13. They have enjoyed their proms after all their hard work, and we await results day with excited anticipation. We are very proud of them. At this time of year, we also say farewell to some staff, leaving us at the end of term. It is particularly sad this year as some long serving members of staff are retiring. We send our good wishes to Dr Kevin Payne, Nathalie Hannan, Aiger Arins, James France, Michael Johnstone, Paul Gibson, and our Assistant Headteacher Craig Redhead.

Last week we welcomed nearly 200 Year 6 students from many primary Schools. As always, we are oversubscribed, and we look forward to seeing them all again in their shiny new uniforms in September.
We also have several new staff starting in September. We will welcome new teachers into Maths, RE, Geography, Languages, and English. Our recruitment process is always rigorous, and I am pleased we have appointed such high calibre staff.

We do not take the support from you as parents and carers for granted. I am fully aware that our school has lots of cogs and wheels that make it work and you are an essential part of that. Thank you for your continued support.

I would like to finish with a personal thank you to all the staff in school. As always, every single one has worked tirelessly for the good of all our students.

Summer will hopefully bring some rest and recuperation. I look forward to seeing everyone refreshed when we return in September.

Emma Jackson

Head Teacher