MISSION STATEMENT: We Walk in God S Ways Where Together We Live, Love, Learn and Celebrate

St Gregory the Great Catholic School Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 19 7th February 2014

Tel: 01865 749933 Fax: 01865 717314 Email: [email protected] www.stgregory.oxon.sch.uk @StGregsOxford

MISSION STATEMENT: “We walk in God’s ways where together we live, love, learn and celebrate”

Prayer As we continue to hear of the plight of those caught up in the conflict in Syria, our prayer this week is for the refugees of that crisis.

For the hundreds of thousands who know the harshness of freezing temperatures, the insecurity of homelessness, the pain of hunger, the loss of protection, and the fear of the unknown. Denied the dignity of what it is to be human. God, we pray for them warmth, security, food and peace.

Christian Aid

School Award 1 Georgia Debanks in 9IND/RE gains a school award, nominated by Ms Jelfs for her fabulous work on comparing religions.

Principal Treat Adeelicious! Thanks to Adeel Hussain from the Year 11 Vocational Studies group for thinking of me with the gift of two special cakes, Blueberry, Choc Chip and a hint of Cinnamon! (Mr Hussey was kind enough to share the cakes with everyone else – Ed).

School Award 2 An award goes to Sophia Hotson (8F3) for her fabulous graphic design work on images of Tigers.

School Award 3 Mrs Wileman would like to nominate the following Year 10 students; Keiran Tyson, Tyrese Jones, Isaiah March, Owen Harris and Tremayne Barrett for receiving Praise Postcards from College for producing work of an excellent standard in Construction. Behaviour for Learning We have spent some time listening to the concerns of some students and parents, particularly that sometimes a lesson can be disrupted by the behaviour of one or two pupils.

Next week students will be introduced to some new procedures to ensure that learning is not interrupted by poor behaviour choices from a small minority of our students. Our current Behaviour for Learning Policy has been successful but you have been honest in telling us that it doesn’t make students accountable enough for their behaviour choices. Day-to-day our staff work alongside students to ensure students are engaged in learning and to counsel them when they are reluctant to work, or when relationships break down. From half-term we shall be much more consistent in ensuring that consequences for poor behaviour are followed up. This will help all students focus on learning.

1. We are introducing a Leadership Team detention each day 3.10-4.00pm.

This detention will be for students who receive one Consequence 4 (C4) or two Consequence 3 (C3) incidents in the same week. This is because they have chosen to disrupt learning by not following instructions, heeding advice or have interrupted the work of others. The detention will be served on the same day.

2. Students who are more than 10 minutes late to a lesson or who are found out of a lesson without a reason will also receive detention.

This measure will prevent lessons being interrupted once they have started.

How you can help:  Please consult your child’s daily planner to see how the Behaviour for Learning Policy works and discuss with your child.  Discuss with your child how your day to day work and lives follow a similar choice and consequence scenario.  Support the work of the school if your child receives a detention by ensuring they attend. You will receive a text to inform you of the detention and this will be followed by a phone call to explain the incident.

Please note that if your child does not attend the detention you will be asked to come into school the following morning to re-engage your child with learning. Please do attend that meeting or agree a time that you can meet within 24 hours of the incident.

GCSE History Paper 2 Revision The History Department are offering revision classes on Paper 2 topics -- Liberal Reforms, Suffragettes, Impact of WW1 & Propaganda in WW1 -- every Monday, 3.10-4.10 in HU2. These classes are an exciting opportunity for those in 11X, 11W + 11Z to work together and the classes count towards credit in Passports to Prom.

Talks from Two Top Academics On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Bunch drove some AS History students to Cherwell School (via Woodeaton, due to Mr Skerry's poor navigation -- he's a historian, not a geographer!) for the Oxford Historical Association Early Modern lectures. Dr Jan Machielsen (New College) highlighted that the more Protestants attacked the Papacy, the more Catholics embraced it. Dr Ian Archer (Keble College) argued that Elizabethan Protestants may not have been able to discuss doctrine beyond a belligerent "not Catholic!" The AS History ladies who attended -- Aleesha, Rabia, Jess, Marysa, Ciara, Finola & Bora -- were a real credit to the school and Mr Skerry chirped "Come along, girls!" like Miss Jean Brodie.

Higher Education Convention at Olympia on Wednesday 2nd April 2014 A reminder to all year 12 students to return their booking slip and £10 to Mrs Shields in the Sixth Form Office to confirm a place.

Sporting Event – Year 7 Netball Congratulations to our wonderful Year 7 Netball team for beating Cheney School 3-2 on Monday evening! It was their first game of the season – a great start, well done! We anticipate this is just the start of great things for this new team.

Active Kids Vouchers Early Years are collecting the Sainsbury’s Active Kids vouchers and would welcome any contribution by parents. There is a collection box in Main Reception for any vouchers you donate. The Voucher scheme will run until 20th May.

Year 12 and Year 13 Ethics Matters Conference – February 5th Can the use of lethal drone strikes be justified to protect freedom and democracy? Should the UK withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights? On Wednesday 20 of our Sixth Form Philosophy and Ethics students spent the day thinking through big questions such as these with 200 other students at the Oxford Town Hall. Renowned ethicist Dr Peter Vardy guided the students through a number of topics related to their exams and was also kind enough stay behind at the end to sign a copy of his book "taken" from the school library. The level of reflection and debate was of a very high standard and our students represented the school superbly. Shazia Hashimi deserves a specific mention regarding her valuable contributions to the whole conference debate on the merits of drone strikes. KILVROUGH VISIT A group of 18 Year 11 students spent last week at the Oxfordshire Outdoor Education Centre on The Gower improving their literacy and taking on some daunting physical challenges including abseiling, canoeing and caving. The object of the week long study break was to promote resilience, confidence and exam skills in a different environment. With three hours every day of coaching in exam techniques and English Grammar, combined with teamwork and exciting outdoor adventures, the students demonstrated real gains in their learning. The trip was led by Mrs Wileman and Mrs Amos who hope to establish this sort of innovative outdoor learning experience as past of the St Greg’s curriculum. The students all seemed to enjoy themselves, although we’re not so sure that Jamie Furlong or Jacob Blackstock enjoyed capsizing their canoe on a day when the water temperature was barely in double figures.

Mrs Amos

Year 11 Art Exam Project Next week, Year 11 Art students will be introduced to their exam project title. They will work on this project in Art lessons for the next nine weeks. This is a crucial part of their assessment: it is essential that students attend all lessons.

School Award 4 Mrs Payne would like to nominate Daisha Hulbert (8/Ma3) for an award for being a star pupil in Maths and a positive role model to other students.

And finally… I have enjoyed seeing several excellent pieces of work this week. Teachers have thought that a student has produced such fantastic work that I should see it immediately. Several of these students receive School Awards in this week and it is definitely one of the best things about my job. This was topped off today when Sara Elkirate in year 13 asked me for a copy of the evaluation of staff training I wrote for the Governing Body* to help with her work in Business Studies. Talk about accountability!

Dr Caseby Vice Principal

*I know they are now the ‘Academy Committee’ but I just can’t seem to get the hang of that!