School News (156)
Saint Paul’s in Partnership with Chinese School
PRESS RELEASE - June 2013
Pupil from St Marks West Essex Catholic School given award
Thomas Reynolds was awarded a citizenship award by Bishop Thomas McMahon at Brentwood Cathedral in recognition of his role as an altar-server.
Thomas is an altar-server in his local parish and at staff/student Masses every Friday at 8.15 during term-time. Thomas feels strongly about his faith and says it has provided him with a direction in his life.
As he says, “If you believe in God you find ways to be better.”
We believe that Thomas is an excellent example of a young man who puts his faith into practice by serving others and, as a result we nominated him for this award.
The photograph shows Thomas, with his award, accompanied by Miss Heaphy outside Brentwood Cathedral. He received his award from Bishop Thomas McMahon alongside pupils also receiving awards from 60 other schools in the diocese; including Thomas’ brother Euan, a pupil at St Alban’s. It was both a moving and inspirational occasion hearing of the fantastic work being carried out by our young people in Catholic schools.
Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy Basketball Season 2012-13
23 May 2013
Basketball is a sport which has steadily grown in the last 7 Years at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy. We have been fortunate this Year to have had the opportunity to work with a highly qualified American Basketball coach who was brought over by the Academy to work with our gifted and talented pupils in Year 10 and 11. For two weeks in October the boys were put through their paces with intensive coaching sessions for 4 hours a day and this has helped the young men to have another incredible season.
The Year 11 team, for the fourth Year running, are undefeated in local league fixtures and have won the league and county cup for the fourth Year in a row. They have also competed in the English Schools premier competition and have won every single game. They go into the Final Fours at Nottingham Wildcat Arena on Saturday 18th May for the third straight Year with the opportunity to be the best school in the country at this age group.
The Year 10 team have also had a good Year, narrowly missing out on winning the local league by 1 point. In the County Cup they made the final but unfortunately lost out by a small margin. All of the Year 10 players were a credit to the school and are working hard in training ready for next Year.
We have had a very productive season overall and have an up and coming Year 8 team who are showing signs of developing into a very strong team and these young men qualified for a Derbyshire areas final and finished in third place.
Cathedral filled with Music in Spectacular Recital
20 May 2013 - Press Release
Students from Austin Friars St Monica’s School have held their annual Summer Recital at Carlisle Cathedral.
Students from the Senior School took part in the school’s annual Summer Recital which gives individuals the opportunity to perform in the grandeur of the Cathedral. The evening included musical performances from talented pupils across the school and included a mix of classical and contemporary pieces which were performed in front of a large audience.
Throughout the evening different groups performed. These included; ‘Some Strings Attached’, the Saxophone Ensemble, the Guitar Ensemble, the Junior and Senior Choir, the Brass Ensemble and the Swing Band.
The evening was introduced by ‘Some Strings Attached, a group of talented musicians from the Senior School, who gave a ‘Salute to Abba’ performance, playing ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Money, Money, Money’ as well as an arrangement of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.
The Junior and Senior School Choir performed an enthusiastic rendition of ‘Rhythm of Life’ and the Senior Choir alone took to the stage to sing ‘Close to You’ followed by a brilliant rendition of ‘Moon River’.
During the evening the audience were treated to three solo performances from A Level students Amy Hill, Will Low and James Leitch. With guitar in hand, Amy sang a beautiful version of Radiohead’s ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, Will performed ‘When the Saints Come Marching In’ on the tenor saxophone and James nearly lifted the Cathedral roof off with his performance of ‘Hymne d’Actions de Grâces’ on the organ. All three are coming towards the end of their Upper Sixth year and the Summer Recital marks the last musical performance of their school careers. It always brings mixed emotions for the performers.
Mr Charles Hattrell is the Director of Music at the School and helped to bring everything together. He said: “The Summer Recital brings together pupils and staff from the Senior School in a celebration of music. This concert always marks the end of the musical line for the Upper Sixth students and it adds to the special nature of the occasion. It was a splendid evening with some spectacular musical performances.”
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For more details please contact:
Andrew Hullock
Marketing Administrator
Tel: 01228 550 719 email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Notes to editor
Austin Friars St Monica’s School is the independent day school for girls and boys aged 3-18 years in the centre of Carlisle. The School has a strong reputation in Cumbria and South West Scotland for providing an all-round, high quality education that meets the individual needs of each child.
Academic achievement and strong pastoral care are at the heart of what we do. Focusing on a traditional form of education, every pupil at Austin Friars St Monica’s is also encouraged to take part fully in the all-round life of the School with an extensive range of extra curricular activities available.
Once again, public examination results have been exceptionally good this summer. At A level, 61% of grades were either an A or B grade with the overall pass rate once more 100%. At GCSE, a stunning 50.8% of overall grades were either A* or A with more than a third of students recording an outstanding 8 or more top A* or A grades. A School record-breaking 97% of students achieved 5 or more A* - C grades.
If you want further information on what we provide, please go to our website at www.austinfriars.cumbria.sch.uk
Saint Paul’s Donate the Gift of Water
May 2013 - Press Release
CAFOD, the Catholic Association for Overseas Development, has been benefitting from the fundraising by pupils from Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe. The charity works in many countries to tackle poverty, encourage development and fight for global justice.
The pupils worked hard to raise sufficient money to donate water for a family as they thought that having a glass of water or taking a shower were things that we take for granted everyday and that water should be available for everyone. They did some research and found that boreholes can give people around the world drinking water which won’t kill them and clean water to wash in which will keep them safer from infections.
“At Saint Paul’s we firmly believe in engendering in the pupils a sense of social responsibility and a culture of being givers not takers,” explained Mrs Helen Farrar, Head of Languages at Saint Paul’s. “The pupils did a fantastic job with this fundraising; I am very proud of them and impressed with their attitude and enthusiasm.”
“The school actively supports a number of local, national, and international charities,” commented Mr Wiktor Daron, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “An appreciation and understanding of the ways in which charities help the less fortunate also forms an important part of our curriculum. We encourage our pupils to consider others in need and to help them through giving of both their time and effort.”
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Notes for Editors
1.The 2012 GCSE results for Saint Paul’s Catholic High School were its best ever with 90% of pupils achieving 5 A* - Cs. 59% of pupils gained 5 A*-C plus English and Maths. This is the eighth year in succession that the school has improved its GCSE pass rate.
2.Saint Paul’s received congratulations from the Rt Hon David Laws MP Minister of State for Schools when they were recognised as one of the 100 most improved schools in the country in 2012.
3.At the last Ofsted inspection of the school in March 2010 the following comments were made by the inspectors: “Good teaching enables students to make good progress and achieve well. Relationships between teachers and students are strong. They result in good behaviour.”
The report stated that the school is “enabling students to learn effectively and make good progress. Attainment is rising rapidly as a result. Achievement for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, is good.”
4.The Ofsted report is reinforced by the preceding inspection of the school by the Diocese of Shrewsbury under the guidance of the Bishop of Shrewsbury. The Diocese report stated “Saint Paul’s is a good Catholic school. The Head and Senior Leadership Team have a clear vision ….. an outstanding feature of the school is the pastoral care of students and the support of staff.”
5.Saint Paul’s was the first school in Manchester to be awarded Engineering College status.
6.The work of Saint Paul’s drama teacher, Ms Ellie Brookes, was recognised with her winning the much coveted North West Teacher of the Year Award. Also Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, Ms Ursula Gallagher, gained third place in the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year category of the Northern Area Teacher of the Year.
7.Lively approaches to teaching maintain vigour and ensure that firm foundations are established for higher level work. The school has a modern approach to learning supported by a programme of constant refurbishment and development of its facilities and resources. Saint Paul’s is currently undergoing a total rebuild with the new school buildings due to open in November.
8.The aims of the school are to:
•Teach and foster a Christian perspective in all that it does
•Provide teaching of the highest calibre
•Promote excellence in all areas
•Develop the ability, talents and character of each pupil, enabling them to make their own unique contribution to school life
•Encourage boys to play their part in helping the community run smoothly and effectively, by taking on responsibility and leadership
More information about Saint Paul’s Catholic High School can be found at www.st-paulshigh.net or contact Jane McAuliffe-Hall (Marketing and Publicity Manager) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0161 437 5841.
Learning Chinese at Saint Paul’s
April 2013- Press Release
Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe recently extended their language teaching to include Chinese. They are being taught by the school’s resident Chinese teacher, Mr Yantong Li, from Beijing.
The Year 7 and 8 pupils are not only learning Mandarin Chinese but they are also discovering traditional Chinese cultural activities such as Knot making, Origami and Tai Chi.
Mr Li is here as a cultural envoy to exchange ideas on teaching and breakdown cultural barriers between China and Britain. He was here last year and did a lot of work with the Saint Paul’s feeder primary schools so a lot of the children he is teaching already have a little knowledge of Chinese.
The school has developed a partnership with the Beijing Huimin School which is where Mr Li has come from. Both schools are benefitting through the sharing of expertise and practice, as well as providing opportunities for students and teachers to experience vastly different cultures.
“The subject opens pupils' eyes to the biggest country in the world, it hones general language skills and engages them, especially the boys who relate to the visual and spatial aspects of the language,” explained Mrs Helen Farrar, Head of Modern Languages at Saint Paul’s. “The children are enjoying it as it is something very different to the language lessons they are use to and it can be a subject in which pupils who struggle with other languages do well.”
Mrs Farrar added: “The subject is engaging the pupils, they love learning about the culture and it is very motivating. The whole programme has clearly given many pupils a feeling of confidence and achievement.”
“The partnership has been an excellent opportunity to continue to develop and strengthen our links with China,” said Saint Paul’s Head Teacher, Mr Wiktor Daron. “Working with the Beijing Huimin School has allowed us to enrich our curriculum and support language awareness and learning; and to provide professional development opportunities for staff.”
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Notes for Editors
1.The 2012 GCSE results for Saint Paul’s Catholic High School were its best ever with 90% of pupils achieving 5 A* - Cs. 59% of pupils gained 5 A*-C plus English and Maths. This is the eighth year in succession that the school has improved its GCSE pass rate.
2.Saint Paul’s received congratulations from the Rt Hon David Laws MP Minister of State for Schools when they were recognised as one of the 100 most improved schools in the country in 2012.
3.At the last Ofsted inspection of the school in March 2010 the following comments were made by the inspectors: “Good teaching enables students to make good progress and achieve well. Relationships between teachers and students are strong. They result in good behaviour.”
The report stated that the school is “enabling students to learn effectively and make good progress. Attainment is rising rapidly as a result. Achievement for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, is good.”
4.The Ofsted report is reinforced by the preceding inspection of the school by the Diocese of Shrewsbury under the guidance of the Bishop of Shrewsbury. The Diocese report stated “Saint Paul’s is a good Catholic school. The Head and Senior Leadership Team have a clear vision ….. an outstanding feature of the school is the pastoral care of students and the support of staff.”
5.Saint Paul’s was the first school in Manchester to be awarded Engineering College status.
6.The work of Saint Paul’s drama teacher, Ms Ellie Brookes, was recognised with her winning the much coveted North West Teacher of the Year Award. Also Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, Ms Ursula Gallagher, gained third place in the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year category of the Northern Area Teacher of the Year.
7.Lively approaches to teaching maintain vigour and ensure that firm foundations are established for higher level work. The school has a modern approach to learning supported by a programme of constant refurbishment and development of its facilities and resources. Saint Paul’s is currently undergoing a total rebuild with the new school buildings due to open in November.
8.The aims of the school are to:
•Teach and foster a Christian perspective in all that it does
•Provide teaching of the highest calibre
•Promote excellence in all areas
•Develop the ability, talents and character of each pupil, enabling them to make their own unique contribution to school life
•Encourage boys to play their part in helping the community run smoothly and effectively, by taking on responsibility and leadership
More information about Saint Paul’s Catholic High School can be found at www.st-paulshigh.net or contact Jane McAuliffe-Hall (Marketing and Publicity Manager) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0161 437 5841.
Saint Paul’s Win Catholic Cup!
April 2013 - Press Release
It’s been a fantastic football season for Year 8 pupils from Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe which has culminated in them winning the Greater Manchester Catholic Schools cup.
The Cup Final match, when Saint Paul’s came up against the current cup holders, Cardinal Langley, was extremely tense and hard fought. The game in normal time finished 3-3. Neil Kengni-Kuemo scored with 5 minutes played. Langley equalised after 20 minutes. Jack Doherty scored a free kick from half way line which went top right corner on 25 minutes. In the second half Saint Paul’s were 3 - 2 down and then Neil Kengni-Kuemo scored his second with 2 minutes to play of normal time crashing the ball across the opposition goal keeper. Extra time was close with numerous chances for both sides but no goals sending the tie to penalties. Beat Cardinal Langley 4 - 2 on penalties.
“Winning the Greater Manchester Catholic Schools cup was an amazing achievement for our Year 8 footballers,” explained Mr Darren Mawn, second in PE at Saint Paul’s. “Football is extremely popular at Saint Paul’s. The pupils have a real passion for the game and this is a well deserved achievement for them.”
“We have some avid football fans at Saint Paul’s and it is great to see this interest and commitment reflected in this achievement,” said Mr Wiktor Daron, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “I am very proud of all those who took part; the team has shown great spirit and determination.”
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Notes for Editors
1.The 2012 GCSE results for Saint Paul’s Catholic High School were its best ever with 90% of pupils achieving 5 A* - Cs. 59% of pupils gained 5 A*-C plus English and Maths. This is the eighth year in succession that the school has improved its GCSE pass rate.
2.Saint Paul’s received congratulations from the Rt Hon David Laws MP Minister of State for Schools when they were recognised as one of the 100 most improved schools in the country in 2012.
3.At the last Ofsted inspection of the school in March 2010 the following comments were made by the inspectors: “Good teaching enables students to make good progress and achieve well. Relationships between teachers and students are strong. They result in good behaviour.”
The report stated that the school is “enabling students to learn effectively and make good progress. Attainment is rising rapidly as a result. Achievement for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, is good.”
4.The Ofsted report is reinforced by the preceding inspection of the school by the Diocese of Shrewsbury under the guidance of the Bishop of Shrewsbury. The Diocese report stated “Saint Paul’s is a good Catholic school. The Head and Senior Leadership Team have a clear vision ….. an outstanding feature of the school is the pastoral care of students and the support of staff.”
- Saint Paul’s was the first school in Manchester to be awarded Engineering College status.
- The work of Saint Paul’s drama teacher, Ms Ellie Brookes, was recognised with her winning the much coveted North West Teacher of the Year Award. Also Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, Ms Ursula Gallagher, gained third place in the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year category of the Northern Area Teacher of the Year.
- Lively approaches to teaching maintain vigour and ensure that firm foundations are established for higher level work. The school has a modern approach to learning supported by a programme of constant refurbishment and development of its facilities and resources. Saint Paul’s is currently undergoing a total rebuild with the new school buildings due to open in November.
- The aims of the school are to:
- Teach and foster a Christian perspective in all that it does
- Provide teaching of the highest calibre
- Promote excellence in all areas
- Develop the ability, talents and character of each pupil, enabling them to make their own unique contribution to school life
- Encourage boys to play their part in helping the community run smoothly and effectively, by taking on responsibility and leadership
More information about Saint Paul’s Catholic High School can be found at www.st-paulshigh.net or contact Jane McAuliffe-Hall (Marketing and Publicity Manager) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0161 437 5841.
Saint Paul’s Helps Caritas Charity
PRESS RELEASE - April 2013
Charity fundraising events are part of life at Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe. Recently, Year 8 pupils have been working hard to raise money for Caritas, a Catholic charity aiming to eradicate poverty and social injustice.
The fundraising is part of the year 8 ICT Charity Project unit. The pupils have decided to raise money in school by activities such as cake sales. The pupils also made up food hampers and asked staff and pupils to donate items such as tea, coffee, sugar, soup and cakes; the hampers are aimed at providing a little Easter cheer to the children, mothers and babies and elderly people at Caritas.
“Caritas provides assistance to the most vulnerable regardless of race or religion, on behalf of Catholics around the world,” explained Ms Nafeesa Hamid, IT Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “The charity’s main areas of work are in emergency response, sustainable development and peace building. To do this they focus on six key areas: peace and reconciliation, emergencies, economic justice, climate change, HIV and Aids and women and migration.”
Ms Hamid added “Not only do fundraising activities help others, they also build group cooperation and are an important part of personal development. Our hope is that, through their exposure to a range of activities and causes, our pupils will develop a sense of the type and scale of need that exists in modern life.”
“We are proud of the contribution that our pupils make to a wide range of charities,” commented Mr Wiktor Daron, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “We encourage our pupils to consider others in need and to help them through giving of both their time and effort. The organising of fundraising events is therefore a key part of the school’s ethos.”
Students to represent Cumbria in National Science Competition
2nd April 2013 - Press Release
Four students from Austin Friars St Monica’s School will represent Cumbria in the National Final of the “Top of the Bench” competition which this year will be held at Loughborough University.
The Austin Friars St Monica’s School team, who were crowned Cumbrian champions after winning the regional “Top of the Bench” Chemistry competition in December, will be travelling to Loughborough University, in early April where they will compete against teams from 30 other regions.
“Top of the Bench” is a national competition which is run by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). It pits teams of the best 14-16 year olds in the country against each other in a competition which tests their practical skills and chemical knowledge beyond the Chemistry GCSE syllabus.
Each team comprises of pupils from years 9-11. The Austin Friars St Monica’s team consisting of Kathryn Orr, John Colwell, Robbie Ewart and Jake Kirkpatrick are confident going into the final after beating other Schools from across Cumbria, including West Lakes Academy and St Bees.
Mrs Rosie Fielder, is the Head of Chemistry at the School. She said “This was an ideal opportunity for the students to stretch themselves beyond the syllabus and meet other like-minded pupils in a friendly, but competitive environment.”
The winners of the competition will be crowned National Champions and will receive a trophy and a cheque for the School to spend on new Chemistry equipment.
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For more details please contact:
Andrew Hullock
Marketing Administrator
Tel: 01228 550 719 email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Notes to editor
Austin Friars St Monica’s School is the independent day school for girls and boys aged 3-18 years in the centre of Carlisle. The School has a strong reputation in Cumbria and South West Scotland for providing an all-round, high quality education that meets the individual needs of each child.
Academic achievement and strong pastoral care are at the heart of what we do. Focusing on a traditional form of education, every pupil at Austin Friars St Monica’s is also encouraged to take part fully in the all-round life of the School with an extensive range of extra curricular activities available.
If you want further information on what we provide, please go to our website at www.austinfriars.cumbria.sch.uk
Saint Paul’s Pupils Make Palm Frond Crosses
March 2013 - Press Release
The rustle of palm fronds and the gentle snap of the strands broke the peaceful silence at Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe last week as pupils prepared the delicate palm crosses that they and their families would wear in celebration of Palm Sunday.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week for western Christians, the most sacred period on the Christian calendar. The week is marked by a multitude of emotions. Christians enter the week rejoicing and waving palms as they recall Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, then suffer with Christ through his trial and crucifixion until Easter Sunday and the celebration of his resurrection.
“The pupils were very enthusiastic and patient as they tackled this intricate and delicate craft. I have found that our pupils love making things when there is a purpose,” explained Ms Catherine Platt, School Counsellor. “We wanted to stimulate our pupils’ reflection as Easter approaches. Recalling the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, churches distribute palm leaves in remembrance of people who waved them and carpeted his path with them. One of the things you can do with these palm leaves is to fold them into crosses”
Ms Platt added: “Making palm crosses is a long-held Catholic tradition which we are keen to keep alive at Saint Paul’s. My Uncle Frank had taught me to make the crosses, he tells stories about how they had to make the palms last during the Second World War as they couldn’t access new palms and it has always remained in my mind. Also, one of our pupils, Excite Mukalazi, who has come from Uganda showed us how they make the palm crosses there.”
“We encourage our pupils to reflect on their faith and its meaning to them and activities such as this help us to do so,” commented Mr Wiktor Daron, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “The small crosses made of palm leaf, act to remember the palm leaves which the people of Jerusalem waved when Jesus arrived, and to remember the cross on which he died.”
Notes for Editors
1.The 2012 GCSE results for Saint Paul’s Catholic High School were its best ever with 90% of pupils achieving 5 A* - Cs. 59% of pupils gained 5 A*-C plus English and Maths. This is the eighth year in succession that the school has improved its GCSE pass rate.
2.Saint Paul’s received congratulations from the Rt Hon David Laws MP Minister of State for Schools when they were recognised as one of the 100 most improved schools in the country in 2012.
3.At the last Ofsted inspection of the school in March 2010 the following comments were made by the inspectors: “Good teaching enables students to make good progress and achieve well. Relationships between teachers and students are strong. They result in good behaviour.”
The report stated that the school is “enabling students to learn effectively and make good progress. Attainment is rising rapidly as a result. Achievement for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, is good.”
4.The Ofsted report is reinforced by the preceding inspection of the school by the Diocese of Shrewsbury under the guidance of the Bishop of Shrewsbury. The Diocese report stated “Saint Paul’s is a good Catholic school. The Head and Senior Leadership Team have a clear vision ….. an outstanding feature of the school is the pastoral care of students and the support of staff.”
5.Saint Paul’s was the first school in Manchester to be awarded Engineering College status.
6.The work of Saint Paul’s drama teacher, Ms Ellie Brookes, was recognised with her winning the much coveted North West Teacher of the Year Award. Also Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, Ms Ursula Gallagher, gained third place in the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year category of the Northern Area Teacher of the Year.
7.Lively approaches to teaching maintain vigour and ensure that firm foundations are established for higher level work. The school has a modern approach to learning supported by a programme of constant refurbishment and development of its facilities and resources. Saint Paul’s is currently undergoing a total rebuild with the new school buildings due to open in November.
8.The aims of the school are to:
•Teach and foster a Christian perspective in all that it does
•Provide teaching of the highest calibre
•Promote excellence in all areas
•Develop the ability, talents and character of each pupil, enabling them to make their own unique contribution to school life
•Encourage boys to play their part in helping the community run smoothly and effectively, by taking on responsibility and leadership
More information about Saint Paul’s Catholic High School can be found at www.st-paulshigh.net or contact Jane McAuliffe-Hall (Marketing and Publicity Manager) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0161 437 5841.