St Anne's Catholic School St Anne's Catholic School

Parent Update 30th April 2021

30th April 2021

Dear Parents,

I am trying a new way of presenting our updates to see how well it works in terms of clarity of communication with parents. The new format of this update can be found by clicking the following link. The messages are duplicated below in case this new format doesn’t work.

St Anne's Catholic School Parent Update 30th April 2021

Your feedback, as ever, is welcome, on consultation@st-annes.uk.com.

Year 11 students after May Half Term

Thank you to all year 11 parents who have fed back on our proposals for how best to support year 11 students in that strange gap between assessments finishing and school ending. We have taken this feedback, along with that of pupils through their tutor reps, and also staff, to design a final plan which will now look a little different from those initial proposals. We have also aligned it with what other schools and colleges are planning to do in the city to ensure a consistent approach. We will send this out to pupils and parents next week.

Wednesday P5 next year

In 2019, we faced the need to think creatively about how we dealt with the underfunding we experienced alongside schools up and down the country. If you want a trip down memory lane, where our biggest threat was only finances and not a global pandemic, you can read about it here.

We consulted the school community on ways to save money, and we had a brilliant response: we came up with all kinds of ways that really helped. The biggest and most painful decision we made was the reduction of the school week by one period to 24 periods a week as opposed to the 25 periods we have had for many years. At the time, we were clear that this would only be for as long as funding didn’t allow 25 periods a week.

We have now had in and analysed our funding for 2021-2022 and due to a number of national factors, we can now afford to go back to 25 periods a week from September. This seems even more relevant given the loss of curriculum time our pupils have faced these last two academic years.

Before simply making this decision, however, I want to consult the school community on this in case the change has had such unexpected benefits that replacing it results in issues we had not foreseen.

Can I ask any parents that have a view on the return of a 25 period week to respond with this simply survey. For clarity, we are proposing to increase the amount of teaching by 1 hour a week by returning Wednesdays to a 5 period day. As a result, Wednesdays will end at 15:25 like the other four days of the week.

SURVEY

Unifrog access now available to all year groups!

We are delighted to be able to provide access for all Year groups (7-13) to Unifrog – a comprehensive destinations platform. Unifrog is a one-stop-shop for students across KS3, KS4 and KS5 regardless of their interests or academic ability. Unifrog covers every pathway – from traineeships, Intermediate, Advanced, Higher and Degree Apprenticeships, every course available at FE colleges and UK Universities, and even information about studying abroad. The platform will allow your daughter orson to explore their personal strengths and aptitudes, consider their education and career options and goals. All this is accessible online on a computer, tablet, or phone.

You daughter or son will have received an email in the last few months. Years 11-13 were sent in November, Years 9-10 in December and Years 7-8 in January. This was sent to their school email address containing details of how to log on (Their email address is configured as firstnamesurname@student.st-annes.uk.com and their password is same as the one used for Teams). If they have any difficulties logging in they can contact Mrs Julie Gough via Teams.

It is also possible for parents to create their own login – if you wish to do so please email Mrs Gough (Julie.gough@st-annes.uk.com) for details.

Earrings and Jewelry

A reminder that the expectations with regards to jewellry have not changed due to the pandemic!

We know that pupils sometimes wish to get piercings, especially in the summer holidays. The only jewellery that pupils are allowed to wear when at school or in uniform is as follows:

Small (size of the piercing), round, plain (single material) studs (gold-, silver-, pearl-coloured) - one per ear lobe, may be worn by girls with pierced ears.
A small, plain metal cross or crucifix may be worn on a plain metal chain.
No other piercings are permitted (this includes being covered with a plaster).

Retainers or clear jewellery are not permitted under any circumstances. Acrylic/false nails, nail varnish and make up are not permitted. Parents are requested to ensure that girls bear this in mind when considering a new piercing. Girls in breach of these rules will be required to remove items which may be confiscated, and repeat offences may require a parent to collect them. Thank you for your support with this.

EU Settlement Scheme

We have received the following message from Southampton Local Authority which they have asked us to pass on to the parents of any children who are from: the EU (except Ireland), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

It contains important information that some families with children of EU, EEA and Swiss families do not realise the Settlement Scheme process needs to be completed for any children too.

Each child must have their own application. You can apply for your child or they can apply for themselves.

Please click on the link below for more information. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKSOUTHAMPTON/bulletins/2c274ac

Remembrance Tree

As we have been travelling through this pandemic, there has been a trend of attaching items to trees as a form of remembrance for those that have been affected. Miss Jones and her tutor group, 7 Bernadette, have, on behalf of us all, created pom-poms that have been put up on the tree in the quad this week. They are a symbol of what we have been through as a school community. Our thanks to her and 7 Bernadette for making them for us!

Plus, a massive thank you to the parent who gifted the staff these lovely flowers! A massive thank you from a grateful staff.

Have a lovely long weekend!

God Bless

James Rouse

Headteacher