Parental Update 12

Dear Parent/Carer,

Parental Update 12

A shorter week to start the season of advent, but still lots of activity within school: with staff marking the Year 11 mock papers, a big Year 11 Geography field trip, Riverside College assembly for Year 11s, we began our KS3 advent chapel visits, had several staff undertake minibus driver training, had two wonderful performances of Matilda and finished this evening with our Year 8 Parents’ Evening.

Congratulations to Year 7 who yet again had the best attendance of the last week though much closer this week – their reward is that they will be early access to the canteen at breaktime next week.

Looking ahead to next week, we continue our Key Stage 3 Chapel visits, have a PE Inflatables Day, an Anne Frank Workshop, staff twilight and we begin some of our student reward events.

This will be the last update of the term, whilst I focus on the end of term newsletter.

Whole School Focus – Christmas card Competition

I was delighted to be able to judge this year’s Christmas Card Competition. There were a very high number of entries this year and the quality of the designs was excellent.

Students had given plenty of thought to their compositions and the messages they wanted to convey through their art. It was particularly encouraging to see that so many of the students had used one or more of our Lasallian Values as the focus of their card.

These themes ranged from the idea of world peace, to reaching out to those on the edges of society, the simplicity of the baby child Jesus to the complexity of the entire planet – along with plenty of tinsel, angels, choirs, holly, and mistletoe!

All those who entered received reward points for their efforts. In addition, we had several brilliant runners up including Jessica Naylor (9) Summer Waites (9) Reuben Walker (78) Aidan Millea (7) and Tess Mullen (9) – each of these received a small individual prize.

However, the winner was Rosa Dutton (9) with her entry – a copy of which is attached with the update. Rosa’s winning design has been turned into this year’s school Christmas card and printed to go out from staff and students here at De La Salle. Well done everyone and especially Rosa!

Matilda

A big thank you to all the parents, staff and families who came out to support our wonderful performing arts students for their performances of Matilda. The quality of the acting was superb, and a fun night enjoyed by all. A big thank you also to our Performing arts staff for their hard work and dedication and a special well done to our wonderful actors, technicians, singers and dancers.

Sporting Updates

Another week of sporting events, activities, fixtures and practices. Congratulations to our U13 girls football who beat Haydock 7-0 in a wonderful game against Haydock. Goals from Liv, Elizabeth (2), Paloma, Kinley (2) and Bella. PoM shared between Paloma and Kinley.

Well done also to our Year 9 boys for their outstanding display in Monday’s victory over St Augustine’s. With students being challenged to apply what they have learnt into their individual battles on the pitch. Goals from Houghton, ward, Ormrod, Jones (2) and Barter. POM was Burrows.

Not to be outdone, our Year 7 boys were also successful in Tuesday’s fixture against Cowley, with lots of great teamwork on show. Goals from Adam (4), Kyle and Robert. PoM were Freddie and Adam.

Finally, 2 of our Year 11 Sports Coaching students took charge of Year 7 rugby training. 1 set of students’ whose journey with us is drawing to a close - the others whose journey is only just beginning. A poignant moment of reflection that epitomises our unique ‘Lasallian Way’.

All of our PE and sport related updates can be found on the wonderful PE Twitter (I just won’t ever call it X!) site @DLSPEDept

School Raffle – Last Chance

There is still time to enter our Christmas Raffle, held to raise funds for our brand-new Rewards Initiative. Every penny raised will go directly back to our pupils, helping us to recognise and celebrate their hard work, positive attitude, and achievements throughout the year.

Raffle tickets are £5 each and are available to purchase exclusively via ParentPay.

This year’s prize bundle is worth over £120 and includes:

£20 St Helens Dart Shop voucher
£20 Amazon voucher
£20 Beyond the Fringe (Kiln Lane, Eccleston) hairstylist voucher
£25 Chill Out Spa, Knowsley voucher
A beautiful Clarins gift basket courtesy of Helen French Beauty (Kiln Lane, Eccleston)

This fantastic selection offers a real treat for you and your family, or the perfect set of Christmas gifts to help save you money this festive season!

Key information:

Tickets available on ParentPay only
Closing date: Thursday 11th December
Raffle draw: Live in the Year 11 assembly on 12th December
The winner will be contacted directly

Thank you to those who have already purchased a ticket and for supporting our school community. Your generosity helps us to provide meaningful and motivating rewards for our pupils.

Parent Support Group - An exciting new opportunity for parents from St Helens Mental health Support Team

St Helens Mental Health Support Team (MHST) are excited to announce that after February half term we will be running Parenting groups to help support parents whose children are presenting with anxiety. This is an exciting new opportunity for parents to meet others, share strategies and learn new skills.

All details and booking form can be found by scanning the QR code on the attached fliers

Lates and Detentions

Can we remind parents that form starts at 8.30 so pupils should be in form ready to start at 8.30. We have a significant number of pupils who are arriving at the gate at 8.30 or afterwards and are therefore late for school. Can I also remind parents to regularly check their emails as detention notices are emailed out directly.

Check out our Socials (repeated item)

We have recently been putting some time into stepping up our social media presence and output for families to access. As well as the many Twitter accounts, we have re-invigorated our Facebook output and Instagram (a big thank you to Mr Metcalf for his work on this):

Facebook: we are De La Salle School (@DLS_St_Helens)
Instagram: @DLS_St_Helens
Twitter: @DLS_St_Helens

Term dates for 2026/27 (repeated) – we have also been informed of one additional Laetare Trust INSET Day that may be added

Autumn Term 2026

INSET Day: Tuesday 1^st
Wednesday 2^nd: School Opens for students
INSET Day: Fri 23^rd October
Half term: School closes for pupils - Thursday 22^nd October
Re-opens - Monday 2^nd November
INSET Day: Friday 4^th Dec
School closes - Friday 18th December

Spring Term 2027

INSET Day: Monday 4^th January
Students return – Tuesday 5^th January
Half term: School closes for pupils - Friday 12th February
Re-opens - Monday 22^nd February
School closes – Thursday 25^th March

Summer Term 2027

Re-opens - Monday 12th April
Bank Holiday - Monday 3^rd May
School closes - Friday 28^th May
Re-opens - Monday 7^th June
INSET Day: Fri 25^th June
School closes for pupils - Friday 16th July

Winter Holiday and Food Programme (repeated)

The Winter Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) will be running from Monday 22nd December 2025 to Friday 2nd January 2026 for all eligible children, young people and families.

All of the information is already available on the HAF webpage prior to the activity bookings links going live on Monday 8th December at 2.00pm for families to book their Winter activities. Please note that activity places are subject to availability.

We would like to ensure that as many eligible families take this offer up over the Winter to remove some of the financial burden to families who are already on the brink.

Please see below the link to the HAF webpage with all of the information about the Winter programme. https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/4060/Holiday-activities-and-food-programme

Reporting Absences (repeated)

Whilst we fine tune our communication systems, will you please report any student absences by using the email: dlsabsence@delasalleschool.org.uk

The absence will then be triaged by our attendance team and may be followed up with a phone call or home visit. Any medical evidence can also be attached to the email.

Attached Information

Alongside this week’s update there is also:

Forthcoming Events (dates in bold indicate a change to normal finish times)

Mon 1^st – Fri 12^th: KS£ Advent Chapel visits
Thu 4^th: Year 8 Parents’ Evening
Fri 5^th: INSET Day (school closed to students)
Wed 10^th: PE Inflatables Day
Wed 10^th: Anne Frank Workshop
Mon 15^th: Year 10 Rewards Afternoon
Tue 16^th: Year 8 Rewards Afternoon
Wed 17^th: Year 7 Rewards Morning
Wed 17^th: Year 11 Rewards Afternoon
Thu 18^th: Carols by Candlelight
Fri 19^th: School finishes for Christmas (12.10pm) no buses

Christmas Holidays

Mon 5^th Jan: School re-opens

And finally… Advent Calendars

I don’t know about you, but when I was a child an Advent calendar was a simple thing: 24 little windows, each revealing a moment of the Advent story - prophecy, the angel visiting Mary, the census, the journey to Bethlehem and so on. At some point this noble tradition evolved… first into chocolates, then beauty products, and now you can get virtually anything behind an Advent window. Wine! Whiskey! I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before someone launches an Advent calendar of Advent calendars.

In recent years I’ve even succumbed to this modern madness by creating a bespoke Advent calendar for Mrs R filled with treats and gifts. But this year I’ve been spared the effort: a delivery mishap at John Lewis meant that when my son bought his girlfriend a calendar, the late delivery was soothed by sending two of them - so Mrs R is delighted, and I’m off the hook.

Despite all this, I remain a traditionalist at heart. The core message of Advent should not be drowned out by the dulcet tones of Estee Lauder gift sets. So, I proudly maintain a traditional calendar which I open each morning. Wanting the whole family to bask in its spiritual glow, I placed it in the perfect spot - right above the fire in the main living room.

Curiously, every evening when I come home, it appears to have “fallen” and “drifted” to the side table. Gravity is clearly very selective in our household.

Still, I persevere. I like to think of myself as a modern-day missionary, bravely carrying the light of Advent into the consumer-obsessed wilds of Family Rannard—one mysteriously relocated calendar at a time.

Have a good weekend,

Andrew Rannard (Headteacher)