Parental Update 2 - 11th September 2026

Dear Parent / Carer,

Parental Update 2

There is a famous saying in media – ‘never work with children or animals’ I think for education, that could be changed to never work with IT! I will start off with an apology for any issues families and students are having with any of the new IT systems. Change is always challenging, especially so when dealing with IT, so thank you for your patience and resilience as we smooth out these wrinkles which are largely beyond our control (parents should have received separate communication about the IT systems).

IT issues apart, the start of term has otherwise gone smoothly, and the students are now back into the swing of things. Our Year 7s have begun their baseline assessments and reading tests, the photographer has picked up those who were missed last week and we had our school improvement partner give some very positive feedback from her visit (see later).

Looking ahead to next week, our Year 7 students continue their baseline assessments and some CAT tests – these are nothing to worry about for the students and no revision needed, just a way of us identifying any gaps in learning. We also have our Year 8 Information evening (information regarding this will go out separately) and there is a parental meeting for parents of students going on the Tenerife trip.

Whole School Focus – School Development Plan

The start of every school year is driven by the annual School Development Plan (SDP).  This is the plan that sets out how, as a school, we seek to improve in order to move closer to achieving our school mission.

The past two years have seen us focusing upon the core foundations of behaviour and securing understanding the science of learning with the staff. Much of this work is established and now in the maintain phase and we are seeing the benefits of that work.

It is on these strong foundations that we have written this year’s SDP which is as simple as A, B, C and 1, 2, 3 – literally as you can see from the tables below:

We have three priorities: Attend Belong Challenge. Each of these 3 areas then has 3 strands:

Obviously, underneath these high-level aims, there are more detailed planning documents setting out the planned work that will take place across the school for the year ahead, but I hope this gives you an idea of the work we are doing this year.

Social Media – Snapchat Groups

We have been made aware that some pupils are being added to Snap chat groups with unknown adults. This is obviously a concern that we will address with students but parents are advised to talk to their children about this and if it has happened to their child, to ensure the person is blocked and report the matter to the police. 

School Improvement partner Visit

Our school improvement partner is Vicky Atherton. Her background is in school and Local Authority senior leadership and school improvement, as well as being a serving Ofsted inspector. Her role is to provide support and challenge to the school on our school improvement journey.

Her first visit of this academic year was on Wednesday where, after me sharing our summer results analysis, she accompanied members of the Senior Leadership Team around on Learning Walks – visiting classrooms and observing school life.

It was very pleasing to hear her positive feedback on what she felt were clear improvements even from her last visit in the summer – in particular the calm focus around the school and clear evidence of the teaching strategies we have been working with staff on. Vicky will be back later this half term for another visit.

Laetare Multi Academy Trust

As many of you will know, our school, though still firmly a Lasallian school, is also a member of the Laetare Multi Academy Trust. This is a national trust which is exclusively for Religious Order schools like us. Currently there are 5 schools in the Trust: ourselves, St Edwards (Liverpool) St Ambrose (Hale), St Josephs (stoke) and St Anselm’s (Birkenhead).

Since September, the Trust has now expanded its central team in order to be better able to support the schools. We now have access to a team that cover HR, IT, Finance, Safeguarding and Governance, all led by our CEO, Jonathan Jones. I have to admit that it has been great to now have that additional support as headteacher.

Student Planners

You may have noticed we have issued students with planners this year to support their organisation, self-review and learning. I would encourage parents to check and sign their child’s planner weekly. Can I also ask parents to read and sign the home school agreement that is near the front of the planner – showing our shared commitment to supporting your child.

Mobile Phones and Equipment

Under the new legislation, phones are not permitted in school. Our approach is that they must be turned off before entering school and away in their bags, not in pockets. Any phones seen must be confiscated.

Alongside this, it is also worth reminding families that students must have their planners and bags with them every day.  

Year 7 Assessments

Our year 7 students have sat baseline assessments & reading tests this week. Their efforts & focus have been exemplary & have not gone unnoticed by their teachers. 

Next week, year 7 students will sit CATS tests. These tests are designed to help teachers identify any learning needs to ensure students are supported to access the curriculum & to ensure teaching groups in all subjects are best suited to students’ needs. 

Parking – Eccleston Green Court

Can I remind parents not to park near the school gates and also inform parents that Eccleston Green Court (next to Greenall’s Club) is a private road and estate. The residents have raised concerns about parents parking on the private road and have warned of taking action against any unathorised use.

Careers Newsletter

Alongside the parental update each week you will also receive our weekly careers Newsletter. I have always been a strong believer in the importance of good careers education to build ambition and expand horizons. In school we have a great team led by Mrs Moran and Mrs Scully who drive our careers education and facilitate all sorts of high-quality careers experiences.

The newsletter is an additional resource that we share to allow parents an insight and to help you have conversations with your child on relevant areas. I have attached last week’s and this week’s editions.

Repeated Item - Message from the National Children’s Commissioner

As children and young people return to school for the new academic year, I am writing to ask for your support in making sure pupils at your school have the opportunity to take part in my national survey, The Big Future. I have only heard from less than ten children at your school.

The survey can be completed here: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/thebigfuture.

I have already heard from hundreds of thousands of children and young people across England, and the majority of schools have now taken part. It is crucial that children at your school have the chance to add their voices too, so that their experiences, views and aspirations are represented when I present the findings of the survey to Government.

Attached Information

Alongside this week’s update there is also:

• - Parental Information Sheet
• - Careers Newsletter x 2

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

September:

• o Mon 7^th – Fri 18^th: Year 7 Baseline Assessments
• o Mon 11^th: Cowley 6^th Form Assembly for Year 11
• o Thu 17^th: Tenerife Trip Parental Meeting 5pm
• o Thu 17^th: Year 8 Parental Information Evening 5.30pm
• o Fri 25^th – Sun 27^th: Year 10 Hawse End Educational Visit (EV)

October:

• o Thu 1^st Open Evening (school closes at 12.10pm) – No buses
• o Thu 8^th: Year 10 High Prior Attainers (HPA) Information Evening 5pm
• o Fri 9^th – Tue 13^th: EV Year 9 Geography Trip to Tenerife
• o Sat 10^th: Year 11 Alton Towers EV
• o Thu 15^th: Pastoral Parents’ Evening (online) for Years 7-10
• o Thu 15^th: Year 11 Parents’ Information Evening 5pm
• o Thu 22^nd: Students finish for half term (3pm)
• o Fri 25^th: Laetare Trust INSET Day (students do not attend)

Half Term

And finally…Trigger Point

In a busy household it is often hard to find time to be together, so Mrs R and I will usually try to ensure that by 9pm we have finished any jobs or school work (she is a teacher too) and can watch something together on TV.

Now I’m very much an early bird so when we do start watching the latest thriller or crime drama, I am at severe risk of not always making it to the end of an episode. Like a nodding dog I will slip between Ludwig and snoozing. At first, I used to suggest we stopped watching – much to MRs R’s annoyance, but more recently, I have decided just to accept I will never actually get to see the end of it or find out who the killer is.

That was until the latest series of Trigger Point (TV show focussing on a bomb disposal / anti-terror team in London) in which the lead character ‘Wash’ spends her time racing from derelict building to derelict building deactivating bombs – with varied success.

Now Mrs R enjoys these programmes but doesn’t cope well with tension – I would say the Tom and Jerry level of jeopardy was her limit. So most of the programme she spends covering her eyes and exclaiming “Oh My God” “Eeek” “aagghh” “I can’t cope”.

Far from being annoying, it is quite entertaining and, even better, her sudden squeals and shocked shouts are the perfect antidote to my snoozing. Meaning I get to see what happens in the end for a change.

Have a good weekend.

Andrew Rannard

Headteacher