St Bedes Catholic College

Long Cross, Bristol BS11 0SU

Tel: (0117) 3772200 Fax: (0117) 3772201

NEWSLETTER 183
2010

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

17th September
Year 11 Post 16
6.30pm
Information Evening
22nd September
Year 13 A2 Biology Field trip leaves
25th September
6.30pm
26th September
1st October
6.30pm

OPEN EVENING
for Year 5 and 6 pupils
Year 13 A2 Biology
Field Trip returns
College Drama Production
Blood Brothers

PUPILS SOARING HIGH

Congratulations to Year 10 pupil Matthew Simmons and
Year 11 pupil Sebastian Smaka who have become two of
the youngest people in the UK to fly an aircraft solo.
The pupils who dream of becoming pilots were awarded a
scholarship at the Bristol and Gloucestershire Glider Club
this summer.
Matthew who did three flights last weekend, including a
31-minute soaring effort said As soon as I got up in there I
felt pretty confident, despite feeling nervous beforehand.
Congratulations to both pupils, a fantastic achievement.

12th September 2014

St. Bedes awarded Geography Quality Mark
We are delighted to announce that
we have been successful in our
application to secure the Secondary
Geography Quality Mark. The
National Moderation Team met in
Sheffield in August to scrutinise our
application and were pleased to
award us this accolade at the beginning of September.
The award recognises quality and progress in geography
leadership, curriculum development, learning and teaching
in school.

A GREAT START FOR YEAR 7

It has been a hectic two weeks for all of our pupils, but
particularly the new year 7 cohort who have settled into
life at St Bedes so confidently. Despite the volume of
information, our new pupils have made a fantastic start.
We welcome to the year 7 team our tutors:
Mr Hunt, Ms Scadding-Hunt, Mrs Lewis,
Mr OGallagher, Miss Hirani, Miss Smith and Miss Bate and
wish the year 8s well for their continued journey through
school.
I have been very impressed with the confidence and
enthusiasm of our year 7s and can already tell, they are
going to be a highly successful group.
With the retreat day and a whole world of new lessons
coming up, this term is certainly an exciting and a busy one.
Mrs Carmichael Head of Year 7

Sebastian Smaka and Matthew Simmons

OPEN EVENING
25th September 2014 6.30pm 8.30pm
Parents and children are welcome to attend our Open
Evening on 25th September. Information will be provided
by Ms Hughes Principal and visitors may tour the College
and collect our Prospectus. Additional Information forms
from Applicants for Year 7 must arrive in College by 31st
October 2014. Parents must also have submitted the
Common Application Form to their Local Authority by 31st
October 2014.

NATIONAL SPEAKING COMPETITION

On Sunday 14th September, Year 12 pupil
Ben Whitfield will be competing in the National Public
Catenian Speaking Contest in Manchester. Ben, who was
award first place in the regional competition last October is
looking forward to the event. The final is open to pupils
aged 16 to 18 years old who attend Catholic Schools.
We wish Ben the best of luck and will let you know the
outcome in the next issue of our newsletter.

ABRSM MUSIC EXAMINATIONS

Congratulations to the following pupils who recently
passed their ABRSM music examinations:
Jack Burns Year 9
Piano Grade 5 Merit
Hannah Hart Year 8
Flute Grade 4 Merit
Theresa Herron Year 8
Flute Grade 4 Merit
NATIONAL CUP FOOTBALL
Year 11 Football Result Round 1
Katherine Lady Berkeley 1 v St. Bedes 2
PAST PUPIL SUCCESS
Congratulations to past pupil and ex-head girl Catherine
Morgan who has graduated at Cardiff University with a
medical degree. Catherine will now take a post as a
foundation doctor in Middlesbrough.
We are always pleased to receive news from past pupils as
well as postgraduate photographs so please let us know.

PERIPATETIC MUSIC LESSONS

Peripatetic music lessons will commence on Monday, 15th
September. Weekly timetables will be displayed in the
music corridor. Please encourage your child to check them
weekly as lesson times change. There are still a few spaces
available for a range of peripatetic lessons. Letters are
available from Ms Lobbett and Mr Lewis and should be
returned to Mrs Nicholas in the finance office as soon as
possible.

CHOIR AND BAND REHEARSALS

Choir will take place on Tuesdays at 1.30pm.
New members are welcome.
Orchestra/Band on Wednesdays at 1.30pm.

EXTENDED LIBRARY HOURS

An extra study period will again be available this academic
year in the library from Monday to Thursday until 4.30pm.
This is a perfect opportunity for pupils and sixth form
students to work independently in a quiet environment.
SPaG Matters
At 4 o'clock, I'll be there.
I'll be there, at 4 o'clock.
We know that adverbs modify verbs, e.g., He ran quickly.
(Quickly is the adverb, and ran is the verb.)
When an adverb consists of more than one word, it is
known as an adverbial phrase, e.g., He ran like the wind. If
this phrase contains its own verb, it's called an adverbial
clause, e.g., He ran like his life depended on it.

CHAPLAINCY
The chaplaincy team
at St Bedes would
like to invite students
in year 10 to 13 to
attend the National
Youth Congress Flame II held at Wembley Arena on
Saturday 7th March 2015. We have the capacity to take 15
students from St Bedes to London in the morning and
return in the evening. Pope Benedict said of young people
on his visit to England in 2010, the church belongs to you
now and, as young people, we are called to fan into
flames the gifts that God has given us (2 Timothy 1:6). This
is a wonderful opportunity for students of St Bedes to join
with thousands of young Catholics from around the UK,
listen to some excellent, and inspirational speakers, enjoy
great modern Christian music, and grow deeper in their
faith. The cost of the trip, including ticket and travel, will
be 20. If you are interested in taking part in the biggest
national Catholic youth event please come and see Mr
Gibbs (the chaplain) in the RF office for more information.

Poem of the week

BLACKBERRY PICKING
Late August, given heavy rain and sun
for a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
sent us out with milk-cans, pea-tins, jam-pots
where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
we trekked and picked until the cans were full,
until the tinkling bottom had been covered
with green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
with thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
that all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
Seamus Heaney
WISE WORDS
The road to success begins at your doorstep - so open your
door.
Author unknown