We have had a wonderful start to the new school year and I have been particularly pleased with the way our new Year 7 and 12 pupils have integrated into school life and been made welcome by the rest of the community. Sixth Form at St Augustine’s remains very popular and this year we recruited over 100 pupils onto a range of courses and our Sixth Form Open Evening in October was attended by over 400 visitors. In addition to welcoming the new students, we also welcomed 12 new staff whom we are sure will thrive in this wonderful community. I was delighted with the summer examination results which once again were superb and place the College amongst the very best in the country. At A Level, 52% of grades were achieved at A*-B which was higher than the previous year and 80% achieved at A*- C which represents B- as the average grade per entry. I am pleased that these results have enabled the pupils to access their university of choice or chosen career path. At GCSE, 79% of our pupils secured 5 standard passes (A*-C and/or 9-4) including English and Maths. Our Progress 8 score of 0.52 was significantly higher than the national average and places the school in the top 12% of non-selective state schools in the country. Progress 8 is the new measure of the progress children make between the end of primary school and the end of secondary school and is designed to encourage good quality teaching across a broad curriculum. Progress 8 is based on pupils’ performance in eight qualifications. These are English and Maths, at least one Science, and pupils’ five highest scores from a range of other GCSEs. English and Maths are given double weighting to reflect their importance. I am very proud of the pupils’ combined achievements and would like to express my thanks to them for the tremendous effort that they put into their studies and the staff for their dedication and parents for supporting both their children and the College. You can compare St Augustine’s exam performance with other schools at www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk.The College has been wonderfully busy since the term started and highlights have included; the Year 7 and Sixth Form retreats, auditions for the summer production of Peter Pan, mock Oxbridge interviews, GCSE Pod workshops for Year 10, visit by World Championship Gold medallist and former pupil Danny Talbot, International Film festival, CATs (!), mufti day for CAFOD Harvest Fast, Art trip to Tate Modern, Extra-Curricular Fair, CAFOD Young Volunteers Training, Cross Country Trials, Sixth Form CAFOD Young Leaders, Key Stage 4 Revision Evening, West Wilts Cross Country, Netball Mid-Wilts tournament, European Day of Languages, Year 12 Safe Drive Stay Alive roadshow, Year 12 physics trip to CERN and KS4 geography trip to the Bay of Naples. My thanks to staff and volunteers for enabling these activities to take place. We held a series of Parent Engagement evenings which were very well attended. The evenings focused on a variety of topics relating to each Key Stage and presentations from the events are available on the college website. The importance of attendance was stated and so I ask that you do not request any holiday time that is outside term time.In our Academic Mass this month we welcomed Fr Tom Finnegan as our school Chaplain and new Parish Priest for St John’s. We came together as a worshipping community to ask God’s blessing and guidance for the coming school year. During this celebration, the staff renewed their commitment to Catholic education and the students committed themselves to love and respect their teachers and, through their hard work, care and attention, to help make this school a thriving community of love and service.Finally, thank you very much for ensuring that your son/daughter’s uniform conforms with the college rules and that it is worn correctly and, more importantly, with pride.

Mr J. AlsopHead Teacher

From the Head Teacher

Jubilee Year 1967-2017

Term 1 — 2017-18

International Lasallian Days for Peace

21st September until 21st October

We once again joined with Lasallians around the world in spending the month praying for peace. Through assemblies, retreat activities and activities in Chapel students and staff were encouraged to reflect on the practical things they can do to be peacemakers.

FIFA18 SoundtrackA piece of music by brothers Callum and Ewan Merrett, who are ex-students, has been included on the new EA FIFA18 soundtrack. Their tune ‘Wages’ was chosen to be one of the 41 worldwide songs used for the games soundtrack. The brothers have been writing their own music since they were at the College. Congratulations to them both and to their group ‘Bad Sounds’ who start a UK tour next week.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PNUoWbMPNA

College News

New Members of StaffI am pleased to welcome the following new members of staff:Mrs Bedrock – Teacher of ScienceMiss Elliot – Teacher of Psychology and SociologyMiss Gaskin – Teacher of PE and Head of Year 9Mr Hepenstall – PorterMiss Jessup – Teacher of HistoryMiss Littlejohn – PE ApprenticeMrs Mochrie – Teacher of DramaMrs Mole – Teacher of ScienceMrs Northcote Green – Teacher of MFLMiss Sutton – Teacher of MFLMr King – Teaching PartnerMiss Richards – Teacher of ICTMrs Simpson – Returning as temporary Teaching PartnerMs Walmsley – Science Technician

Sixth Form RetreatsWe were delighted to be able to welcome the youth team from St Cassian’s Retreat Centre to college for two days in October to lead the Sixth Form day retreats. Through a variety of creative activities the Sixth Form reflected on our Lasallian core values, on the International Lasallian Days for Peace and on issues of social injustice around the world.

CongratulationsCongratulations to Joshua Slark who represented Wiltshire in the County Badminton Under 18’s singles and doubles.

Former StudentCongratulations to former student Neil Clark who has taken up his first post as a Physical Education Teacher at Priory Community Academy in Worle, Weston-super-Mare.

European Day of LanguagesThe Modern Languages Department celebrated the European Day of Languages on the 26th September again this year. Both the pupils and staff were buzzing as a variety of activities were organised. Year 7 arrived in style wearing or carrying hats they had made with a European theme; from paella to sweets, flamenco dancers to croissants, all pupils created something incredibly ambitious and often appetising. Other pupils taught each other a new language, created famous monuments from scrap materials or researched and presented European countries to their group. Flags adorned the dining room, music from various European radio stations was played at lunchtime and the canteen incorporated European tastes

Golden Book Nominees for September 2017Year 7 Cecily Knollys (7B) for her contribution to lessons, focus and being an all-round hard worker, Niamh

O’Driscoll (7F) for her kindness and caring towards her peers and Amelia Hendrickx (7M) for an excellent start in History.

Year 8 Greta Laverty (8B) and Valentine Lesault (8B) for helping the Tempest photographers all day.Year 9 Phillip Amson (9C), Tristan Dowling (9C), Charlotte Grew (9C), Jacob Tripp (9T), Gabriela Wnuk

(9T), Samuel Goddard (9F), Millie Lewis (9F), Callum MacMahon (9F) for outstanding work in ICT and Archie Farthing (9F), George Easterbrook (9M), Cristiano Francisco (9B), Anuska Kaczmarek (9T), Joanna Kusznerko (9T) for outstanding effort and contribution in PE.

Year 10 Paige Macdonald (10B) for working very hard on writing a fictional novel over the last three years and completing it this September.

Year 11 Natasha Lesiakowska (11T) for outstanding work in English, Art and Design Technology and Beth Lucas (11F), Urszula Kalinowska (11M), Henrietta Pritchard (11B), Tilly Collis (11M), Mollie Cox (11T), Anna Zammit (11T), Araminta Uncles (11T) for being positive, engaging, independent and delightful in Performing Arts.

into the menu. Another fun day celebrating the increasing range of languages and cultures of the College.

West Wiltshire Schools Area Cross Country

Tuesday 17th October at Stonar.

A squad of cross country athletes represented St Augustine’s at the West Wiltshire Schools Area Cross Country at Stonar School before half term winning a total of 9 medals overall. In the age group teams, Minor Boys, and Senior Boys came 1st, Inter Boys came 2nd, Junior Girls came 3rd, Minor Girls came 4th and both Junior Boys and Inter Girls came 5th from a total of nine schools competing. Individually, William Andrews [9B] and James Gordon [10T] won Bronze Medals, Jake Edwards [7M ], Fraser Middleton [9F], Robert Howorth [13PAS] each took Silver and Joseph Andrews [7C], Freya Buglass [9C], Rory Howorth [11M] and John Howorth [13NIC] all won Gold Medals.

Science Club Research Students in the Science Club are currently working with the University of Bath to complete their own scientific research projects. The students will present their projects at a Science Fair at John of Gaunt School on Saturday 25th November (time tbc). Students are welcome to come along to learn something new and support the Science Club.

Young EnterpriseThis year’s Young Enterprise Company is called JESTA. They are designing and applying glitter tattoos for parties and events; find them online and at BOOM! JESTA also design and cut vinyl in a variety of colours, perfect for

window decals, helmet stickers or practically any surface. Prices are very competitive, starting at £1. Designs are available in a range of pre-cut shapes or to order. Contact the group at JESTAYE@gmail.com.

Town Hall ArtsIf you have been to Town Hall Arts in Trowbridge to see the Andrea V Wright Exhibition in the cells, you must have also seen the fantastic wall mural that our Year 12 students made at a workshop in early September with the artist. The students had only had two art lessons before being thrown into the deep end and making a collaborative piece of work in a public gallery! Andrea also gave a guided tour of her exhibition. Back in school, they have made some excellent work based on this experience.

London Art TripIn October Year 10 and A level Art students travelled to London to Tate Modern and Tate Britain.At Tate Modern the students made studies form major works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet, Warhol and Degas, before catching the boat to Tate Britain. The most popular painting for the students was Millais ‘Ophelia’ with Chris Ofili’s ‘No Woman, No Cry’ a close second.

Accurate Attendance RecordingParents may already be aware that our afternoon registration session is now combined with lesson 4. We have stressed the importance to our students of registering correctly and accurately for this legal requirement. Please help our young people do this correctly by reminding them of the significance/impact of being accurately recorded as present/absent in college. If a student misses part of a lesson because of a music lesson or for any other reason, they should complete the Attendance Slip.

500 Club WinnersSeptember1st £50 – Mr N Wawer2nd £25 – Mrs M Truckle3rd £25 – Mrs S Westley October1st £50 – Mrs H Ward2nd £25 – Mrs M Macdonald3rd £25 – Mrs S Charleton

FORTHCOMING EVENTSOctober30th Start of Term 2November3rd STEM Wiltshire Festival of Engineering9th Year 12 Parents Evening10th Herman Miller11th Tin Drum - Drama Theatre Trip13th Year 9 Challenge Team UK Year 12 Challenge Team UK15th Year 11 Mock Examinations start17th Yr12 Open Evening18th Bath Fashion Museum23rd Year 10 Parents Evening Things I Know to be True24th Teacher Development Day 3 Othello and Streetcar tripsDecember4th Christmas Lunch5th Christmas Lunch6th Year 7 Advent Service7th Year 13 Parents Evening8th Berlin9th Parish Christmas Bazaar12th Christmas Lunch Carol Service15th Year 11 Mocks Assembly19th Former Year 11 and 13 Presentation20th End of Term 2

2018

January4th Teacher Development Day5th Teacher Development Day8th Start of Term 3

N.B.: All older newsletters can be found at: http://sta.cc/newsletters

The induction of the new Year 7 students in September ready for their new start at Senior School

Message from the Finance OfficeWhen paying for Trips/Ordering Resources, please respond by the closing date deadline quoted in the letters and send in separate cheques/payments for each trip/activity/resource. Thank you!

World Biathle and Triathle Championships

Congratulations to James Gordon (10T) after returning from the World Biathle and Triathle Championships in September as a double gold medallist. Competing for Great Britain in Viveiro, Northern Spain, James won gold on the first day of competition in the Mixed Biathle Relay and secured a team gold for the u15 Boys on the final day. Well done!

St Augustine’s Catholic College • Wingfield Road • Trowbridge • Wiltshire • BA14 9EN