End of Term Review

The commemorative tile on the wall of St. Julian’s East Wing, placed in honour of the graduating class of 2022, reads, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” This is a quote from the cult classic movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and well worth considering at this time of year. The cadence of schools is often incredibly busy during term time, with regular pauses for extended holidays. It is a particular rhythm, and while the summer break is long enough to include many activities, including reflecting on the passing of time, the Christmas break can pass by in a flash of tinsel and fireworks unless we force ourselves to pause and reflect. 

As always, St. Julian’s continues to develop and seek to offer the best experience for our children. Our Year 12 had a successful start with a focus on clarity of expectations and setting students up for success in each of their subjects. We have protected time for subject teams to continue to develop the teaching and learning in their subject areas. Teaching is a demanding profession and all of our staff are dedicated to helping St. Julian’s students to be the best they can be. This is an opportune moment to say THANK YOU for their hard work and commitment - I encourage our students and families to do the same, as a little gratitude really does go a long way.

Earlier this term, a first step was taken to extend the trips offered at the start of the year with the vision that all secondary students will experience activities early in the first half term next year. We know that there is work to be done to ensure that these experiences are of high quality for all students, and we have staff working on it already. There have been a multitude of subject-linked trips and experiences, which have been a great success in enhancing learning and engagement.

The Health & Citizenship curriculum continues to go from strength to strength as the programme is refined - parent attendance at H&C workshops has supported community engagement and understanding to promote the school-home partnership around these vital topics. Our DEI Coordinator, Mr Thorpe, has done some excellent work behind the scenes and through the focus weeks on Black History and Disability Awareness.

The breadth of experience offered at St. Julian’s was further demonstrated by the recent Computer Science Education Week and Coding Competition - the first held at the school. The MUN groups are growing in number and have attended conferences locally. Some students will soon travel further afield to Washington DC, whilst St. Julian’s is also planning to host a junior conference in May. Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh team has been reviewing and enhancing the programme to support students completing the awards and also develop even more exciting and challenging expeditions.

The pastoral care at St. Julian’s is exceptional, and we are continually looking for ways to develop and improve this fundamental aspect of school, which is essential for students to thrive. Our new Lead Counsellor, Edele Nolan, has been instrumental in developing our school-home partnership by hosting a series of parent webinars, which have been well received and will continue in the New Year. You can find links to previous issues of the Lighthouse in the Parent Portal.

Pastoral care of young people is a constantly evolving aspect of education and we are proud of the work of the tutors, support tutors, Heads of Year and subject teachers in creating a culture where every student should feel safe and supported. We are aware that there are some issues that need continued attention. Forming and maintaining positive relationships has been an area of focus for Years 7, 8 & 9 this term and has been addressed in specific assemblies and lessons. However, we know that some students need further support and intervention to ensure they understand how to be good citizens and treat others with compassion both in and out of school, in person and online. We will continue to work with students and families in school and through workshops. 

I hope that you all have an opportunity this holiday to reflect on what you are proud of and perhaps set some goals for the coming year. After all, “We don’t learn from experience; we learn from reflecting on experience”. (John Dewey)

Have a wonderful holiday, and I look forward to seeing you in 2024!

Mr Dan Norbury
Secondary Section Principal