CEO FOREWORD
Welcome to the first edition of the Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust’s termly review. Throughout the pages of this review, we will look back at all of the fantastic opportunities available to our pupils across the Trust
The Trust’s motto (Omnia in Uno – Everything in One) captures its foundational essence and institutional mission: just as we are all one in God, so we set out jointly to create a community of schools to give our pupils all they need to grow Through this review, we aim to demonstrate how we truly do give our pupils everything and more.
Before we move on, I would like to very warmly welcome Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary School to the Trust The school, led by Executive Head Karen Wyatt, is a valued addition to our ever growing network of schools offering an excellent Catholic education
On the note of excellent Catholic education, St Thomas More Language College, who joined the Trust in September 2024, have just achieved an outstanding Section 48 report, which is a well-deserved result of excellent Catholic teaching, dedicated teaching and support staff, and an encouraging environment I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr Trevor Papworth, Headteacher, Fr Antony, Assistant Head, and the entire community at St Thomas More Language College on this report
The Spring Term has been a fantastic example of everything that we do to enrich the educational
experience of our pupils in the schools across the Trust. This is only thanks to the support from our community and this act of giving helps to bind our community more tightly together
Three primary schools across the Trust held Giving Days this term A Giving Day is a 36-hour fundraising marathon aimed at raising funds through sponsored pupil challenges The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School was the first state secondary school to adopt this method of fundraising in 2022, and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Chelsea was the first primary to do so in 2023 This academic year, four schools have raised a collective £150,000 in Giving Days! In 144 hours. This is simply remarkable, a tangible manifestation of community support
These funds allow us to bridge the gap between government state funding and the enhanced provision we provide within the Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust Thank you for sharing our mission and allowing us to offer the best opportunities for our pupils
Paul Stubbings Catholic Executive Officer
MESSAGE FROM THE LAY CHAPLAIN
What is the link between
a young Vaughanian humming the hymn sung during morning assembly on his way home,
And a group of St Thomas More pupils singing their school hymn in unity at the end of Mass?
... a class from St Joseph’s Maida Vale enjoying the sunshine, gazing in wonder at the plants and birds along the Little Venice canal,
And a group of parents following the Headteacher of St Joseph’s Chelsea on a pilgrimage through places rich in meaning and history, under a radiant sky?
a group of Headteachers starting their meeting with a prayer,
And parents and governors who gather each month to pray for the SJSCAT, its pupils, staff, and families?
the chocolate-stained hands of some St John XXIII pupils completing a challenge to raise funds for their school,
And a St Joseph’s Maida Vale child arriving at school, with arms full of shampoo and toothpaste, to help the homeless supported by The Passage charity?
Music, the beauty of Creation, prayer, the Common Good, the Care for the Poor
All this is good Very good Yet there is even more: there is a personal relationship and a heart that beats The heart of Christ And we are His Body
There is such beauty in our motto, Omnia in Uno a depth that invites us to glimpse its height and breadth through prayer.
"that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God," says Saint Paul to the Ephesian Church (3: 17-19)
Our community stands under the patronage of Saint John Southworth, one of the Tyburn Martyrs. Even today, in the silence of Tyburn Convent, the nuns adore the Blessed Sacrament night and day, feeling the pulse of the world in the rumble of the Underground below They breathe life into the world, praying that the sacrifice of Saint John Southworth and his fellow martyrs may bear fruit in our lives today.
Saint John Southworth had this Catholic Hope, trusting above all things, even beyond martyrdom and death, that God does not disappoint In this year of grace, this year of Jubilee, let’s remember that, even in challenging times, God is faithful and active This is true Hope
Then we can be His Body I will soon have the chance to stand on the summits of the Alps There, I will pray for each of you before the magnificence of God, radiant in the purity of the landscape Like those roped climbers, let us strengthen the bonds of brotherhood that unite our communities For just as when we are roped together, it is no longer each person for themselves; rather, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the strength of some supports the weakness of others, and the pace of our steps adjusts to the needs of the group so that together, each one may contemplate the beauty of the landscape
Let us pray: May we be Pilgrims of Hope, walking with the dignity of the children of God, serving Christ and His Church with perseverance And may every aspect of this termly review reveal the Beauty of the One who has delivered us from sin, Christ our Saviour who desires so ardently to take us to contemplate His Glory.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, beating at the centre of our Academy trust, have mercy on us
Saint John Southworth, pray for us
Caroline Moulinet SJSCAT Lay Chaplain
ST JOSEPH’S JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE WALK
On Tuesday 18 March, James Stacey, Head of School at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Chelsea, led an 11 mile Jubilee Pilgrimage Walk with members of the community to raise funds for the school’s Giving Day
The pilgrims gathered in the Chapel at St Thomas More to receive a Blessing from Fr Antony before they set off and began their walk to Our Lady Of Victories in Kensington
Along the route, the pilgrims visited seven sites to stop and pray and mark the Jubilee Year of Hope This included gathering in St Joseph's Chapel within Westminster Cathedral with Fr Mark, former chaplain at St Joseph's It was a wonderful to mark the Jubilee Year of Hope
CATHOLIC LIFE
The year 2025 holds special significance as the Jubilee Year of Hope, a time for renewal and celebration within the Catholic Church This Jubilee invites the faithful to deepen their relationship with God and each other, emphasising themes of mercy, reconciliation, and hope Across the Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust, our schools have been marking the Jubilee Year in several ways Pupil Chaplains have been leading collective worship, our Lay Chaplain has been running monthly prayer sessions for parents and governors, and our Headteachers have been reflecting on the Jubilee in our SJSCAT Lenten Devotions
Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
During Lent, we observed the Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patron of the Diocese of Westminster, and two of the schools within the Trust At St Joseph’s in Chelsea, the Pupil Chaplaincy Team made lilies to celebrate St Joseph’s Day and wrote every child and staff member’s name on the petals
Diocese of Westminster’s Official Jubilee Hymn Video
KS2 children at St Joseph’s in Maida Vale have been invited to take part in the Diocese of Westminster Schools Singing Programme’s Official Jubilee Hymn Video Yvette Murphy, Westminster Choral Director and singing teacher for KS2 children, has been teaching the children the Official Jubilee Hymn
ST AUGUSTINE’S
This term has been full of lots of memorable moments at St Augustine's, from our first ever Giving Day to our first chick hatching in our Reception class
In the classroom, our pupils have been learning how to produce their very own podcast (stay tuned for the St Augustine’s podcast coming soon), they enjoyed lots of fun experiments and hands-on activities during Science week, and they showcased the best talent in the school at our KS2 Talent Show
Our pupils have also taken part in some incredible opportunities outside of the school, such as the Voice in a Million Contest, where pupils sang at the OVO Arena in Wembley, attending the Optasia Championship at the Wimbledon Club, where they had the chance to watch some of the best squash players in the world compete, and taking part in the Panathlon, a programme that uses competitive sports to promote inclusion of SEND pupils
Thank you to the staff and parents who helped make this term so special for our pupils We wish you a restful Easter break
Queen’s Club Foundation Squash Schools Cup
On Tuesday 25 March, ater a series of tough matches, St Augustine’s Year 5 squash team triumphed over last year’s champions to bring home the trophy winning the Queen’s Club Foundation Squash Schools Cup, this is a fantastic achievement, and the team represented our school so well
School Places 10th in Interschool Sports Carnival
On Tuesday 11 February, 18 Year 4 children represented St Augustine’s at the Interschool Sports Carnival at Sacred Heart High School Competing against nine other schools, they took on a variety of field events and running races We finished 6th overall on the day and 10th in the borough Well done to everyone!
VOICE IN A MILLION SINGING CONTEST
In March, a group of talented pupils from St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School had the incredible opportunity to take part in the Voice in a Million singing contest at the OVO Arena in Wembley Competing against schools from across London, they sang their hearts out and truly shone on stage
The atmosphere was electric, filled with excitement, energy and a real sense of celebration The children had an unforgettable time and represented our school with pride, passion and joy
A huge thank you to the dedicated teaching staff who attended and supported the children throughout the day – your encouragement made all the difference It was a great experience for all, with the teachers enjoying every moment just as much!
THE SCHOLA CANTORUM TOUR AUSTRALIA
In the choir's first ever tour of Australia, The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School’s Schola Cantroum visited iconic landmarks, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Adelaide Oval, and performed at venues across Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide.
Whilst down under, our Schola was joined by some of our Australian alumni, many of whom were a part of the Schola Cantorum during their time at the school
We would like to take this opportunity to thank those who donated and made this trip possible The funds raised for this trip allowed pupils to attend this once in a lifetime trip who otherwise would not have been able to For that, we are incredibly grateful
CARDINAL VAUGHAN
Lent Term 2025 has been a particularly monumental term, with several school ‘firsts’ The school are embarking on their first Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, the Schola Cantorum had their first tour of Australia, Alumni Barney Stewart (OV 2022) scored his first professional goal for Falkirk FC, Malaki B, Fifth Form featured on the Maestro soundtrack which won the GRAMMY Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media (his first major award), and we ranked first place amongst Catholic comprehensive schools in a table of A-Level results published by The Times
In the classroom and beyond the school, Vaughanians have been doing some amazing things Very Rev Fr Michael Toomey (OV 1989) blessed the Blessed Carlo Acutis shrine in Ardfinnan, Upper Sixth Form pupil Lucas G played a trumpet solo at the MOBO Awards with British rapper, Bashy, Georgia Hunter Bell (OV 2012) took 1500m bronze in China, Upper Sixth Form pupil, Alex R, received the John La Rose Award, 13 pupils took part in the Jack Petchey Awards, six Sixth Formers took part in the The Bebras Challenge, 12 Lower School pupils performed in the Royal Opera’s Turandot and 84 First Form pupils (⅔ of the year group) represented our school in football fixtures this term!
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School was ranked by The Times as one of the "happiest secondary schools" based on data collected by Ofsted, with a 98% happiness rating This comes after being named the highest-ranking Catholic comprehensive school in a table of A-Level results by The Times
We were delighted to host the Jack Petchey's "Speak Out" Challenge Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster Regional Final here at The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School on Wednesday 22 January The school entered three Fourth Form pupils, with Tiago A-M placing first overall and Arthur G third
ST JOHN XXIII
This term has been jam-packed with exciting opportunities for our pupils In January, Year 5 attended a workshop at the Globe Theatre after our week of learning Macbeth In Year 2, classes enjoyed a fantastic trip to Fulham Palace, where they learnt about Victorian times A real highlight of the term was our pupils taking part in Young Voices at the O2, which you can read about below
February was just as busy with a Year 4 trip to London Zoo, Years 2 and 5 taking part in a workshop with London Fire Brigade about Fire Safety and at the end of the term, Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed their ‘Victorian’ experience day, where they came into school dressed up as wealthy and poor Victorians, learnt about the Great Exhibition and built their own replica of the Crystal Palace, and played games from Victorian times such as 'Kick the can '
This month, we hosted our second Giving Day, raising £6,320 for our school! We also visited the London Sealife Aquarium, Hammersmith Fire Station, and the Royal Observatory, celebrated British Science Week and World Book Day at school, and welcomed community coaches from QPR to the school for a fun workshop
British Science Week: Change and Adapt
During our British Science Week celebrations EYFS-Year 6 celebrated the theme of the year 'Change and Adapt' All year groups covered many different topics, from biscuit dunking to animal adaptations and even a trip to Mars Some classes accessed Live Lessons, used Now Press Play Virtual Headsets or used books as their stimuli
World Book Day: Read Your Way
World Book Day was a roaring success. Well done to all of our children who made such a fantastic effort with costumes The children had a brilliant day full of activities! Highlight of the day had to be the reading share, when all of the older classes were paired up with our younger classes to inspire and encourage that love of reading
YOUNG VOICES AT THE LONDON O2 ARENA
On Friday 24 January, a group of pupils from St John XXIII Catholic Primary School performed at the London O2 as part of Young Voices Concert 2025
Young Voices holds concerts for primary school children at prestigious venues across the UK With around 9,000 children at each concert, they host the largest children's choir concerts in the world!
After weeks of rehearsals, the choir showcased their amazing talents and enthusiasm on the night in front of their largest audience to date We are so proud of their hard work and dedication
Thank you to Mr Dalledone for organising this incredible opportunity!
RBKC CHESS TOURNAMENT
We are delighted to share that St Joseph’s Chess Team won the chess tournament this month, being held at RKBC Town Hall They played 5 tough games of chess each, their scores all counting towards a team average Servite RC Primary School was third and the Oratory Primary School was Second
The St Joseph’s team of 12 girls and boys from Years 3 and 5 played some truly excellent chess and were respectful and polite to their opponents
Huge well done to all the children for their effort and skill Also, a massive thanks to our brilliant chess coach, Tony He really has put so much effort into enabling our children to develop their chess at such a young age Thank you Tony!
ST JOSEPH’S, CHELSEA
Where has the time gone? Nativities feel like they happened 5 minutes ago! But, that is what happens when children are busy and happy, time flies! From our Head Girl teaching Year 6 about the Chinese New Year to World Book Day to winning the RBKC Chess Tournament, we have been very busy
We have been fortunate to share partnership opportunities, such as during Art and DT week when pupils attended workshops with the Saatchi Gallery, as well as Year 6 and members of the Pupil Chaplaincy, Pupil Voice and Enviroment Teams being invited to Parliament by our local MP Ben Coleman, who also visited our school!
Our Caritas Ambassadors have also organised some very successful collections and fundraisers for our chosen charities, which our families have supported so generously Sister Silvana from Caritas Westminster visited us to say thank you with Nigel the Penguin
Giving Day was so much fun, and the children and staff had a great time In just 3 days, the community raised over £30,000 It is an immense amount and shows the depth of support here at our school
St Joseph’s turned into the Wind in the Willows for World Book Day! We had toads, badgers, rats and other woodland animals take over the school! Thank you to all who made a big effort to celebrate World Book Day
Huge thanks to Miss Norton for organising our special Book Week
Ben Coleman, MP for Chelsea and Fulham, visited St Joseph’s weekly parents' coffee morning before attending a Good News Assembly After assembly, Mr Coleman had a tour with the Head Boy and Head Girl, followed by a Q&A with Year 5 Thank you to Mr Coleman for visiting the school and inviting us to Parliament
St Joseph’s Turns into Wind in the Willows MP Ben Coleman Visits
ST JOSEPH’S, MAIDA VALE
We are thrilled to share some of the highlights of this term at St Joseph’s With a focus on our Love in Action and Catholic Life, we were delighted to welcome Mal Hurdidge from The Passage, Homeless Charity Action Group Our children were respectful and compassionate during this presentation, which highlighted some of the difficulties faced by those who find themselves living on the streets of London We will continue to support this worthy charity during Lent
Huge thanks and appreciation to all of our parents who strongly supported our World Book Week fundraising events We are pleased to announce that the school community raised £1874 which, in turn, means that we have earned £1124 in Scholastic Rewards for our school This will certainly continue to contribute to our literary enrichment throughout the school Thank you to all for your support
Additionally, funds have been tallied for Winston’s Wish from our charity collection in December I am pleased to say we raised over £300 for this worthwhile cause Winston’s Wish supports bereaved children and their families in times of need Thank you to all for helping us to show our support
In February, Georgia Gould OBE, Member of Parliament for Queen's Park and Maida Vale, visited the school’s Celebration Assembly
Having met with the Head Boy and Head Girl, Student Council, and Pupil Chaplaincy Group, Ms Gould was impressed by the children’s enthusiasm for learning
Congratulations to all of the children who took part in the Westminster Primary Schools Swimming Gala this term
The children’s efforts were rewarded by a very close second place Well done to all who took part and thank you for representing our school with such wonderful sportsmanship
DT AND SCIENCE WEEK
On Science & Technology Day, Anningwaa and David from The GREAT EXHIBITION visited Year 6. We had a wonderful time making new inventions and recording advertisements
Here our pupils are learning about how water travels through plants They placed a stick of celery in a container of water with food colouring and observed how the coloured water travelled up the stem
Throughout the rest of the school, pupils engaged in investigations including Slime Fairies in Early Years, Rocket-Making in KS1 and Armoured Vehicle design and construction in KS2
Thank you to the members of staff who made this such a fun week!
MP Georgia Gould Visits
Westminster Schools Swimming Gala
APPRENTICESHIPS AFTERNOON
Our Year 10 & 11 pupils attended an Apprenticeships Afternoon run by the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Pupils heard from Omama Zankawan, an Apprenticeship Coordinator, who shared invaluable information about how to pursue a desired career using an alternative pathway to A-Levels It was an insightful session that showed the many routes that pupils can take to further their education after their time at St Thomas More Language College
Apprenticeships allow young people to access the world of the workplace and try out different career avenues, which is paramount to keeping them in education and fulfilling their goals Thank you to Omama for her invaluable advice
ST THOMAS MORE
By far the highlight of this term has been achieving our Outstanding Section 48 rating Everyone in the college community, from the pupils to the parents to the staff, have helped contribute to this fantastic outcome and we are incredibly grateful for your feedback, hard work, and support with Catholic Life
Across the college, we have also taken part in lots of wonderful trips, competitions, workshops, initiatives, and community activities this term. This includes our Year 9 Sports Leaders training Year 6 pupils from a local primary, The Tree Council’s Force for Nature Day planting workshop, and an Apprenticeships Afternoon run by Omama Zankawan, Apprenticeship Coordinator at the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
On the sports pitch, our Girls’ Football Team have been going from strength to strength and have represented our college so well in a number of fantastic fixtures
We also had a very successful collection for the Manna Society, who run a day centre for homeless people near London Bridge
The Tree Council: Force for Nature Day
On Thursday 6 February, a group of pupils participated in Force for Nature Day, organised by the Tree Council As part of the event, pupils planted trees and gave each one a unique name The next step for the school is to further its environmental efforts in order to achieve the Beacon School status
Year 7 & 8 Girls’ Football
Girls’ Football is increasingly popular at St Thomas More Language College and the teams have been working tirelessly to represent the college in fixtures Our Year 7&8 team played against Holland Park on Thursday 13 February The game was played in great spirit and the girls work rate was fantastic!
The Saint John Southworth Enterprise and Research Alliance is the Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust teacher training provider based in central London with a thriving network of faith and non-faith Primary and Secondary schools around the capital Since our inception, we have grown rapidly and now work with a wide range of schools and other educational institutions nationwide supporting each other in a variety of ways. What we offer:
One year school-based teacher training courses to obtain Primary or Secondary Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with PGCE (optional) National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for qualified teachers
Paid 3-week Summer Internship Programme for undergraduates to gain an insight into the teaching profession
Online Get into Teaching Experience Sessions and in person events to gain an understanding of what you need to become a teacher
Whether you are at the start of your teacher training journey or already in the process and ready to submit your application, you can get all your questions answered at one of our events
Primary School Enhancement Day
In January, our current secondary trainee teachers attended a Primary School Enhancement Day at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Maida Vale, experiencing a day in the life of a primary school teacher During the day, they had the opportunity to spend time observing several classes
Get Into Teaching: London
Thank you to everyone who came to see us at the Get Into Teaching: London event It was wonderful to meet so many people thinking about training to teach If you still have questions about the programme, bursaries, or anything else, please visit https://www sjscat co uk/SCI TT/
BITION
TITUE NPQSL FERENCE
day 13 January, The Cardinal Memorial School hosted a ce organised by the Ambition focusing on the National onal Qualification for Senior hip (NPQSL).
This event brought together educational leaders and aspiring senior leaders from across the region to engage in a day of seminars, discussions, and networking opportunities Presenters included Mr Kehoe, Deputy Head and COO, and Dr Lanigan, Deputy Head
Attendees learned how to identify effective solutions, developed a framework for more effective decision-making, and reflected on how school leaders can support all pupils to receive high-quality teaching
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS
We have had some very successful Giving Days across the Trust this term Thank you to everyone in our community who has supported these events The funds raised will make a real difference in bridging the gap between government funding and our enriched curriculum provision
If you would like to further support our schools and pledge to make a regular gift that is transformative to our fundraising campaign, please email developmet@sjscat co uk to discuss options to support the Trust
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this
VACANCIES TRAIN TO TEACH
Thank you for taking an interest in joining Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust (SJSCAT) We are a Trust in the Archdiocese of Westminster with a strong Catholic ethos, a tradition of outstanding academic outcomes and a strong regard for good behaviour, selfdiscipline and self-improvement among its pupils
If you would like to be part of this vibrant, forward-thinking yet traditional Trust then apply to join our team today For more information and to show your interest in this role please contact us at teach@sjscat co uk We look forward to hearing from you
We are currently looking for a wide range of enthusiastic, bright candidates who are excited about the prospect of training to teach! With places in over 22 subjects available, the SJSERA prides itself on providing an environment in which new teachers can flourish, grow, and excel With dedicated mentors on hand, the courses we offer give you the chance to really get stuck into your first year of training
We will be running a series of school experience days and webinars for those who would like to find out more information about the Train to Teach process You can find more at www sjscat/SJSERA co uk
