STAC NEWSLETTER, SPRING TERM, ISSUE 1

ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE NEWS

Jan 2023 Spring Term, Issue 1

Dear Parents/Guardians, Happy New Year!

There are a lot of emotions that come with the start of a new year – I know a lot of people set resolutions and goals. I tend not to do that but none the less I do find the start of a new year a good opportunity for reflection. I read a quote from Nelson Mandela which really resonated with me, it read “I never lose, I either win or I learn”. I have been thinking about this quote in relation to our students – especially those in Year 11 and 13 who are sitting (or have recently sat) their mock exams. I have seen students work incredibly hard in preparation for these mocks – that work will translate, I have no doubt, into success. Despite the hard work, there are always students who are disappointed in their results and strive for higher grades. This positive mindset is what will lead to their ultimate success in their summer GCSE and A-Level exams. Students need to approach everything between now than then as a learning experience. If you get an answer wrong, if you don’t know something – that’s not a failure, it’ s another opportunity to learn.

I think that having a positive mindset will help carry us through these dark (and very wet) January days!

Mr E. Connolly Headteacher

God Bless,

Pope Benedict XVI

Former Pope Benedict XVI has died, aged 95, almost a decade after he stood down because of ailing health.

He led the Catholic Church for fewer than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.

His successor Pope Francis led the funeral on Thursday 5th January. Pope Francis called him a gift to the church, describing him as a noble and kind man. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the former pope "a great theologian whose UK visit in 2010 was an historic moment for both Catholics and non-Catholics throughout our country".

A Prayer for Pope Benedict XVI:

Father, eternal shepherd, hear the prayers of your people for your servant Benedict, who governed your Church with love. In your mercy, bring him with the flock once entrusted to his care to the reward you have promised your faithful servants. He did the work of Christ on earth. May your Son welcome him into eternal glory.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen

Feast of the Epiphany

Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas, on 6 January, and commemorates the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus. Epiphany literally means 'revealed', and this day also marks the day when Jesus was revealed to the world.

It is a day of celebration- The wise men represent God’s people throughout the world. They show that every race and nationality is important to God. It reminds us of the remarkable act of God extending Grace to us by sending his Son Jesus to die for us as a perfect sacrifice that we might be able to be in union with him again.

Students spent time in AM Registration this week reflecting on the passing of Pope Benedict XVI and the importance of the Epiphany for Catholics.

Ms M. Woodhead Director of

RE

BOOK REVIEWS

This book is extremely action packed just like no other books in this series. The stakes are higher than ever and the suspense will keep you reading, itching to find out what happens next. You should definitely read if you’re a spy and action book lover!

E=mc2 A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation

Although I m biased due to my deep fascination with science, this book is extremely interesting. It has deepened my understanding of the importance of female physicists who are under recognised in the story of the equation. I would recommend to science nerds like me.

Abstract Advent

Art students in Years 7-9 were set an optional Christmas activity to create their own abstract advent calendar. Responding to specific days throughout December, students created abstract responses to shapes and visual prompts. Lemuel Adou in Year 7 created a range of excellent, original abstract drawings in response to the activity.

Well done Lemuel!

Alex Rider, Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz

Reviewed by Fawwaz Aliu, Year 8 Student

by David Bodanis

Reviewed by Jacob Navo, Year 10 Student

Mrs G. Davies

Second in Charge of Art

Homework Update

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding commitment to homework that so many of our students exemplify. The names of students who have received achievement points for excellent homework are listed below, well done to all of you!

Year 7: Year 8:

Student Excellent Homework

Israel Joseph 11 Samuel Ajayi 9 Kosisochukwu Ibe 7 Richmond Ogunfuyi 7 Jonathan Addae 6 Kevin Baah 6 Uzoma Nwachukwu 6 Qoyhum Onafowokan 6

Student Excellent Homework

Prince-Israel Dombo 4 Keoni Boateng 3 Judah David-Olaleye 3 Jaden Emuobome 3 Joshua Etemewei 3 Aiden Okrafo-Smart 3 Emmanuel David Oyibo 3 Matias Pozo Saraguro 3

Year 9: Year 10:

Student

Excellent Homework

Matthew Kamara 4 Shaheed Kizito 4 Alexis Saldana Cieza 4

Lawrence Famose 3 Enoch Kolawole 3 Emmanuel Obidi-Gbemudu 3 Victor Oyebanjo 3 Lee Tracey-Mendes 3

Assistant Headteacher/Homework Co-ordinator

Student

Excellent Homework

Patrick Anderson Saavedra Bastidas 5

Mr S. Parratt

St Thomas the Apostle College

Extra-Curricular Timetable 2022-23

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Yr 7 Football

7:00-8:00 3G

Sixth Form BBA Basketball 7:00-8:00

Sports Hall

KS3 Keyboard Practice/ Composing 7:30-8:20

Music Dept

Junior Brass

12:35-13:10 Chapel

Swimming All years groups Swimming Pool

Yr 8 Football 7:00-8:00 3G

Sixth Form BBA Basketball

7:00-8:00 Sports Hall

Yr 12– Yr13 Economics Book club 142

KS3 Keyboard Practice/Composing

7:30-8:20 Music Dept

All Years Hegarty Help Clinic 12:20-13:10

Maths Hub

every other Tuesday Psychology book club 12.45:13:10 139

BEFORE SCHOOL

Yr 9 Football 7:00-8:00 3G

Yr 8 & 9 Basketball 7:00-8:00

Sports Hall

Gospel Choir 8:00-9:00

Chapel

KS3 Keyboard Practice/Composing 7:30-8:20

Music Dept

LUNCH

Swimming

Yr 11 Football 7:00-8:00 3G

Yr 10 & 11 Basketball 7:00-8:00

Sports Hall

Yr 11 Football 7:00-8:00 3G

Yr 7 Basketball 7:00-8:00

Sports Hall

KS3 Higher Ability Book Club 8:35-9:00

Library

KS3 Keyboard Practice/Composing 7:30-8:20 Music Dept

All years groups Swimming Pool Board games SEN Hub

English book club 105 Yr 12 and 13 Every other week

Board games SEN Hub Board games SEN Hub Board games SEN Hub

Year 7 & 8 Rugby

15:00-16:15 3G

Handball KS4

15:00-16:15 Sports Hall

Swim Elite (selected students)

15:00-16:00 Swimming Pool

Big Band

15:00-15:50 G66

Yr 12 & 13 Football Open Session 15:00-16:15 3G

BBA Basketball (Invitation only)

16:30 – 17:30 Sports Hall

Chess Club All Years Library SHA

AFTER SCHOOL

Yr 7,8 & 9 Football (non-team) 15:00-16:15 3G

BBA Basketball Game Day 15:00-17:30 Sports Hall

Band Project 3:00-4:00 Music Department

6th Form Basketball 16:30-17:30 Sports Hall

Girls Sport 15:00-16:15

Sports Hall

Debate Mate 15:20-16:20 105, 106, 107 Starts after half term

Creative Writing All year groups Library

KS3 Keyboard Practice/Composing 7:30-8:20 Music Dept

Swimming All years groups Swimming Pool

String Ensemble 12:35- 13:10 Music Dept

Woodwind Ensemble 12:35- 13:10 Chapel Muslim Prayers 12:20-12:45 Room 119 every other Friday sociology book club 12.45:13:10 139

Yr 11-13 Football Open Session 15:00-16:15 3G

6th Form Sport 15:00-16:15

Sports Hall

Philosophy Club 15:00-15.25 G23

KS3 Drama club 15:00 – 16:00 Drama Studio

St Thomas the Apostle College

Extra-Curricular Timetable 2022-23

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

AFTER SCHOOL

Whole school musical theatre show rehearsals

15:15 – 16:15 Drama Studio

KS3 Geography Club

15:00-15:50 G26

KS4 DT Intervention Club 15:00-15:50 G81

Art KS4 coursework refinement & examination skills 15:00-15:50 G76

Girls Choir 3:30-4:15 G63

Whole school musical theatre show rehearsals

15:15 – 16:15 Drama Studio

KS3 Art Club 15:00-15:50 G81

KS3 Fourth Plinth Art Competition 15:00-15:50 G80

Y7 & 8 Design Club 15:00-15:50 G76

Yr 7 & Yr 8 Programming in Python G61

Tennis Club 15:30-16:30 Butterfly Tennis Club

Yr 7 & Yr 8 Programming in Python G61

STEM Science Club 15:00-16:00pm G11 Electronic engineering All years G61

Happy new year to all, we are back to business with our Rugby afterschool club as we are in second place in the table. Our Year 7’s and 8’s are doing exceptionally well within training and within the Rugby league. We are keen to keep this momentum going leading into the last three Rugby festivals, we train every Monday with a professional Rugby coach from London Irish who some of the regular attendees are familiar with. Anyone can join this club as you need a variety of ability such as power, speed, agility, communication and decision making skills. Here are three of our students receiving honours for their ability in Rugby.

Mr T. Adeyemi Teacher of PE

Before Christmas, we were lucky enough to be invited to Sacred Heart to play chess. 8 people were invited and we all played 8 games. We had a lot of fun, practised our skills, and met some kind people. Unfortunately, we did not win this time, but there is another competition in March we hope to win if anyone else would like to join! Everyone should come to chess club to practice!

Joel Masabanda-Tiban Year 7 Student

Extra

Extra-Curricular—Chess Club

Roll of Honour

YEAR 7

Lemeul Adou & Malachi-Saddeiq Smith: Excellent participation and motivation in French lessons.

Jeantai Lindsay, Musa Rahmani, Kaya Dunkley, Eliab Berhane & Sol Tayo: For their attitude towards Maths in recent weeks.

Lemuel Adou, Tzion Warner, Massire Sow, Jamal Shittu, Makar Onysko, Richmond Ogunfuyi, Jayden Ntiamoah, Kai McDermott, Kosisochukwu Ibe, Adam Haid, Kaya Dunkley, Israel Atobrah Marfo & Michael Alabi: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

YEAR 8

Bossenu Bonga & Mayowa Badmus: Excellent participation and behaviour in French lessons.

Oscar Welch, Adriel Ndubuisi-Palmer, Messie Mbolokele-Mbombe, Joshua Etemewei & Jayron Miller-Worrell: For their attitude towards Maths in recent weeks.

Reeco Mewes-Coker, Iker Andres Moya Ontaneda, Yohanna Bayoko, Jakub Bartusik, Aiden Okrafo-Smart, Raphael Weldemariam, Joshua Eremewei, Daniel Okeowo, Chibueze Ukachukwu & Muhammad-Fathiu Kolawole: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

YEAR 9

Levon Horsley-McKay & Curtis Kehiakehi Junior: Excellent work and behaviour in French lessons.

Ainsley Guure, Osaro Ayobore, Santiago Paz Pinto, Enoch Kolawole & Savanti Dixon: For their attitude towards Maths in recent weeks.

Alexis Saldana Cieza, Christian Imie, Ishmail Tejan-Jalloh, Richard Oware, Ebubechukwu Unegbu, Dominic Fayeye, Xavier Ogbonna, Isaac Martins, Kofi Tanoh, Emil Devlin & Ethan Aratea: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

YEAR 10

Jacob Navo, Perez Amos-Ajagbe, Samuel Akinpelu, Reece Campbell & Oreoluwa Yusuf: For their attitude towards Maths in recent weeks.

Jamie Rimmer, Israel Rotimi-Bakare, Chidiebere Anumba, Mohamed Koroma, Henry Bissett, Kaisen Anderson, Jamal Golfa, Ore Yusuf, Christian Omosigho, Darnel Harlow, Tien Nguyen, Wisdom Eze, Hugo Santos, Jayden Dyer & Michael Ojo: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

YEAR 11

Sonny Opoku-Sharp, Al-Amin Nurudeen, Dylan Ameh, Ismaeel Adedokun & Toby Chalkin: For their attitude towards Maths in recent weeks.

Aaron Amoah, Blake Parker-Wilder, Josiah Gyasi-Sundu, Jamal Conteh-Andi, Sidick Kamara, Boaz Tambatamba, Emmanuel Ikebuiro & Juan Jimenez Paredes: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

YEAR 12

Britney Olaniyi, Princess Mansaray, Aaliyah Morgan & Nnamdi Anyanjor: For excellent effort and great attitude to learning in English.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in our school is the responsibility of the whole school community. All adults working in this School (including visiting staff, volunteers and students on placement) are required to report instances of actual or suspected child abuse or neglect to the Designated Safeguarding Lead who is a member of the school’s leadership team.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is: Mr C. Smart, Deputy Headteacher c.smart@stac.southwark.sch.uk tel: 0207 639 0106 ext 2149

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is: Miss C. Rodin, Assistant Headteacher c.rodin@stac.southwark.sch.uk tel: 0207 639 0106 ext 2143