St. Bede's Catholic College 

T: 0117 3772200 

E: contact@stbcc.org

W: www.stbedescc.org

Issue 408 15th May 2026 

NEWSLETTER  

MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL

Dear families,

I am writing to share an important and exciting development in the life of our college. Following a period of reflection and strategic planning, the Governing Body has agreed that our school will begin the journey to becoming a Lasallian school.

This marks the beginning of a new chapter for our community and one that is rooted firmly in our commitment to providing the very best education, care, and opportunities for every child.

The Lasallian tradition is inspired by Saint John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the De La Salle educational movement, which has served young people across the world for more than 300 years. Lasallian schools are known for their strong sense of community, academic ambition, inclusive values, and dedication to the personal development of every student.

Becoming a Lasallian school will strengthen many of the values we already hold dear while opening new opportunities for students, staff, and families.

Some of the key benefits and opportunities include:

• Enhanced opportunities for student leadership, faith development, and charitable outreach.

• Access to a wider national and international network of Lasallian schools, enabling collaboration, shared projects, cultural exchanges, and enrichment opportunities.

• Continued emphasis on academic excellence alongside personal growth and wellbeing.

• Greater professional development opportunities for staff through the wider Lasallian educational community.

As part of this transition, there will also be some important changes over time. These changes will be carefully planned and introduced gradually to ensure continuity and stability for our pupils.

These may include:

• The introduction of Lasallian traditions, symbols, and celebrations into school life.

• A review of aspects of our prayer life, assemblies, and pastoral programmes to reflect Lasallian values and identity.

• Opportunities for staff training and formation to help colleagues understand and embrace the Lasallian ethos.

• Closer partnerships with other Lasallian schools and organisations.

I want to reassure you that our core mission remains unchanged: to ensure that each child is challenged and given every opportunity to flourish and grow spiritually, academically and socially within a Christian environment.

We believe this is an exciting opportunity to build on our strengths and further enrich the educational experience we offer our young people.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership with the college.

Yours faithfully,

Rob King

Principal 

REFLECTION – May 2026 – The Ascension of the Lord

This week we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated forty days after Easter Sunday (therefore always on a Thursday) and recalls Jesus being taken up into heaven. After his crucifixion and resurrection, the bible tells us, he was seen for forty days before he ascended into heaven to be “seated at the right hand of God the Father.”

While it marks the moment Jesus was "lifted up" from the sight of the Apostles, it isn't a story about a goodbye. It is a story about a new beginning.

In the Gospel, the disciples are told not to stand gazing at the sky. Instead, they are challenged to turn back to the world and get to work. For our school community, the

Ascension offers two vital reminders:

  • We are the Message: Jesus shifted the responsibility of His mission to us. We are called to be His hands and feet—acting with the same compassion and integrity He showed.
  • Hope is Everywhere: The Ascension teaches us that God is no longer limited to one place or time. He is present in every interaction, every challenge, and every success we experience.

May we continue to witness to the Gospel through our daily kindness and our pursuit of excellence.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus,

You ascended into heaven so that You could be present everywhere. As we go about our week, help us to see Your face in our peers and all of those around us.

 Give us the courage to carry Your light into the world, transforming our "gazing" into doing, and our faith into action.

Amen

ST BEDE’S WAY SPOTLIGHT

Work Hard, Be Kind and Do the Right Thing

The St. Bede’s Way Spotlight identifies children who stand out as exemplifying one of our three St. Bede’s Way principles of “Work Hard. Be Kind. Do the Right Thing.”

This week we are delighted to recognise the achievements of year 9 students, Hugo and Elliott who both successfully completed the demanding 35-mile Ten Tors Challenge.

For the past 20 weeks, both boys have shown incredible dedication, spending every weekend training and preparing for one of the toughest youth endurance events in the country. Their commitment and determination certainly paid off.

Hugo’s team delivered an outstanding performance, becoming the 9th 35-mile team out of nearly 150 teams to return and Elliott’s team followed soon after. 

This is a fantastic achievement.  Hugo and Elliott, your hard work exemplifies one of our St Bede’s Way principles.  We are proud of you.

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TEAM PILGRIM

On Tuesday and Thursday, the Junior and Intermediate Team Pilgrim athletics teams competed in the ESAFA English Schools Athletics competition.

The boys competed on Tuesday, with a number of athletes producing excellent performances and finishing first in their heats.  The team showed great determination and teamwork throughout the day against strong competition from schools across the region.  

Thursday saw the girls take to the track and field, where they also competed brilliantly. Several girls achieved first-place finishes in their heats, demonstrating both talent and resilience throughout the event. 

Final team results:

  • Junior Boys – 5th out of 17 schools
  • Intermediate Boys – 6th out of 15 schools
  • Junior Girls – 10th out of 19 schools
  • Intermediate Girls – 11th out of 22 schools

Well done to all athletes who represented Team Pilgrim with pride and determination. 

Congratulations to our 100m winners: Tapuwanashe B (13.6 secs) Eseose O (12.6 secs) and Emjay K (11.9 secs) 

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TEAM PILGRIM STAFF TAKE ON BRISTOL 10K

Last week, the Team Pilgrim staff team proudly took part in the exciting Bristol 10K, joining thousands of runners in a fantastic celebration of fitness, determination, and community spirit.

The Team Pilgrim group, consisting of Mr Barley, Mr Colebourne, Mrs Johnson, Mr King, Mr Moroz, Mr Osborne, Mr Slocombe and Mrs White, showcased an impressive range of abilities, reflecting the inclusive and supportive nature of the team. Some runners were focused on achieving personal best times, pushing themselves around the challenging course with real determination and competitive spirit. Others took part with charitable goals in mind, running to raise awareness and funds for important causes. There were also those who joined simply for the enjoyment of the event—embracing the atmosphere, the crowd support, and the shared experience of completing the course together.

Regardless of pace or purpose, all participants embodied the values of resilience, teamwork, and positivity throughout the run.

A special mention goes to Mrs Johnson and Mrs White, who were awarded “Pilgrims of the Match” for their outstanding enthusiasm. Both completed the course with constant smiles, uplifting those around them and perfectly capturing the spirit of the day from start to finish.

Well done to all members of Team Pilgrim Staff for representing the school so brilliantly at such a high-energy community event.

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MFL SPEAKING EXAMS COMPLETE!

A huge congratulations to all our KS4 and KS5 students who completed their GCSE and A Level speaking exams over the last fortnight.

Whether it was in French and Spanish or sitting exams in our wide range of community languages, we are incredibly proud of your hard work. Stepping into the exam room to speak under pressure takes immense courage and resilience.

Well done and now good luck with all the other papers!

¡Felicidades! / Félicitations! 

The MFL Department

BEDROCK LEARNING

Last month saw Year 7 and 8 students at St Bede’s making excellent progress with their Bedrock Learning.

Well done to 7N/En who were the top performing class and scored 1003 points. 

A huge congratulations to Bernard O who scored 233 points - the most in the school!

7K/En made the most progress this month, with 52% improvement. Great work!

And finally, massive congratulations to Lenka K for making the most progress with 171%.

Here are some of the words students have been learning this term:

  • burden
  • barren
  • abundant
  • apparel
  • fluster
  • adjacent
  • turbulent
  • decontextualise
  • militant
  • apprehend

Please keep supporting your Year 7 and 8 children to earn 20 points each week on Bedrock Learning for their English homework.

Thank you!

Mrs De Hondt (KS3 English Lead) and Mrs Glyn-Jones (Literacy and Oracy Coordinator) 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 

21ST MAY

Year 12 UCAS Parents' Information Evening

22ND MAY

END OF TERM 5

College will close at 3:15pm

1ST JUNE

START OF TERM 6

4TH JUNE

Year 12 Progress Evening

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are looking for parents who may be available to support our Year 13 students by taking part in mock university interviews.

If you have experience of university applications, interviews, or simply feel confident speaking with students, we would greatly appreciate your help.

Please get in touch if you are interested or would like more information. Thank you for supporting our students as they prepare for their next steps!

DYNAMO CRICKET FESTIVAL

Last Friday, eight year 7 girls travelled to Bedminster Cricket Club for the Dynamo Cricket festival.

They played some fantastic cricket and their confidence and tactics developed as the day went on. They played five matches, winning three of them. They all showed excellent values, supporting and encouraging each other through the day.

Pilgrim of the tournament went to Evelyn C.

Well done girls! 

CONTACT LENSES

If your child is wearing contact lenses to college, please ensure they are able to remove and replace them should they need to take them out for any reason.  

They should also carry the contact lens pod filled with fresh lens cleaning solution in their bag so they are fully prepared, including their glasses.  

Students can come to student support where we can accommodate a clean space to do this with running water and soap.

NATIONAL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AWARD

We are proud to announce that our school has received the National School Attendance Award 2025/2026 for Spring Term.

This award recognises that our attendance is in the top 25% of all FFT secondary schools in England.

This is a fantastic achievement and shows the hard work and commitment of our students, families and staff.  Coming to school every day and being on time helps students learn, succeed and enjoy school life.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this success.

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SAFEGUARDING SPOTLIGHT

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a national moment to talk openly about mental health and remind ourselves that looking after our minds matters just as much as looking after our bodies.

Each year, the theme is set by the Mental Health Foundation. For 2026, the theme is: Take Action.  Please click the following link for helpful tips and information: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

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