St. Bede's Catholic College

T: 0117 3772200

E: contact@stbcc.org

W: www.stbedescc.org

Issue 413 18th September 2026

MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL

Happy new academic year! This first fortnight of term has been full of enthusiasm, excitement and joy.

Our new Year 7 and 12 students have settled well and are already committing themselves to the St. Bede's Way in all that they do. Lessons have begun with purpose in all year groups, with students working hard to make the most of every learning moment. I have witnessed so many acts of kindness, particularly from students and staff supporting our new Year 7s with finding their way and getting used to college life.

I spoke to all students last week in assembly about this being a new year and a chance to do new things. We all make mistakes, and to do the right thing, we need to own up to these, apologise and forgive each other. I hope the fresh start of a new year allows every student at St. Bede's to flourish this year.

A New Chapter: Joining the Lasallian Family

Live Jesus in Our Hearts—Forever

This term marks a milestone in our school’s story as we become an Associate Lasallian School. Joining this global family connects us to a rich, centuries-old tradition centred on faith, service, and community.

Central to our new identity is the Lasallian call to work "together and by association." St. John Baptist de La Salle recognised that we accomplish far more as a united community than we ever could alone. As we embark on this journey, we renew our commitment to walking side-by-side—students, staff, and families—looking out for one another and ensuring every student feels known, valued, and cared for.

We look forward to embracing this shared mission together.

"Remembering that you are in the holy presence of God, try to do all your actions with a pure intention."

— St. John Baptist de La Salle

REFLECTION - 21 September – Feast Day of St Matthew

The feast day of St Matthew is celebrated on September 21.

Matthew was an apostle who was also called Levi, or Matthew the Levite. He was probably born in Galilee and worked as a tax collector at Capernaum when Christ called him to follow him.

Matthew was the author of the first Gospel, written between 60 and 90.
Matthew preached in Jerusalem and then went to Ethiopia, where he was martyred in Persia (modern Iran) or in Ethiopia. Matthew provides a telling portrait of Christ in his Gospel, including his genealogy, ministry, Passion, and Resurrection. The entire work is designed to provide a true recognition of Christ as the Messiah.

Reflection:
St. Matthew’s story is one of radical transformation. Sitting at his tax collectors booth, Matthew occupied a position of security, financial gain, and social isolation. To his community, he represented betrayal and extortion; to himself, perhaps simply a comfortable life.

Yet when Jesus walked past and uttered two simple words—'Follow me' Matthew didn't negotiate, hesitate, or demand a contract. He left his ledger behind and immediately hosted a feast. Matthew reminds us that no history is too messy for grace, and that a true encounter with Christ turns security into generosity and isolation into community.

Prayer:
God of Mercy
You chose a tax collector, Saint Matthew, to share the dignity of the apostles.
O Glorious St. Matthew through the grace of God Our Father you gave us the Holy Gospel, which brings us joy and life. Inspired by your example, I ask for your assistance in all my needs. Help me to follow Christ and remain faithful to His service.
Amen.

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Please click the following link for the Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.blackout-technologies.com/faqs

WELCOME TO NEW STAFF

Welcome to the new staff joining us at St. Bede’s Catholic College this year:

Miss Armas Ramirez - MFL Teacher
Miss Bawol - Art Teacher
Mrs Brown - Maths Teacher
Dr Chamary - Science Teacher
Mr Hollaway - Drama Teacher
Mr James - Geography Teacher
Miss Likou - Maths Teacher
Ms Saxena - Science Teacher
Miss Scollen - English Teacher
Mr Sillem - MFL Teacher
Miss Slocombe - Learning Support Assistant
Miss Warren - Science Teacher
Mr Welch - Learning Support Assistant
Mr Clarke - Student Behaviour Mentor

A LEVEL AND GCSE RESULTS

All those that are part of the St Bede’s Catholic College community are delighted to celebrate the successes of Year 11 and Year 13 students this year.
GCSE Results highlights

72% of students achieved a 4 or higher in English and Maths.
28% of all grades were 7 or higher.

Some of the top performers include:

Mariam S: 10 x 9s and 1 x 8
Josephine W: 10 x 9s and 1 x 8
Zoe S: 10 x 9s and 1 x 7
Caitlin N: 7 x 9s, 2 x 8s, 1 x 7 and 1 x 6
Maya T: 5 x 9s, 3 x 8s and 2 x 7s
Alphons A: 5 x 9s, 3 x 8s, 1 x 7 and 1 x 6
Adele C: 4 x 9s, 4 x 8s, and 2 x 7s
Natalia K: 7 x 9s, 3 x 7s and 1 x 6
Briana L: 3 x 9s, 1 x L2Dist.*, 4 x 8s, and 2 x 6s
William S: 6 x 9s, 1 x 8, 2 x 7s and 2 x 6s
Elias P: 3 x 9s, 6 x 8s and 2 x 6s
Maria J: 3 x 9s, 4 x 8s, 1 x 7 and 2 x 6s
Christopher N: 2 x 9s, 6 x 8s, 1 x 7, 1 x 6 and 1 x 5
Kamsi P: 3 x 9s, 2 x 8s, 1 x L2Dist., 1 x 7 and 3 x 6s
Maria G: 5 x 9s, 1 x 8, 3 x 7s, 1 x 6 and 1 x 5

A Level Results highlights

A* - C 72%
Average Grade C+

A special congratulations go to our top achieving students, including:

Tess B: A*, A*, A*, A*, A, gap year then studying Computer Science at University of Sheffield
Christo J: A*, A*, A, gap year.
Timothy T: A*, A, A, B, studying Chemical Engineering at University of Birmingham.
Nicole S: A*, A, A, B, studying Psychology at University of Bath.
Mollie M: A*, A, A, A, studying Psychology at University of Cardiff.
Alessia L: A*, A*, A, A, B, studying Law at University of Bristol.
Eva F: A*, A, A, A, A, gap year.
Kian S: A*, A, A, B, studying Politics at University of Liverpool
Theodora S: A*, A, A, A, B, studying Electrical Engineering at University of Southampton.
Gabriel S: A, A, A, gap year then studying Economics at University of Liverpool.
Patryk K: A, A, A, C, studying Aerospace Degree Apprenticeship with Airbus.
Nicole A: A*, A, A, studying Law at University of Durham.

Mr King said: “Our students worked so hard to further develop a passion for their subjects and make the most of their God-given talents. It is therefore extremely pleasing to see them rewarded for their character and resilience with outstanding grades today”.

CREATIVE ARTS FACULTY

Music Department - Co-curricular groups

Students are warmly welcome to join the music department's extracurricular groups. The Junior Choir will rehearse at lunch on Mondays. All students in years 7-9 are welcome to attend. The College Band will rehearse at lunch on Wednesdays. All students (years 7-13) who play instruments are welcome to attend. The Senior Choir will rehearse at lunch on Thursdays. All students in years 10-13 are welcome to attend.

Oliver!
This year's production is Oliver!, which will be held in March 2027. All students in years 7-13 are welcome to join the company. Rehearsals will be held after school (3:30pm-5:00pm) on Tuesdays, starting on Tuesday 29th September. Interested students should join the Google Classroom (using the code ukjttuwo) for more information.

Visit to see Back to the Future at the Bristol Hippodrome

The music and drama departments have organised a visit to the Bristol Hippodrome to see a performance of Back to the Future on Wednesday 4th November. The cost is £27.50, including a ticket for the performance and return coach travel. If you would like your child to attend this trip, please click the following link to complete the reply slip on Google Forms: https://forms.gle/Gv9hXQS9hxCkFdWn6

Instrument and Voice lessons

If you would like your child to have weekly vocal or instrumental lessons at St. Bede’s, please click the following link to complete the reply slip on Google Forms: https://forms.gle/PwTEvc1Py9nLeLYc9.

Blood Brothers

On Wednesday 9th September, KS4 drama students enjoyed an exciting visit to the theatre to see Blood Brothers by Willy Russell. Experiencing live theatre is a valuable part of our students’ performing arts education, allowing them to see professional performers bring a story to life. The students were thoroughly engaged by the powerful performances, impressive singing and acting, and high standard of production. It was wonderful to see them appreciating the skill, dedication and professionalism of the cast and reflecting on how the performance might inspire and influence their own work in the classroom.

DANCE CHAMPIONS APPEAR ON ITV

St. Bede's National Dance Champions appeared on ITV West Country on 3rd August following their recent success.

You can view their TV debut below:

https://www.itv.com/watch/news/friend-group-from-bristol-wins-great-big-dance-off-2026-ks45-category/1zpbc1q

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

21st September

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition

24th September

College will close at 2:15pm - Staff Training

29th September

Year 7 Retreat Day at St. Bede's

1st October

Open Evening - 6.00pm - 8.00pm

8th October

Year 11 Exam Preparation Evening -6.00pm - 8.00pm

LOCKERS

Year 7 lockers will be made available toward the end of Term 1 and will be available to purchase via MCAS.

We will contact families to confirm dates closer to the time.

FREE EYE TEST

A gentle reminder to all families that children are entitled to a free NHS eye test. Regular eye tests are important for children of all ages, even if they do not appear to have any problems with their vision.

A simple eye test could help identify a vision problem and support your child in getting the most from their education.

For more information or to book an appointment, please contact your local optician.

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KEY EXAM DATES

Please note the key exam dates for this calendar year are now available on our college website:

https://bit.ly/4xycnpI

LIBRARY NEWS

We have had a very busy start to the year in the Library. By close of play on Thursday 17th Seopwe had already issued 672 books, of which 367 were to our new Year 7s! We have been delighted to see so many of them in the Library already, and look forward to getting to know them and their reading likes and dislikes as the term progresses.

We are pleased to welcome our new Pupil Librarians – Agna, Arianna, Balazs, Edwin, Evelyn, Karl, Ola, Rachel and to welcome back Emi, Julia, Reuben and Sienna.

Mrs Nicks and Mrs Hayman have very much enjoyed reading through the recommendations our new Year 7s gave us before the summer holidays. Thank you so much everyone!

These are some of our reviews of the books. Follow the links to read a sample online, but all these books are available to borrow from our Library. Further reviews of the books we have enjoyed will follow next time.

SAFEGUARDING SPOTLIGHT

A reminder for all parents and carers - Child feeling unwell?

Please discuss with your son or daughter the importance of following the correct procedure in the unusual event of feeling unwell in college.

Students who are not feeling well must alert a member of staff who will notify student support to assist.

Under no circumstances should a student attempt to use their own methods to speak directly to a parent or carer.

College staff will medically assess the student and make a decision whether to call an emergency contact parent/carer or not.

If a student needs to leave the college due to illness, they are not permitted to do so alone.

Children must be collected by a named person, verified by details on the college administration system.

TERM DATES 2026-2027

Term 1 – Thursday 3^rd September 2026 to Friday 23^rd October 2026

Term 2 – Monday 2^nd November 2026 to Friday 18^th December 2026

Term 3 – Monday 4^th January 2027 to Friday 12^th February 2027

Term 4 – Monday 22^nd February 2027 – Thursday 25^th March 2027

Term 5 – Monday 12^th April 2027 – Friday 28^th May 2027

Term 6 – Monday 7^th June 2027 – Friday 23^rd July 2027

Inset Days

Friday 23rd October 2026

Monday 4th January 2027

Friday 12th February 2027

Friday 23rd July 2027

In addition, the Governors have agreed to support the college’s improvement agenda by retaining the early finish in-service training programme during the 2026–2027 academic year. On those dates, the college day will finish early at 2:15pm to allow staff training to take place. We will share the confirmed early finish dates with you as soon as they are finalised.

Thursday 24th September 2026

Thursday 17th December 2026

Tuesday 12th January 2027

Wednesday 3rd February 2027

Tuesday 9th March 2027

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RSE/PSHCE – Find Out More

Please visit the RSE/PSHCE curriculum area on our college website to find out useful information about the topics covered in lessons, supporting students’ personal development, wellbeing, relationships and preparation for life beyond college.

https://bit.ly/4hx3bgy

SCIENCE HOME LEARNING

We are thrilled to relaunch Tassomai as the official Science home learning platform for all students in Years 7 through 11. Whether your child is building foundational concepts in Key Stage 3 or preparing for their AQA GCSE examinations in Key Stage 4, Tassomai provides a tailored, stress-free route to mastering Science.

Tassomai isn't just an online homework tracker—it is an intelligent, self-adapting learning program designed to make knowledge stick.

Bite-Sized Daily Practice: By completing short, multiple-choice daily goals, students practice continuous retrieval—the single most effective way to lock facts into long-term memory.
Smart Personalization: The platform's algorithm constantly analyzes your child's strengths and weaknesses, tailoring future questions to target areas where they need the most support.
Targeted Revision: As exam periods approach, Tassomai acts as a personal tutor, ensuring students focus their revision time where it will make the biggest difference.

How Parents Can Support at Home: You don't need to be a Science expert to help your child succeed with Tassomai! Here is how you can support their routine:

Encourage the "Little and Often" Approach: Tassomai works best when used for 10–15 minutes each day. Encourage your child to complete their Daily Goal rather than leaving tasks to the last minute.
Check the Parent Report: You will receive regular weekly email updates summarizing your child’s activity, accuracy, and course completion. Use these to celebrate their progress and consistency.
Focus on Consistency Over Perfection: Making mistakes on Tassomai is part of the learning process! The system uses incorrect answers to teach and re-test concepts until your child achieves mastery.

Getting Started: Students have been introduced to the platform in school and can log in on any laptop, tablet, or via the mobile app. Students need to complete 100% of their weekly goal by midnight on Sunday each week. A reminder will be added to Google Classroom each week. If you have any questions about Tassomai please do not hesitate to contact your child's science teacher or email me: powersh@stbcc.org.