Dear Parent/Carer,

Welcome to our May Newsletter.

What does growth look like? As we see our students preparing for their next steps - whether that's moving year groups, preparing for GCSEs, or getting ready for university/ apprenticeships, further education or employment - I'm reminded that growth isn't always visible in the moment, but becomes clear when we look back at how far we've come. Events such as the Year 11 shirt signing, the Year 13 leavers’ service, or praying with students before their exams provide opportunities to pause and see our young people equipped to make their unique contribution to the world. Thank you to parents, carers, staff, and significant others who make such a difference for our students.

BS1 ALIVE – SMRT’s Cradle to Career Hub

SMRT School is now a Reach Foundation Cradle to Career Partner. This is the result of 18 months of work behind the scenes.  The Cradle to Career Partnership is a national network of locally rooted schools and trusts establishing innovative, place-based models of ‘cradle to career’ support. Although our model is designed to reach the whole city as we take students from across the city, we have called our place-based model BS1 ALIVE to reflect the location in which the school is based.

We have a strong idea of what every baby, child, and young person needs to thrive:

1. To be safe and well-supported: every child needs to be free from harm and enjoy secure, nurturing, positive experiences.
2. To be healthy: every child needs to develop positive well-being - physically, mentally and emotionally.
3. To achieve well academically and be supported in character development: every child needs to be challenged and supported by great teaching and a rigorous and relevant curriculum.
4. To build strong, trusting relationships: every child needs to have strong peer and familial relationships and engage positively with their local community.

As a nation we are not securing these conditions for every child in England right now. To change this, and to secure a life of choice and opportunity for every child, we believe that great schools are necessary but not sufficient. We believe that while schools and trusts have an integral role to play in securing lives of choice and opportunity for every child, they cannot do so in isolation. Therefore, through working collaboratively and imaginatively with a range of partners, we believe that SMRT is uniquely well-placed to develop the seamless pipelines of support children need.

We will be sharing more information about what BS1 ALIVE’s specific goals, projects, and partners in due course. And in the meantime, you can find out more about the Reach Foundation and Cradle to Career Partnership here.

Year 11

Our Year 11 students enjoyed their shirt signing event at the end of the day on Wednesday 7 May.  This was the last ‘normal’ day in school before their exams started.  Their leavers service is on Tuesday 24 June, after the exam period has ended, and we look forward to celebrating with them then.

Year 13

We wish all the Year 13 students well in their exams and will support all our students into whatever pathway is the best one for them.  Their last day in school was Friday 16 May and had a lovely leavers service at St Mary Redcliffe Church.  My thanks go to everyone who attended and made this such a special occasion. Special thanks to Mr Shaw, Mr Mansell, Miss McLean and the wider 6^th form pastoral team for organising this event.

Exams

Exams have got off to a well-ordered start.  It is good to see the students arriving on time and with the correct equipment.  Thank you to parents/carers for your support and encouragement of your young people, at what we know can be a stressful time.

Building works

I do understand how inconvenient the building/road works associated with the flats adjacent to the school are, and we are doing our very best to liaise with the firms involved to ensure that emergency access to the site is preserved and that noise is kept to a minimum during exam times.  The timing of the works was very much beyond our control and should have been completed during the summer holidays last year.

Attendance and Leave of Absence Request

Thank you for your continued support of our attendance procedures. Attendance continues to be strong, however, there is a trend of attendance levels falling in Term 6. It is vital that we work to main high levels of attendance and maximise learning time through to the end of the academic year. Please note that any request for Leave of Absence must follow the official process which is detailed on our website here

The latest government legislation includes the fact that Headteachers’ will not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. If there are exceptional circumstances, parents/carers will need to complete a Leave of Absence request in advance, so this can be considered by the school. Unauthorised absence can lead to a penalty notice in line with government guidance

It has come to my attention that some Leave of Absence requests have not be processed by the school in good time; I sincerely apologise for this. Work is underway to streamline and improve tracking by introducing the request form as a Microsoft Form. We will let you know when this is ready to be launched.

Uniform Update – Shorts!

We have listened to parent/carer and student feedback and are pleased to announce that shorts have been added to the summer uniform.  The grey, tailored, unisex shorts are available for purchase from Monkhouse for Term 6 at a cost of £10.00.  This is a change to our uniform policy following a review of stakeholder voice. If students wish to wear shorts, these are the only shorts permitted.  Students are not allowed to wear other colours or other types of shorts.  If you wish to purchase a pair, please visit the school section of the Monkhouse website

 

We have reviewed other elements of the school uniform with the goal of making the uniform more affordable whilst not compromising on standards and expectations. Mr Morgan (Deputy Headteacher) will be updating stakeholders early in Term 6.

Parent/Carer Prayer Evening

We held our second prayer evening of the year with parents and carers on Wednesday 14 May.  This is the first year we have done this, and we will definitely hold similar events in the next academic year.  It was real blessing to be able to pray for the needs of our school, community, nation, and world (as well as give thanks for the many blessings).

Thank you to Chaplain Josh, Mr Noyce, Mrs Duzniak, and Mr Blaney for their organisation of this evening.

Social Media

We have increased our presence on social media through the platforms below and encourage you to follow us so that you can remain updated on all SMRT news. It would be great to have over 200 followers on one of the platforms by the end of June!

https://bsky.app/profile/smrtschool.bsky.social

https://www.facebook.com/stmaryredcliffeandtempleschool/

https://www.instagram.com/smrtschoolbristol/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-mary-redcliffe-and-temple-school/

https://x.com/smrtschool

Year 7 to Year 8 Transition

We are already approaching the point where Year 7 will be transitioning to Year 8 and will be leaving their tutor's base in the Ikoba building to make way for our incoming Year 7! I am delighted with the way the year group have settled into SMRT and been so willing to contribute to the life of the school. Special thanks go to Mr Mattson and the Year 7 pastoral team.

Calendar for 2025-2026

The production of our 2025-2026 calendar is well underway and will be shared with parents and carers in Term 6. The term dates and INSET days for 2025-2026 are on our website and can be accessed here.

Sporting Success

On 5 May, ex-student Brad Burrowes won the FA Youth Cup with Aston Villa, beating Man City 3-1, in front of a 25,000 crowd at Villa Park. This is a wonderful achievement, and it was lovely to hear that Brad was cheered on by lots of past and present students and staff!  Being involved in sport and physical activity in itself is a great thing to do, but to take part professionally is very special.

New SENDCo

I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Ms Joanne Williams as our new SENDCo from September 2025. Jo started her leadership career as a SENDCO and has 10 years' headteacher experience, having led two large mainstream schools. We look forward to welcoming Jo to SMRT. We are arranging a robust handover with Mrs Whittaker this side of the summer holiday with additional handover scheduled early into the new academic year. I know Jo is looking forward to introducing herself to parents/carers and the wider school in writing, and we are planning for Jo to attend the Year 6 parents evening in Term 6.

Community News

We will be welcoming Ms Amos (Science) back from her maternity leave after the holiday.  Mr Wong, who has been covering some of her teaching load, is staying with us, which will provide continuity for many students.  Mr Halpin will continue as our Deputy Head of Year for Year 8 for the time being.

Ms Mlewa (Head of Social Sciences) will start her maternity leave after the holiday.  Mr. Swanson will be increasing his hours for the rest of the academic year.  Mrs Pardesi will be taking on Ms Mlewa’s leadership responsibilities.  We wish them all well.

We say goodbye to Mr Boulton, one of our IT support team, as he leaves us for a post closer to home.  He’s been here for many years, and we have been fortunate to have his calm, caring presence around school.  We also say goodbye to Miss Lee, our Year 11 Learning Mentor, as she leaves us for a new post.  I know that her colleagues will miss her kindness and expertise, and that there are many students and families who are indebted to her for her support.

At the end of this year, we will also say goodbye to Mr Hare (Assistant Headteacher), who will be taking up a school leadership post at the Blue School in Wells. Mr Hare has made a significant contribution to the school through his role on the School Leadership Team and working closely with our Year 11 Raising Achievement Team, the PE Department, and extracurricular sports provision. We will miss his sense of optimism and contribution as a real team player. We wish Mr Hare the very best for the future.

I am very pleased to announce that, following a rigorous process, Mr Mansell, currently Head of Year 13, will be joining our School Leadership Team as an Assistant Headteacher. Mr Mansell joined SMRT in 2008 and has had a significant impact as a teacher of geography, Head of House in the main school, and Head of Year in our sixth form. I am sure you will join me in wishing him all the best as he takes up the Behaviour, Attitudes, and Culture portfolio working closely with Mr Morgan (Deputy Headteacher).

We will be communicating the pastoral leadership structure for 2025-2026 as soon as we can in Term 6.  The large majority of Heads of Year, Deputy Heads of Year, and Learning Mentors will move with their current student group.

I hope you have a great weekend and a refreshing Bank Holiday.

Del Planter

Headteacher

1. Please pray for our year 11 and year 13 students as they sit their exams.  Please also pray for their families, helping your child revise at home is also a challenge and we want to remember all those supporting our students at home during the next few weeks.
2. New year 7 transition visits have begun.  There are over 200 Year 6 students across Bristol getting ready to join us in September.  Pray for them as they finish at their primary schools.  Pray that they get some rest after their SATs and feel refreshed as they head into Term 6.
3. Please pray for our city and the safety of our students over the May Half-Term break.  Pray that they make wise choices with their friends. 

Contents

The exams season has got off to a fantastic start. The attitudes of students to their revision has been exemplary and I have been struck by the way in which they have supported one another both in terms of learning and in terms of managing the challenges that accompany the exam period. The organisation from the exams team has been fantastic and the Year 11 and Year 13 pastoral teams have ben on hand to support students throughout. I'm confident that this will lead to a great set of results in the summer of which everyone can be rightly proud.

At the start of next term, we will finalise the GCSE options for the current Year 9. In the first two weeks of next term, we will make the final decisions about which courses are viable in terms of numbers of students and available staff and I will meet with those students for whom we have not been able to provide their first choice of option subjects and agree which of their reserve subjects they would like instead, I will also contact the parents and carers of those students to ensure they are in agreement with any potential changes.

Mr Taylor 

Uniform Reminder

As the weather is warmer, we are now in the ‘summer uniform’ which is as follows: 

• SMRT blazers are not required to be worn. 
• SMRT red jumpers are not required to be worn.  
• White collared shirts with a SMRT tie, worn appropriately. It is imperative for a students to wear their tie.  If a student has a permitted reason not to wear a tie, they must wear a school jumper or blazer instead. 

All other aspects of the uniform remain the same.  PE kit remains the same and MUST NOT be worn at other times of the day.   

You may have seen there was a ‘flash sale’ at the uniform supplier recently.  If you missed it, you may want to visit their website in preparation for next year as many items are currently on sale.   We have held discussions with Monkhouse around the affordability of uniform recently and will update you with news in Term 6. 

 

Mobile Phones 

Thanks to parents and carers who took part in the mobile phone survey from UWE recently.  It is a ‘hot topic’ with many schools reviewing their policies.  We have seen a decrease in mobile phones being used and confiscated as the year has progressed, will be updating parents carers and students on how SMRT will be approaching this issue from September during Term 6. 

 

House Ethos 

I mentioned in the last newsletter that we are regenerating our House identity, starting with a competition to design the new House logo or crest.  Congratulations to Hannah , Olive , Shakayla , Jet , Maria , Kristen , Ellie , Bea , Ella who won the competition for each House.  They will be working with a graphic designer and alumni to help make their design become a reality at the start of Term 6 and hopefully see a logo that they inspired be part of their House’s ethos for many years to come.  More information to follow. 

 

E-bikes

Due to health and safety risks linked to the content of e-bike batteries, e-bikes are not permitted to be brought to school.  The highly flammable content poses too great a risk to the school, whilst this only affects a small minority of students at present we need to be clear that we cannot allow e-bikes on site.  We appreciate your understanding if this is an issue that affects you.

Mr Morgan 

 

An important update from Monkhouse – 20% off All orders!

20% Off All Orders – Limited Time Only!
Starting Monday, 19 May, we’re offering a 20% discount on all uniform orders, a perfect opportunity for parents to get ahead on back-to-school shopping and save big. But don’t wait – this offer won’t be around for long!

Extended Returns Period: To make things even easier, we’re also extending our returns period from 6 May until 12 September, giving parents extra flexibility.

Great News from Monkhouse!
For a limited time, enjoy 20% off all orders online and in-store – perfect for getting a head start on back-to-school shopping and saving money!

Offer Dates:

20% Off All Orders

• • Start Date: Monday, 19 May – Limited time Only!

Extended Returns

• • Start Date: 6 May
  • End Date: 12 September

We’re here to make uniform shopping as simple and stress-free as possible. Happy shopping!

A big thank you to the parents and carers who attend our Prayer evening in May.  It was a wonderful opportunity to pray for our students.  We started in the Ikoba building praying for the new year 7s who will be joining us in September.  We prayed for their SATs and also for their end of year 6 celebrations.  We also prayed that they would make new friends quickly and that they settle into secondary school life well. 

We then went to the empty Sports Hall where our year 11 and year 13 students are sitting exams.  We prayed for every student entering the exam hall and walked around the room praying over desks for calmness, presence of mind and stamina as students sit their exams over the next few weeks. 

Finally, we went back to the hall to pray for our year 11s and year 13s as they think ahead to the future.  We had asked for prayer requests from our students and we used these to help us pray.  We plan to do more events like this next year so do keep a lookout and join us if you can.

Mrs Duzniak 

Every week we run a worship session in our tutor groups, and make these available on our website for parents and carers to view.

Each newsletter will feature a Weekly Worship we would like to highlight from the previous month.

The amazing Year 7 and 8 students at SMRT have got the school's best ever results in the Junior Maths Challenge! A whopping 85 students achieved a Gold, Silver or Bronze, which are reserved for only the top 60% of the best mathematicians in the country. Amongst the 85 were 16 Gold awards, with Year 8's Mark the Best in School. He and five others are through to the next round, many of them regular Maths Club attendees - we wish each of them all the best.

To get a flavour of the level of challenge, here is the final question: given a cube, how many equilateral triangles are there whose vertices are three vertices of the cube?

Mr Cross

The house point totals as we reach the end of this month are as follows:

Our next Parents and Carers' Support Group is 4pm - 5pm on Tuesday 3 June here in Learning Support.

All parents are welcome! We are going to have a focus on Supporting ADHD in Teenagers and then tea and cake.

Please let me know if you plan to come so I can plan refreshments accordingly.

Mrs Whittaker 

Each fortnight we send a 'Wake Up Wednesday' (WuW) safeguarding update to parents and carers. These cover a range of topics and themes that empower and equip parents and carers with the confidence and practical skills to engage in conversations with young people. We also make WuWs available on our website.

Here's the WuW update we are highlighting this month.

Wake Up Wednesday

Our next meeting is taking place on Thursday 12 June at 7pm in the library.  We look forward to seeing you there.

We have updated the information on the school website so that you can find out more about what the Friends of SMRT do to support the school.  Here is a direct link:  https://www.goodhub.com/go/friends-of-st-mary-redcliffe-and-temple-school

Mrs Duzniak