Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026. This time last year we had welcomed Ofsted to our School!

Secretary of State Praises SMRT for Excellent Disadvantaged Pupil Outcomes

I am delighted to share that St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School has received a letter from the Secretary of State for Education congratulating us on the excellent outcomes achieved by our disadvantaged pupils during the 2024/25 academic year.

This recognition reflects the dedication and expertise of our staff, the determination and resilience of our students, and the strength of a school community committed to ensuring every young person can flourish. The letter places our performance among the very best nationally and is a testament to our shared vision of opening a world of opportunities for every learner.

We are incredibly proud of our whole school community and extend our sincere thanks to parents and carers for their ongoing support and crucial role in this achievement. There is still much to do, but together we continue to create an environment where all students can thrive and achieve their full potential.

There have already been many highlights in the first month of the year!

 

January Highlights

The start of year service in St Mary Redcliffe Church is always a meaningful and spiritual opportunity for us to recognise God at the centre of all we do as a community as we look ahead to the new calendar year. Student engagement throughout was brilliant. Staff participation is a great model for our students and builds a strong sense of community.   

Massive thanks go to Mr Boswell for the poetry event in the library earlier this term.   It was a great success with lots of students reading poems and celebrating creativity through the written word. Also, thanks to Mr Wheeler for organising the Year 12 careers morning. This was an excellent event, and we are deeply thankful to our Alumni who support this event giving so generously of their time.

 

Sporting Success

Well done to the combined Year 7 and Year 8 girls netball team who represented SMRT in our first ever national netball competition. They won away to St Peter's in Gloucester 6-3.  Massive thanks go to Miss Hall and Ms Lochrie for their relentless commitment to developing netball at SMRT.

Well done to our Year 7, 9, and 10 boys football teams who produced a clean sweep away against Bristol Cathedral Choir School last week:

Year 7 - 1-6

Year 9 - 0-11

Year 10 - 0-8

Massive thanks to Mr Hendricks, Mr Campbell, Mr Freeman, and Mr White for supporting these teams.

 

Clubs and Activities support by BS1 Alive Cradle to Career Hub

I would like to pass on my thanks to the staff and partners who are making it possible for us to offer an increase in the number of interventions, clubs, and activities.  We are working with Bristol Flyers, Crunchtime, Jamie’s Farm, Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation, Rise – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Creative Power Town, Wrestle for Humanity, Bristol Robins, and Kintsugi Hope, to name just a few. These partnerships are going from strength to strength and are a real testament to some of the opportunities we can offer through the work of our BS1 Cradle to Career Hub.

 

SMRT Breakfast Club supported by BS1 Alive

We are working with a range of BS1 Alive Partners to trial a new model for our breakfast club. We would like to start the club earlier in the morning, offer breakfast at a heavily subsidised price along with wrap-around care such as study spaces and wellbeing activities. We are in the process of confirming external funding to enable a 12-week trial. We will be in contact once we are (hopefully) able to confirm that the funding is in place to enable us to proceed with the trial.

 

Consultation

Thank you to those parents/carers who have been able to engage with governors and the Lighthouse School Partnership as we continue our consultation regarding joining a Multi Academy Trust. There will be an online event for parents/carers to find out more and ask questions on Tuesday 3 February from 6pm until 7pm. You can sign up for this via the link you were sent in an email on 20 January about the event, or from the consultation page of the school website.  We sent a reminder email message on 2 February.

 

Communication

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Attendance

Regular school attendance is an important part of giving children the best possible start in life. The aim should be to attend 100% of the time. Students who miss school frequently can fall behind with their work and do less well in exams. Good attendance also suggests to potential employers that a young person is reliable.

Thank you for your continued support of student attendance. Our attendance rates continue to be above local and national rates although below our ambitious target of 97%. Although we are above key thresholds, our focus is on achieving the best for every individual student, and we are aware that every circumstance is different. School staff will make contact when attendance falls below the key threshold of 95%. Please do contact your child’s Tutor, Learning Mentor, Deputy Head of Year, or Head of Year if there are barriers or concerns. Our desire is to support you and your child.

 

Punctuality

It is also important to arrive at school on time. If a child arrives late to school every day, their learning begins to suffer. Below is a graph showing how being late to school every day over a school year adds up to lost learning time over one academic year.

Do continue to communicate if there are challenges. We do have high expectations and will continue to apply our Behaviour and Good Relationships Policy where punctuality is a concern.

 

Sixth Form

Well done to Mr Shaw and the Sixth Form team who have supported our students in submitting their UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) applications. This year we have submitted well over 300 applications. There have already been 5 offers made to students who applied to study at Oxford University.

Mr Shaw has also been working hard to ensure that the many offers we make to students wishing to study at our very popular Sixth Form have gone out.

 

Choosing GCSE Options (for Year 9 Students)

Year 9 students will begin the process of selecting their GCSE option choices this term. This is a lengthy and detailed process, which will include ViP lessons on options, assemblies, information for parents and carers, additional support for key groups of students, and a dedicated section on our school website. We are currently finalising our curriculum offer for 2026 to 2027 and will begin to share information with students, and parents and carers towards the end of January with a view to finalising option choices in Term 5.

 

Community News

We welcomed back Dr Lynch (Geography) from maternity leave at the very end of last term.  We have already wished Mrs Hutchinson (Maths) well as she starts her maternity leave and welcomed Mr Henry who is covering her teaching. Mr Henry is also covering some of Mrs Roberts Computer Science teaching until the end of this academic year. Ms Olive (English) starts her maternity leave very soon, and we look forward to welcoming Mr Hutchinson after the school holiday.

Our other newer staff, Ms Cooley (Learning Mentor), Ms Chapman (KS5 Learning Coordinator), and Ms Nash (Deputy SENDCo) have all been settling in well.

 

New Vicar for St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School

The licensing service of the Rev Brutus Green as the new vicar of St Mary Redcliffe Church will take place on Tuesday 3 February 2026 starting at 7.30pm. I am delighted to be taking part in the service and look forward to welcoming Revd Brutus Green to our school and wider community.

  A Good Start to the Year

• Give thanks for a positive start to the new year
• Pray for energy, focus, and hope as students and staff settle back into routines.

New Student Chaplain Team

• Pray for our new Student Chaplain team, including new students stepping into this role.

• Ask God to guide them as they serve our School with their ideas, gifts, and skills.

Mock Exams (Year 11 & 13)

• Pray for Year 13 students following their mock exams, and for Year 11 students preparing to sit theirs.

• Ask for peace, confidence, and clarity of mind during this time.

MAT Consultation

• Pray for our MAT consultation with the Lighthouse Schools Partnership.

• Ask that all involved would be guided with wisdom, openness, and that the consultation would be productive and constructive.

Uganda Visit

• Pray for the three members of staff who will be visiting Ikoba School in Uganda during half term.

• Ask for safe travel, meaningful relationships, and that the visit would be a blessing to all involved

Chaplain Josh 

Contents

There are lots of things going on across the curriculum with different year groups at different stages of their time with us. Year 11s are thinking about GCSEs with just a few months until the exam period begins. It is also a time when thoughts turn to what comes next, once the exams are over, as students receive offers for places in our own Sixth Form or at other schools or colleges or think about taking the first steps into the world of work. 

Year 9s are beginning to think about their own GCSE choices for next year. On Wednesday 4 February we have our Options Evening event for parents, carers and students in Year 9. I will give a short talk explaining the options process and then there will be a chance to speak to a range of staff about their subjects. The event runs from 6pm until 7pm and will take place in the Main Hall.

This is very much the start of the options process. Next week will also see the dedicated Year 9 Options webpage go live on our School website and there will be lots more to come as, over the coming months, students and their families make their decisions about their choices for next year.

I was lucky enough to attend the poetry event in the Library at lunchtime last week, on the theme of "My City". I was blown away by the quality of the work and the confidence and articulacy of our students as they read them aloud to a sizeable audience. Huge congratulations to all who took part and big thanks to Mr Boswell for running and competing in this event so skilfully!

Mr Taylor

We have been pleased with students’ conduct and compliance with the mobile phone policy this year, as we have communicated in previous newsletters.  The impact on day-to-day behaviour is very noticeable.  Nevertheless, it does not hurt to remind families – particularly in the light of the updated Government guidance that we are already ahead of – that mobile phones must not be ‘used, seen or heard’ during the school day.  If they are, they will be confiscated for 5 days unless a parent/carer comes to collect it. 

Please ensure that the message is clear from home, and that you have discussed a ‘plan B’ for your child should they make the mistake of allowing their phone to be ‘used, seen or heard’ during the day.  Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that students can get home if their phones are confiscated; it is students’ responsibility to ensure their phones are turned off and kept away, ideally in lockers, to prevent unnecessary complications.  

Here is a link to our communication and policy that we sent out last year.   

Thank you for your support, particularly if you have been adversely affected by a confiscation!  We do appreciate it. 

Mr Morgan 

We had our start of term service this month where the theme was, ‘You reap what you sow’.  We were challenged to think about what we will be sowing in 2026 and what will that reap for us in 2027.  We have also had another House Eucharist on the theme of ‘perspective’ where we thought about the importance of ‘zooming out’ so that we can see our situations from God’s perspective. 

Our student chaplains for this year have now been appointed.  They had their first meeting together and will start to plan various activities and events throughout the year to help our School community grow stronger together in our faith.

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.

We have three staff members (Mrs Billington, Ms Cox and Chaplain Josh) travelling to Uganda over half-term to visit our partner school (Ikoba).  This year, we celebrate 20 years of partnership and visiting the school ensures that the partnership lasts.  During the visit, our teachers will be observing and teaching lessons as well as interacting with all of the students in the school.

They will also be taking out donations to the school.  In particular, items that will be useful to support teaching and learning at the school.  If you have any items (stationery, solar lights, calculators etc…) that you can donate, please ask your child to bring them to visitor reception by Monday 9 February.  If you are unsure about whether something is suitable do get in touch and we can check.

A number of our students will also be making key chains for all of the students at Ikoba School – there will be pictures in the next newsletter!

Mrs Duzniak

We are delighted to be running a new BS1 Alive basketball programme in partnership with the Bristol Flyers, Bristol’s professional basketball team.

The sessions are fun, inclusive, and open to all abilities, focusing on confidence, teamwork, and staying active rather than competition. Students are learning from professional coaches in a relaxed and supportive environment.

This programme is part of our wider BS1 Alive Cradle to Career work, giving young people access to enriching opportunities beyond the classroom. We hope this will be the first of many sports opportunities if there is strong interest and engagement.

Spaces are limited, so if your child has already expressed interest or would like to take part in future sessions, please encourage them to speak to a member of staff.

Mr Rob Short 

BS1 Alive Hub Manager

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

Dear Parents and Carers,
We are delighted to share some of the wonderful progress and activities taking place within our SEND provision this term.

Positive Engagement in Lessons

Our Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) continue to work closely with students across all year groups, and we are pleased to see an increase in confident participation during lessons. Students are responding well to the guidance and reassurance offered by LSAs, and many are showing growing independence in their learning.

Success in Intervention Sessions

Intervention groups remain a real highlight of the week. Students have been approaching these sessions with enthusiasm and a positive attitude. Their commitment is clear, and it’s fantastic to see the progress they are making—both academically and in their confidence.

GCSE Focus in Years 10 and 11

Our Year 10 and Year 11 students are working extremely hard as they continue their GCSE courses. Their determination and resilience are shining through, and staff are proud of the effort being shown across all subjects. We will continue to offer tailored support to help them feel prepared and confident as exams approach.

Visits from Bear, Our School Dog Mentor

A much-loved member of our community, Bear, our school dog mentor, continues his weekly visits. Students have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her, finding her presence calming, motivating, and uplifting. Bear has quickly become an important part of supporting students’ wellbeing.

Ongoing Staff Training in SEND

To ensure we continue to offer the highest level of support, staff have taken part in additional training this term on Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, and Autism. These sessions have strengthened our understanding and provided practical strategies to better meet the diverse needs of our students.

Finally, our date for next Parent/Carer SEN meeting - Monday 9 March 11-12 (this is a change from previously advertised 23/2).

Do contact the Learningsupport@ email address if you need any further advice or support.

Ms Williams / SENDCo

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.

Link

Thank you to the Friends of SMRT who continue to support our School.  We met in January and this was the first hybrid meeting we have tried since the pandemic.  It was very well received as many more parents and carers were able to join.  We will continue to make the meetings hybrid from now on, so do look out for a Teams link!

During the meeting, the Friends agreed to pay for some large clocks to go outside so that students can see what time it is during break and lunchtime.  There will also be some new digital clocks going up in some classrooms.  Thank you so much to the Friends of SMRT for financially supporting this decision.

The next Friends of SMRT meeting will take place on Thursday 12 March at 7pm.  

Mrs Duzniak

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