Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to our March Newsletter.

I hope everyone connected with our school community has a refreshing Easter break when it arrives. This is an important time of year to many different faiths.

Prewett Street and Redcliff Mead Lane Traffic Calming Scheme Consultation

SMRT School and our BS1 Alive Cradle to Career Hub is an official Bristol City Council ‘Community Connector’ and it is in this capacity that we are sharing the following information.

Bristol City Council is planning a public consultation about Prewett Street and Redcliff Mead Lane.  These are roads that many of our students, and parents and carers use every day. We want to make sure everyone in our community knows about the public consultation and has a chance to respond.

We don't have all the details yet. The consultation is expected to open in late April or early May 2026 and will last 4 weeks. We will share more when it is confirmed.

Where are these streets?

These streets are very close to St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School. Many students, and parents and carers walk, cycle, or travel through this area every day as it’s the main route to the Redcliff Hill bus stops (via Prewett Street), and Temple Meads station (via Redcliff Mead Lane).

What happened last time?

In early 2021, Bristol City Council asked local people for their views on how to improve these streets. We are sharing the outcome from 2021 here, based on available sources:

• 60% said the area is easy to walk around
• 42% said air quality was the biggest problem
• 36% said traffic speeds are too high
• 58% wanted more greenery and plants

Two options were put to the public

A: Close Redcliff Mead Lane where it meets Prewett Street

44.5% agreed · 39.1% disagreed, so no clear majority

B: Close Prewett Street at Proctor House (at the entrance to Somerset Square).

40.6% agreed · 46.2% disagreed, so no clear majority

The result

Neither option had enough support, so no changes were made at that time. Now the Council is preparing a new consultation and this time it is with a design for a specific traffic calming scheme.

Why does this matter to us?

Our school community uses these streets

Students arrive and leave school along these roads. Parents and carers drop off and pick up here. Changes to traffic (good or bad) affect everyone at SMRT directly.

• Calming traffic could make it safer to walk and cycle to school
• Cleaner air and more greenery would benefit everyone's health
• Road closures could change how you get to school — drop-off routes may be affected

This is a chance for your voice to count.  Last time, the results were very close

What you can do right now

Watch out for further communications from school. When the consultation opens, we will share the link and encourage all students, and parents and carers to respond. Every response counts.  The last consultation showed that the community was almost evenly split.

You can also see if the consultation has been opened by visiting this page https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ask/find-consultation-engagement

Attendance

Thank you to parents/carers and our students for your support and resilience in ensuring students attend school regularly. Our attendance rates as of 6 March 2026 are detailed below in comparison with other secondary statistics:

SMRT	93.40%
National	91.96%
South West	91.18%
Bristol	89.88%

We will review the end of Term 4 figures at the start of Term 5. Please visit our attendance page here for information on the support available should it be needed, and processes we have in place, e.g. for requesting absence. SMRT is an important focus for us in terms of a sense of belonging and potential for strong academic outcomes. Thank you to colleagues across the Main School and Sixth Form for their dedication.

Uniform

I would like to thank all students who wear the school uniform with pride. This is a basic expectation, but nonetheless, it makes such a difference to the sense of community and belonging.

There are of course barriers for some families in terms of access to uniform. We have effective processes in place to help overcome these barriers, and we therefore expect our students to wear the correct uniform in line with our Behaviour and Good Relationships Policy. Here is a link to our uniform page. We will notify parents/carers, and students when we move to the summer uniform, but in the meantime, we ask for your support as we enforce the expectation of the correct uniform being worn appropriately throughout the school day. If you need any support, please contact your child’s tutor.  Do check the school calendar for details of our regular second-hand uniform sales.

Please remind your child/ren that we have strict rules around the wearing of jewellery, and that only one pair of stud earrings are allowed.  Students should not be wearing necklaces, as these pose a significant health and safety risk during more practical lessons.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration week took place recently, and my thanks go to our Learning Support Team and wider staff for all they do to make all our students feel valued and included.

Six (the musical)

Congratulations to everyone involved in our musical which was performed in the Main Hall week commencing 16 March.  It represents a wonderful experience for those students taking part, and we had three different casts, which allowed as many students as possible to get involved.  My thanks go to all the staff who give up so much of their time to support school productions, including those who are more ‘behind the scenes’ like our premises team.  I would also like to recognise the commitment of the families who support their young people in what is a major out of school hours endeavour.

Contact Details

Do remember to keep us updated with any change to your contact details.  You can do this using your parent/carer Bromcom link, and you will find instructions on how to do this via the school website https://www.smrt.bristol.sch.uk/parents-and-carers/supporting-your-child/bromcom-parent-carer-support (see specific options at the bottom of the web page).

BS1 Alive Cradle to Career Hub

We are currently considering what the future looks like for next phase for our Cradle to Career Hub. We look forward to sharing our first impact report in due course. It has been great working with a range of partners to directly benefit our students, staff and community.

Current partners include:

• Kintsugi Hope https://www.kintsugihope.com/ [kintsugihope.com]
• Creative Power Town https://creativebath.org/events/culture-west-creative-power-town
• Bristol Flyers Basketball https://www.bristolflyers.co.uk/ [bristolflyers.co.uk]
• Jamie’s Farm (UK Charity) https://jamiesfarm.org.uk/ [jamiesfarm.org.uk]
• Rise Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Rise Community Jiu Jitsu CIC) https://www.risecommunityjiujitsu.org/
• Bristol Robins (Bristol City FC Robins Foundation) https://www.bcfc.co.uk/robins-foundation/
• Crunchtime (CRuNCH) https://www.crunchtime.org.uk/get-involved/ [crunchtime.org.uk]
• Arshay Cooper https://www.arshaycooper.com/ [arshaycooper.com]
• Diocese of Bristol – Transforming Lives / Transforming Church Together https://www.bristol.anglican.org/visionandpriorities/transforming-church/
• Bristol Future Talent Partnership https://www.bristolfuturetalent.co.uk/
• Woodlands Church Family https://www.woodlandschurch.net/
• Bristol Old Vic https://bristololdvic.org.uk/
• Together4Bristol (T4B) https://www.together4bristol.org.uk/
• UWE School of Architecture and Environment https://www.uwe.ac.uk/about/colleges-and-schools/arts-technology-and-environment/architecture-and-environment

We have a list of exciting new partnerships that we are working on in the background and hope to launch these in the next few months.

We have been working closely with students from UWE School of Architecture and Environment as we explore how we play an active role in developing our site and the surrounding area to meet the developing needs of our school community and the wider community.

Student Success

We are very proud of all that our students achieve, whether that’s in a lesson, exam, or an extra-curricular event.  Success looks different for everyone, so every achievement is worthy of celebration, and our staff work hard to award Alive points whenever they can.

A parent got in touch with their child’s tutor to let them know that Cece (Year 7) achieved gold and silver medals representing City of Bristol Swimming Club at a recent Invitational Development Meet (March 2026). When we hear about achievements outside of the school day, it is wonderful to be able to share them with the wider community.

We have had exciting news regarding ex-student Bradley Burrowes and his career as a professional footballer with Aston Villa.  He made his senior debut in August 2025 and has gone from strength to strength and captained their ‘Young Lions’ team.  This success has led to him signing a new long-term contract with the team, with them crediting his ‘fantastic mentality and character.’  We are very proud of his success and that he continues to live out our Alive themes to such great effect. You can read more here.

Sporting Success

In this newsletter I would like to showcase the fantastic work of our girls PE Team.  Netball is developing as a real strength at SMRT. This is not just about results.  It is about building a sense of team identity, spirt, belonging, and resilience. Well done to all the girls involved and to Ms Lochrie and Ms Hall.

Community News

We look forward to welcoming Dr Walsh (Head of Physics) and Mrs Sancto-Halpin (Deputy Head of Year Sixth Form) back from maternity after the Easter holiday.  Mr Montgomery will continue as Deputy Head of Year until the end of the academic year and therefore provide continuity for the current Year 12 group.  We say goodbye and thank you to Dr Mannan, who has been covering some teaching in the science department.

Ms Lukins returns from her maternity leave after the Easter holiday to her finance role, and Mrs Watts, who has been covering her role is staying with us in a new, permanent HR Officer role.

We say goodbye and thank you to two LSAs (Ms Blake and Mr Paice) who are leaving us for roles in other schools.  We look forward to introducing two new LSAs in the next newsletter, once their start dates have been confirmed.  Our DT technician, Miss David, has also moved on to a new challenge with a design company. We are pleased that we have been able to recruit a permanent replacement.

Mr Planter

• We pray for a wonderful, safe, and refreshing Easter break for our whole school community.

• As we reflect on the new life revealed at Easter, we thank God for the arrival of spring and the signs of new life all around us.

• Please pray for our Year 10 and Year 12 students as they revise for their mock exams, and for our Year 11 and Year 13 students as they prepare for their upcoming assessments.

Contents

As the end of another busy term approaches, many of our students are looking forward to a well-earned break, while for our Year 11 and Year 13 students in particular, the holiday will provide a chance to rest but also to get some revision done, with GCSEs and A Levels fast approaching. 

The opportunity for Year 9 students to submit their options choices for GCSE, ends this week, so all students need to get their preferred subjects submitted via the online form as soon as possible, as this will close at the end of this term. During Term 5, we will be allocating staff to classes and students to option blocks, so that by the start of term 6 we can begin the process of letting students know their options for next year.

The last few weeks of this term have seen some fantastic examples of our students taking what they have learned in the classroom into other areas of the school. For example, the excellent production of 'Six' highlighted the creative skills of our students and the work of the Music and Drama teams.

I visited another excellent poetry event in the Library led by Mr Boswell, on the theme of 'Animals', where students read poems about all sorts of creatures from cute household pets to terrifying dragons! It was also our annual 'Pi Day', where students not only ate a seemingly endless supply of fruit pies, but also recited Pi to as many decimal places as they could: a staggering feat of memory and recall.

Mr Taylor

Reminder

On return from Easter, please ensure that uniform is correct and in-line with the school policy. This is particularly with reference to the fact that white socks are not permitted, and neither are jogging bottoms or leggings. Students should be in correct trousers/skirts.

Summer Uniform

After the May bank holiday (4 May), we enter into our ‘Summer Uniform’ rules.  As a reminder:

• White collared shirts with a SMRT tie, worn appropriately. It is imperative for students to wear their tie (unless they have an exemption).

• Plain black polishable shoes, as normal.

• SMRT blazers remain optional, as normal.

• SMRT red jumpers are not required to be worn. 

The full policy is here, and website information is here. In line with the policy and the clear reminders above, students should not be wearing hoodies to school or PE kit at any other time.  

Mr Morgan

As we approach the celebration of Easter, we want to take a moment to reflect on how we have been remembering the Easter story and its message across our school community.

Throughout the Lent Season, we have been exploring life‑giving habits that draw us closer to God and to one another. These reflections have been a meaningful way for students and staff to pause, consider, and grow together.

On Thursday 26th March, many of our students gathered after school for our GATHERED worship event! It was an inspiring afternoon filled with live sung worship, prayerful reflection, and powerful messages. Together, we explored different perspectives on Jesus’ sacrifice and what it means for each of us today.

Students in Years 7–9 also took part in our Morning of Prayer. Led by our dedicated Student Chaplains, each year group was guided through a thoughtful session reflecting on the Easter Story and the profound truth that each of us is known and loved by God.

Our Student Chaplains also organised our egg‑citing Easter Egg Raffle! A fantastic event that raised £290 for a summer‑term charity project. This funding will go toward a project of choice from the Student Chaplains; either supporting either young people facing significant challenges or individuals experiencing homelessness.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Castlemead, Tesco Brislington, Latino Street Bites, and all the parents who generously donated eggs. Your contributions helped make this a wonderful event, and your kindness will have a genuinely positive impact on many lives

As we enter the Easter break, our prayer is that you enjoy a restful holiday and, if you celebrate it, that you find time to embrace the hope and renewal that Easter brings.

Chaplain Josh

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.

Last week the Year 10s travelled to Gordano to play a friendly fixture.

Jess Thrilby the England Netball coach watched the game as her daughter attends Gordano school.  She was gracious enough to come and have a photo with our girls and the first thing she commented on was how fantastic they looked in their netball dresses - We all felt very proud of ourselves and SMRT - so thank you for making that happen 🙂 

Mrs Lochrie

We had a fantastic poetry competition on Thursday 12 March. A great turnout of students all read out brilliant poems based on the theme of 'Animals'.In a wonderful atmosphere in the library, the students listed below all shared their thoughts on pets, animals they love or dislike and anything else in between!

Iqra Q
Maryam H
Nora K
Imogen W
Seren T
Olive T
Isaac R
Austin M
Michael O 
Ellie G
Christy T
Maya J
Karel Le
Gwen K
Esther D

This was a great occasion and we look forward to next term's event.

Mr Boswell

Congratulations to the winners - Bengy and Lowenna!

Bengy's film was a brilliant action film, containing all the typical conventions you'd expect for the genre - dramatic chase scenes, suspenseful cinematography and compelling soundtrack.

Lowenna's film, entitled 'The Morning Run' was a dramatic thriller. Filmed and produced with creativity, it contained ambitious editing, dramatic mise en scene and a narrative that left the audience on the edge of their seats.

Mrs Staynings 

Two of our Y11 students, Nico and Daniel, play for the Bristol Sonics U16 Basketball Team. The team has been invited to play at an international basketball tournament in Portugal this summer and are training hard, alongside studying for their GCSE exams, to be ready for the tournament.

The players are determined that no-one in the team should be excluded from this incredible opportunity due to financial circumstances, so they are fundraising to ensure that the whole squad of 14 players can all attend. Bristol Sonics are organising various fundraising activities over the next few months and are currently running a Crowdfunding campaign to raise money. If you would like to donate, the link to the Crowdfunder is here: 

Bristol Sonics U16s Crowdfunder

Mrs Sainsbury

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

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we move towards the end of Term 5, we wanted to share some updates, celebrations, and plans for the months ahead across our SEND community.

Year 9 Options – Additional SEND guidance

The Year 9 options process is now well underway. This is always an exciting milestone, and we are enjoying supporting students as they begin thinking about their future pathways. If you or your child would like any additional SEND‑related guidance while deciding, please do get in touch—we’re here to help.

Year 11 Revision – Increasing Demands

Year 11 have now entered their most demanding phase of revision and exam preparation. Please let us know as soon as possible if your child needs additional support, adjustments, or guidance. Early conversations make a huge difference, and we will do everything we can to help students feel confident and prepared.

Meet Bear – Our New Dog Mentor

We’re delighted to introduce Bear, our new mentoring dog, who has already started working with students. He has had a brilliant first week and is proving very popular!

You can see in the photo how beautifully our Year 7 students, Alice and Millie, are bonding with Bear. We look forward to sharing more updates as he continues his work with our school community.

Year 6 Transition – Starting After Easter

After the Easter break, we will begin our Year 6 transition programme. This is an important part of helping students feel confident and ready for September, and we will be in touch with families and primary schools shortly to arrange visits, meetings, and additional support where needed.

SEND Coffee Morning – Thank You for Joining Us

It was lovely to see so many parents and carers at our recent SEND coffee morning. We really value these opportunities to connect, listen, and share ideas.

Details of our Term 6 Coffee Morning will be shared soon—we hope to invite the Bristol Parent Carer Forum to join us as well.

Activities Week – Let Us Know About Any Adaptations Needed

We are already looking forward to Activities Week later this year. If your child requires any adjustments, adaptations, or additional support to take part comfortably, please let us know as early as possible. Our aim is for all students to feel included and able to enjoy the week fully.

If you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to contact the SEND team. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable Easter break.

Warm regards,
The SEND Team

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 we are highlighting this month: 

Click here to read

Thank you to all the parents and carers who attended the meeting  earlier this week.  Please note that all of our meetings are now hybrid which means that you can join from home and just listen in.  The next meeting will be on Tuesday 28 April at 7pm.

Mrs Duzniak