Newsletter - October 2023

Dear all,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. The past eight weeks have been a whirlwind at The Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School. We've started the term not running, but sprinting.

I am delighted to say our Year 7 students have embraced "The Douay Way" and have become part of the Douay family seamlessly. Sixth Form life is well and truly underway as our students continue their A level Studies, begin prep work around UCAS, apprenticeships and begin their unique journey of fulfilling their hopes and dreams for their futures beyond Douay.

In September we welcomed over 900 people to our at Open Evening. Our student body and student ambassadors showed off their school and their personal views on all things teaching, learning and pastoral. They made us all very proud.

We have hosted the first round of Jack Petchy Speak Out Challenge sessions which our Year 10 students shine with confidence and articulation of the topics they are passionate about. Our wonderful students have been getting stuck into river investigations in the local area, in some seriously testing weather conditions. Our Duke of Edinburgh students have already started their accreditations for going out trekking. Our Science laboratories are going down a treat, we’ve had Science experiments galore and fieldwork too.

We joined together to celebrate our Year 7 and 12s at their welcome mass. The students put forward their personal and private intentions about the next steps of their Douay journey and reflected on our mission - "To create a Christ-centered learning community where every individual is enabled to fulfil their true potential", to be the best version of ourselves.

We celebrated Prize Giving which was another reminder of how privileged I am to work with such talented young people and how truly wonderful they are in their unique charisms. We continue to carry out our mission, vision and Catholic values daily.

Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” We are blessed to have a school community with loyal staff and fantastic students and I look forward to what the year ahead continues to bring.

Have a lovely half-term break.

Best wishes

Ms McCloskey

Our school community came together to celebrate the Feast Day of the Douai Martyrs, a significant day for all of us.

The day began with a Mass, attended by staff, teachers, and students from all year groups, uniting us in prayer and reflection. After the Mass, the celebrations continued with a gathering where we had the chance to share experiences and reflect on the importance of this feast day.

The Douai Martyrs were a group of 158 Catholic priests from Great Britain who were executed between 1577 and 1680 for remaining steadfast in their faith. These courageous men had studied at the English College in Douai, France, where they were trained to provide spiritual and pastoral care to Catholics in England during a time of great persecution. Their dedication to their mission, despite the dangers they faced, has left an enduring legacy of faith and sacrifice. In 1929, Pope Pius XI beatified 80 of these alumni from Douai College in recognition of their heroic efforts and martyrdom.

The Feast Day of the Douai Martyrs holds special significance for our school, as we are connected to their legacy of faith and resilience.

We wish everyone in our school community a blessed and Happy Feast Day!

We are excited to share that our annual career fair was a huge success!

It was a pleasure to welcome a fantastic array of professionals, companies, and public services. It's always inspiring to see our students exploring their passions, discovering new interests, and planning for their future careers.

A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Caccaviello for organizing this wonderful event, as well as to all the staff who contributed to its success. A special shout-out goes to our Year 11 students for their enthusiasm and participation!

Our Year 7 students have settled in very well!

They have gelled as a year group, and I have seen some excellent examples of their work. A number of extra briefings have taken place after Monday assemblies to ensure that students are aware of issues related to public transport, how to respect each other and teachers, and the importance of valuing every person in the school and wider community. I have been very happy to speak with Year 7 students about their individual concerns and will remain at my desk in the mornings to talk to anyone who needs guidance.

As a year group, I am very pleased with how Year 7 has settled in. Well done! ~ Head of Year Mr Marshall.

"The school has raised its expectations for students in the sixth form. Students are committed to their studies and learning. Sixth-form students are positive role models for younger pupils. For example, they take pride in running a number of clubs and activities for pupils in Years 7 to 11." - Ofsted report 2024

We are thrilled to reconnect with our previous students and have some fantastic news to share with you. By joining our exclusive alumni network, you’ll be among the first to know about a wide range of opportunities and events, including:

• Job opportunities tailored to your expertise
• Alumni events where you can reconnect and network with fellow colleagues
• Social gatherings and reunions to celebrate your connection with Douay Martyrs
  
• Plus, much more!

We invite you to become part of our growing community. Simply complete the Google form below to stay informed and get involved in all these exciting activities.

The Douay Martyrs is now officially on LinkedIn!

We encourage you to follow our page to stay updated on the latest news, events, and developments within our school community. Additionally, you can link the education section of your profile to our page to enhance your professional presence.

Please note that this is the only official LinkedIn account representing our school. We look forward to connecting with you.

• 4th of November - Inset Day - No students in school

• 6th of November- Year 7 aiming for excellence evening

• 19th of November - Sixth Form Open Evening at 6pm

• 21st of November - Year 7 Christmas Carol

• 9th & 10th December - Christmas Lunch

• 12th of December - Christmas Concert

• 20th of December - End of term, early finish at 12:30

The Caritas Volunteer Service aims to make voluntary service as easy as possible in the Diocese of Westminster We do this by allowing charities, parishes and local outreach projects to make volunteering opportunities available on our website, which people who want to volunteer can then apply for.

In addition, we run events to help people get started in volunteering and to support active volunteers. The service is open to members of all faiths and none.

At Douay, we are committed to providing you with as much support as possible. As your child transitions from primary to secondary school, it's important to recognise that this new environment can bring about feelings of anxiety or stress. This article explores "school refusal," also known as emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA), where children may feel fearful or anxious about attending school. This issue can affect students of all ages, particularly those with additional or special educational needs (SEN).

For more insights and strategies, read the full article below!

Lord, you have gathered together all people of the Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School to be a learning community and made your son Jesus Christ the supreme teacher. Help us to follow his example to be selfless in love; to be ready to serve rather than be served and thus enable all of us to fulfil our true potential.

Amen