Lourdes Pilgrimage

Y10 and Year 12 students went on pilgrimage to Lourdes from 5th –13th July. All pupils were assigned to a sick member of the adult pilgrimage. Some of these pilgrims were terminally ill. Their responsibility was to transport these people to the many pilgrimage events in Lourdes and to be a support for partners or companions of these sick people. The pupils were deeply touched by the experience. Talking, listening, caring for the sick and giving practical, physical support affected them emotionally and spiritually. They could see the value of working with those less fortunate than themselves. Some of their future career choices would be ultimately affected by this profound experience.

Mr Aitchison, Miss Rylands and Miss Couttie were very proud of the way each and every student responded to every task and responsibility they were given. Mr Aitchison said “We are privileged to witness the attention and affection the students gave to the person(s) they were looking after. The pilgrimage is tiring work. After travelling 27 hours to arrive in Lourdes, the pupils were set to work straight away. They often worked from 7.30am to 10.30pm. To see these young people enjoying the experience and leading them in various events and liturgies which had an affect on them spiritually was a humbling experience. You build a very trusting and loving relationship with the students and there are moments when staff are sought after to offer spiritual guidance, support and a listening ear”.

James Aitchison

JUMP INTO HEALTHY EATING!

September is the start of our new in-house catering provision using the first phase of our refurbished kitchens. Jump into Healthy Eating is our new logo (designed by Elizabeth Atkinson in Year 8) and our new ethos. Our new service provision is in the capable hands of Babs Askham, our catering manager and her wonderful team who have been with us for many years.

If I asked you what the phrase “being healthy” meant to you, what would you say? Eating five fruit and vegetables a day? Exercising daily? Looking after yourself? Being healthy to me and our school means being equipped to make the right choices to ensure we are healthy. It is having a balanced approach to living and learning. This involves body, mind and soul, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

As you know the government has introduced new food-based standards for lunchtimes and we have set up our service with these in mind. Our baguette bar in the tuck shop area along with a new vending bank, offers healthy and nutritious drinks – and also a food vender for fresh sandwiches, fruit and yoghurts is available when all other services are closed, especially for after school activities. We are introducing a new Pasta Bar in the main hall, with our new main meal menus being delivered from the “some like it hot” serving station along with baked potatoes and soup. In the sixth form the deli station will be extended; a new fridge cabinet for all-day snacks, baguettes and sandwiches will be available, a pasta bar and a help-yourself salad bar, jacket potatoes and a free-trade coffee machine will also be available.

Under government regulations confectionery is not available in school, as you know they are high in sugar and some are high in fat and do not make a valuable contribution to a child’s nutrient intake. We want to encourage everyone to eat a balanced meal. If you do provide a packed lunch please make it a healthy one !

Please follow these links for suggestions/ideas for healthier packed lunches.

http://www.foodfitness.org.uk/

http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/content.asp?ContentId=295

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/upload/Healthy%20Eating%20for%20School-aged%20Children.pdf

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=1381&subSectionId=1123&parentSection=303&which=6

Battlefields Trip

The Year 9 and Year 10 History students enjoyed a fascinating trip to the World War One battlefields of northern France and Belgium. During the trip the pupils visited several graveyards and war memorials, which helped to illustrate the sheer scale of the human loss during the Great War.

The students were also able to visit many of the trenches and battlefields that became a major part of war on the Western Front, highlighting the terrible conditions suffered by thousands of soldiers at the time.

They were accompanied by Mrs Keddie, Miss Moseley, Mr Fitzpatrick, Mr Mellor and Miss Beevers.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Simon Armitage – a famous Yorkshire poet – visits St. Wilfrid’s

Friday 15th June 2007 arrived and many teachers and Year 10 pupils were eagerly awaiting the performance of prominent Yorkshire poet and novelist, Simon Armitage. Simon previously won the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award and has worked extensively in radio, film and television. The vast majority of pupils in the country will study his poems at GCSE level.
Despite his indisputable acclaim, Simon transformed pupils’ expectations of what a ‘typical’ poet might be like; he was funny, down to earth and inspiring. It was an invaluable experience for pupils to hear poems they have studied and seen on the page performed and brought to life by their creator.
Despite animating his own poems, Simon even upheld his modesty when it came to discussing the ownership of his work. When questioned about his poems’ meanings he humbly announced: ‘Once I’ve written something it doesn’t belong to me any more – the meaning belongs to the reader’.
This was fabulously empowering for pupils to hear; individual interpretation and creativity are essential tools in the successful study of Literature and Simon actively encouraged pupils to use their imaginations in their studies. And that is the beauty of all literature; it creates new worlds and experiences – no exact interpretation of any text is ever entirely right or wrong and Simon reaffirmed this for everyone.
We hope to welcome Simon back next year and he has promised to be our ‘pet poet’.

Kate Midgley

St. Wilfrid’s Praised by OFSTED Inspectors

Pupils and staff at St. Wilfrid’s are celebrating after receiving a glowing report from OFSTED inspectors recently. A team of five inspectors visited the school in May and identified “a strong and inclusive Christian ethos [which] underpins the work of the school and supports a community in which pupils can thrive.” They also noted that, “pupils enjoy coming to school: they are well motivated and keen to learn” and “pupils work hard and make outstanding progress”. John McNally, Headteacher, said he was delighted with the report, saying, “The Inspectors were really impressed with our pupils, noting the pride they and the staff take in St. Wilfrid’s.

I am particularly pleased that OFTSED also recognised we are set for even higher levels of success in the near future, describing us as still improving. This report is a testament to everybody involved with the school and I would like to publicly thank pupil, parents, staff and governors for their hard work and dedication to St. Wilfrid’s”.

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The Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Commandos

On Friday 4th May during Personal, Social Education morning Year 11 pupils attended a talk from the Royal Navy in the new sports hall. The talk gave pupils information on the careers available within the Navy, the opportunities to travel and see the World, and to learn a trade. The presentation was given by serving members of the Navy and the Royal Marine Commandos. After the talk pupils were able to visit the Navy’s mobile recruitment unit, which was parked in the school car park and were able to ask questions and find out more detailed information about the opportunities available to them.

Throughout the rest of the morning the pupils in their form groups were able to attend training sessions that were instructed by the Royal Marine Commandos. Pupils were put through their paces and were able to experience some of the training a new recruit would go through.

Pupils participated in the bleep test which tests their stamina and endurance whilst running between two cones as the time allowed decreased and finished off the session with a game of rounders. Through the activities in the sessions pupils were able to know how physically demanding it is being a serving member of the Royal Marine Commandos. Pupils participated well during the sessions and came away with a clearer idea of what is involved in joining in addition to having some fun!!

Sam Pullan