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HERE'S TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR

As we enter the new academic year, I should like to wish everybody a warm welcome, especially those pupils, parents and staff who are new to St. Michael's School. Last year was very successful in many different ways. An outstanding OFSTED Report was followed by an award to the school for excellence and, as you will read elsewhere in this edition of 'Home Links', GCSE results published in August were close to the best-ever results achieved by St. Michael's students. Additionally, of course, the summer term saw the school receiving very high praise from the National Commission on Education in its latest study of successful schools. (See page 4)

There were many individual and team achievements of great note. Three of our French GCSE students achieved marks that were in the top five in the country and some were awarded A* grades in more than 5 subjects. The senior football team won the cup in its last match and the St. Michael's was placed first in the area's orienteering league. In February, the full-scale musical production of 'My Fair Lady' played to packed houses and then, in July, large numbers of pupils participated in a hugely entertaining Summer Concert. News came through in the summer term that Jenny Geoghegan and Chris Jones had both won their sections of the Area Northumbria in Bloom art competition. They went on to participate in the finals in Newcastle. Jenny's floral design is to be published in the 'Northumbria in Bloom' 2002 calendar and Chris was awarded a certificate to mark his achievement in this high-profile competition. Schools provide young people with appropriate opportunities to make the necessary academic progress to equip them for the outside world. Yet, as my notes above make clear, our aim is to promote a much more rounded education.
In the words of St. Michael's Mission Statement, :- our pupils are offered 'an extensive range of educational, pastoral and liturgical experiences within a caring Christian context'.

In recent years, the role of the Lay Chaplaincy has become so important within the school and we are very much indebted to those who have brought such commitment to this role, including Mrs. Blackwell. She has worked tirelessly and with such great enthusiasm to encourage pupils as they progress along the route to becoming adult Christians. Along with that of others, her work has had a profound effect on our school and there was a lot of sadness when she left us in mid-September to take up her new post with the Diocesan Youth Mission Team. We wish her well for the future and welcome a new Lay Chaplain in her place, Mrs. J. Cook.

Finally, as I write these notes, the school has just participated in the three minutes silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the tragic events in New York. Our symapthies and prayers go to all who have been affected.

G. A. Maxwell
Headteacher

* 'Home Links' can be found on St. Michael's Web Pages on the Internet at www.stmichaelrc.cleveland.sch.uk At times you might like to check information contained in past copies - for example, the September issue always includes a list of school holidays.

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