CALENDAR

Thursday 11th February

Monday 15th February
(to 19th)
Tuesday 16th February
(to 19th)
Monday 22nd February
w/c Monday 22nd February
Tuesday 23rd February
Wednesday 24th February
Thursday 25th February
Friday 26th February
Monday 29th February

Year 12 Parents Evening

Half Term
HCFE Apprenticeship Event
ICT Paris Trip
Hitler on Trial Play
Year 11 Mock Exams
CP Bake Off
Year 8 ASBAD
Emma Walsh (Speaker)
CAT Presentation
Sixth Form Drama (Play)
EMA Meeting
Tuesday 1st March
Y9 Enterprise Day
CP Netball
Wednesday 2nd March
Y9 Options Evening
Thursday 3rd March
John Bell Lecture (TBC)
World Book Day
(to 4th) GCSE Ceramics Exam
(to 6th) Berlin Trip
Friday 4th March
Y10 Music Performance Exam
Monday 7th March
(to 8th) Y12 Geography Field Trip
(to 9th) Dip / Tet / Polio vaccinations
Tuesday 8th March
(to 9th) GCSE Art & Design Exam
Thursday 10th March
Y8 Parents Evening
(to 11th) GCSE Art & Design Exam

Friday 11th March

School Council
Sixth Form Easter Service

The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College

Parents Bulletin No 3

Monday 14th March

(to 15th) GCSE Music Composition

December 2015

Tuesday 15th March

(to 16th) GCSE Art Textiles Exam
Wednesday 16th March
Y12 / Y13 Music Composition
Thursday 17th March
Beth Shalom
Oxbridge Trip
Friday 18th March
St Margaret Clitherow Mass
Monday 21st March
CP World Poetry Day
(to 22nd) GCSE Photography Exam
Tuesday 22nd March
CP Maths Challenge
(to 24th) Y10 Shine Residential
Wednesday 23rd March
GCSE Showcase
(to 24th) GCSE Photography Exam
Cambridge Residential
House Sports
Friday 25th March
Good Friday
(to 8th April) Easter Holiday
Saturday 2nd April
(to 9th) Ski Trip
Wednesday 6th April
(7th April) Y12 EDF
Thursday 7th April
MFL GCSE Revision
Tuesday 12th April
Y7 Shine
Wednesday 13th April
Vindolanda
Y10 Maths Feast

School finishes on Friday 12th February at 3.10 pm for half term.

School re-opens Monday 22nd February at 8.50 am.
Student Safety
Would parents please avoid dropping off or picking up their children in any of the staff car parks at any
time. It is in the best interests of all students safety if the number of vehicles entering the site is kept to a
minimum.
Please ensure that you remind y our children that they must only cross Catcote Road via the pedestrian
crossings. We have had a number of reports of students running across the road in front of cars. This is very
dangerous and could lead to an accident.

Contact Details Please will parents / guardians notify the school office immediately if there are any changes to names,
addresses, telephone numbers, mobile phone numbers or the named contact persons of students.
It is very important that contact information is kept up to date.
The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College is now on Facebook and Twitter.
Please visit www.facebook.com/EnglishMartyrsSchool and 'like' the page to receive information from the
news feed or follow @EMS_Hartlepool on Twitter.
The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Catcote Road, Hartlepool, TS25 4HA
Tel: 01429 273790
Fax: 01429 273998
e-mail:
admin@ems.hartlepool.sch.uk
www.ems.hartlepool.sch.uk

Following consultation with senior staff, the Directors of The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College have
agreed to a proposal from the Senior Leadership Team to a restructure of the school day from September 2016.
I would like to inform you of these changes and consult with you on a proposed change to the timing of the school
day.
We believe the revised structure will result in a more effective working day and better enable us to meet the
needs of our students. Essentially we want to condense the formal school day and lunch break to allow students
greater access to curriculum enrichment and sports activities while also creating time for staff to engage in
professional development to enhance teaching and learning. This will be done without reducing the teaching
time we currently give to students. We will move from 9 periods per day to 5 x 60 minutes. We believe that this
will greatly enhance the quality of learning across the school. There will be 5 minutes travelling time between
lessons in order to facilitate the movement of students in crowded and narrow corridors.
The majority of our teaching time with the new model takes place earlier in the day at a time when we believe our
students are most receptive to learning. We have retained a formal form period which will secure our students
entitlement to a daily act of worship. The lunch break has been shortened to thirty minutes and will be delivered
in three separate sittings. We believe that this will reduce the time when students can feel unsettled and make for
a more pleasant dining experience; producing a calmer, safer environment for all of our students.
The structure of the new school day from September 2016 is:
Registration / worship
Period 1
Period 2
Break
Period 3
Period 4

Period 5

15 minutes
60 minutes
60 minutes
15 minutes
60 minutes
90 minutes (including 30 minutes lunch)
Either:
30 minutes lunch then 60 minutes lesson
Or:
60 minutes lesson then 30 minutes lunch
Or:
30 minutes lesson then 30 minutes lunch then 30 minutes lesson
60 minutes

The specific aspect of this restructure that I would like to consult you on is the proposed timing of the school day.
The Governors are proposing a start time of 08:40, which would lead to a 14:55 end to the formal school day.
It is important to point out that our expectation is that enrichment opportunities, sporting activities, homework
clubs etc. will be run as an extension to the school day. There is no expectation that students will need to leave
the school this early. The earlier finish will reduce the number of days when students have to travel home in the
dark. It will help with after school sports fixtures which will have more daylight time. It will also improve our
collaboration with other schools, particularly our partner primary schools.
The Directors would like to hear your views on the proposed timing of the school day before they make a decision.
They would welcome all comments be they supportive or expressing concerns / reservations about the
beginning or end times of the school day. All written responses can be handed in either directly or via your child to
the reception desk between 08:00 and 16:00.
The Governors will meet to discuss your responses on 23rd March 2016. In order to allow for responses to be
collated, may I ask that they are handed in by 16th March 2016.

Stephen Hammond
Headteacher

Lent Message
Pope Francis has declared this year to be a Year of Mercy but what does that actually mean? Well, this is what Pope
Francis has to say, not only to young people but to us all:
My Dear Young People, seeing the great need for mercy and healing in the world, I have called for a Year of Mercy to take
place across our world, our Diocese and within our schools. This is special period, also known as a Holy Year or Jubilee Year,
for the Catholic Church. It is a time for the Church across the world to take a year to focus on forgiveness and healing in a
special way. The Year of Mercy is an invitation to show love, kindness, and unbounded generosity. I am offering all of us the
opportunity to encounter the incredible mercy of God. Encountering mercy means encountering God. It can transform our life,
our relationships, our work, and our ability to embrace and experience all of life. I am asking all of us as individuals and as a
Church to be a witness of mercy by reflecting on and practising the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Beginning on
December 8 2015, the Holy Year of Mercy will focus on studying and reflecting on mercy, receiving mercy, and being merciful
towards others.
Dear Friends, a little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just. Will you be the face of mercy for others this
year?
How will you respond to Pope Francis call for mercy this year? Why not use this time of Lent to make that extra effort to
make the world less cold and more just?

Diocesan Youth Friday Celebration

On Wednesday 3rd February, Shaniz Charakupa and Maddison Smith from 8TM2 represented the whole
school community at a celebration at St Marys Cathedral. This great celebration of faith was in support
of our Diocesan Youth Ministry Team (YMT) and the work that they do for us and in partnership with us.
There were representatives from 159 schools in the diocese and the afternoon included a lot of
exciting live music, inspirational faith stories shared by young people and a powerful dramatic
adaptation of the parable of the Good Samaritan. The service was led by YMT but also had input from
Bishop Seamus Cunningham, who stopped to have his picture taken with Shaniz and Maddison at the
end, after receiving their goodie bags. The day was finished with a well deserved trip to Starbucks for
hot chocolate before returning back to school for our train . . . before Lent starts!
Upcoming Chaplaincy Events
24th Feb
Elma Walsh will be coming in to speak to some Y10 students about her powerful and emotional story of
losing her teenage son Donal to cancer, but how his faith kept them strong and has given them the
courage to keep his memory alive.
th
26th-28 Feb
Lent Retreat to Ampleforth Abbey.
11th March
Sixth Form Lent Liturgy / Holy Week Assemblies
22nd March
St Margaret Clitherow House Mass
rd
23 March
Staff Stations of the Cross

Holocaust Memorial Day

th

On Tuesday 26 January the History and Art Departments hosted an exhibition

commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day.
As part of this exhibition there was a display of work by pupils in Year 7, 8 and 9. These
pupils had taken part in a whole day workshop, creating information boards and art work
to educate people about the four subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Darfur, Bosnia and
Rwanda, as well as the persecution of other minorities by the Nazis.
On the evening of the exhibition we were privileged to hear Gabriele Keeneghan speak
about her experiences during the Holocaust and on the Kinder Transport. Her message
was truly uplifting and it was an honour to hear her story.

Finally...the wait is over!

Let battle commence!
EMS CHESS TOURNAMENT 2016
Thursday, March 10th - All day in St Annes Hall
Qualifying matches all morning for all competitors.
Final matches and knock-out rounds in the afternoon
Prizes, trophies and medals for winners and finalists including Best of Year/
House and School Champion 2016
OPEN TO ALL CHESS PLAYERS FREE ENTRY!
Whatever your experience or ability give it go and have fun!
Contact MR EDWARDS with your name / tutor form now!
Dont delay book your place now! Places are limited.
CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES: Friday, March 4th

If you have any items of school uniform or PE kit that your

child no longer needs (which are still in good condition) we
would be grateful if you would send them to school. We will
then keep a supply of uniform and PE kit in school which can
be loaned to students in an emergency. Thank you

The English Martyrs Association

The next EMA meeting will be held on Monday 29th February at
6.00 pm in the Conference Room (St Annes Building, opposite the
main school office). They normally last for
approximately 1 hour.
All parents / friends of the school are most welcome
to attend.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

Children whose parents are in receipt of one of the following are entitled to receive free school meals (FSM):
Income Support (IS) or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA)
An income related employment and support allowance
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Child Tax credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income which from 6th
April 2013 does not exceed 16190 as assessed by HMRC
If you are in any doubt whether your son / daughter is eligible for Free School Meals (and the associated Pupil Premium
payment) contact Hartlepool Civic Centre on 266522. You will need to supply your National Insurance number before they
carry out a simple eligibility test via their Eligibility Checking Service.
Remember School can provide packed lunches or a hot meal as part of the Free School Meals service.

Online e-payments for school meals and other school purchases

The school is now using iPayimpact online payments to help reduce administration and cash handling in
schools and also to allow pupils to reduce the amount of cash they carry to school.
You can log into Ipay at http://www.ipayimpact.co.uk/IPI using your unique login and password. If you
have any problems with Ipay, please contact Mrs Wright at swright@ems.hartlepool.sch.uk for help
making sure you include your childs name, D.O.B and form group in the email.

Year 9 Technology
On Wednesday 3rd February the Technology Department ran an activities day for all students in year 9. The day was split
into half Year groups with 9X attending in the morning and 9U in the afternoon. All students had the opportunity to attend
workshop sessions in ready steady cook, fashion a t-shirt and egg drop challenge. The sessions were designed to give
students a taste of what Technology can offer at GCSE level in Year 10.

Hartlepool Museum Project

Mrs Crank and 5 budding KS3 Historians are currently working on a joint venture with Hartlepool
Museum. The students visited the museum on
Thursday 21st January and were shown around the
newest exhibition which focuses on the Hartlepool Bombardment of
December 1914. The students were able to handle and inspect WW1
artefacts, whilst quizzing the museum staff. The students are now
working on the production of educational resources which will be used
by the museum with local primary schools and the general public. It
wont be long before these resources will be available, and we would
encourage you to visit the museum to try out at the activities.
Cross Country
3 EMS students qualified through previous rounds to compete at the
regional cross country championships. They raced in very difficult and
muddy conditions!
Outstanding individual
performances led to all 3
students qualifying to compete
at the English Schools Cross
Country Championships in March
at Nottingham.
Well done for such a great
achievement.
Ellie Waddup - Year 9
Sam Tyers - Year 9
Nathan Cross - Year 10

Teesside University Visit

Our Y13 Students enjoyed an afternoon at the Sport
and Exercise Science labs at Teesside University just
before Christmas. Students were involved in a
variety of experiments including RT testing,
experiencing different extreme temperatures in the
climate room and looking at the effect of
temperature on performance. The students also
conducted a VO2max test, with Jacob Vayro as the
subject. Next month the students will be visiting
the university again, but this time we are having a
look at the Biomechanics labs and involving
ourselves in some of the activities there

Antarctica Exhibition On Wednesday the 27th January, 57 year 12 and 13 Geography students were able to visit the
Antarctica: Explorers Heroes Scientists Exhibition. This exhibition considered the Polar Regions, focusing particularly on the
discovery, exploration and ongoing climate change work taking place in Antarctica today. This included two spectacular
exhibitions on loan from the Royal Geographical Society, alongside displays exploring how men and women from the North
East of England have contributed to our understanding of this most recently discovered continent.
The visit entailed a full day in Durham with the artifacts being exhibited at the Palace Green Library. Students also had the
opportunity to visit the Geography Department at Durham University before lunch, which is the largest department in the
country, founded in 1928. The Department of Geography at Durham is one of the leading centres of geographical research
and education in the world. There was a short lecture delivered by one of the researchers and a tour around the
department. Students were able to gain an insight into university life and broaden their knowledge about what courses are
available at the University. A great time was had by all!

Catholic Partnership Art Exhibition at Durham Cathedral.

Each year our school gets involved with all of the Catholic Partnership schools in the
North East and we choose a religious theme to create various types of artistic work.
This work when completed is publicly shown in Durham Cathedral as a major
exhibition of work. This year the theme was: Mercy.
This year we chose to produce 3D sculptural bowls and iPad digital paintings, printed
on A2 canvas.
A group of Year 9 pupils were given the opportunity of working on these and we
spent 7 weeks planning and creating the wonderful pieces of artwork. It was the first
time that many of the students worked in this way but their outcomes have drawn
many complimentary comments from the Catholic Partnership and the wider public.
The pupils were asked to write up evaluations and I want to include one as I feel that
it encapsulates the true meaning of creating this fantastic set of work:
I chose to complete a 3D sculptural bowl because because I feel in 3D you can really
show Mercy and you can really see the details. I wanted to focus on Mercy as I
wanted to give the message of Jesus Christ suffering on the cross and thats what the
crown of thorns stands for, and people showed no mercy to him when he was being
crucified. I believe that my final piece answers what I had originally set out to do
because it shows the suffering that Jesus had to go through because people didnt
show him any mercy and it is important to show mercy and forgive.
We are very proud of our students. They represented the school wonderfully and
they produced work of great depth and skill. Well done to them. The work will be
displayed in school when the exhibition ends on 12th February.

Year 11 Art exams

Year 13 University Offers

Can we please encourage you to check that your son / daughter will be
working diligently over the half term and after to prepare for their
imminent art exams? This exam will be worth 40% of the overall GCSE and
it is fundamental in the final assessments. The students will only get one
attempt at this and their efforts, determination and focus is crucial at this
late stage. The exam timetable is below so you will know when your son /
daughter will be sitting their exam. We truly appreciate the support that
you will give us to make sure that everyone can perform to the best of their
ability.

Offers can be:

Conditional - you will have certain grades/points that you must achieve in order to gain a place at the institution.
Unconditional - no specific conditions need to be met.
Unsuccessful - the university has decided not to offer you a place.
When students have decisions from all of their choices they will be given a date by which they are expected to reply to their
offers. The FIRM choice should be the place where they want to go above all of the others. The INSURANCE choice should
be considered a back up; lower grades than their first (firm) choice but somewhere they would be happy to study if they did
not meet the required grades for their firm. When they opt for their firm and insurance offers they are entering into a
contract with the university. If they achieve the required grades for the firm choice UCAS automatically removes the
insurance offer. So choose wisely!
The deadline for
replying to university
offers depends on Last decision received on or before...
Means your reply date is...
when students hear 31 March 2016
4 May 2016
from their universi- 5 May 2016
8 June 2016
ties, check Track to 8 June 2016
23 June 2016
see
14 July 2016
22 July 2016
personal deadlines:
In the event that a student does not receive any offers or changes their mind about their universities or courses, there is a
system called UCAS Extra where they can add additional options.

Date
Thursday 3

rd

Mr Gribben

GCSE Ceramics

AR4

Mr Gribben

Tuesday 8th March

GCSE Art and Design

AR1

Mrs Hasan

Wednesday 9th March

GCSE Art and Design

AR1

Mrs Hasan

Thursday 10th March

GCSE Art and Design

AR8

Mrs Pearson

Friday 11th March

GCSE Art and Design

AR8

Mrs Pearson

Tuesday 15th March

GCSE Textiles

AR2

Mrs Stoker

Wednesday 16th March

GCSE Textiles

AR2

Mrs Stoker

GCSE Photography

AR5

Mrs Hasan

GCSE Photography

AR5

Mrs Hasan

Wednesday 23 March

GCSE Photography

AR5

Mr Meynell

Thursday 24th March

GCSE Photography

AR5

Mr Meynell

March

st

Each year as part of the ongoing support package we offer, we take Year 12 students to a UCAS Convention; this is an
essential part of the decision making process they will be facing in Year 13.
The Tees Valley event will take place at Teesside University on Wednesday 27 April. We will leave college at 9.15am and
return for period 5 lunch. Please note that this is a compulsory part of your son/daughters education and attendance will
be monitored. There is no cost involved in this trip.
The convention brings together a significant number of Higher Education providers from across the country, students will be
able to speak to specialist admissions staff and pick up a variety of resources from prospectuses to information on individual
courses.

Monday 21 March

Year 12 Open Days

Year 12 students should now be considering their university options and thinking about booking themselves onto summer
open days. Visiting the university is the best way to get a feel for if it is the kind of institution they want to spend 3 or more
years at. Researching on websites such as www.opendays.com and individual institution website will enable students to
plan their days effectively and make any necessary bookings. Places do fill up fast so please encourage your son / daughter
to start their research early.

nd

Tuesday 22 March
rd

John Bell Lecture - Thursday 3rd March

This year we host the Thirty-sixth Annual John
Bell Lecture. This Lecture is now an established
tradition of the school and is given as a tribute
to the schools first Headteacher, the late
Canon John Bell. The lecture this year is being
delivered by our former Headteacher,
Michael Lee.
Tickets are free and are available from the
School Office.

Teacher

AR4

Friday 4

Year 12 UCAs Convention - 27th April

Room

GCSE Ceramics

th

March

Subject