Parental Update 15

Dear Parent / Carer,

Parental Update 15

A very wet week in school but still plenty of activities took place with catch-up assessments for Year 7 and 9 students who missed them last week, our ski trip is still away with plenty of snow (which is good for skiing but not good for getting photos of students), we also had visits to Hope Academy and Cronton College and our first cohort of DofE students had their initial training session looking at clothing and kit.

Looking ahead, our ski trip arrive back tomorrow, staff continue their excellent training on trauma informed practice, we host a district indoor athletics competition, we have Year 5 students joining us on Wednesday for a Core Conference, St Helens College are in to speak to Year 9 and we have a group of students going to the Town Hall to interview the Lord Mayor.

Whole School Focus - Attendance Vs Achievement (please read!)

I know you will have had more than your fair share of reminders about attendance since the start of the term. I also know there may be some parents who think we push attendance just to make the school look good in some league table or for our own reasons – even to the point of thinking we fine parents to make the money off them (which of course we don’t – we don’t issue the fines, nor do we get the money!)

The main reason that we push for students to have high levels of attendance is for the students themselves. As well as the wider socialisation and holistic development that being in school can bring, good attendance has a very stark and direct impact upon student achievement and progress.

The figures below are from our previous analysis of GCSE results for our students in our school (when we had a progress measure), in particular by levels of attendance. I am comparing those with 97% attendance (what we would class as good or excellent attendance and is just over ¼ of the Year group last year) and those with 90% or below (which is classed as persistently absent and is also about ¼ of the year group last year).

Now you may be thinking “well those high attendance students are the nice shiny clever ones”, but if we look at the progress of students, this measures how far they have moved on from their starting point joining the school, so is a fairer measure regardless of prior ability, it is a similar picture.

I hope this illustrates the importance of regular high attendance on student outcomes. Students who attend our school regularly do very well, those that don’t, do far less well.

Staffing Update

I am pleased to report that we have now resolved the science vacancy, and a big thank you to the maths department who have take on extra lessons and increased their classes to ensure minimal disruption with current staff absence.

Proud Fridays

A key part of our rewards system includes PROUD Friday. On each Friday, students who have been given PROUD stickers in their books (this can be for a variety of things such as high-quality work, showing understanding of a challenging concept or addressing gaps in their learning), bring their books down at lunchtime to Iona and receive their rewards. There is a wonderful energy as students queue behind the VIP rope whilst members of our student leadership groups check off the sticker and provide the rewards – all against the backdrop of Mrs Critchely’s music playlist.  Each week there are dozens and dozens of excited students getting rewarded.

Student leaders

Our current 1719 Society are now, quite rightly, focussing upon their studies and we will shortly be beginning the search for our new Society. This will take place this term and will see a change to previous years – with the students starting their positions earlier in Year 10 (to allow them to finish earlier to focus on GCSEs in Year 11) and having them work closely with our student leaders across the school as part of the selection process. Mrs Jess will be sharing details with the students in the coming weeks.

Ladies Night Invitation

Calling all the ladies in our school community, you are all invited to celebrate International Women’s Day here at De La Salle with an evening of entertainment, beauty stalls, pop-up shop and a fashion show. The event takes place on Friday 6^th March and tickets are available for £7 including a glass of fizz on entry. Further information and booking details can be found here.

Online Safety (repeated item)

Attached, we are sharing with you an important resource titled “What I Wish My Parents or Carers Knew…”, created by the Children’s Commissioner. This guide offers practical advice and insights to help you support your child in managing their digital life safely and positively.

As technology plays an increasing role in young people’s lives, it’s essential that we work together to ensure they are equipped to navigate the online world confidently and responsibly. The guide includes tips on setting boundaries, understanding online risks, and fostering open conversations about digital experiences.

Please find the resource attached for your reference. We encourage you to take some time to read through it and use it as a starting point for discussions at home.

Free Bike Marking by Merseyside Police (repeated item)

Our local police officer, Sgt Lisa, has arranged for students in our school to have their bikes signed up to the National Cycle Database. This involves the bike having a tamper-proof sticker attached and the bike being recorded on the national system. This helps reduce the risk of theft and increase the likelihood of recovery. Usually this would cost £12.99 but is free to our students.

Details are on the attached letter and will take place at lunchtime on Tuesday 27^th January. Any students wanting to use this, should have their parents register using the information in the letter.

Check out our Socials (repeated item)

We have recently been putting some time into stepping up our social media presence and output for families to access. As well as the many Twitter accounts, we have re-invigorated our Facebook output and Instagram (a big thank you to Mr Metcalf for his work on this):

• - Facebook: we are De La Salle School (@DLS_St_Helens)
• - Instagram: @DLS_St_Helens
• - Twitter: @DLS_St_Helens

Term dates for 2026/27 (repeated)

Autumn Term 2026

• INSET Day: Tuesday 1^st September 2026
• Wednesday 2^nd: School Opens for students
• INSET Day: Fri 23^rd October (Laetare Whole Trust INSET Day)
• Half term: School closes for pupils - Thursday 22^nd October
• Re-opens - Monday 2^nd November
• INSET Day: Friday 4^th December
• School closes - Friday 18th December

Spring Term 2027

• INSET Day: Monday 4^th January
• Students return – Tuesday 5^th January
• Half term: School closes for pupils - Friday 12th February
• Re-opens - Monday 22^nd February
• School closes – Thursday 25^th March

Summer Term 2027

• Re-opens - Monday 12th April
• Bank Holiday - Monday 3^rd May
• School closes - Friday 28^th May
• Re-opens - Monday 7^th June
• INSET Day: Fri 25^th June
• School closes for pupils - Friday 16th July

Reporting Absences (repeated)

A reminder to please report any student absences by using the email: dlsabsence@delasalleschool.org.uk

The absence will then be triaged by our attendance team and may be followed up with a phone call or home visit. Any medical evidence can also be attached to the email.

Attached Information

Alongside this week’s update there is also:

• The weekly Careers Newsletter
• Chaplaincy Update #39
• What I Wish My Parents or Carers Knew… Online Guide
• Bike Marking Letter

Forthcoming Events (dates in bold indicate a change to normal finish times / EV is Educational Visit)

• Mon 26^th: St Helens College Assembly for Year 9
• Wed 28^th: Year 5 Conference in school
• Fri 30^th: EV to Town Hall to interview Lord Mayor

February

• Thu 5^th: Year 10 Parents’ Evening
• Mon 9^th – Fri 13^th: Formation Week and Year 8 Retreats
• Wed 11^th: EV Year 9 to Imperial War Museum
• Wed 11^th and Thu 12^th: Year 11 Mock Interviews
• Fri 13^th: finish for half term 3pm

And finally… Lord of the Flies

Last weekend saw Mrs R head off on a girls’ spa break in the Lakes, leaving me and the two lads to step up and demonstrate our independence. We were keen to avoid a repeat of earlier years when, on her return, she was greeted by a scene reminiscent of the closing moments of Lord of the Flies - all structure gone, chaos reigning.

I’m pleased to report that this time we did rather well.

• Washing: all done and put away (with the minor exception of Mrs R’s woollen jumper, which I discovered after tumble-drying. I think the new “slim fit” really suits it).
• Meals: despite strong lobbying for takeaways, I cooked several healthy but delicious dinners, including a perfect roast ready for Mrs R’s return on Sunday evening.
• Tidying: rather like painting the Forth Bridge, but by Sunday night the house was spotless.

The only slight wobble came with the weekly shop. I tackled it on Saturday night alongside the other sad middle-aged devotees of Dry January. Unexpectedly, both lads were free and joined me. Initially this was a triumph of teamwork: Sam ran around collecting items, Charlie handled the self-scan and packing, and I supervised with the list.

It wasn’t a particularly big shop - normally about £70 - so you can imagine my surprise when it came to well over double that at the checkout. It turned out the boys had embraced a little creative freedom along the aisles.

So perhaps we hadn’t entirely escaped the Lord of the Flies scenario after all.

Have a good weekend,

Andrew Rannard (Headteacher)