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ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE NEWS

Letter From The SLT September and October sees the College open its doors to prospective students who wish to join the school in the following academic year. Clearly word about the school’s successes have made their way into the wider community as we welcomed over 500 families through the doors over our two Open mornings and Open Evening. Parental feedback from the tours around lessons was overwhelming in its praise for the conduct of students and sense of purpose and enjoyment in lessons. We were also lucky to host Lord Holmes, one of the key figures in organising the London Olympics in 2012, who spoke to the Sixth Form students about perseverance and some of his life lessons in the field of law and politics. Lord Holmes was all the more inspirational as he became blind at the age of 14. His rallying cry to all students was that ‘with hard work we can do all the things we dreamed to do’.

Lord Holmes’s message of hard work, sacrifice and working together is being taken forward by all students in the school who are busy preparing for our annual charity week in early October. Entirely student led, we will be raising money for CAFOD, our designated charity. We look forward to reporting on this work in a future issue.

S. Collett, Deputy Head

29 September 2017

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

2-6 Oct

Y7 Ranking Exams

Autumn Term, Issue 2

October: Month of the Holy Rosary

As we enter the month of October, we remember that this month is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. In various apparitions, Mary has appeared holding a rosary and has asked that we continue to pray this prayer. She always leads us to her Son and presents our needs before Him. Prayer is about developing our relationship with God and loving him more so it makes sense to get to know Him through the events of the life of Christ that we meditate on during the rosary. Many of us will be familiar with the physical set of beads that are an aid to praying the rosary which may be comforting in moments of need or when we need to be reminded of God’s love for us, but this is not simply what the rosary is about. The beads are an aid to prayer. When you do pray the Holy Rosary, we ask that you remember the staff, students, parents and governors of our school. If you follow @STAC_Chaplaincy on twitter, we will keep you updated with our regular prayers and reflections throughout the month of the Holy Rosary.

The Chaplaincy Team

Y11 Expectations Evening

4 Oct

9-14 Oct

Charity Week

HALF TERM

23-27 Oct

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SIXTH FORM NEWS

Visit from Lord Holmes of Richmond

On Friday 22 September, we were privileged to receive an informative and inspirational lecture from Lord Holmes through STACs involvement in the Peers for Schools Programme. The lecture was presented in a very informal way and Lord Holmes’ guide dog was a real star of the show!

In the beginning Lord Holmes told us about his life so far; waking up blind unexpectedly at the age of 14, overcoming the challenges of that, progressing through Cambridge and on to Olympic swimming success. This took many of us by surprise as we often take such vital things in life such as our sight for granted. He then when on to explain the hardships he went though as a result of his impairment. As well as him winning 6 gold Paralympic medals in swimming, his ‘no excuse’ culture went on to leading him to a successful law career and on to the organising committee for the London 2012 games alongside Sebastian Coe.

At the end of the lecture, we were encouraged to ask any questions we might have, his responses covered the legislative process of parliament, the advisory role Lords play to parliament and his interest in artificial intelligence. When asked about how he managed to do his A level’s in a normal state school he told us that he persevered even when things got hard, he then went on to tell us about his 12-hour revision sessions and how manageable it is when broken down into disciplined time slots. This told us a lot about his amazing work ethic.

I enjoyed him recounting the story of his phone call out of the blue he received from the prime minister at the time inviting him to join the house of Lords, a surreal experience. Above all, Lord Holmes showed us all that with hard work we can do all the things we ever dreamed to do. The whole 6th form student cohort were grateful for him coming to speak to us.

Jessica Atalor, Year 12

Careers in Engineering Seminar Frank Austin, an Engineering Consultant, Warwick University graduate and ex-pupil of Mr Walter came to STAC to share his expertise with interested Year 11 to 13 students.

He told us about the varied nature of engineering work, how his company is employed by lots of different industries who require ‘scientific thinkers’ to make their businesses more successful. It was good to consider the engineering options; whether it be Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical or many other varieties I wasn’t so aware of. It was interesting for the Year 11 boys who attended to see which A Level subjects (Maths and Physics) are most relevant for Engineering degrees at the top universities ahead of us making our choice later this year.

Frank also spent time with Year 13s helping with their personal statements they intend sending to UCAS in coming weeks. Five Year 13s he helped out last year have gone on to Engineering degrees, a path many of us wish to follow in future. The expertise Frank offered was exceptional and we all appreciated his time and enthusiasm.

Ogbe Yesufu, Year 11

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It’s been a very busy start in the 6th form at STAC. Students in Years 12 and 13 have been highly engaged in lessons and working really hard. When students do not have scheduled timetabled lessons they are expected to study in silence in the library, hub areas, balcony or common room. Public Speaking: Every Friday morning during registration students have been practising public speaking with their peers. They have been presented to their form on a subject of their choice. There were some excellent examples last week on a range of topic areas. NCS Challenge: Year 12 students listened to a talk by NCS Challenge to become involved in their October half term course. Important Dates 9th October- Kings College are in to speak to the Oxbridge candidates. 11th October- Year 12 and 13 parents evening.

Welcome back to another year of Modern Foreign Languages at STAC. Trip to France It looks to be a very exciting year as it has now been confirmed that our annual trip abroad is well and truly underway. We have been delighted at the amount of boys who have shown their interest to come, but given we have such a large number of boys on the list, please be aware that it may be possible that some names may be taken off if any behaviour concerns become apparent. So please support us in making sure the boys take advantage of such a great opportunity and they do not risk their precious place. Thank you to all those parents who have supported the boys in their excitement to join us in Disneyland, France this year. June 2018...here we come!

MFL Football MFL football begins again in the first week of October, on Thursday 4.30-5.30pm. This year we have a new addition of Ms Valverde, along with Mr Fletcher and Mr Lemaire.

So boys, get ready to practice French, Italian and now Spanish on the field. Come along and show off what you know!

MFL Team

MFL Department

SIXTH FORM NEWS

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No Place like Home

On Thursday 21 September, I took a group of Year 13 Sociology students to an exhibition of photographs at the Young Vic in Southwark.

The exhibition which features photos and audio around the topic of ‘Home’ showed how for each of us that word means something different. It explored issues around homelessness as well as alternatives to conventional abodes.

The exhibition encourages visitors to explore the emotional connection they have with ‘home’. Year 13 Sociology students also gained the opportunity to see how social policies impact every day life. Students finished the viewing with a Q&A session with the artist.

Ms Pal, Head of Sociology

Firstly a thank you to all parents/guardians who attended the parental information evening. Hopefully you now have a clear understanding of the processes and procedures at St Thomas the Apostle. If you have any further queries please speak to your son’s form tutor in the first instance. Many of the boys are now getting used to life at St Thomas the Apostle and have seen a reduction in the number of behaviour points they have been getting. However, some boys are still continuously struggling and these are being addressed in a variety of ways. I would like to reiterate the importance of ensuring that you check yours son’s planner and ensure that they are completing their work to an excellent standard. Many boys are receiving homework points for either non-completion or poor effort. The Year 7 boys football team deserve a mention as they won 4-2 which is fantastic for their first match! I am looking forward to many more wins to come. I would also like to remind you that the ranking exams are upcoming (Mon 2 to Fri 6 Oct) and your son will be given a revision booklet which they should ensure they use. Remember these exams will determine if your son has any set changes. Once again I thank you for all of your support.

Ms Wright, Head of Year 7

Message from Head of Year 7

Sociology Department

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS UPDATE

Peckham got creative over the weekend of 15 – 17 September with hundreds of performances, exhibitions and workshops by local talent. STAC was delighted to be the only Secondary School to be involved and really rose to the occasion with performances from our Gospel Choir, African Drummers and GCSE Drama students. As the performances were in the Rooftop Cinema of The Bussey Building, there was no roof to be blown off but with all that talent, a roof could not contain us! The weekend was topped off by the STAC Art Exhibition at the Prince of Peckham pub which is owned by past-pupil Clement Ogbonnaya. As always, STAC students were incredible in their efforts which did not go unnoticed by the public who attended as well as the festival organisers. Well done all!

Ms Bumford, Head of Drama

Our instrumental teachers returned last week and the boys have got off to an excellent start. Please remind your son to check his lesson time on the Expressive Arts noticeboard between 8:00 and 8:30 on the day of his lesson and note the time in his pink instrumental book. If you have any questions about your son’s instrumental lessons, please do contact Mr Morgan or myself.

This week in assemblies, our pupils had an exciting introduction to this year’s STAC production. We are proud to announce that in March 2018, our pupils will be performing Brother Act, a combined story of Sister Act II and the Broadway musical ‘Sister Act’, telling the story of a group of teenagers who form a choir, and win the prestigious choir of the year award. This production will really play to our boys’ talents, with Ms Bumford preparing an exclusive script, Mr Morgan and myself writing our own STAC arrangements of the songs and Ms Adams and Mr Vera-Fernandez adding their choreographic expertise too! Auditions will be held over the coming weeks. If your son missed the meetings after school this week, he should come to see a member of the Expressive Arts team as soon as possible to sign up for an audition slot.

Mr Parratt, Head of Expressive Arts

Instrumental Lessons

Announcing Brother Act 2018!

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HOUSE NEWS Dear STAC students, You came back to school four weeks ago, and it has been a very positive start for everyone so far. Now, is the time to get involved in school life and become an active member of the school community. There are many ways to do so. You could decide to help the school organise charity events but you could also decide to represent your house with pride and become the next 2017/2018 HOUSE CHAMPION! Last year, the Heads of House organised a lot of competitions such as the DOMINO TRANSLATION ROWING COMPETITION SWIMMING GALA PANCAKE COMPETITION MASTERCHEF. House Assemblies will take place the week beginning 16 October and you will be informed about the many competitions taking place after half-term. Last year, Jones won the HOUSE OF THE YEAR 2016/2017 AWARD and Rigby won the SPORTS DAY edition. Despite great participation by the boys, Griffith came fourth but could have won SPORTS DAY if some of its best runners had not been injured during the qualification stages. Gunstone seemed to have amazing competitors but needed more participation and Mr Ba is seriously thinking of accepting new applications for the role of House Rep! If you are interested in a HOUSE REP position or want to become your house photographer, please send your application via email to your Head of House before the end of this half-term. This year will start with the Year 11 FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT on Friday so please come and support your house on the Astroturf. Do you want to be that HOUSE OF THE YEAR WINNER? Come and join us! Let’s have a great year boys!

The House Team

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SPORT NEWS

A Big Year Ahead! After a successful 2016-17 year, which saw 8 football finals, basketball championships and regional success on the athletics track, we have set our standards very high. "It was a great year, we had over 120 fixtures across 6 different sports. Our next challenge is to convert these successes to more silverware" said Mr Kliber. "This success alongside our participation rates are excellent. Nearly 200 boys represented STAC in a sport last year, of which we are very proud of." Our first rugby fixture of the season saw our Year 9s travel to Bacons College. The match was evenly fought for the first half, STAC with their noses in front 4 tries to 3. However, as the game went on, STACs strength in depth meant that Quentin Okonyia and Abraham Bakre ran in 3 tries each to seal a convincing win in the end. An excellent game from which the boys learnt many lessons. We've had a busy start, with all Years 7-11 competing in fixtures

in the first few weeks. The Year 7s began their STAC careers with an impressive 4-2 win over Harris East Dulwich. Hazim Bakre scoring all 4! The year 8s, after making two finals last season beat Ernest Bevin 7-1, and the 9s beat Oasis Southbank 4-2, moving them through to the second round of the London cup.

The Year 10s, looking to build on last seasons efforts certainly did that with a 12-2 win over Lillian Baylis. Oreofe scoring 6, and Adeji being awarded the Man of the Match award in central midfield. The year 11s also beat Ernest Bevin to ensure STAC remain unbeaten in all sports at all age groups so far! How long can the run last we wonder?!

PE Department

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Hollydale Rd, Nunhead, London, SE15 2EB | www.stac.uk.com | 020 7639 0106

ROLL OF HONOUR

YEAR 7 Ibrahim Sharief and Willoughby Baars for making great contributions in Italian lessons. YEAR 8 Michael Ofori Boateng and Timi Adediran for making an excellent start to Italian.

Paris Austin 8.5: A focused approach to Lexia

Sebastian Duabyakosky Illanes 8.5: A determined approach to Lexia

Caleb Sam 8.5: A fantastically dramatic reading of lines from The Tell-Tale Heart. YEAR 9 Derell Jones and Joshua Thomas for their excellent application in Italian. YEAR 10 Jean-Pierre Egenti and Emoyakpo Oghenekevwode for their excellent role play and drama skills in French.

Congratulations to Hameed Yahaya 10.1 who has secured a coveted space on the National Theatre’s Young Technicians lighting, sound, video and music technology course. This is an ex-citing opportunity for Hameed to learn from industry professionals and develop his understanding of practical, technical and creative aspects of sound and lighting. This was a much coveted placement - Well done Hameed!

Onuapa Owusu-Manu 10.4: Using writing frameworks so that his writing is structured and academic. YEAR 11 Daniel Bilesanmi, Al-Lamin Sillah Abass Kamara and Opiyo Juma for an excellent start to French.

Tami Ogunnowo most achievement points in the week.

Ezekiel Urtl 11HAM/Sci: Completing extended writing to a high standard and excellent paired conversations.

Marco Iza 11BFD student of the week – most achievement points in a week.

Diego Dorada Severiche and Oluwatanilore Ogunnowo also had 8 achievement points in one week!

Head of Year Student of the week – Ciaron Robertson 11 Ciaron Robertson has had an extremely positive start to the year, completing all homework to a good standard and revising after school most nights.

Congratulations to Jamie Spillane 11BRN who recently secured a part in a play written by Byron Vincent, a well-known and exciting spoken word artist and documentary maker. Jamie will work with Byron over the half term holiday to create a piece which he is sure to shine in! Well done Jamie – break a leg! YEAR 12 Congratulations to Year 12 student Joshua Eyakware who will be embarking on his first professional role in November of this year as he takes on a performing steward role in Rebecca McCutcheon’s local production of “‘Til we meet in England”. Congratulations Joshua – break a leg!