I am writing to welcome you to the new academic year at St. Mary’s and in particular to our new parents whose children started with us this week.  It’s a big step moving up to secondary school and we are looking forward to helping them settle into life with us.

It was great to speak to all year groups in my first assembly and I’m sure we are going to have another very positive year at St. Mary’s.  I would like to congratulate our outgoing Year 11 students who achieved some tremendous results in the recent GCSE exams.  They worked incredibly hard throughout their time with us and thoroughly deserve such outcomes.  You may have seen the coverage in The Hereford Times recently or on our website including the news that one of our students, Benedict Fawcett gained the highest score, and was identified as the best performer in the country in the OCR Biology exam!  Such acclaim is fantastic for Benedict and also reiterates the highest standards that are possible at our school.

We are already putting in place a whole host of support sessions and study skills workshops for the incoming Year 11 and I would like to thank parents of this year group in advance for the volume of ‘picking up and dropping off’ that you will doubtless do in this very important year for your sons and daughters.

The start of a new year is the ideal opportunity for me to remind you all about the importance of attendance and punctuality.  We understandably place a lot of emphasis and importance on good attendance and I know that I will have your full support with this.  Term time absence will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances as the best way for your child to make good progress is to be in school every day.

Our students have started the term looking incredibly smart in their school uniform and I would ask for your help and support in upholding the highest of standards where their appearance is concerned.

I look forward to seeing you all at various events and parents’ evenings in the coming weeks starting with the Year 7 Welcome Mass next Thursday evening 12^th September at 7.00pm.

Thank you for your continued support

Yours faithfully

S Wetson

Headteacher