CALENDAR

Wednesday 21st October

Children in Need Fun Run
Monday 26th October
(to 30th) Half Term
Monday 2nd November
HPV Vaccinations
Y10 / Y11 Science Assessment
Tuesday 3rd November
Y12 EDF Mentoring Launch
Thursday 5th November
Senior Maths Challenge
Sunday 8th November
Show Rehearsal
Monday 9th November
Sixth Form Open Evening
Wednesday 11th November Senior Maths Challenge
Thursday 12th November
Children in Need Activities
Saturday 14th November
Show Rehearsal
Sunday 15th November
Show Rehearsal
Monday 16th November
EMA Meeting
(to 19th) The Sound of Music
Wednesday 18th November CP Masterchef
Y10 Global Entrepreneurs
Thursday 19th November
EDF Apprenticeships
Friday 20th November
MET Conference
Y11 Shine
Thursday 26th November
Maths GCSE Enrichment
Friday 27th November
CP Spelling Bee
Saturday 28th November
(to 2nd December) Cologne Trip

Monday 30th November

Tuesday 1st December

PD Day
Y10 CP Debate
Y8 Science Trip
Friday 4th December
Blessed John Ingram Mass
CP Big Bang
(to 6th) Y11 Retreat
w/c Monday 7th December
Pre Apprenticeship Workshops
Tuesday 8th December
Clothes Show
Y7 Science Life Centre
Wednesday 9th December
Y8 Science Life Centre
CP Eurovision Song Contest
Thursday 10th December
Y9 Parents Evening
Friday 11th December
Sixth Form Advent
Monday 14th December
(to 15th) House Sports
(to 16th) Pre Apprenticeship Workshops
Tuesday 15th December
Christmas Concert
Tees Valley Skill Event
Wednesday 16th December
Performing Arts Showcase
Friday 18th December
Y11 Quiz
Monday 21st December
(to Friday 1st January) Christmas Holiday
w/c Monday 4th January
Sixth Form Mock Exams
Friday 8th January
Year 11 Photograph

School finishes on Friday 23rd October at 3.10 pm for half term.

School re-opens Monday 2nd November at 8.50 am.

School Uniform / PE Kit

We would like to make all of our parents and carers aware that we have changed our school uniform
suppliers. All orders and purchases should now be made through: AJM Designs, 119 Raby Road. They
are open between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm Monday to Friday and their phone number is; 01429 721401.
They can also be contacted via e-mail at; ajmdesigns15@gmail.com.
We would ask parents and carers to note that there are no changes to our uniform and would remind
them that all new blazers purchased will be of the new design with the house name embroidered on the
front.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our previous suppliers, Altered Images, for their efforts
over the last couple of years.
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

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

The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College

Parents Bulletin No 1
October 2015

Dear Parents / Carers

It gives me great pleasure to write to you as the new Headteacher of The English Martyrs
School and Sixth Form College.
I have joined English Martyrs having spent the past five years as Headteacher of St Aidans
Catholic Academy, Sunderland. Previous to that I worked at St Michaels RC School,
Billingham as Deputy Headteacher.
As a resident of Hartlepool for the last twenty five years, I was certain that English Martyrs
was the right choice for me as Headteacher. I have been touched by the warm welcome
that I have received during my first half term. I have been impressed by the highly skilled
and professional approach of our teaching and support staff and in their dedication and
commitment to our students. The students themselves have been a pleasure to meet and I have a flavour of the
pride which they have for our school community. The Directors and Governors have demonstrated clear levels of
support and challenge, born out of a genuinely high ambition for the school.
I am, therefore, very proud to serve the school as Headteacher. I truly believe that The English Martyrs School and
Sixth Form College has huge potential. I am determined to secure an outstanding future for our school. I have the
highest expectations of all staff and students and it is my intention, by working together, to raise standards in
every area, helping each individual student to reach their full potential.
As well as introducing myself, I would also like to report to you the fantastic achievement of last years Year 11
and Year 13 students. At GCSE level, our Year 11 secured 64% 5+ A*-C (including English and Maths) which is well
above local and national averages. At A Level, our Year 13s achieved a magnificent 52% A*/B pass rate. The Average Points Score per student was an impressive 832.5, compared to a Hartlepool average of 623.4.
I should like to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate all of our students on their success and to wish them
well in their A Levels, further study or employment.
Finally, it is my intention as the new Headteacher to work with the governors, staff, students and you as parents
and carers to build upon and develop the school into a truly outstanding Catholic centre of excellence. In order for
me to obtain a wider knowledge of the school and its parent community, I will be holding an informal consultation
evening on Tuesday 24th November from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm. This is an opportunity for you as parents, if you
wish, to come along and talk to me about your views on English Martyrs. If you intend to come, I would ask that
you contact my PA, Mrs Foster, either by telephone or email, so that appropriate refreshments can be prepared.
I look forward to meeting you all as parents / carers over the course of the year and to working in close
partnership with you to achieve highly successful outcomes for your child. Stephen Hammond

The Sound of Music 2016

This years production will be The Sound of Music! Rehearsals are well underway and we are
looking forward to another spectacular show from many of our talented students.
Tickets are available from the School Office priced 6.00 (4.00 Concessions).
Medicines / Tablets Please remember that students must not carry any tablets or
medicines in school. If students need to take medication during school hours parents
must hand it to Mr Craddy for safekeeping. Thank you

Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Appeal

We are once again asking for your help with the Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Appeal. Every
year we ask friends, family and anyone else we come into contact with if they would like to make
a Christmas shoe box for children who are not as fortunate as us at Christmas.
Decorate / cover a medium sized shoe box, cover the box and lid separately
Then fill with suitable gifts from the following list (or similar items): TOYS: Include items that
children will immediately embrace such as dolls or stuffed toys (with CE label), toy trucks,
harmonica, yo-yo, skipping rope, ball, small puzzles etc. SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Pens, pencils &
sharpeners, crayons or felt pens, stamps & ink pad sets, writing pads or notebooks & paper,
solar calculators, colouring & picture books etc. HYGIENE ITEMS: Toothbrush and toothpaste,
bars of wrapped soap, comb or hairbrush, flannel. OTHER ITEMS: Hat, cap, gloves or scarf,
sunglasses, hair accessories, jewellery set, wind up torch, wrapped sweets (sell by date must
be at least March of the following year). DO NOT INCLUDE: used or damaged items, war related
items such as toy guns, play soldiers or knives; chocolate or other food items; liquids or lotions
of any type; medicines; hand-made or knitted stuffed toys; anything of a political, racial or
religious nature; marbles or sharp objects; glass containers, mirrors or fragile items.
Please attach 3.00 for transport costs etc. (Cheques are preferred, please make payable to
Samaritans Purse) and label the box to show whether it is for a boy / girl and indicate the age group.
Secure the shoebox with an elastic band DO NOT SEALBring the filled shoeboxes into school.
We will be filling a number of shoeboxes in school, if you are not able to complete a whole shoebox any
contributions towards these (of individual gifts or money so that we can buy suitable items) would be gratefully received.

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.

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.

House Points 2014- 2015

Congratulations to St John Boste House who accumulated the most House Points at the end of
the school year. Points are accrued for attendance, merits and participation in school events and
sports.
Well done St John Boste!
St John Boste
887 (1st place)

St Margaret Clitherow
833 (2nd place)

Blessed John Ingram

639 (5th place)

St Anne Line
685 (4th place)

St Thomas More
831 (3rd place)

Rhys Hewitt Memorial Dugout

MISSION 2016

We will be holding a Memorial Open Day for the Rhys Hewitt Dugout on Saturday 24th October at
EMS. The day will start at 10:00 am and finish for 12:30 pm. Everyone is welcome - your support
would be appreciated.
There will be a ribbon cutting, a reading and Year 11 students will be playing a football match
against Rhys Sunday team; Hartlepool Youth FC.

As you may have heard, YMT have returned to our School this October and
are providing a variety of sessions, reflections, activities and opportunities
for all year groups around the theme of 'step up to life'. Most of the
activities will be during school hours, but on Wednesday 21st October all parents, carers,
family members, and members of our local community are invited to join us for an
evening of celebration - looking back at the week we've had together and looking forward
as we journey as one.

CHESS CLUB The Chess Club takers place on WEDNESDAYS, 3.15-4.15pm in the library.
Boards, sets and even chess clocks are available from the librarians and Mr Edwards will
be there most weeks to give any advice and support to students who wish to learn the
game or improve their skills by playing others. New Year 7 students are especially
welcome, as well as those chess players from other years who have played before.
It is hoped to run another SPEED CHESS
TOURNAMENT in the run up to Christmas,
to take place one afternoon in school
time with the MAIN TOURNAMENT after Easter open to all students,
regardless of their ability. If you cant stay after school on Wednesdays, you
can still get practice by playing independently in the mornings / at lunchtime
any day in the library just ask the librarians for equipment. Give it a go!
its a classic game with only a few rules thats great for your mental development and it makes a nice change from those hectic Xbox and PSP games!

26th - 30th
30th
21st - 1st
4th
15th - 19th
25th - 8th
11th
2nd
30th - 3rd
15th

HOLIDAYS 2015- 2016

October 2015
Half term
November
PD Day
December - January 2016 Christmas holiday
January
New term begins
February
Half term
March - April
Easter holiday
April
New term begins
May
Bank holiday
May - June
Half term
July
End of term
Student Safety
Please ensure that you remind your 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.
Would parents please avoid dropping their children off in any of the staff car parks
at any time during the school day. It is in the best interests of all students safety if
the number of vehicles entering the site is kept to a minimum.

Art Classes
The school runs an Art class for interested adults in two sessions. They began on Monday evenings in
September from 7.00 pm9.00 pm and on Friday mornings from 9.30 am until mid afternoon.
The Monday class is very informal, the Friday class a little more structured. Costs are 30 per term for
adults (25 for senior citizens and 22 for adults on benefits) for the Monday class and 5 per session for
the Friday class.
The groups work in a lively, friendly, relaxed environment and are overseen by Mr Roy Carless, a long
serving teacher of Art and Photography at the school, now retired.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Badminton
Goal Keeping
Girls Football
Netball
Sports Stars
KS3 Rugby
Multi-Sports
KS4 Football
Fitness
Mini Sports Stars
Basketball
Girls Rugby
Volleyball
Cross Country
Swimming (non swimmers)
Swimming
Y7 Football
Y8 and 9 Football
Trampolining
After School Table Tennis Club
(1 per session)
Sports
KS4 Rugby
AS revision

House Cross Country

The annual House Cross Country event took place on
Tuesday 6th October. The course was wet underfoot and the
infamous beck was flooded, but the air was warm and still;
ideal conditions for the event. The Year 7 races were won
by Jonathan Callaghan (St Margaret Clitherow) and
Anastasia Rogan (St Thomas More). Year 8 / 9 combined age
races were won by Sam Tyers (St Thomas More) and Ellie
Waddup (St Anne Line). The Year 10 / 11 combined age
races were won by Nic Bennions (St John Boste) and Niamph
McMorris (St Anne Line). Congratulations. A fantastic
achievement by all.
The overall House Team competition was won by St Anne
Line. Congratulations to all students in the winning team.
Runners up were St John Boste, followed by St Thomas
More, St Margaret Clitherow and Blessed John Ingram.
A huge thank you and well done to all the students who
participated and represented their Houses with such
distinction and to the Sixth Form A-Level PE students for
marshalling duties.

The English Martyrs Association

The EMA (The English Martyrs Parent / Teacher / Friends Association) work to raise money to
benefit the school. All monies raised by the EMA are donated to the school and used to
contribute to many projects across a range of Departments and activities. As a parent of a pupil
at The English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College you are automatically a member of the
EMA and are invited to attend meetings and events. Meetings are held once per half term on Monday evenings at 6.00 pm
in the Conference Room (St Annes Building, opposite the main school office). They normally last for approximately one
hour. The next EMA meeting will be held on Monday 16th November.
All parents / friends of the school are most welcome to attend. All support is greatly appreciated.

A fantastic way to help the EMA to raise money whilst shopping:

Using The Giving Machine - Its Easy!
Browse to www.thegivingmachine.co.uk Click shop Pick your shop
Sign up if you wish or Give anonymously (both have the same result)
Type English Martyrs in the search bar, then click search
Click Choose next to English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College
Click Continue
It will open the website of the shop you chose, you do your shopping as normal and the
school makes cash for free!
Please Note:: You shop as normal, same prices and the shop makes a donation to the
school!
Annual EMA Christmas Shopping Trip to Leeds
European Day of Languages Celebration
On Thursday 24th September ten Year 8 Students, selected for their hard work and enthusiasm in language lessons, took part
in a celebration for the European Day of Languages at St Johns School and Sixth Form College, Bishop Auckland. On arrival
they were served with fresh croissants and hot chocolate and throughout the day students completed workshops in French
music, the Spanish bake-off, Greek Zorba dancing and a German surprise. An excellent day was had by all and each one of
the students conducted themselves brilliantly! Special congratulations go to Jay Allan (8JI1) and Sophie Howe (8JI2) who won
prizes thanks to their contribution to the days activities.

This will take place on Saturday 14th November 2015. The bus will leave EMS at
8.00 am and then leave Leeds at 4.00 pm
to return to Hartlepool. The cost of a seat
is 15 and can be booked by contacting
Lisa Foster at school on 01429 273790.
The trip this year will coincide with the
Leeds Christmas Market.

European
Song Competition
In order to celebrate the
European Day of Languages,
all Year 7 students took part
in a Eurovision-style singing
competition on the 25th
September. Classes
performed songs in French,
German, Spanish and Italian
and some even wowed us
with their dance moves and
actions too! The competition
was judged by Mr Hammond,
Philippa Jarvis (Head girl and
Year 13 French student) and
Robin Caswell (Year 12
German student).
Congratulations to 7U1A who
won with their rendition of
Fliegerlied and to the
runners up 7X1B who sang
Tu as un animal and
7U2A who sang Bonjour.

Thursday 26th November

7.00 pm
Sixth Form Common Room - EMS
To include stalls selling:
bath products, chocolates,
handbags, jewellery,
gifts etc.
Follow us: @ems_mfl
EMS MFL Department

Ticket: 3.00 - includes mince pie and mulled wine

Available from the school office - 01429 273790

The EMA is holding a

Christmas Tombola in school
on Thursday 10th and Friday
11th December.
This is a very popular
fundraising event and the
students thoroughly enjoy
themselves.
Any donations of seasonal
chocolates or small gifts will
be gratefully received
(before Tuesday 8th
December please).
Please send all donations to
the school office.
Thank you for your support.

Year 11 Choices Event

During October all Year 11 students attended the Hartlepool Choices Events, held at Brierton
Sports Centre. This fantastic annual event gave our Year 11 students to an opportunity to meet
over thirty local colleges, training providers and employers to research and discuss their next steps
and receive external and impartial careers guidance at this key transition stage to enable them to
make informative decisions on their future plans.
Simulated Work Environment
(Targets in Yellow)

PEOPLE

This half term in Art and

Design has been very exciting.
The work that has been
produced so far from our
students has been fantastic
and we would like to share
some examples with you all.
We could show many more
but this small sample will give
you a flavour of the wonderful
talents that our students show
us all the time.
Well done everyone so far in
Art and Design.
We look forward to what the
next half term will bring us.

QUALITY
0

VELOCITY
14

Insert picture here

14

COST
0

Ideas/Issues Generated
per Employee: 4.1
(Target = 4)

Date: 13/10/2015

Caterpillar: Confidential
Green
THE SWEENIES

Caterpillar Simulated Work Environment (SWE) Visits

During October thirty four of our aspiring Year 11 engineers had the opportunity to
work within the CAT SWE. This is the simulated training environment CAT use to
train their own staff and saw our students working as teams on a real continuous
processing production line. This was an amazing opportunity and an extremely
beneficial practical day which supports their studies for their exam unit.

Omega Plant Visit

Thirteen of our Year 11 engineering students participated
in a visit to the OMEGA Plastics Plant in Hartlepool. Pupils were able to see first
hand a local processing and production plant in action. This was an extremely
useful day which supports the students studies for their exam unit.

Children in Need 2015

Over the past ten years The English Martyrs school and Sixth
Form College students have taken part in events at the school to
raise money for the Children in Need charity. Each year the total
amount raised has increased with last years total being an
amazing 3100.00.
This years events include a Fun Run on 22nd October and inschool events on Thursday 12th November. Then on 13th
November a group of our fundraising students will be travelling
to the BBC event to present our cheque. We are hoping to break
last years record!

Art and Design

GCSE PE
In September a group of Year 10 GCSE PE students spent 2 days
camping in Keswick, Cumbria. Whilst on the visit students
participated in activities such as Gorge Walking, Canoeing, and
Mountain Biking. All students were a credit to the school and
enjoyed all the activities despite the typical Lakeland weather!!

Battlefields
On Friday 28th September two students from The English Martyrs School and Sixth
Form College went on a trip to the World War One battlefields in France. This visit was
funded by the government as part of a wider project celebrating the centenary of the
Great War. On the trip the girls were able participate in the Last Post ceremony at the
Menin Gate, as well as visiting the Flanders Field Museum and trenches of the Somme.
Following on from this experience the girls are hoping to involve school and the wider
Hartlepool community in their Legacy 110 project- more information to follow. Here
are the girls experiences in their own words.
Getting picked for the WW1 commemoration in Belgium and France was honestly one
of the proudest moments of my life. When we got there and visited the different
landmarks (especially the cemeteries) I had absolutely no words. The amount of
soldiers that had given their lives for the good of our country was breath-taking and I
am so lucky to have been picked to go. I cant wait to share with everyone just what
we have done and we will keep the memory of them alive. RIP.
Talia Doyle, Year 9

Sports Day 2015

Last month I went on a History trip to Belgium and France, learning about WW1. I was
very lucky to be selected for this educational visit, as only two students could go. Early
hours on the 25th September, Talia, Mrs Richardson and I went to Durham to meet
other schools and began travelling down to Kent. When we arrived at Grosvenor Hall
we went rock climbing and made friends before going to a hands-on workshop with
real WW1 artefacts. The next morning, after a journey on the Eurotunnel, we arrived
in Ypres in Belgium. We went to the Flanders Field Museum; I really enjoyed this as it
showed what the atmosphere was like during the Great War. Next we went to
Poperinge where soldiers were punished or imprisoned. Later that evening we watched
the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate and I laid a cross in memory of my
great-granddad whose name is on one of the panels. The next day we went to look at
the cemeteries and trenches of the Somme. On the last day we made a clay soldier
which will be laid in Flanders Field as a memorial - one for each of the soldiers who
died. We visited a German cemetery, which was very different to the British ones, then
saw Tyne Cot cemetery- the largest British war cemetery in the world. This was
amazing and so emotional, but also my favourite part of this memorable experience.
Eve Remington, Year 9

Summer Concert 2015