18th March 2022
Welcome!
Dear Students, Parents and Carers
Over the next few weeks we have much to look forward to. Next week we have our production of Superglue on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, after which the performance will move to the Bristol Old Vic. We will also have musical performances at the Bristol Beacon on April the 5th. Both of these events will showcase the unique talents and skills of our students and we wish the best of performing luck to all involved.
Well done to our Year 13 students who have been completing assessments this week, which I hope went smoothly and have been successful. Teaching staff will be going through these and will be giving feedback and guidance on how students can further develop their skills in readiness for exams this Summer.
I encourage all students to listen to their teachers advice and to use the further support sessions available - either through our Wave Support, Progress to Success programme or by contacting your academic mentor. We will continue to ensure that all students are prepared for both their final examinations and also their internal mock examinations. If anyone is concerned about their progress, please to talk to your academic mentor.
We will have a number of workshops available to students in the run up to exams, especially in terms of managing examination anxiety. We are also planning some Easter revision sessions.
We are aware that Covid-19 cases both locally and nationally are on the increase. Therefore, I remind students and parents/carers that the public health advice is for people to stay at home for at least five days if testing positive and to continue to follow guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days. If you think you have symptoms, please make sure you test before coming into College. Therefore, whilst testing remains available, I strongly advise all students to follow this guidance to enable everyone in our College community to remain safe.
If you have tested positive but feel well enough to work from home, please contact your teacher to ensure you have access to live-streamed lessons on Microsoft Teams.
Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to students who took part in our Pilot section 48 inspection. All were exemplary in the way in which they conducted themselves around the College and in which they contributed to discussions. Our Inspectors were very impressed by their maturity and also the way in which they exemplify the Catholic Ethos of the College. They are all a real credit to the College.
Wishing you a lovely weekend, filled with much sunshine.
Best wishes
Marian Curran
Principal
College Information & News
Careers News
- Replying to offers on UCAS!!
- Student Trip to UCAS Discovery Exhibition!
- Financial Services, Trading & Investment Event
- Springpod Virtual Work Experiences across different sectors
- Watershed Work Experience for Creative students!
- BMJ Work Experience (Sales, Marketing, Finance, Technology, Publishing)
- Specsavers Virtual Work Experience
- Engineering Apprenticeships (Level 2; Level3)
- Apprentice IT Service Desk Support Engineer
- Virgin Media Apprenticeships!
- Royal Mail Engineering and Fleet Maintenance Apprenticeships
- Health and Social Care Subject Taster Day UWE!
- University of Law Event
- Free University Conference!
- And much more ... explore now!
Do you want to be part of our Students' Union?
What would you change about being a student at St Brendan's Sixth Form College? Perhaps you want more extracurricular opportunities? A stronger focus on sustainability or inclusivity? If you think that you could represent your peers, nominate yourself to be part of our 2022/2023 Student Union! A reminder of the roles - President, Vice-President, Communications Officer, Sports and Enrichment Officer, Equality Diversity and Interfaith Officer, Student Life/Sustainability Officer, Student Governor, Secretary. More info surrounding these roles is in the info pack! This has also been emailed to you.
To apply, students need to email their short manifesto for their desired role (250 words, 5 things that you would campaign for) to Lauren Riley (lri@stbrn.ac.uk) or Laura Howe-Haysom (lhh@stbrn.ac.uk) by Wednesday 23rd of March. Also free free to email if you have any questions or are unsure which role you would be most suited for - they will be happy to help you!
Marvin Rees To Visit St Brendan's
The elected Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, will be visiting St Brendan's on Thursday 24th March.
He describes becoming Mayor as another expression of a deeper commitment to building a fairer, more inclusive world.
He will give a talk about his career (past, present and future) and then will answer questions from the floor.
This event will take place in the Theatre at 2pm and is a must for all Politics students but is also open to all other students.
UCAS Discovery Exhibition
On 28th April the College will be running a trip to the UCAS Discovery Exhibition which is being held at the SGS Wise Campus at Stoke Gifford.
This is your chance to talk to lots of different universities, colleges, apprenticeship providers and employers ready to help you discover your future.
Coaches will be leaving St Brendan's at 8:45am and we have a two hour slot reserved for our students (9:30-11:30am).
Click the link below to register your interest or scan the QR code on the posters around college.
BAME History
The Tulsa Race Massacre
As the first year HEB history students prepare to begin their Paper 2 learning about ‘The USA 1920-1955; Boom, bust, and recovery’, we turn our focus to one of the darker, less well known, aspects of the ‘Roaring 20s’.
The 1921 attack on the Greenwood community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was one of the most significant events in that city’s history.
LRC Recommended Reads
It's Science Week!
This week the LRC Team are recommending these non-fiction classics, all of which are available from the LRC.
Log in to the Library Catalogue for details or to access e-books.
Access To UWE
UWE Bristol’s Widening Access team’s have an upcoming event: ‘Access UWE Bristol’.
The event will be held at Frenchay Campus on Wednesday 18th May 2022.
This is an opportunity for prospective Year 12/Level 3 Year 1 students to find out about the services offered by UWE to support their needs and next steps into Higher Education and to meet current students. The event is set up in an accessible and approachable way.
For full details, event itinerary and to sign up for the event, please visit the following link:
Come and watch Superglue
St Brendan's students are taking part in the National Theatre Connections Festival 2022. They are doing two evening performances of their play here at St Brendan's on March 23rd and 24th before moving on to the competitive stage at the Bristol Old Vic next month. It would be great for them to have a full house to perform to - you can book tickets using the link below (£5 adults / £3 students).
Superglue tells the story of a group of climate activists gathering at a woodland burial ground to say goodbye to a friend who died during a protest. As they gather, they erect banners and they talk about their pasts and their futures, about peaceful action versus violent action, about how society dismisses them and undervalues their cause. Initially, we believe these activists are the age of the actors playing them. Gradually, we realise that this is the story of an elderly climate action group - elderly characters performed without imitation by young actors. Parallels are drawn between old age and adolescence in a play that gently invites an intergenerational understanding of the future of our planet.
Music Students Takeover @ Bristol Beacon
'Putting the spotlight on the next generation of local musicians, talented students of St Brendan’s Sixth Form College are set to take over Bristol Beacon this Spring.
The event will include performances from ensembles, bands, and young artists on stages across the venue as well as showcases of student compositions, all supported by Music Technology students.
Students will also be collaborating with Bristol Beacon Artist in Residence, award-winning sound artist and beatboxer Jason Singh.'
TalkCampus: Mental Health Support
We have launched a new mental health service called TalkCampus. It’s a free to download app where you can talk with other students from around the world if you’re struggling and worried about your mental health. Your student email address will give you free access.
TalkCampus is anonymous and we won’t be able to see if you are using it, you also won’t be able to see where other students are from. TalkCampus is about peer support. The platform is safe and moderated and is designed as a place where you can just be yourself and talk about how you’re feeling.
Download TalkCampus from the app stores on Google or the App Store
College Bursary
If the adults you live with earn a combined income of less than £27,000 per year you could qualify for help with the cost of travel to college and compulsory course costs. For more information and a link to the online applications system visit our website
New Term - New Menu!
Check out the Café Max menu here
Chaplaincy
You can find our College Chaplain Ann Morgan in room B209, all faiths & no faiths welcome!
If you would like to follow any of the Chaplaincy social media accounts - the links are below.
Key Contacts
Marian Curran Principal
Steve Clayson Vice Principal (Curriculum, Quality & Innovation)
Alexandra Moruzzi Vice Principal (Student Experience & Progression)
Vicki Haigh Head of Pedagogy, Professional Development and Innovation
Kerry Mullinder Head of Learning Development & Safeguarding
Laura Howe-Haysom Head of Support Services
Sue Rees Head of Data and Exams
Sarah Hinder Finance Manager
Claire Woodhouse Attendance Officer
