21.03.2025
TERM 4 VALUE:
Forgiveness
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
We hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine and the early part of Spring!
Congratulations to all our students and staff who took part in our Raising and Giving Week. Together, we raised over £800 to support Bristol Homeless—an incredible achievement reflecting the generosity and community spirit at St Brendan's. A huge thank you to our Student Union and Beth, whose efforts made this important event possible.
On Wednesday, all of our students participated in our Careers Fair, an inspiring event designed to connect students with universities, employers, and apprenticeship providers. This was a valuable chance to explore degree options, understand entry requirements, learn about university finance, and discover various career pathways. Employers from diverse industries were also present, providing guidance on apprenticeship opportunities and future career prospects. The event was a fantastic opportunity for students to ask insightful questions, gather essential resources, and clarify their aspirations for the future. Our students came away with good insights into the exciting opportunities that lie ahead after their time at St Brendan’s. I would like to extend my thanks to our dedicated Careers Team for organising this enriching event. It was wonderful to see our students fully engaged and taking advantage of the opportunities provided.
In addition to looking towards the future, on Wednesday Evening we celebrated the impressive talents of our Dance students, highlighting their hard work and creativity. We continue to take pride in all our students’ varied accomplishments and we know their performance will have contributed positively towards their exam.
Lastly, just a gentle reminder that the end of term for students will be Thursday 3rd April. Students will return on Tuesday 22nd April, when Year 12 will begin their Mock Exams.
Marian Curran
Principal
🎟️ Prom Tickets on sale now! 🎟️
We heard you, ticket prices were too high, so we made a change! We’ve secured an even better venue, and tickets are now just £27!
But– we need to sell all the tickets by Friday 4th April to make this happen. If we don’t, there won’t be a prom this year.
When: 30th June, 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Where: Ashton Court Mansion
What’s included: Venue hire, DJ, food (pizza & arancini balls), and a photo booth!
Don’t miss out – grab your ticket now before it’s too late! Tickets available on the STORE.
Please note: if we don't sell all of the tickets, you will be refunded.
KEY DATES
Monday 24th March - SU election vote opens
Thursday 3rd April - Last day of Term 4
Thursday 3rd April - Last day the SB3 bus route will run
Tuesday 22nd April - First day of Term 5
Tuesday 22nd April - First day of revised SB4 & SB6 bus routes, and new 36 bus route (replacing SB3). Click here for more information.
Monday 30th June - Prom (tickets on sale now)
EVENTS
SU Elections & Hustings
Monday 24th - Wednesday 26th March
- The SU elections will take place next week!
- We will be holding hustings on Monday (24th) in B127 at 12:10. This is your chance to meet the candidates running to be your next group of SU officers! Here you can find out why they believe they are the best candidate for the role, what their priorities are and how they want to represent their peers.
- Voting will begin next Monday (24th) from 13:00 until Wednesday (26th) 17:00.
- Voting will be via a MS form which will be sent out on Monday (24th).
- Results will be announced on Monday 28th April!
- Click here to view the candidate manifestos
- This is open to staff and students so please pop along to the hustings to show your support and meet the candidates!
POLICIES
📢 Lanyard Policy Updates 📢
Taking into account the feedback from the student/parent survey, the revised proposal for consideration is:
- 1st occasion: Students are issued with a free card in September of their year of study
- 2nd occasion: Students will be issued with a temporary sticker where they have forgotten their ID card
- 3rd occasion: Students will be charged £2 for a replacement card – this will apply for any students who has forgotten or lost their student ID
- 4th occasion: Students will be sent to see the Vice Principal so that a call home can be made and students will be charged £5 for a further replacement. A parent support plan around organisation or identifying any barriers will be agreed. This may include making an exception to the charge being applied, agreeing a collection point where a card is kept where a student struggles with self-organisation.
This will apply per term, Sept – Dec (T1), Jan – March/April (T2), April – July (T3). There will be a reset every major term.
Students will not be sent home to collect their card due to concerns around safeguarding, impact on attendance and disengagement.
A payment and card issue point will be set up at Reception and will commence from Tuesday 22nd April.
Keeping our community safe
We would like to remind all students that only enrolled students of St Brendan’s are permitted on the College premises. Bringing friends or anyone who is not a student of St Brendan’s onto the site is strictly prohibited. By doing so, you compromise the safety of our College community, which we take very seriously.
Please be aware that if you are found to have brought an unauthorised individual onto College grounds, this will result in an immediate suspension. We encourage all students to respect this rule and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of everyone at St Brendan’s.
New parking permit application process for students
We are excited to introduce a new, streamlined system for 2nd and 3rd year students to apply for a College parking permit. To request a permit, simply click on the link below or visit the College website to complete the online application form. Once submitted, Central Admin will process the application and notify you when your permit is ready for collection from Reception.
Student Vehicle Registration Application Form
If you prefer, you can also request the link by emailing info@stbrn.ac.uk
Use of College lifts
We have noticed several students using the College lifts who do not need to. We have provided lift passes to students who have a specific reason for using the lift, including our 6 wheelchair users who rely on accessing the lift to get around College safely and in a timely manner. Students with ‘unseen’ disabilities or medical conditions are known to the College and if there is any other student who requires a lift pass, they should speak to Alexandra Moruzzi (amz@stbrn.ac.uk) or Paul Connors (pco@stbrn.ac.uk) and we will provide them with a lift pass.
Staff will ask students to provide their pass upon request and ask them to use the stairs to ensure the lift is available for use by those who rely on it to move around the campus.
SUPPORT
🌙 Ramadan - Mental Health Guide 🌙
Ramadan began on 28th February.
The Health and Wellbeing Team have created some guidance to support our students who may be fasting (click the button below).
To see the timetable for Ramadan please click here.
💜 KARE: Young Carers Magazine 💜
We would like to share this magazine for everyone to access, whether you are a young carer or want to know more about what it's like to be a young carer
📅 Subject Revision Sessions 📅
As we gear up for summer exams, we're excited to share details of extra revision sessions available to support you. These sessions are in addition to the in-college support already provided.
Stay Updated: This document will be updated weekly as teacher availability and student needs become clearer. Be sure to check back regularly for new sessions.
Plan Ahead: We wanted to get this information to you early so you can plan around the holiday seasons. Don't forget about the ongoing after-college sessions in various departments!
Let's make this exam season a success together! 📚✨
📝 Revision & study support 📝
We wanted to make all students and their parents/carers aware of our Revision Toolkit area of the website. Here you will find lots of handy resources and templates to support you with organising your revision as well as some effective strategies, proven by research, to help your study time be the most impactful it can be.
🖥 16-19 Student Bursary 🖥
A reminder to all students about the 16-19 Student Bursary. More information can be found on our website (link below).
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
To see the timetable for all clubs and societies click here.
If you'd like to take part you can either turn up on the day, or email bwi@stbrn.ac.uk to be added to the Teams page.
📚 LRC Loyalty Card Challenge 📚
Congratulations to Isabelle Fowler who has won a £10 Amazon gift card by completing the LRC Loyalty Card Challenge.
If you borrow books regularly from the LRC, you need an LRC Loyalty Card. Just ask for card at the desk and collect a point every time you borrow books. Once you collect 12 points and post a really well written review in the Library Catalogue, you receive a prize - currently this is an Amazon gift card.
CAREERS
Careers News
Head over to the Careers News page for lots of useful resources and opportunities.
Webinar: Preparing for Apprenticeship Assessment Centres
Thursday 24th April 15:30-16:00
Hear directly from employers about how they work, what they’re really looking for and their advice on how students can prepare.
EDT Application
They are currently accepting applications for their 2025/26 (staring July/August 2025), further information and the application form can be found here.
Accreditation: Platinum Industrial Cadets Award
Application are open for their Year 12 Residential Insight into University Courses.
These are summer schools at various top Universities that run over 4 to 5 days where students get a taster of university life and an insight into a specific STEM subject. Students will get the opportunity to experience university style lectures and work on activities and group projects with the support of academics and student mentors. Students will stay in halls of residence and take part in social activities in the evening, so they get the full university experience.
Below are the courses that are currently available to apply for, please click on each link to find out more:
🌍 Ocean and Earth Science at Southampton University
🌟 Materials Science at the University of Oxford
🔎 Physics and Astronomy at Surrey University
🚀 Aerospace Engineering at Liverpool University
💡 Maths at Lancaster University
🔧 Mechanical Engineering at University College London
Please click here to open the Application Form.
Are you working on individual or group STEM Projects this academic year? If so why not enter the Big Bang Competition! Applications are now open and the link is above. It would be a great opportunity for you to gain some recognition for all your hard work!
Careers SharePoint Site
Our Careers Team have created a Careers SharePoint site to support you in obtaining all the information, advice and guidance for your future plans.
On the site, you will find the following pages:
💬 Careers Guidance Meetings - You will see our calendar of activity and have access to our booking link
🧭 UCAS - Information and guidance on personal statements, open days, taster days, key deadlines and much, much more
📍 Apprenticeships - Guidance on understanding apprenticeships, useful links, and hints/tips for interview
📢 Industry Spotlight - Videos that will inform, educate and empower you to make an informed next step decision
📝 CV and Cover Letters - Useful templates and guidance
🚀 Labour Market Information - Understand more about the growing and declining sectors and industries
🔎 Subject Careers Support - Information and links to subject-related support that can impact your studies
💡 Work Experience - Dates and opportunities to gain ready-life experience of the workplace
Click the link https://stbrn.sharepoint.com/sites/Careers or log onto the jump page and click on the Careers Zone button.
Chaplaincy
Thought of the Week:
"Forgiveness is an invitation to growth. Reflect on how past experiences have shaped you and how forgiveness allows for a new beginning. What growth can you embrace today?"
The Chapel is open every day for quiet reflection.
You can find the Chaplaincy team in room B209, all faiths & no faiths are welcome!
There are lots of enrichment activities that you can get involved in via the Chaplaincy, read more about these here.
KEY CONTACTS
Marian Curran Principal
Alexandra Moruzzi Vice Principal (Student Experience & Progression)
Vicki Haigh Head of Pedagogy, Professional Development and Innovation
Shane Blackshaw Executive Finance Director
Laura Howe-Haysom Head of Safeguarding & Support Services
Ross Stone Exam Officer
Sarah Hinder Finance Manager
Claire Woodhouse Attendance Officer
