St Bernard's Newsletter

Dear parents/carers,

As we come to the end of this term at St Bernard’s, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on what has been a truly successful and enriching time for our whole school community. It has been a term full of achievement, growth and joy, and I am immensely proud of all our students for the dedication, kindness and resilience they show each day.

A particular highlight this term has been the outstanding success of our Chamber Choir. Their incredible achievement in being crowned Overall Winners in the Chamber Choir class, earning the Gold Medal and the prestigious Joy Elliott Memorial Trophy, is a remarkable accomplishment. In addition, they were awarded The Most Outstanding Choir of the Festival and won the Freda Parry Presentation Bowl. This is a testament to their talent, hard work and commitment, and we congratulate everyone involved on this exceptional success.

We were also delighted to welcome so many families to our beautiful Carol Concert. As always, it was a breath-taking occasion, bringing our community together through music and reflection, and preparing our hearts for the joys of Christmas. Our annual Christmas Dinner further added to the festive spirit, with delicious food and seasonal music helping us all to celebrate this special time of year.

As you read through this newsletter, please do take time to note the exciting changes to our Sixth Form. We continue to strive to improve our facilities and expand the range of subjects available, ensuring we offer the very best opportunities for our students as they prepare for the next stage of their education.

This term, we also say goodbye to three valued members of staff: Dr Holehouse, Science Teacher; Ms Hopgood Hall, Lead of Computing; and Mr Baran, our IT Technician. We thank them sincerely for their service and dedication to St Bernard’s and wish them every success and happiness in their future endeavours.

On behalf of all the staff and governors at St Bernard’s, I wish you and your families peace and joy this Christmas, and a New Year filled with hope, health and prosperity.

With every blessing,

Mrs Barnes

Headteacher

• A polite reminder to parents that if their child is unwell they should go to reception.
• Children should not be using their phones in school to contact their parents.

A huge congratulations to Esme, Briony, Jessica and Deborah for their outstanding service to the school during this first term of the academic year. Each of these students has shown an exceptional level of dedication to their learning, and have contributed greatly to the St Bernard's community with their kindness and willingness to help out. To reward their efforts, they have all been awarded the prestigious Headteacher Award!

Here's why each student was chosen:

Esme has made an excellent start to St Bernard's and has fully embraced the Catholic life of the school. She is always cheerful, polite and kind and it is wonderful to see her taking part in many of our liturgical events.

Briony is a resilient young lady who puts in effort every day. She is polite and articulate and organised without making a fuss, she gets on and tries her best with everything she puts her mind to.

Jessica has been a source of reliability this term for all form time events and will always go the extra mile to support others. She was an excellent ambassador for the school during the year 5 open mornings and was commended by many parents for her knowledge of the school.

For being a reliable and helpful member of the form who consistently goes above and beyond showing real dedication and teamwork. As our School Council representative, she carries out her role with enthusiasm and responsibility, ensuring our form’s voice is heard. Her kindness, willingness to help, and calm, dependable nature make her a true asset to our form group.

Keep up the great work girls!

Did you know that students with 95-100% attendance are 30% more likely to reach their expected standards than students who attend only 90-95% of the time? This shows just how significant attendance is on learning, aptitude and grade performance.

Using a holistic approach, we do our best as a school to alleviate the barriers that prevent your child from having excellent attendance. We are pleased to report that this is working:

Attendance Averages

• National Average: 94%
• Southend Average: 93.2%
• St Bernard's Average: 95.3%

Form Attendance

The following forms had the highest averages of attendance for the year, they were awarded with boxes of celebrations, as we believe it's worth celebrating!

Year 7 - 7H 98.39%

Year 8 - 8A 96.90%

Year 9 - 9R 98.63%

Year 10 - 10R 96.43%

Year 11 - 11M 96.11%

Year 12/13 - 12/13F 96.29%

100% Attendance

Over 300 students have a perfect 100% attendance record so far this year, which is truly great to see! Each student has received a special award and a certificate to reward their commitment and dedication. A few of our 100% attendees are pictured above. Congratulations all, let's keep the streak going for the rest of the school year!

On the last day of term, we closed out another fantastic year at St Bernard's with a spectacular Advent Service!

The service featured exceptional talent from all year groups, including soloist singers, musicians, the School Orchestra, the Year 7 Choir, and of course, our incredible Chamber Choir! Led by Mrs Githu and Mrs Halliday, the performers put on an incredible musical display, playing a variety of both Christian hymns and popular festive songs.

A huge well done also goes to our magnificent readers, who read the Prayers of the Faithful in different languages to celebrate the school's diversity. Our Year 7 liturgy prefects also played a crucial role in lighting the four advent candles throughout the service.

And finally, a big thank you to all who donated to support the women's refuge - we were proud to present an enormous pile of Christmas gifts to the representatives from Safe Steps. Your generosity will go a long way to supporting families in need this Christmas!

The school was in full festive spirits during the last week of term on our annual Christmas Jumper day. Students came to school in their cosiest Christmas clobber and enjoyed a delicious Christmas meal together in the dining hall while listening to classic Christmas tunes.

A special thank you to our sixth formers for helping out with the organising, stewarding and cleaning. And of course, a huge thank you to our incredible kitchen team for cooking up a spectacular Christmas feast!

The money we raised today will help go towards the student leadership conference for the Year 11's next year. Thanks to all who helped out and took part!

St Bernard’s Sixth Form opened its doors to the public on Thursday 4th December to welcome prospective students. We had all our 31 subjects on display including both A-level and BTEC options which will be available to students for the 2026 entry. We are excited to offer Food Science this year and welcome back BTEC PE, Applied Science and BTEC Health and Social Care which will all run as single BTEC options. We encourage students to take an array of subjects and really think about what they are passionate about as the jump from GCSE to Sixth Form is the biggest jump you can do, and A-levels are hard work!

The Head and Head of Sixth Form talk was well attended and we saw approximately 200 families visit us with a mix of internal and external students. We held a Performing Arts talk which again was very well attended.

All our admission criteria and our course guide can be found here: Sixth Form Courses and wider offering - St Bernard's High School

Our Application closing date is the 20th February, please find the link to apply here: St Bernard's High School

We have welcomed internal students into the sixth form area in the last couple of weeks completing tours of the common room and supervised study area.

Students have been engaging with fitness and enrichment classes this half term. Year 12 have been focusing on preparing for the EPQ, the extended project qualification which many take on top of their current A-levels. Year 13 have used enrichment to focus on their UCAS applications and have been making sure their choices align with their predicted grades.

We are delighted to have started to send our students' applications to UCAS before the January 14th deadline. Students have been working hard in enrichment to perfect their personal statements, and we have started to send these off now.

We are excited to be working with an ex-student who is now training to be an architect. She is going to revamp and reorder our common room and we are excited to announce that we will be adding a dedicated sixth form food hatch into the common room. Watch this space for further updates.

Mrs E Owen

Head of Sixth Form

My name is Mrs Drisdale, and I joined the school in September as the new Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Thank you to all the parents and carers I have already had the opportunity to meet or speak with; I look forward to meeting many more of you in due course.

I would like to make you aware of a new email account that has been created for both students and adults.

If you have any safeguarding concerns, please email safeguarding@stbernards.southend.sch.uk, where I will receive them and respond appropriately.

During this term, two letters have been sent out: one regarding the app Discord and another about staying safe over the Christmas period. Unfortunately, criminals operating online often increase their activity at this time of year, aware that young people may have more money or access to new items that can be exploited. We strongly encourage you to talk openly with your young people about these potential risks.

I am also hoping to introduce termly presentations led by parents with real-life lived experiences and hands on advice to support and prevent this happening to others. These sessions are extremely valuable; the world of social media is evolving faster than any of us can keep up with, making these information events essential in building our confidence and awareness. I will be in contact nearer the time with further details, I hope to see many of you there.

Please continue to check your young person’s phone regularly. My parents always told me, “I pay the bill, so the phone is actually mine!”—a message I did not appreciate as a child but now completely understand and expect to share with my own. From the events and presentations I have recently attended, one theme has been consistent: adults generally have the critical thinking skills, while children often have the technical skills. Do not be afraid of the technology; your maturity allows you to recognise potential harm. The device is simply a tool, and together we can support our young people to use it safely. Please do not feel, “I don’t understand that”—we can learn and navigate this together.

Mrs R Drisdale

Assistant Headteacher

Safeguarding

Advent has been an exciting time here at St Bernard's, with lots of things happening to help us prepare for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Morning prayer in the chapel has been steadily growing, with more students coming to the chapel to begin the day in prayer, which is really great to see!

Our new Year 7's have had their first form Masses since joining the school, and I'm pleased to report that they've been fantastic! Hands shot up whenever I asked for volunteer readers, and they all attended Mass with reverence and grace. Hopefully this eagerness to play an active role in the spiritual life of the school continues throughout their time here.

We continued our annual tradition of holding a weekly advent service at the bottom of the wooden staircase, where students gathered to hear the gospel and witness the lighting of the advent candles. Each week we had readers from a different year group - starting with Year 7 and ending with Year 9. They all did a marvellous job and had the honour of lighting the candles as well, during which, the Year 7 Choir was there to lead us in the classic advent hymn: 'Light the Advent Candle', which they sang beautifully every time.

Our Liturgy Prefects gathered in the chapel on the 8th of December to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is a holy day of obligation in most countries except the UK. The readings of the day were read by a few volunteers, and the service finished with all the prefects saying the 'Memorare', a special prayer to our Lady composed by St Bernard of Clairvaux.

We now look forward to enjoying some well-deserved rest and quality time with family this Christmas, but let us always remember the true meaning behind this holy season: that God became just like us so that we could be saved from sin and have eternal life. Have a blessed Christmas!

Yours faithfully,

Mr R Young

Lay Chaplain

Morning prayer has continued to grow throughout the year, with more students coming along to start their day in communion with God. There are now some amazing prayer guides for students to use to guide them in prayer. Prayer is central to the spiritual life of the school, so please encourage your child to spend some time in prayer whenever they can.

Form Masses have continued with great success, this time with the new Year 7's, who have been eager to play an active role in the Mass. I've been thoroughly impressed by their eagerness to assist and take part. Big thanks go to Fr Paul, Fr Deepu and Fr John McGrath for coming in to celebrate Mass with us. Form Masses will continue next term with the Year 10's.

Our weekly advent services began in December - with students turning out each week to witness the lighting of the advent candles. We had readers from Year 7, 8 and 9, who read the gospel for that Sunday with a corresponding prayer, followed by a beautiful rendition of the advent classic 'Light the Advent Candle' by the Year 7 Choir.

Liturgy prefects came to the chapel to take part in a short prayer service to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The readings for this important solemnity were read by a few of the liturgy prefects, and all the prefects closed out the service by saying the 'Memorare' - a beautiful prayer to our Lady composed by our patron saint, St Bernard.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is especially important during advent, as saying sorry and repenting of our sins is the best way to prepare for the coming of our Saviour. Fr John McGrath kindly came in for two days this term to hear confessions from students. I was very impressed by the number of students who put themselves forward for the sacrament, as it can be quite scary!

The Southend Council SEND Team hosts informal and friendly SEND Surgeries every month, which offer a unique opportunity to connect with multiple key professionals in one place.

Surgeries give families an opportunity to drop in, ask questions and get friendly help, advice and support on a range of topics.

SEND Surgeries in 2026 (9 to 11am):

• Wednesday, 28 January 2026. Earls Hall Primary School, Carlton Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea Essex SS0 0QN.

• Thursday, 26 February 2026. Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery, Hornby Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 0LG

Support groups and services for SEND parents and carers in Southend:

https://www.livewellsouthend.com/directory/29/send-events-and-activities/category/66

Support from the Southend Careers Service:

The Southend Careers Service provide advice and guidance about education, employment and training. Ami Sewell runs a SEND clinic every Friday at The Forum. To find out more and book a slot, email AmiSewell@southend.gov.uk

What is a Cubbie?

Cubbie is a sensory management pod. Its designed to help people regulate their sensory experiences in various environments. Cubbie provides a customisable space with adjustable lighting, sounds and visuals.

It allows users, especially those with sensory sensitivities, to find comfort and focus. The first ever publicly available Cubbie anywhere in the world, can now be found on the first floor of The Victoria Centre.

How to use Cubbie:

If you are new to Cubbie, you will need to download the Cubbie App. You can do this either:

• by tapping your phone on the NFC tag on the front of the Cubbie
• through the App Store, or Google Play Store

Once you register your account, the app will then give you a code to gain access.

It's a simple process and takes minutes to set up!

This term, our House Captains had a go at designing new House displays along the East-Wing corridor. The results were fantastic! Each House now has it's own animal as a House Mascot, as well as three key traits that represent the core strengths of each House.

See the designs for each House below!

House Mascot: Lamb

Key Traits: Humility, Honour, Gentleness

SLT Captain: Miss March

House Mascot: Rooster

Key Traits: Piety, Wisdom, Vigilance

SLT Captain: Mrs Bailey

House Mascot: Deer

Key Traits: Nature, Spirituality, Peace

SLT Captain: Mrs Owen

House Mascot: Bee

Key Traits: Hard Work, Community, Prosperity

SLT Captain: Mrs Drisdale

House Mascot: Lion

Key Traits: Courage, Strength, Compassion

SLT Captain: Mrs Allit

House Mascot: Eagle

Key Traits: Freedom, Leadership, Hope

SLT Captain: Ms Greene

Be sure to take a closer look at these amazing new displays the next time you're wandering around the school!

This term, the Year 10's made their annual trip to the local Orthodox synagogue to expand their understanding of the Jewish faith.

Students received a brief tour of the prayer hall before being shown a range of fascinating Jewish symbols and ceremonial objects, including the sacred (and beautifully decorated) Torah scrolls. The students got to ask the tour guide lots of questions, and his detailed explanations really helped them to grow in knowledge about Judaism.

A huge thank you to the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation for hosting us and for teaching our students about Jewish ceremonies and customs.

The Year 7's have been learning more about the Catholic faith, particularly about how Catholics use art to better understand creation and other core Catholic beliefs.

The new students learnt all about glass illuminations and how stained glass windows are made. They were then challenged to create their own version of a stained glass window (see picture). The students really let their creativity shine through on this project!

Well done for making a fantastic start to your religious studies at St Bernard's, Year 7!

This term, a group called Medical Mavericks came in to demonstrate various fascinating science and medical technology. The event was incredible! The team were highly professional and took the time to answer questions about further education and future career paths. The girls learned so much and had the chance to try everything—from keyhole surgery, taking blood from a practice arm to running an ECG, using an infrared vein scanner, and even using ultrasound equipment to check bone growth. There was an abundance of delighted “ooohs” and “aaahs” as muscles moved and bones flexed out of the way!

One student shared that the experience “inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.” Many said they valued the chance to try things they would never normally get to do—and they were thoroughly amused to see their teachers getting involved too!

Science Made Simple made another visit to the school this term for another thrilling STEM showcase!

The first talk was given to the Year 8's, who witnessed (and participated in) a range of fascinating science demonstrations. During the talk, they learnt how to accurately estimate the volume of a container using clever maths techniques.

The second talk for Year 9's was all about the breakthrough discoveries made by women in STEM fields such as Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, a genius astronomer whose spectral analysis of stars led to the discovery that stars are made primarily of hydrogen and helium - a ground-breaking discovery at the time!

We look forward to future visits from Science Made Simple, and to the future events in the Science Department this academic year.

Mrs P Hunter

Head of Science

Good news! Our school has been selected to receive an exciting new art programme. It’s called ‘Sensations’, and it brings the great art of the world to our TV monitors, computers, and classrooms every day. It’s entirely for our enjoyment - no exams!

Each week we shall display a new art ‘exhibition’, often on themes which are relevant to our school community. One exhibition, for example, is called Identity – ‘Who Am I?’ and explores personal identity through a range of artworks from Frida Kahlo through Napoleon to . . . Batman!

Another is Masterpieces from the National Gallery in London. And there will be plenty of contemporary art too. The initial exhibition is called Overture: Welcome to ‘Sensations’ with masterpieces you might recognise.

Sensations is a cultural resource for the whole school. Watch this space, as teachers will be bringing art into form time.

Sensations is produced by Art In Schools, a charitable initiative of JazzyMedia.

Enjoy!

Want to see more of the incredible artwork our students produce in school? Follow our brand new Art Department Instagram Page to see all the amazing studies, finished pieces and works in progress from students across all key stages.

With regular weekly updates, you can see all of the amazing work our talented young artists produce here at St Bernard's.

Follow us @stbernardshs_art

Mrs A Every

Head of Art

St. Bernard’s Chamber Choir and School Choir put on an outstanding performance at this year's Southend Festival of Performing Arts.

The School Choir entered the School's Choir class and put on a beautiful vocal performance of 'Shine' by Killian and 'Shackles' (Praise You) by Campbell, Atkins & Atkins.

In addition, Chamber Choir performed 'Lakeside Lullaby' by Narverud and 'Sleigh Ride' by Anderson. Their impressive vocal performance made them the overall winners in the Chamber Choir class, earning them the gold medal and the Joy Elliott Memorial Trophy. They were also crowned 'The Most Outstanding Choir' of the Festival and won the Freda Parry Presentation Bowl.

Last week, The orchestra and Chamber Choir performed at the ‘12 Days of Christmas’, an annual event held at the Cliffs Pavilion and they will also perform at the end of term Advent Service on the 19th of December.

The Music Department would like to say a huge congratulations to all the musicians for their exceptional performances this term and a special thank you to Mrs. Halliday for all the hard work and dedication she has put into training and coaching the School Choir and Chamber Choir.

Mrs Githu

Head of Music

We are delighted to share that this year was our first time taking part in the Bebras Computing Challenge, an international competition that promotes problem-solving and computational thinking.

Our students approached the challenge with enthusiasm and determination, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements. A special mention goes to the 16 students who earned Gold Certificates, placing them in the top 10% of participants nationally—a fantastic accomplishment!

Well done to all who took part. Your hard work and curiosity in computing are truly inspiring, and we look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.

Our netball teams have made an excellent start in the Southend Borough League this term. The Year 7 team remain undefeated, displaying fantastic enthusiasm, resilience and teamwork in every fixture. Year 8 have been working hard in highly competitive matches, producing some great passages of play and showing great progress throughout the season. Year 9 have demonstrated outstanding teamwork, playing cohesively as a unit and supporting one another consistently during games. The Under 16 team have also delivered a number of strong performances, with effective movement on court and good teamwork.

Students will now continue their preparation for the remaining Southend Borough League fixtures, alongside the upcoming Netball Borough Tournament taking place in March.

Our cross-country team showed fantastic resilience and determination at the Southend Borough Cross Country Competition. All runners delivered a brilliant effort, producing some excellent performances and finishing 4th overall.

Some of our Y8 & Y9 students recently took part in a ten-pin bowling competition, showcasing great skill and precision throughout. There was plenty of fun and laughter along the way, with the girls recording an impressive number of strikes and spares to finish in an excellent 3rd place out of 18 teams.

All of our Year 8 students recently took part in an inspiring DWP Career Skills Workshop, where they discovered more about their own hard and soft skills. They also created personal development plans, identifying new skills they can grow through our clubs programme and a wide range of extracurricular activities.

The workshop offered an interactive and engaging introduction to the importance of transferable skills—qualities that are valued not only in our St. Bernard's school community but across both local and regional labour markets.

Our Year 9 students have been meeting with our Careers Adviser for an inspiring Options Workshop titled “Making Good Choices.”

During this collaborative session, our students explored the link between their skills, interests, personality and future career decisions; investigated up-to-date labour market information; considered which employment sectors interest them most; and reflected on how to make informed and suitable Post-14 option choices. This informative session was a huge success, and our student learnt a lot about the options open to them after GCSE's.

Year 10 students enjoyed an inspiring KS4 Outreach Visit to Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, where 15 students took part in a tour of the college’s facilities, presentations on university life, and an engaging critical thinking workshop.

Throughout the day, our students demonstrated superb curiosity, asking thoughtful questions and offering impressive insights that showcased their developing academic confidence. The visit broadened their understanding of higher education and strengthened their aspirations for the future.

"The trip was really helpful for considering my higher education. I learned about the structure of university; the difference between a seminar and a lecture; and what day-to-day life at university is like." (Year 10 Student).

We are delighted to announce St Bernard’s first Enrichment Day, which will take place in March next year. Students in Key Stage 3 will participate in the following activities:

• Year 7 – The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre, London

• Year 8 – Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre

• Year 9 – Stubbers Adventure Centre, Upminster

This Enrichment Day will provide students with valuable opportunities to develop their cultural capital and engage in learning beyond the classroom. Students will create lasting memories with their peers, strengthen relationships, and develop new skills through these enriching and exciting experiences.

The payment deadline for the Year 8 trip is Friday 9th January. The payment deadlines for the Year 7 and Year 9 trips have now passed; however, if you have missed the deadline and your child is still keen to attend, please contact Mrs Bell via the school office as soon as possible.

Mrs M Bell

Enrichment and Extra-Curricular Lead

In assemblies this half term, we have been looking at self-care and how we can incorporate behaviours and habits into our routines to ensure that invest in our health and happiness. Self-care means looking after your mind and body. It’s important because if we don’t look after ourselves it can make it harder to do everything which is expected of us and we may start to struggle unnecessarily.

In assemblies, students were introduced to an area of psychology called Positive Psychology. Researchers who work in this area don’t diagnose people with mental illnesses such as depression. They are interested in why some people report higher levels of mental and physical wellbeing. Their research found that people who report high levels of physical and mental wellbeing aren’t necessarily wealthier; they don’t live in a particular part of the world; they aren’t a particular age or gender. Instead, they found that that people who report high levels of wellbeing typically adopt 5 specific behaviours.

• Engage with your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Nurture these relationships at home, work, school, or in your local community. They form the foundation of a fulfilling life, so devote time to foster them. Building these connections will profoundly support and enrich your everyday experiences.

• Be active. Step outside and go for a walk or run. Explore cycling routes, play a game, tend to your garden, or dance your heart out. Engaging in physical activity not only boosts your mood but also enables you to discover the joy of movement. Find an activity that aligns with your fitness level and personal preferences.

• Keep learning. Rediscover forgotten passions or invest your time in acquiring new skills. Register for a course, take on fresh responsibilities at work, learn to cook your favourite dish, or master an instrument. Set enjoyable challenges that ignite your passion for growth. By learning new things, you’ll boost your confidence while having a blast.

• Give. Extend acts of kindness to friends and strangers alike. Express gratitude, offer a warm smile, dedicate your time to volunteering, or become part of a community group. Look beyond yourself and forge meaningful connections within your wider community. Such selflessness brings tremendous fulfilment and fosters lasting bonds. Remember, incorporating these actions into your life not only enhances your wellbeing but also strengthens your ties to those around you.

• Take notice. Open your eyes to the world around you and be in the here and now. Notice the changing seasons, appreciate the remarkable, and relish the extraordinary. This helps you to stop dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. Whether you’re walking to work, enjoying a meal, or engaging in conversations with friends, be present in the moment. Simple breathing exercises are a great way to start and help calm the mind and body. You could also try keeping a gratitude jar - add three things you’re grateful for each day and any time you feel down, open the jar and have a read.

Christmas is such a busy time of year and it’s easy to be swept along with our commitments to others. At this time of year, planning self-care activities – going for a walk, or calling a friend for a chat – is important. So, once you’ve finished reading this, crack open your diary and arrange some time for YOU.

The Christmas break is a great opportunity to rest and recuperate but isolation, loss of structure and changes in sleep patterns can be bad news for mental health. Add to this the lack of support from friends and teachers if something goes wrong, and it can be a worrying time! Here are some links for you to access if you need support over the holiday:

https://www.livewellsouthend.com/children-young-people-families

https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/set-camhs https://www.kooth.com/ https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/find-help/i-need-urgent-help

There are also a host or resources on the St Bernard’s website via this QR code.

At St Bernard’s High School, we are proud partners of The Jack Petchey Foundation. This charity equips and rewards young people for effort, talent, and community impact — not just academic success. Its longstanding programmes like Achievement Awards, public speaking, dance, and volunteering opportunities have left a profound impression on thousands of youths across London and Essex, contributing millions of pounds to schools, uniform groups and other organisations and clubs across London and Essex.

Over the last year alone, we have benefitted from over £8000 of funding for the school across a range of areas. Educational visit grants has supported trips, such as the UCAS Super fair and Colchester Zoo trip; Leader Awards have contributed to a new canopy, keeping students dry at lunch and breaktime. In 2026 these same awards will benefit the new GCSE Media Course with Ipads and provide a 3D printer, allowing the Science department to source specialist Science equipment; whilst the Achievement Awards have benefitted PE, clubs, Art, English and Drama (to name a few). The organisation also delivers subsidised workshops which support students to develop financial management and communication skills which are so important to our students.

Our Achievement Award winners from September – December are:

Nazhoon in Year 10 in recognition of her exceptional contribution to her form group and the wider school community.

Tia in Year 11 was nominated for showing compassion, respect, and a genuine desire to help people, whether through small acts of kindness or by offering support to her peers.

Eva in Year 11 is described as fantastic member of our form and year group who supported the Senior Prefect Team with the organisation and preparation of the Year 11 Leadership Conference.

In Year 13, Summer M was nominated for her outstanding commitment, kindness, and contribution to our school community by consistently gives up her own time to support others and showing a level of maturity and dedication that goes far beyond what is expected through her regular commitment to the school Basketball Club.

Outside of School, we were delighted to learn that Zaynab in Year 10 was awarded the Jack Petchey award for her commitment and leadership to Air Cadets 1312 Southend Squadron.

Well done to our worthy award winners!

St Bernard's is thrilled to announce that ten students will be travelling to Peru in the summer of 2027 to take part in a life-changing, four-week expedition with Camps International.

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This incredible opportunity is a chance for students to develop independence, leadership skills, resilience, and a deeper understanding of global citizenship. ⠀
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Our students now face the exciting challenge of fundraising to cover the cost of their expedition. You can help our students without having to spend a penny by using our Easyfundraising link when doing your online shopping! ⠀
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Whether it's for online groceries or Christmas shopping, a percentage of your spending will automatically go towards our students fundraising, without you having to spend anything extra!⠀
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Online retailers that are involved include; Amazon, Tesco, Asda, Iceland, eBay, Argos, John Lewis and Temu - to name just a few! ⠀

So far we've managed to raise £25.38 and with your help we can continue to raise even more!
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Please use our the following link to help send our students on this once in a lifetime expedition!

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/st-bernards-expedition-to-peru-summer-2027-camps-international/

Introducing the Peru Brew Crew, the fundraising team who are working hard to fund the 2027 Peru Trip. Through individual stalls at the Christmas Fayre and by serving refreshments at the Sixth Form Parents’ Evening, our students have already begun raising vital funds for their expedition in the summer of 2027.

The Peru Brew Crew will be on hand at every parents’ evening this year, serving delicious tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks. Be sure to stop by, enjoy a treat, and support our students as they work towards this incredible opportunity!

• 6th Jan - Feast of the Epiphany (Mass in school)

• 8th Jan - Y11 Parent Consultation Evening

• 28th Jan - A Christmas Carol performance in school for Y10 students
• 5th Feb - Year 9 Options Evening
• 6th Feb - Y12 Taster Day (for Y11 students)

We currently have exciting opportunities for passionate teachers and experienced senior leaders to become part of our school community.

If you are interested in applying for one of these roles, please complete the relevant application form and send it to us at recruitment@stbernards.southend.sch.uk.

The St Vincent’s Centre's pop-up food and clothing charity store is still ongoing. Come along every Thursday to St Helen's Catholic Church, Westcliff (27 Milton Road, Westcliff-On-Sea, SS0 7JP). Browse their wares, try tasty food and help raise money for charity!

Market Opening Hours:

1. Morning: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

2. Afternoon: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Thank you so much for your support in spreading the word and helping us make a difference in the community.

Confirmation Course

Big questions. Real faith. Great conversations.

If you’re in Year 9 or above and would like to begin preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, this is for you! Our new Confirmation Course is a relaxed, welcoming space to explore your faith, ask questions, and grow together as a community.

We’ll meet once a month on Sundays, with time for discussion, activities, and reflection.

To get involved, please email the parish office officeatstteresas@gmail.com or speak to Fr Viktor or Fr Deepu.

Gracious God, in you we find all beginnings and endings.

Help us to show kindness and understanding through open hearts.

Help us to continue to flourish and grow in Your love and support those in need of Your friendship.

Prompt our learning today using our talents and gifts so that we may serve You more faithfully. Prompt our actions with Your grace and complete them with Your help, so that we may truly love one another as You have loved us.

St Bernard, pray for us

Amen

Email: office@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Website: stbernardswestcliff.org.uk
Location: Milton Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7JS UK
Phone: 01702 343583