Parents Newsletter - October 2026
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A Wonderful Start to the New Academic Year
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we reach the end of a very busy first half-term, I have been reflecting with great pride and gratitude on all that has taken place across our school community. The start of a new academic year is always a time of new beginnings, and it has been wonderful to see our students embracing the many opportunities before them with enthusiasm, kindness and a willingness to grow.
Our Catholic faith remains at the heart of our school life, and this has been evident throughout the term. Our Year 7 and Year 12 Welcome Masses provided a particularly special opportunity to gather together in prayer and welcome our newest students into the Douay community. Our retreats are also now well underway, giving students precious time away from the usual routines of school to reflect, pray and consider their faith, their relationships with others and the people they are called to become.
Our Jack Petchey Award programme is also well underway, recognising students who demonstrate achievement, determination and a positive contribution to the lives of others. These are qualities that we are proud to nurture in our young people and which reflect our belief that success is about much more than academic achievement.
Our Open Evening was another real highlight of the half-term. I was incredibly proud of the way our students represented Douay. They welcomed prospective families with confidence, warmth and courtesy and spoke so positively about their experiences of school. We received many compliments from visitors about our students, and I would like to thank every student and member of staff who helped to make the evening such a success. They were wonderful ambassadors for our school.
Learning has continued beyond the classroom, with Geography trips providing students with opportunities to experience and apply their learning in the wider world. Our Poetry Assemblies have celebrated creativity and expression, while our Year 7 Celebration Assemblies have allowed us to recognise the achievements, effort and positive contributions of our newest members of the school community.
It was also important to see our Catholic Social Teaching values reflected in our Wear Red Day, supporting Show Racism the Red Card. Standing together against racism is an important expression of our belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human being. As a Catholic school, we are called to recognise the value of every person and to build a community where all are treated with respect, compassion and love.
Our Aim for Excellence Evening and Prize Giving Evening have provided further opportunities to celebrate our students. It is always a privilege to recognise their hard work, perseverance and achievements, and to celebrate the many different ways in which our young people contribute to the life of our school.
There is much for us to be thankful for as we reach the end of this first half-term. I would like to thank our students, staff and families for the energy, commitment and care they have shown. So much of what makes Douay special happens through the everyday acts of kindness, service and encouragement that take place across our community.
I hope that everyone enjoys a restful half-term break, taking time to recharge and spend time with family and friends. May God continue to guide our students, staff and families as we look ahead to another busy and rewarding half-term.
Guided by Faith, we act in Love.
Ms. F. McCloskey
Headteacher
Cake Sale
A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Staff Cake Sale recently. From delicious homemade bakes to generous donations, it was wonderful to see our staff community come together and help us raise over £200.
Thank you to everyone who baked, bought and contributed to making the event such a success. A fantastic team effort
Open Evening
A huge thank you to all the families who attended our Year 6 Open Evening. It was wonderful to see such a fantastic turnout and to welcome so many prospective students and their families to our school.
A special thank you to Mr Rogers and all the staff who worked hard to organise the evening, as well as to our students who proudly shared their work and supported the event.
Jack Petchey
Our Year 10 students recently took part in the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge, an exciting opportunity to develop their public speaking, communication and confidence.
The whole year group did an outstanding job, with so many fantastic speakers sharing their ideas and finding their voices. We are delighted to have selected nine school finalists, who will compete in our school final after half-term. The overall winner will then go on to represent St Bon’s at the Regional Final of the Speak Out Challenge.
Prize Giving Evening
During the second week of October, we had the pleasure of hosting our Prize-Giving Evening, celebrating the achievements, dedication and hard work of our pupils.
Congratulations to all our award recipients, and a heartfelt thank you to all the families who joined us to celebrate and support our pupils. It was wonderful to recognise their successes together as a school community!
Pastoral Coffee Morning
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our Pastoral Coffee Morning. It was a pleasure to welcome families and share a wider insight into the pastoral care, support and resources available to our students at The Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School.
We are committed to ensuring that every student feels safe, supported and valued, with access to the guidance and encouragement they need to thrive both academically and personally.
Author Visit
We were delighted to welcome Hon Dr Stuart Lawrence to our school today.
He spoke to Years 7, 8 and 9 during assemblies, encouraging students to engage more actively with reading and creative writing.
He had many insightful ideas, but one that really resonated with our students was that life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it. As a community, we came together to consider the power we have to inspire change and tolerance in the world, and Stuart encouraged us to contribute to a world with 'HOPE' - one where we at least Help One Person Every day.
New Year 7
Our new Year 7 students have made a fantastic start to life at our school. They are settling in well, discovering our school values and building new friendships as they begin this exciting chapter of their educational journey.
We pray that God guides and blesses them throughout the year ahead, helping them grow in faith, knowledge and confidence as valued members of our school community.
Production Rehearsals
Rehearsals are officially underway for our upcoming school production of Hairspray. Our students have been getting to know their roles, learning more about their characters and taking their first exciting steps into rehearsals. There is already plenty of energy, enthusiasm and teamwork as the cast begins bringing this much-loved musical to life.
We can’t wait to share more behind-the-scenes updates. Stay tuned for more information, including the confirmed production dates.
Thank you, Mrs Doyle
Our school community extends its heartfelt thanks to Mrs Doyle, our School Governance Officer, Clerk and Business Manager, for her dedicated service to the school for over 35 years.
As a valued member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Mrs Doyle has played an important role in our school’s journey, contributing to its development and overseeing many significant projects. We wish her continued good health, happiness and every success for the future.
