Newsletter - May 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to a brand new academic year. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable summer break. It’s been wonderful to see our school community come back together with such energy and enthusiasm for the year ahead.
A special warm welcome goes to our new Year 7 students, who have made an excellent start to their secondary school journey. They have settled in brilliantly, embracing the school routines, forming friendships, and already contributing positively to school life. Parents and carers, you should be incredibly proud of how well they’ve adapted.
As we move through the first half term, the signs of autumn are certainly upon us. The days are growing shorter, and the temperatures are starting to drop. Please ensure that students are coming to and from school prepared for the colder weather, with appropriate winter essentials to keep them warm and safe.
Over the summer, we were busy improving our school facilities to enhance the learning environment for all our students. We are delighted to now have a brand new music suite and art studio, both of which are already being put to great use. Around the school, you’ll also notice updated wall signage that proudly displays our core values and mission, a daily reminder of who we are and what we stand for as a Catholic school community.
We are also thrilled to welcome a new member to our school family, Sanchez, our therapy dog. Sanchez has already made a positive impact, bringing joy, comfort, and calm to students and staff alike. We look forward to seeing the many ways he will continue to support wellbeing across the school.
This half term has been full of activity and achievement, from school trips and literary competitions to sporting fixtures, our Open Evening, and our recent Prize Giving evening. It has been a joy to see so many students engaging with these opportunities and representing the school so well.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We look forward to the term ahead with great hope and ambition.
With every blessing
Best Wishes
Ms. F. McCloskey
New Year 7 Students
It has been delightful to welcome our new Year 7 pupils to Douay Martyrs these last four weeks. They are looking incredibly smart in their new uniform. They have settled into school life here at Douay Martyrs excellently, embodying the 'Douay Way' in all that they do.
English Work
Two Year 9 students have produced truly inspiring English work, crafted with love, purpose, and aspiration at its heart. Their writing reflects not only exceptional talent but also depth of thought, compassion, and creativity.
Three 1st place prizes
Some of our Douay kitchen garden produce was entered into the Ickenham & Swakeley’s Horticultural Autumn Show. We are delighted to share that we came away with three first-place prizes. A huge thank you to everyone involved in growing, tending, and supporting our garden.
Welcome Mass
A joyful Welcome Mass as we celebrate our Year 7s beginning their journey and our Year 12s stepping into leadership. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and love, we are creating a Christ-centred learning community where every individual is enabled to fulfil their true potential.
National Poetry Day
Year 6 Open Evening
A kind reminder that the deadline for Year 7 applications is 31st October 2025. Applications should be submitted via the London Borough of Hillingdon website.
Football Win
Prize Giving Evening
Congratulations to over 100 students who were honoured at our Prize Giving Evening. The event celebrated and recognised outstanding achievements from the past academic year across a wide range of areas, including academics, sports, the arts, and community involvement.
Careers Day
Last week, we hosted our annual Careers Day, and it was an incredible success. We were delighted to welcome so many fantastic businesses and organisations, including: Murphys, Border Force, Metropolitan Police, UTC Heathrow, Brunel University, St Mary’s University, Global Academy, and the NHS.
Thank you to Mrs Caccaviello for organising such an inspiring day for our students. We were also honoured to welcome the Mayor of Hillingdon to our Catholic school community. Thank you for joining us and celebrating this special occasion.
Our School was featured in various Catholic and Local publications in August, celebrating our strong GCSE, and post-16 examination results, which saw many of our students secure their places at Russell Group universities, while others will be doing prestigious degree apprenticeships.
Our sincere thanks to:
- The Tablet
- West London Herald
- Independent Catholic Network
