Looking Forward - Looking Back

This Half Term has only been four and half weeks long but, nevertheless, it has been packed full of events and hard work as we head towards the public examinations which are now fully in our sights. A thread that has run through this Half Term has been the Lenten fundraising. It has been a pleasure to see so many of our Sixth Form students get involved in raising money for a range of charities and there is more on this within the newsletter.

As we head towards the Easter holidays, we not only wish you all a joyful break, but also to wish Year 13 students well as they prepare for their examinations which start soon after Easter.

With all good wishes from the Sixth Form Team.

On behalf of all the sixth form team here at Loreto College, I would like to wish families and students a peaceful and happy Easter break. As we enter the final period of Lent, we can be thankful for another vibrant half term, full with the energy and the positivity of Loreto school life. Once again, our wonderful Sixth Form students have taken the lead in their fundraising campaigns. It is not surprising that both Year 12 and Year 13 students dedicated so much of their time in supporting those who are less fortunate. At the same time , students continue to work diligently in their studies, while being active participants in College life.

As we enter the summer term, we can be immensely proud of our Sixth Form community - you only have to take a glance at this edition of the newsletter to gain an insight into the myriad of events taking place at the College. It won't be long before we will be wishing our Year 13 students a farewell but there is certainly a lot of hard work to do in the meantime! When the summer term begins, the exam season will be almost at our feet , and another year of public examinations will commence.

So this Easter - can I take this opportunity to thank families for their unwavering support. With our new student leadership team taking up post, the cycle begins again in the new term.

The Loreto journey is a unique one, and with unprecedent levels of interest for the new academic year in a Loreto Sixth Form life , the Loreto journey continues to flourish and grow. A diligent approach to studies and a commitment to spiritual formation are the corner stones of our community. As noted, this newsletter once again showcases all that has past and is passing at this joyous institution!

Happy Easter one and all.

Mr Mahon.

We must thank Mrs Wicks for all her hard work in creating a series of wonderful activities for Careers Week which the whole school, including the Sixth Form, has benefited from. The activities for which the Careers Fair was the jewel in the crown, allowed students to pursue careers information which is sincere and supporting the ethos of dignity of work.

Our Year 13 students are keen to prepare for Higher Education based on truth and sincerity. As part of this, they were keen to explore the options for them about financing Higher Education. As a result, we organised Georgina from the University of East Anglia to visit Loreto College and give an informative talk about the financial options available to undergraduate students.

Joy is a central feature of our work at Loreto College and Culture Day was the epitome of this. Organised by our brilliant Prefect Team, the most joyous element of this day was the Cultural Runway and observing all our students celebrating each other's identities and cultures in the most inclusive and positive way possible. Wonderful!

Our Sixth Form students have been simply amazing in their participation in Lenten Fundraising this year. Not only have they arranged some brilliant events but they carefully considered a wide range of causes to raise funds for showing a deep sense of social justice as part of their decision-making process.

A last little message from the Head Girl Team…Congratulations Year 13 on making it through our last Loreto Half Term!! Thank you to everyone for coming to support our Lenten Fundraising for Red Cross Gaza Crisis Appeal - our Team was able to raise £123.58!! We'd also love to give a special mention to the enthusiastic 12T on their Teacher Dodge Ball.

To continue - a huge congratulations to Amy, Pheona and Elsie on making Head Girl and the deputy’s, as well as everyone else on the new Student Leadership Team and all who participated in the application process. We were inspired by your speeches, are excited for all you achieve in your roles, and wish you the very best next year.

We know this half term has been a quiet one for Year 13s, filled with little coffee runs, year-book making and much revision, but we hope you’ve all enjoyed the last couple of weeks pre exams and we’re wishing everybody a restful Easter holidays before it’s time for our last Loreto lock in…

After a rigorous and intense appointment process the Sixth Form Team were delighted to announce during the last week of term the new Head Girl and Senior Prefect Team for the next academic year.

There were over 20 students who applied for the role of Head Girl and all students were interviewed and 11 were shortlisted for presentations which they had to make on their vision of the role of Head Girl and how they were going to fulfil this role. These presentations were made to an audience which comprised of the Sixth Form Team and the current Student Leadership Team. After much deliberation, the key appointments were made -

Head Girl - Amy

Deputy Head Girls - Elsie and Pheona.

Student Leadership Team - Rachel, Giusy, Ever, Laura, Cliona, Natalie and Evie.

Senior Prefects - Ruva, Heloise, Mishika, Julia, Marley, Annie, Abby and Pragya.

We congratulate Amy, Elsie and Pheona as well as the rest of the Year 12 student leaders on their appointments and look forward to seeing them flourish in their new roles over the next year.

The February Half Term could not have ended better than Culture Day 2026. Organised and co-ordinated by our Prefect Team, students were invited to wear their cultural clothing day and participate in a range of activities such as contributing to Cultural Food Hall and participating in the Cultural Runway - the undoubted highlight of the day.

Culture Day really showcased the diverse culture and heritages that exist in our Loreto Community and it is always humbling to see our students celebrate and learn about each others roots and identities. Our Prefect team worked so hard and make this an inclusive day and judging from the lively and enthusiastic reaction from our students, they really appreciated the hard work the Prefect Team had invested in this day. Also, almost one thousand pounds was raised for Sr. Orla's work at Loreto Rumbek, an amazing sum. A truly joyful event.

Here is a reaction about Culture Day from one of our Year 11 students -

"Today’s Culture Day at Loreto was honestly one of the best days ever. It felt amazing to see everyone proudly sharing where they come from—through food, dance, clothes, and stories. The Hall was filled with colors, music, and laughter, and it didn’t matter who was popular or shy—we were all just curious and connected. I tried food I’d never heard of, learned a few dance steps from friends, and realized how much beauty there is in our differences. It made me appreciate my own culture more too, and I left feeling proud of all of us."

Year 12 students enjoyed their annual retreat at the Vineyard Church where they participated in a series of activities organised by STEP, who have such a positive and close relationship with the Loreto College, and overseen by the School Chaplain, Mr. Roberts.

Perhaps the most powerful activity was the opening scenario, where students explored issues surrounding worship in a Church that was banned and had to go underground. Students had to discover hidden scripture and decode it which encouraged freedom of worship and the privileges that brings. This gave students a great deal of food for thought, especially with the backdrop of world events in 2026.

After this, students enjoyed a carousel of a range of eclectic activities which included activities about ethical shopping and fairtrade, teamwork and co-operation through board games as well as a session of safety in public places. These activities encouraged our students to work on a wide range of skills as well as give greater thought on a wide range of contemporary and relevant issues.

We had some great feedback about the day from students which included this perspective - Today was brilliant. The retreat helped me slow down, take time away from lessons and really think about my faith and what it means. The positive and inclusive nature around us was so calming, and I felt so much closer to the values of Mary Ward.

Huge thanks must go to STEP and Mr. Roberts for arranging and co-ordinating such a fantastic and thought-provoking day.

As part of considering life after GCSEs, Year 11 students are beginning to explore Loreto Sixth Form as their next step. This has involved each Year 11 student meeting the Sixth Form Team to discuss potential subject choices and to answer any queries relating to life at Key Stage 5. It is also brilliant to see so many external candidates willing to consider joining Loreto College visiting the Sixth Form Team this year. During this Half Term, all Year 11 forms have visited the Sixth Form Centre - for many this was their first ever visit to the Common Room - where they were given a talk from Mr. Mahon about preparing for study in the Sixth Form and refreshed with biscuits and orange juice. We look forward to welcoming many of you for the Induction Day in June.

Lenten fundraising is a fundamental part of this Half Term and demonstrates all of the Mary Ward Values that are central to the culture of the Loreto Community. The Sixth Form have been simply magnificent in their participation of this whole community fundraising effort and have held events every week during this Half Term. Before February Half Term, students voted for their charities after some excellent presentations during the Year Assemblies. Year 12 selected the Loreto project in Albania to support girls suffering from poverty and abuse while Year 13 selected the Red Cross as their cause.

Our Sixth Form students led some brilliant events which were well supported by our younger students. These included from Year 12 - a Staff Dodgeball Challenge, a sweet sale and a Name the Jellycat Competition, while the Head Girl Team ran a very popular cake sale. However, we should hand over our students to give you a little more detail about their Lenten Fundraising which in total raised over a thousand pounds combined for their chosen charities.

For 12J's Lenten fundraiser we did guess the name of the Jelly Cat, we created a list of names and sold each name for £1. In total we raised around £50 and the winner of the Jelly Cat will be announced on the final week of school this term.

This year, 12T hosted a very successful teacher dodgeball fundraising event for the Loreto Albania charity, who work with young girls who have been human trafficked. On the day, we sold pastries, beverages and tickets for the event. We were overwhelmed by the number of people who attended to show their support. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Despite the public exams looming on the horizon, Libby, Keira and Lily in 13J have generously taken the lead as fundraising coordinators with a plan to provide beauty services at the year 9 disco. The team will serve students with beautiful henna tattoos, manicures and glittery face paint to make the year 9s feel extra special on their big night. We look forward to seeing the selfies!

Careers Week is a brilliant series of events organised by Mrs Wicks allowed students to access and engage with information relating to a huge range of careers. This is particularly important for our Sixth Form students who are in the process of deciding on their next steps either for this year or the next.

This included a talk from the University of Hertfordshire, which gave an insight into university life as well as the value of the Extended Project Qualification [EPQ] which is the first focused event for Year 12 as they consider applying for universities as an option for life after Sixth Form. For Year 13, as part of the careers programme and PSHE, they attended a talk on university finance from the University of East Anglia which gave all the information students need to plan ahead for the cost of Higher Education.

Also, our newly-formed Year 12 Oxbridge Group - for students who have aspirations to apply to Oxbridge institutions - attended a talk at St. Albans High School For Girls about the application process for 2027 which starts in earnest in the summer.

As part of Careers Week and International Women's Day, our Year 12 Politics students alongside the School Council and JPIC group met the Mayor of St. Albans, Teresa Heritage, to discuss all things relating to local and national government and women in politics.

It was a fascinating discussion, particularly about the role of women in politics and the positive role models we have at both national and local levels. The key message from Councillor Teresa Heritage was - 'Always be kind and tolerant of others' - which resonated deeply with our Catholic values and ethos. Thanks must go to Miss Aherne for arranging this inspirational visit.

Loreto College is proud to be one of only a few schools in the area who participate in the AMGEN Biotech Experience (ABE). The Amgen Biotech Experience is an international science education programme, funded by the Amgen Foundation, that brings hands-on biotechnology labs into schools. It was created to give students and teachers access to real-world genetic engineering techniques that are typically only available in professional research laboratories.

The programme provides equipment, curriculum resources, and teacher training, enabling students to carry out experiments involving DNA manipulation. Its aim is to deepen understanding of modern biotechnology while inspiring the next generation of scientists by connecting classroom learning to real scientific practice.

Our Year 13 students have been consolidating their understanding of Gene Technology through a series of hands-on practicals, developing both their technical skills and confidence in a real laboratory context.

Across the programme, students completed several key laboratory activities:

• Lab 1 – Micropipetting Practice: Students refined their precision and accuracy when measuring and transferring very small volumes, an essential skill for all molecular biology techniques.

• Lab 2 – Restriction Enzyme Digestion: Students used restriction enzymes to cut DNA at specific recognition sites, modelling how scientists isolate genes of interest.

• Lab 3 – Ligation: Students joined DNA fragments together using DNA ligase, simulating the creation of recombinant DNA molecules.

• Lab 5 – Electrophoresis: Students separated DNA fragments by size using gel electrophoresis, allowing them to visualise and analyse the results of their genetic engineering processes.

These practical experiences allowed students to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world applications, deepening their understanding of how modern biotechnology techniques are used in research and industry.

A huge thank you to the technician teams at Loreto and the University of Hertfordshire for supporting and facilitating such an inspiring and valuable experience.

Year 12 made their first steps in considering their applications for Higher Education next year by visiting the UCAS Fair at the Excel Centre in London. Our students visited the huge array of stalls from many Higher Education institutions from across the United Kingdom engaging with the guides and filling their tote bags given to them by the universities with valuable information on the courses their are considering to apply for in the next six months. It was brilliant to observe how our students took this event seriously and were so excited with the options on offer to them in the coming years.

We look forward to supporting our current Year 12 students on this exciting journey beyond Loreto College.

One of the new activities for the Enrichment Programme which began straight after the Mock Examinations was bowling and this is proving to be a huge hit with the Year 12 students. Thank you to all teachers who are contributing to the Enrichment Programme and the students are gaining a full measure of enjoyment out of them.

As part of the PSHE programme as well as a request from Year 13 about wanting to find out more about how Higher Education finance works, Year 13 were given a presentation on Finance and University Life by Georgina May from the University of East Anglia. This informative talk covered such areas as applying for different sources of funding for Higher Education courses, budgeting and planning for university life and tips and tricks of sound financial habits whilst living away from home. This important information was well-received by our Year 13 students and tutors alike and we thank Georgina and the University of East Anglia for their support in this crucial area of Higher Education.

This term has seen Year 12 students explore issues surrounding safety for women in public spaces organised by the WoW team as well as issues about Incels and the Manosphere, complete the safety module and ended the term by exploring the extensive resources supplied by Unifrog.

Year 13 focused on issues relating to women's safety in public spaces with resources from the WoW team as well as issues linked to Incels and the Manosphere. They have started a mini-topic on parenthood which will taken up to the exam season.

Here are some key revision ideas shared with Year 13 students as they prepare for the public examinations which take place soon after Easter.

Eat Well - For the short-term, eating well boosts your stamina, so that you can sustain study. For example, dark chocolate, blueberries and chickpeas all have short term benefits to boost brain power and concentration.

Exercise Well - Making sure you build in some exercise/physical movement during the exam season. Short, daily exercise sessions will boost brain power and maintain balance.

Sleep Well - Students who maintain a regular 7 to 8 hour sleep pattern have a far superior ability to find solutions to problems compared with those who do not. Make sure you have a regular sleep routine.

Keep It Short - The average brain has an optimum concentration period of around 20 minutes. Maximise this by completing short, sharp revision activities.

Keep It Active - Choose revision activities that are short and active - focus on activities that help you apply information and knowledge rather than ‘Parrot-Fashion’ learning.

Keep It Focused - Remove all distractions which can become an obstacle to bringing your full attention to completing a short, active revision activity. Switch off your phone, turn off the tv or radio and keep it focused.

A-Z - Write a list of the alphabet, choose a topic and think of a word that links to the topic for each letter of the alphabet.

Revision Clock - Make you own and fill it in!

Connection Maps - Write 12 items of knowledge on a connected topic. Draw lines between the items of knowledge and on the line write an explanation of the connection between them.

Make Your Own Resource - Don’t rely on pre-made material. The best revision originates from making your own resource.

When preparing for exams try explaining complex concepts in simple terms, as if you are teaching it to someone. This highlights gaps in your understanding.

12F - Miss Ratna and Mr Ransom

For good feedback, reflect on what you did that lead to success and replicate it next time. For bad feedback, clarify your misunderstandings and ask for help if you need it - you should always feel that if you did the same work again now you could get a better mark.

12J - Miss Jeffery

Start your revision early and break it into manageable chunks, little and often is far more effective than last minute cramming. Look after yourself alongside your work! Get enough sleep, keep a routine, and remember that consistency and effort over time matter far more than perfection on any single day.

12S - Miss Murphy

Ask your teachers if there is any subject specific examination tips they have for you.

When revising, look back over actions / feedback from your previous assessment and make sure you have addressed any suggestions for improvement. In your revision, spend more time on areas which you feel less confident in, and quiz yourself endlessly!

12T - Miss Waygood and Mr Scarpellino

Know your enemy (part 1 - you vs the exams). Get to know the exact format of each of your three exams per subject. The more familiar you are with completing your papers in close to real conditions and in the real time frame, the more confident and successful you should be in the exams!

Know your enemy (part 2 - you vs you). Be aware of all the ways you procrastinate and aim to stop yourself. Stick to your schedule and reward yourself for your efforts. Ensure that you celebrate mini-achievements and landmarks (x weeks left to go, over half way, another Subject complete etc etc) because it's a marathon, not a sprint, so you've got to make sure you get across the finish line.

13F - Mr Carter

My main advice to year 13s ahead of exams is ‘READ THE QUESTION’ - a simple but vital rule to observe in any exam!!!’ A wise member of 13 J (who often rescues their form tutor on matters of technology 😊) also recently mentioned that ‘failure to prepare is preparing to fail'. Wishing the very best of luck to all of year 13 with their revision and performance during the exams.

13J - Ms Jaques

When preparing for your exams, carefully plan your revision schedule for the next few weeks, particularly over Easter. This will help you to keep focused and ensure that all your revision is meaningful and prevents your revision becoming ad hoc and confused.

13S - Mr. Knowles

As part of an individual Lenten fundraising project, Laura from Year 12, offered to complete commissions in portraits for individuals raising funds for Stepping Stones, a Luton based charity who support victims of domestic violence. This marvellous portrait of our [unofficial] Sixth Form mascot now adorns the Sixth Office with pride and honour. Thank you Laura!

A message from Mrs. Wicks.

Well done to many of you who have created LinkedIn profiles - it's a great professional platform to be a member of.

Our LinkedIn account is: Loreto College | St Albans, Herts

Please make sure you select the right one - see screenshot.

Email: admin@loreto.herts.sch.uk
Website: https://www.loreto.herts.sch.uk/
Location: Loreto College, Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3RQ

Phone: 01727 856206