Heartwarmers: Warm up the winter nights with stories about Friendship and camaraderie overcoming adversity.

Book of the Week: The Weight of Silence.

Calli Clark is a dreamer. A sweet, gentle girl, Callie suffers from selective mutism, brought on by a tragedy she experienced as a toddler. Her mother Antonia tries her best to help, but is trapped in a marriage to a violent husband.

Petra Gregory is Calli’s best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli have been heard from since their disappearance was discovered.

Now Calli and Petra’s families are bound by the question of what has happened to their children. As support turns to suspicion, it seems the answers lie trapped in the silence of unspoken secrets.

Maciej Myszczynski and Adria Dongo Munoz, both in Year 13, represented St Edmund’s at the British Physics Olympiad on 14th November 2016.

This is an annual competition open to physics students in every school in the country and this year over 1,680 students took part.

The questions in the competition are designed to stretch and challenge even the most capable problem solving physicists. Maciej was awarded a Bronze 2 Certificate and Adria received a Commendation Certificate.

Well done to both students for their excellent achievement.

Our Christmas Assembly was celebrated on the last day of term, Friday 16 December 2016.  Mrs Hughes, Principal, gave the welcome address with Mrs Hazeldine, Vice Principal and Mr Train, Assistant Principal, leading the Assembly.

Students and staff took part in Christmas lessons and carols, including an audience participation of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ which generated lots of laughter.

Contributions from student gymnasts, the Rock Band, solos and musical renditions from students were both engaging and entertaining.

Nicole Fajimeye (7SD) gave us a wonderful rendition of the Amy Winehouse classic ‘Begging for Mercy’.  Nicole was accompanied by Anthony Tandoh (9KW) who shared his excellent skills playing drums.

A prayer was said around the Advent wreath with a special focus on the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

It has become a tradition at St Edmund’s over recent years for staff to put on a performance at the end of this Assembly to entertain students and others in the assembled audience, and this year was no exception!

Staff, both support and teaching, combined, to act out a hilarious rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs produced by Miss Baskeyfield, Teacher of Performing Arts.  Her ability to introduce modern terminology and hash tags bemused the audience and generated echoes of laughter and delight.

The show was certainly a great success, showing the wealth of talent that we have within our community, both in terms of students and staff and a good time was had by all.

Nicole Fajimeye (7SD) and Anthony Tandoh

Staff entertaining the students with a hilarious rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

We wish Ms Burdett all the very best in the future as she retires this Christmas. She has shown her dedication to the pupils for over 12 years and has really enjoyed her experience.

Ms Burdett described her time at St Edmund’s as challenging, interesting and very worthwhile and would definitely recommend this school for for both students and teachers to join.

Many pupils gave Ms Burdett cards and retirement gifts and expressed how disheartened they feel now she has decided to retire.  

Ms Burdett will definitely be remembered for all her hard work and dedication she gave to the pupils.

The students and staff would like to say thank you and wish Ms Burdett a very happy retirement.

By Jenisha Patel

By Yuting Xue

On the evening of Tuesday 13 December 2016 a Candlelight Carol Service was held at St. Michael’s Church, Coalway Road, Penn. The church was filled with candlelight, music and a warm Christmas atmosphere was felt by parents, family and friends.

Choirs from St Bernadette’s School, St Christopher’s School, St Edmund’s Academy, SS Mary & John’s Academy, St Michael’s Academy, SS Peter & Paul’s Academy and St Teresa’s Academy all came together to fill the air with beautiful Christmas carols.

The welcome and opening prayers was given by  Monsignor Mark Crisp. St Edmund’s Choir sang ‘Angel’s Carol’ by John Rutter and ‘Away in a Manger by James Ramsey Murray’.  SS Peter and Paul’s Academy gave a delightful rendition of ‘There’s a stable’ by Ruth Kenward and St Teresa’s Academy  sang  ‘Little Drummer Boy’ by Simone, Onorati and Davies.  St Michael’s Academy sang ‘Come Celebrate With Us’ by Mrs Jarvis, followed by St Christopher’s School who sang ‘Christmas Lullaby’ by John Rutter.  St Bernadette’s School sang a very moving version of ‘silent Night’ by Joseph Mohr.

All the choirs had worked very hard to make sure the evening was very special and everyone left feeling that Christmas had truly started.

A short video of the Candlelight Carol Service at St Michael’ Catholic Church, Wolverhampton

Logane Stanley is a student in Year 12 who expressed an interest in running a Dance Club at St Edmund’s. Mrs Cartlidge, Curriculum Leader in PE, saw Logan’s potential and seized the opportunity to work with her to get the club set up a week later.

Mrs Cartlidge said, Logan has worked really hard choreographing dance routines and teaching these to the group of Year 7 dancers”.

Well done Logane.  The Year 7 girls love it!

Pictured below:

Sophie Spilsbury, Kirsten Bernard-Keillor, Faith Katanga, Grace Richards,

Esha Ilyas, Emily Radford and Grace Leo

The Great Minds Tour Bus from Staffordshire University popped by on Friday 2nd December to give Year 12 students the opportunity to experience university life. The use of virtual reality allowed students to select their tour through the campus. The students sat back with popcorn to experience the on board cinema which showcased the facilities at the university.

The top deck of the bus allowed students to see what a typical student hall of residence looks like. They sat in the kitchen diner enquiring about entry requirements and the courses available.

A selected number of Year 8 and 9 students also experienced the bus and student Monique Dhillon said “it was fun and interesting”.