Dear Parents/Carers
It’s been a very busy but wonderful first week of our summer term, albeit it only four days long.
Congratulations to our Year 11 students who took part in the GCSE Art Exam, which began this week and will run into next. The students have worked so hard for this and we are so proud of how they have been conducting yourselves.
We are so incredibly proud of our student Nathan-Jack Gerrard, who was nominated for Child/Teenager of the Year at the Warrington Inspiration Awards 2025. Nathan-Jack’s nomination alone is a testament to his remarkable advocacy work; from championing awareness about autism and selective mutism, to reaching out to local MPs to implement non-verbal communication boards for children with communication challenges. Nathan-Jack’s hard work and dedication are making a real difference in the community and we are so proud of him.
On Thursday, nineteen employers joined us to provide a mock interview experience for our Year 10 students. We had some great feedback from employers and we hope that our students found this an informative and beneficial exercise, better preparing them for their career pathways.
This is a short term with just four weeks left, but our standards are never-waivering. I’d like to thank you again for your support in our preparing your child with the correct equipment and uniform. If you are being proactive and thinking to buy new pieces of uniform soon; please refrain if you are looking to purchase a new skirt. There may be a slight change with our uniform provider, and I’ve been busy researching the potential new skirt from washing to durability. Please look out for a letter from me regarding this in the near future.
As always if there is anything you need any help or support with, please do reach out to the relevant member of staff or myself and we would be more than happy to assist.
Thank you again for your continuing support and have a wonderful weekend.
Beverley Scott-Herron
Headteacher
Planning Underway for End-of-Year Rewards Trips
As we head into the final term of the academic year, we are excited to let you know that planning is now underway for our highly anticipated end-of-year rewards trips. These trips are a highlight for many of our students and serve as a well-deserved recognition of their efforts, positive conduct, and commitment throughout the year.
In the coming weeks, we will be sharing specific information to gather initial interest in the various trips that will be on offer. We encourage families to keep an eye out for this communication so that students can express their preferences early.
As always, invitations to take part in these trips are based on a set of clear criteria. We aim to recognise students who have consistently demonstrated positive conduct (reflected in their house points) and those whose attendance has not been a cause for concern.
That said, we want to be absolutely clear: if your child has not met the school’s attendance target of 96%, this does not automatically exclude them from participating. We fully understand that there are genuine and sometimes unavoidable reasons for absence, and we always take exceptional circumstances into account. It is persistent unauthorised absence that may impact a student’s eligibility.
We also place great value on improvement. Students who have made notable progress in their attendance and behaviour are very much in consideration, and we want to give every student the opportunity to demonstrate this during the summer term.
At this stage, the most important action is for you to speak with your child about the rewards trips and ensure they are aware of what is expected in this final term. With effort and focus, there is still time for every student to earn their place on what promises to be a memorable and rewarding experience.
Seizing the Day: Making Every Moment Count
This week in assemblies, our theme has been Carpe Diem – a Latin phrase that translates to Seize the Day. As we reflected on the year so far, we encouraged students to look ahead to the final weeks of the summer term with purpose, positivity, and a sense of opportunity.
With fewer than 13 weeks left in the school year, now is the time for our students to take stock of how far they’ve come – and to make the most of the time that remains. In the context of school life, seizing the day means showing up each morning ready to engage, to try something new, to challenge themselves, and to leave each day feeling proud of what’s been achieved.
We reminded students that every single day offers the chance to learn, to improve, and to contribute. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the sports field, or through participation in wider school life, there is so much to take part in during this final term. We spoke about upcoming rewards events, leadership roles, house competitions and trips.
Carpe Diem is not just a slogan – it’s a mindset. It’s about grasping the opportunities available now, rather than waiting for a ‘better time’ that may never come. As our students head into the summer term, we hope they will do so with energy, focus, and the knowledge that every effort they make and every challenge they embrace will shape not only how they finish this year – but how they begin the next.
The Warrington Online Safety Hub is now live!
The Online Safety Hub is a brand-new online resource with lots of expert advice and guidance to help you manage your child’s safety online as a parent.
You can access it here – https://warrington.onlinesafetyhub.uk/
It includes information on the latest hot topics when it comes to keeping children safe, such as how to manage your child’s screen time, understand the latest gaming platforms, what they mean for your child’s safety and lots more.
Year 11 Prom
This year’s Year 11 Prom will be held on Friday 27th June 2025, at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton.
This event holds significant importance for our students, marking not only the celebration of their achievements but also serving as a memorable culmination of their five-year high school journey.
Please see Miss K Dowling at breaktime (Monday-Wednesday) for further details.
Year 10 Mock Interviews
19 employers joined us this week to provide a mock interview experience for our Year 10 students. This is part of our Careers Programme, to help prepare students for a successful future. Students had prepared their CVs, been involved in interview preparation workshops and practiced interview questions as well as researching the employer’s company.
Feedback from employers was extremely positive and even though some students were nervous beforehand, they all came out of their interviews smiling and having enjoyed the experience.
Year 7
Next week Year 7 will receive a workshop from Higher Horizons around ‘Careers of the Future’. This is part of their careers programme in school.
TCAT Parliament
TCAT Parliament met today at Priestley College where they presented what they had accomplished so far with their work towards achieving The Diana Award. All TCAT schools have created excellent activities and delivered events around inclusion, wellbeing and community. https://diana-award.org.uk
We’ve got a busy and exciting half term, with a number of important events taking place:
Year 7 Residential Trip to Anglesey
From Monday 12th May to Wednesday 14th May, our first group of Year 7 students will be heading off to Tyn-Y-Felin on the beautiful island of Anglesey. This is the first of three planned residential trips and promises to be a fantastic opportunity for students to build friendships, develop independence and enjoy the great outdoors.
To support you with preparations, please click the link below to access the latest letter sent out on Friday 4th April, which includes a suggested packing list.
Tyn-Y-Felin – Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School
Parent Forum – Student Mental Health
We’ve got our fifth Parent Forum of the year, which will take place on Thursday 22nd May. This session will focus on Student Mental Health, an increasingly important area for schools, families and communities.
The evening will raise awareness of key mental health challenges facing young people today and provide practical strategies to help you support your child’s wellbeing at home. Your attendance is valuable and feedback from previous forums this year has been overwhelmingly positive.
Time: 18:00 – 19:00
Location: Main Hall
We look forward to seeing you there and continuing to work together in supporting your child’s success and wellbeing.
This week as part of Collective Worship, students are looking at our Christian value of Compassion. As a key value in our Christian vision, students are often encouraged to consider how they show care to others in their daily lives. We are saddened by the death of Pope Francis and share support to our Catholic friends who are mourning the loss of their leader. Pope Francis was a wonderful example to all Christians of the values lived by Jesus; humility, compassion and kindness. The students have been intrigued about the process for selecting a new Pope as the Papal Conclave will begin in the next 10 days, this has not happened since Pope Francis was chosen in 2013 so many students have never seen the process before.
As it was Earth Day on 22nd April we are reminded to show compassion to our home on Earth – conserving resources and preserving nature. Our scripture for this week is from Genesis 2:15 and it reminds us of the duty for all Christians to care for the Earth.
“God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
Spiritual Pause: How can we be more considerate of the planet? Do you waste resources such as water or food? Try and be mindful to take shorter showers, less baths and only buy food you need. This way we can all be stewards of the Earth, taking care for the planet for everyone in the future.
Baptism and Confirmation: We have the opportunity to partake in these special events if you haven’t already done so. Students who may have missed their confirmation or wish to be baptised are invited to see Mrs Hoey in school as soon as possible to register their interest, with parental consent. If you have any questions please contact Mrs Hoey ([email protected]).
Please keep up to date with our weekly prayer and scripture via social media.
How to understand and manage your emotions: 9 top tips
We all feel intense emotions at times – this is normal. However, if we don’t have healthy ways to manage these emotions, they can start to harm our behaviour and relationships.
In the short term, not managing our emotions can increase our risk of anxiety and withdrawal, and lead to difficulties controlling our behaviour. In the long term, we may experience more conflict and relationship breakdowns, and we could be more at risk of depression and other mental health conditions.
So, it’s important to understand and manage our emotions, so we can feel good in our relationships and within ourselves.
1. Notice your emotions
Noticing your emotions as you’re feeling them is an important first step to understanding them. From there, you can choose how you want to react. You can start to notice your emotions by checking in with yourself throughout the day. Try writing down how you’re feeling on a piece of paper, on a note on your phone or in a journal.
2. Name your feelings
Naming your feelings may sound similar to noticing them, but the act of naming them can help in two main ways:
- When you speak your feelings out loud, your brain automatically begins to re-evaluate the situation that triggered those feelings. This process, known as cognitive reappraisal, can make the situation feel less upsetting.
- Voicing your feelings acknowledges them, which brings acceptance. It also acts as a reminder that emotions aren’t permanent and can be noticed and let go of.
- Naming your feelings could be as simple as saying, “I’m feeling tired and grumpy today, but a little excited for this evening.” You could set yourself the goal of naming your feelings to your spouse, friends or family members once a day. Alternatively, if sharing your emotions with others feels too much right now, you can practice telling yourself in the mirror.
Click on the link to find out the rest: How to understand and manage your emotions: 9 top tips | Mental Health Foundation
English Department
A slice of Shakespeare for year 11
On Friday 9th of May at 3.30pm, we would like to invite our year 11s to a recorded stage performance of Macbeth in the drama studio. With the real Macbeth GCSE Literature exam taking place three days later on Monday 12th May, this would be a golden opportunity for our students to revise and, more importantly, enjoy the whole play. There will be free pizza and drinks provided. The production will end at 5.30pm.
For students to attend, they will need to pick up a ticket off Mr Vallender before Wednesday 7th May, so we can work out numbers for pizza and drinks.
Thank you so much for your support.
English support sessions
On Sunday 11th May, there will be a Literature support session for Literature paper 1 at 10.30am-11.30am. The real GCSE Literature paper 1 exam will take place on Monday 12th May am.
On Sunday 18th May, there will be a Literature support session for Literature paper 2 and a Language support session for Language paper 1 10.30am-12.00 pm. The real GCSE Literature paper 2 exam will take place on Tuesday 20th May Am and the real GCSE Language paper 1 exam will take place on Friday 23rd May am.
History Department
Please join us in celebrating Lexi Stone and Curly Lui (Year 10), whose fantastic articles have been selected for Making History magazine in association with Priestley College and TCAT.
Traditionally a platform for college and sixth-form students, this magazine is now proudly featuring our students—among the first high school students to be included!
Lexi wrote a moving piece about her great-grandmother, Nancy Stone, a member of the Women’s Land Army (“land lassies”) during WWI. Curly’s article explores the legend of King Arthur and the downfall of Camelot, offering a unique take on this iconic story.
Lexi Stone & Curly Lui – articles
A huge well done to both!
Sport and Performance
Latest PE and Sport news
As a result of taking part in one or more of our extra curricular PE and Sport programmes, our young people are…
Engaged
77% of Teachers report improvements to young people’s engagement at school
Resilient77% of extra curricular sport attendees report improved resilience
Confident
78% of students report improved confidence in sport and physical activity
Active
69% of programme participants report increased time spent being physically active outside of school
Happier
73% of students report improved feeling of happiness
Rugby League Development and Links
As a school we have taken the lead in organising further opportunities for our students to participate and compete in Rugby League against other secondary schools across the town. Warrington Wolves will support the fixtures and offer referees who are currently studying Sport at Priestley College. The top three 13-a-side will make up the Champion School Seeds for 2025/26 and the top two will play in a Finals Nights at the Asics Stadium, Victoria Park.
Warrington Schools’ Spring / Summer Rugby Competitions
Boys – Tuesdays
Tier 1 at Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School (13 a side)
Girls – Thursdays
Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School (9 a side)
Congratulations to Joe Delooze (Year 9) who continues to impress on the Rugby field. Joe leads by example and recently scored his 300th Try for Latchford Giants. Massive congratulations!
Year 7 rugby success!
Our Year 7 boy’s rugby team produced an outstanding display last Tuesday! They beat Bridgewater HS, Great Sankey HS and Penketh HS in the first round of Tier 1 Warrington School’s Rugby competition, scoring 11 tries and only conceding 2! They have two more rounds later in the year.
Sports fixtures upcoming
Monday 28th April Year 8 boy’s football away @ St Gregg’s HS
Tuesday 29th April Year 8 boy’s rugby away @ Padgate HS
Thursday 1st May Year 8 girl’s rugby @ Home
Tuesday 6th May Year 9 boy’s rugby away @ Padgate HS
Thursday 8th May Year 9 girl’s rugby @ Home
Athletics Championship Finals Success!
Year 10 student Thomas Darbyshire made a great achievement representing the Cheshire team in the UK championships Sportshall final 2025. He received a bronze medal in the 4 lap race, and won a gold medal in the 8 lap Parlauf relay. He also did really well in all his other field events he took part in. Well done Thomas!
We are delighted to be expanding our Boteler StageCraft family and are launching a musical branch to our family tree.
Ms Armstrong has announced in KS3 assemblies this week that our next production will be The Addams Family musical. A funny, quirky and family friendly musical for all ages.
Sign up for the production is on Wednesday 30th April, in the Drama Studio, at lunchtime. We are bringing all elements of performance together, so whether Students are interested in Acting, Singing, Dancing or a combination of all disciplines this is the place to be.
Casting and rehearsals will be soon and will take us right up to the end of the Summer term. On our return to school in September, rehearsals will re-start in the lead up to performances on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd of October, just in time for Halloween.
We are very excited about this project as it is our first full on musical since 2019. It is going to be a Spooktacular experience.
Ms Armstrong, Leader of Drama and School Productions.
