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Message June 2025 Dear Parents/Carers, A warm welcome to my penultimate letter of the year. As always, I am very proud to showcase the plethora of experiences that our great children are exposed to. Thank a Teacher Day On Wednesday 18th June, it was national ‘Thank a Teacher Day’. St Damian’s was lled with warmth and gratitude as students took a moment to write over 600 heartfelt sentiments to the incredible sta who support, guide, and inspire them every day. Each message, carefully placed in our special post box, was hand delivered in golden envelopes as a small but meaningful gesture of thanks. These notes are powerful reminders of the love, appreciation, and respect our students hold for the sta who truly ‘Make a Dierence’ in their lives. From classroom teachers to support sta, every role matters, and this was a beautiful celebration of that impact. As Headteacher, I am blessed to work with such a talented group of people. To be given this opportunity to say a huge 'thank you' to them for their hard work and dedication is fantastic. St Damian’s continues to inspire and ‘Make a Dierence’. Additionally, we were awarded the following. ▪ Bronze Winner in ‘Outstanding New Teacher of the Year’. I was thrilled to announce that Mrs McArdle, KS2/3 Transition Lead, is a Bronze Winner in this category. This is recognition of the signicant impact she has made since joining St Damian’s. ▪ Certicate of Excellence in ‘Award for SEND & Inclusive Practice’. Our THRIVE team were commended for the outstanding work they do supporting our children with additional, and often complex needs, meaning that they full their potential are well prepared for their future. I was proud that the work of this ‘team’ within a team was recognised. ▪ Silver Winner Awards. The sta at St Damian’s were absolutely thrilled to be honoured as The Pearson National Teaching Awards Silver Winner for a secondary school that ‘Makes a Dierence’. This award is testament to sta professionalism and dedication and is recognition of the unwavering commitment to the children here. The senior leadership and I are incredibly proud of our teamwork that creates an environment where our students ourish. Catholic Life ▪ Manchester Jewish Museum trip. Some Yr10 students took part in an enriching educational visit to the Jewish Museum in Manchester, as part of their RE curriculum entitlement. The focus of the trip was to deepen their understanding of Jewish beliefs and practices, with a particular emphasis on important festivals such as the Sabbath and Passover. During the interactive workshop, students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Jewish culture and tradition, learning about the signicance of the Sabbath by plaiting and baking their own challah bread — a highlight for many! The group also explored the story of Passover through

engaging activities, including tasting symbolic foods from the Seder plate, and reecting on the powerful themes of freedom and journeys within the museum’s stunning gallery space. As always, our students were a credit to the school. Their engagement and respect throughout the visit truly stood out. In fact, the coach driver remarked, “These are the world's most polite kids, where have you got them from!" Mrs Gerschler said that the Yr10 students made her so proud. ▪ Laudato Si Award: Our Yr10 Leaders of our GIFT team are putting in a bid for the Laudato Si Award. This means supporting Stewardship, one of the 7 Catholic Social Teachings. For this award, the students have put together a short presentation explaining the steps we have taken and are taking in order to support caring for our common home. The winner is announced 3rd July! I hope to share with you great news at a later date. I wish them well. ▪ Conrmation. Fifty-nine St Damian’s students made their conrmation early in June and another three at St Mary’s the night before. Miss Hogan said that “it was a lovely service, and I had many comments about how well the students had done in their preparation”. ▪ Laudato Si Centre. In early June a number of Yr10 students visited Wardley Hall to see the Laudato Si Centre. As part of the Yr10 curriculum, students learn about the ‘Laudato Si’ Encyclical by our late Pope, Pope Francis. This is a letter from Pope Francis about ‘caring for our common home’, meaning as stewards of the Earth we should be protecting it and all life on it. This was a letter written to everyone, warning of the dangers of Climate Change and its eect on the Earth. On this trip, students foraged in the woodland, made prayer cards from what they had foraged, helped out in the walled garden and linked all of this to the Laudato Si! This was a great day that allowed our students to put their learning into practice. Mrs Lowe, who led the trip, said “This will become an annual event to enhance and enrich our taught RE curriculum. I was delighted to report that our students were so well behaved!” ▪ Safeguarding Update This half term sta have had updated training on bullying and hate crime led by Mrs Brophy. As a sta we focused on the types of bullying that can occur including physical, verbal, covert, cyber, alienation as well as prejudiced based and discriminatory bullying. We reected on the reasons that children may bully and discussed the ways to support and educate both the victim and perpetrator. Sta are acutely aware that we do not tolerate bullying of any form at

St Damian’s and they will use the unique 5Rs response to ensure that we act in a timely manner if children are exposed to these types of behaviours. Yr10 STEM Leaders inspire Yr9 students during STEM taster session Our inspirational STEM Leaders planned and delivered a taster session to 17 keen Yr 9 students who have expressed an interest in applying to be a STEM Leader next year. During the session they completed a DNA extraction from strawberries, an acid-alkali titration and they were able to implode a drinks can. The STEM Leaders did an amazing job ensuring all the activities ran safely and were able to describe all their experience of STEM this year. Dr Robinson is so proud of all the Yr10 STEM leaders. She said: “From the start they have been incredible, they have taken the initiative and planned some amazing activities this year. I can’t thank them enough for all their hard work, they are fantastic role models for our younger pupils”. The STEM leaders are a great example of student leadership at St Damian’s. Reading Groups At St Damian’s we proudly deliver a robust academic curriculum. This opens up more opportunities for our students post-16. However, all students need to be able to access the curriculum through reading and understanding. As part of this process, the senior leadership team and others have been involved in ‘reading groups’ with the aim to improve students’ comprehension skills. Below is an overview of these reading groups. • My group of Yr9 students have been reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. They have really embraced this book and have learnt new words such as procrastination, hideous, parody, eloped AND perceive. They have also learnt about homophones, for example ‘key/quay’ and ‘see/sea. Additionally, cultural capital has also been enhanced as the students have learnt about ‘Arthur’s seat’ in Edinburgh and the Orkney islands in Scotland. • Mrs Brophy’s Yr8 reading group are reading Wink by Rob Harrell. Mrs Brophy said the students took time to explore the more challenging language to support understanding. Words like radiation, sarcoma, and metaphor came up frequently in the text. We paused during reading to break down these terms—radiation was explained as a type of treatment for cancer, using simple comparisons to heat and light, and sarcoma was discussed as a kind of illness that aects bones or muscles. We also explored how the author uses metaphors—such as describing emotions or situations in exaggerated, imaginative ways—to help us understand how Ross, the main character is feeling.’ As a group we have felt that discussing these terms together helped us connect more deeply with the story and its themes and therefore become more actively engaged in the reading activity. • Mrs Heenan’s group of Yr8 students have been reading ‘Rat’ by Patrice Lawrence, which covered a range of important themes, such a poverty, crime and the importance of family. They are currently reading the playscript version of ‘Noughts and Crosses’ which is great, because everyone has to take a reading part and read out loud. The students are really beginning to understand the importance of projecting their voices and using intonation.

• Miss Joyce’s Yr7 students have enjoyed reading ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding. This has led to some interesting debates about human nature and whether society can function without rules and expectations. Challenging new vocabulary has also been discussed such as Elorescence, Vicissitude and Indignant. • Mrs Kelly’s Yr9 students have been reading Runaway Robot by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, a funny and moving story about friendship, resilience, and what it means to be dierent. The students were drawn into the story of Ale, a boy with a prosthetic hand, who discovers a half-forgotten robot called Eric in the airport lost property. They’ve explored themes such as identity, belonging, and empathy, while also learning new vocabulary like malfunction, protocol, and defective. • Mrs Walker’s Yr10 group are enjoying their third book, ‘I am the Minotaur’ by Anthony McGowan. This is a gritty, yet touching, story of a teenage boy’s struggle with bullying and trying to t in. The group also loved taking parts in the play ‘The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler’ by Gene Kemp and were amused by the corny jokes told by the character Harlequin the Joker. ‘Becoming Muhammad Ali’ by James Patterson was a biographical novel about how Cassius Clay became one of the greatest boxers of all time. As well as enjoying the plotlines and characters, students have been able to reect on important issues such as racism, poverty and empathy. • Mrs Toole’s Yr7 group have been reading The Fall by Anthony McGowan. It is a poignant and cautionary tale about jealousy, betrayal, and the unintended consequences of our actions. The story centres on Mog, a teenager who, despite not being part of the popular crowd, manages to avoid bullying largely due to his friendship with Chris, a cool and kind-hearted peer. The narrative examines themes of morality and personal responsibility, questioning the ethical implications of one's choices. These themes are interwoven to create a compelling narrative that resonates with readers, particularly those navigating the complexities of adolescence. The students have really enjoyed this book as it deals with situations that happen in lots of young people of today. Celebration Evening This was a great evening that showcased the talents of our children and sta. The theme for the evening was ‘hope’ and making a dierence. As a community we celebrated our Catholicity, our GCSE outcomes, the awards/accolades we have accumulated and recognised that all stakeholders; students, sta, parents and governors have their own part to play in our continued successes. The choir were sublime, the students’ reading was sensational, and the organisation of the evening was fantastic. Miss Joyce was a great compere and spoke with eloquence and the ICT technicians ensured technology elevated the evening. I am extremely proud of this community and the manner in which

it continues to be an outstanding place to both learn and work! The seamless relationships are at the heart of our success. Long may this continue! Roll on Celebration Evening 2026! iDEA Mr Tabas, Subject Lead for Computing, continues to promote the iDEA award with all its pupils. iDEA is an international award winning programme that helps develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free. Polly Morgan, Chief Executive Oicer of the iDEA Foundation said "It has been incredible to see the progress at St Damian's RC Science College, where 428 learners have achieved 1,715 badges and 9 awards”. A special mention goes to 2 Yr7 pupils, Ciara Nugent and Elise Foronda who have both not only completed the Bronze Award but have amazingly achieved the Silver Award. This is an outstanding eort. Well done! Please check in with your child to see how much progress they have made on the iDEA awards. Yr 6 Induction ▪ On Thursday 26th June, we were delighted to welcome our incoming Year 7 students and their families to St Damian’s. I shared our school’s values, expectations, and key successes, before introducing Mrs Heenan (Assistant Headteacher for Y7) and Miss Joseph (Head of Year). They outlined our ASPIRE praise system and expectations around uniform, eort, and behaviour. It was a successful evening, with great engagement and positive feedback. Thank you to all who attended—we look forward to welcoming you to the St. Damian’s community in September. Yr6 Transition Day On Friday 27th June we hosted our annual Yr6 Transition Day. Here, we welcomed our upcoming cohort into our St Damian’s community and students had the opportunity to meet their new Head of Year, Miss Joseph alongside their form tutors for the next academic year. Students were able to tour our facilities and worked together in form classes to create a bidding prayer which was read out in the Yr6 Liturgy. Pupils also commented on their fantastic taster lessons and how they are looking forward to learning more in September (including using Bunsen burners!). Break and lunch times were extended for Yr6 to give them the opportunity to make new friends and have time to familiarise themselves with sta and their new surroundings. The day concluded with a beautiful choir and Y6 had the opportunity to join in with our school hymn. We are really looking forward to seeing pupils again at our annual Y6 Disco and we wish them a restful summer break. We can’t wait to greet you again in September! Language Leaders in Action There was a fantastic turnout to language leader peer mentoring a few weeks ago. We had a mixed group of Yr7 and Yr8 students who had not passed their weekly vocab test. They came to see our fantastic Language Leaders, worked hard and then came back to re-sit their tests the next day! Miss Allison was very impressed with the tutoring skills and initiative shown by the Yr10 Language Leaders, as well as the dedication shown by the KS3 students. It is great to see students developing their condence through such opportunities, whilst at the same time ‘serving’ this community. English Praise Board The students across all year groups have really impressed us this year with their conscientious approach to homework and the quality of their independent learning. We are tremendously proud

of the high standard of independent work completed and are keen to reward and recognise their eorts. It has been particularly diicult to choose our star pupils and runners up for last term. Congratulations to the following students: Yr7 Star Pupil Ruby McDermott, runners up Daniel Cowgill and Alice Clarke; Yr8 Star Pupil Emma Forristal, runners up Gracie Blease and Sebastian Jaswian; Yr9 Star Pupil Daisy McMahon, runners up Shane Moskwin and Dominic Ratusznik; Yr10 Star Pupil Troy Servan, runners up Maya Santana and Maisie Brooks. All students have demonstrated a superb commitment to independent learning - a massive well done! English Yr10 Spoken Language Endorsement Yr10 have recently prepared and delivered a talk as part of the English Language curriculum. Not only is this a compulsory component of their English Language GCSE, but it is also an essential life skill. The quality this year has been exceptional. All students were well prepared and extremely supportive and encouraging of each other. A breadth of issues and topics were discussed in a mature and sensitive manner. For example, misogyny; healthy relationships, space travel, the impact of social media on young people; mental health; suicide; brain rot; does God exist? It is heartening to hear our children express their ideas and opinions so maturely, condently, and eloquently. A massive congratulations Yr10! Mrs Butterworth said that English sta “were all very proud”.  Art Club Update Miss Freeman has been very impressed with the wonderful Y9 Art Leaders this year. She said that they were the rst leaders of their kind at St Damian’s and have taken on the role with great enthusiasm. They lead their last Art Club for Y7 & Y8 this term and decided on the theme of ‘book covers.’ They prepared for the sessions by creating mood boards for inspiration and gave technical support and ideas to the students. Miss freeman concluded by saying “It has been brilliant watching them grow in condence and becoming more independent this year. They should be proud of what they have achieved and continue to explore their creativity next year”. I look forward to next year and hopefully this leadership opportunity will continue to go from strength to strength. I will take this opportunity to showcase Olivia Lau’s, a student in Yr8, Art work. I hope that you agree that this work is incredible! St Damian’s Talented Artists This month, 5 talented artists and our Head of Art, Mrs Freeman, attended the oicial launch of a public exhibition of works created by students from St Damian’s. The exhibition of artwork is on the platform at Ashton-under-Lyne train station and is a part of a larger project run by artist Chris Cyprus and Network Rail to revamp platforms along the Manchester to York line called ‘Routes to Roots.’ Having their work permanently displayed is a major coup for the students and will give them a real condence boost as they continue their journeys

as young artists. As part of the media launch, students received the full press treatment by being photographed, interviewed by Rob Smith from ITV Granada Reports and received goody bags. Mrs Freeman said: “It was such a beautiful moment watching their faces light up when they saw their work on the platform. This is why I am a teacher! To share my enthusiasm for my subject with young people. I can’t thank Chris Cyprus enough for inviting us to take part in such a wonderful opportunity.” Putting St Damian’s on the map! Sta Prole In this newsletter I have focused on 2 members of our great English department. ✓ Mrs Butterworth: As a past student at St Damian’s, I have a long attachment and love for the St Damian’s community. I have very fond memories as a student here, and this is where I developed my passion for all things English, as well as performing in Drama productions. I initially completed a Performing Arts Course after leaving school alongside A ’Levels, before completing a degree in English and Communication Arts at Huddersfield University. I didn’t start my career as a teacher until later on and have now been a teacher here for over fifteen years. I am part of a strong and well-established team. Being a teacher at St Damian’s makes me incredibly proud. Our students really are very special, and it is a joy and a privilege to share my passion for English with them. ✓ Miss Beeley. I started teaching at St Damian’s twenty years ago. I joined at Easter 2005 and not long after I started the then Deputy Headteacher, Mr McLoughlin, said to me with a smile on his face, ‘You’ll be a lifer!’ meaning I’d be here for the rest of my career – and I think he was right! As a teenager, I went to Oldham Sixth Form and then I completed an English Language and Literature degree at the University of Salford. Even though I had written in my ‘Record of Achievement’ at secondary school that I wanted to be an English teacher, I finished university and started working in Marketing in Ireland. However, after three years, I realised I wanted to come back to England and train to be a teacher. I taught in two other schools prior to St Damian’s but once I came here, I had a strong feeling that I had come home. The best thing about working at St Damian’s is the students. I love listening to their take on the texts we study and they still frequently give interpretations that I had never thought of. I often bump into ex-students whilst out shopping, in a café or out for a walk and I am filled with pride every time they come over and chat to me about what they are doing now. Just before the current school building opened in 2011, we buried a time capsule on the drive towards reception; I hope that I can come back in 2063 – by which time I’ll be an old lady - to see the capsule opened and see all the memories we placed inside. Yr11 Prom Last Friday the class of 2025 celebrated the end of their five years at St Damian’s at the White Hart, Lydgate in Oldham. It was a great night and as usual, their behavior was superb. They partied the evening away in true St Damian’s style. I hope that they created many memories both over the 5 years and on the evening. Mrs D’Rozario “What a night to remember!! One of the highlights of the evening was presenting personalised awards- a light-hearted way to celebrate the brilliant characters that make up this year group. From ‘TikTok Star in the Making’ to ‘Best Double Act’ and ‘Best Bromance’, each award was a nod to the laughs, memories, and unique personalities we’ve come to know and love. It wasn’t about grades, it was about laughs and great memories. Every person brought something special to the year group (and let’s be honest, the dancefloor too). They’ve kept us on our toes, made us laugh daily, and have truly been a privilege to teach. We’re so proud of the young people they’ve become, and we know they have exciting futures ahead”. My staff and I wish them nothing but the best in their futures. They have truly been an exceptional year group and they acted like proud ambassadors of St Damian’s.

The BIG Award for Anti Bullying…7 Consecutive Years! Great news! We were awarded the BIG award for the 7th year in a row that demonstrates our commitment to Anti-Bullying, reecting St Damians unwavering commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all students. This achievement is the result of ongoing eorts by dedicated sta, a compassionate Anti Bullying Ambassador team, and a strong school community that actively promotes kindness, respect, and understanding. Through peer mentoring programs and awareness campaigns we have built a culture where everyone feels valued and heard. Receiving this recognition for the seventh year in a row not only reairms the impact of our work but also inspires us to continue leading by example in the ght against bullying, in all its forms. Share Day July 2025 This has been officially launched and fundraising is well underway! Each form has been given £10 to get creative and entrepreneurial in support of their chosen charity, either Reuben’s Retreat, 123 Brick by Brick Appeal or the Willow Wood Enterprise Challenge. Fundraising has begun in earnest, with students showing real enthusiasm and imagination. Excitement is already building for Share Day itself, when everyone will celebrate in style by dressing as their chosen icon! I am really looking forward to the day. A real great way to end the academic year, students and staff having ‘a wee bit of craic’ whilst raising monies for charities. Thank you for your continued support. Duke of Edinburgh [DoE] Update A few weeks ago, 26 students in Yr10 completed their Silver DoE expedition. This involved three, 7-hour days of hiking in the Peak District and navigating using a map and compass. On the rst day, the groups departed from Poole’s Cavern in Buxton and worked within their teams to nd their way to the campsite. During the evening, the students cooked their meals, played cricket, and socialised with one another. By the end of the experience, the students had walked a total of 45km, summited two rather large hills, and displayed some real resilience. As their teacher, it was a privilege to watch them support one another, boost each other’s morale through the tougher moments, and take on the enormous physical challenge of the expedition. They did the St Damian’s community very proud! Thank you to Andy and Christine Ross, who put a great amount of time and eort into planning and delivering the expedition. Thank you to Maurice for his support and encouragement. Thank you lastly to Mr McCallion, who volunteered his time to make this extra-curricular opportunity possible. Showcasing the Talents of our Great Children ✓ Irish Dancing. Eva Lyle, a student in Yr8, has won many trophies for her Irish Dancing skills. She has been Irish Dancing since she was 6 years old and has travelled to Ireland, Glasgow and London.

✓ Athletics. A Yr10 student, Roxy McHugh has been very successful in recent athletics competitions. Roxy has won both the county schools’ and clubs’ athletics championships in the 300m hurdles event and won a silver medal in the North of England Athletics Championships in the under 17’s age group. This weekend (28/29th June) she competed in the Welsh National Athletics Championships in Cardi. We are delighted to report that Roxy is now the Welsh Champion having got Gold in the 300m hurdles and on the Sunday she got bronze in the 200m race, in both events she ran her personal best – well done Roxy ! ✓ Fundraising. Joseph Kelly, Yr 8 took part in a 10k charity walk in May for T1D. This is a charity that raises funds and awareness of Type 1 Diabetes and are searching for a cure. Joseph set himself a target to raise £200 but so far, he has managed to raise a fantastic £1,700. He also nished the race in 1st place, which is a tremendous achievement. A role model for us all. Well done Joseph! The picture shows Joseph with his very proud sister, Isobelle. If any parent wants to send me details of accolades or competitions their child has participated in, please contact the school. Times ‘Best Places to Work 2025’ I started this newsletter with another award/accolade that the St Damian’s community has been awarded. I will also nish this newsletter with another great accolade that showcases our work. I am delighted to report that St Damian’s has been recognised in a list of organisations under the heading of ‘Best places to work 2025’. This award uses 26 questions, developed by a range of professionals, to accurately monitor employee engagement, wellbeing and discretionary eort in the workplace. To achieve a high overall engagement score, an organisation must score well across six key elements, for example, empowerment, wellbeing or job satisfaction. I am delighted to report that St Damian’s achieved EXCELLENT in every area. As Headteacher, I am extremely proud of this sta body who work tirelessly for your children and the leadership team and I will do everything to ensure they are valued, supported and love coming to work. The countdown to the summer holidays has begun. I am looking forward to Share Day, a highlight of the St Damian’s calendar. Regards Mr Logue Headteacher