On 27th August, Y12 student Alisha visited Rome with her family and queued with hundreds of others to witness the Pope’s weekly Wednesday audience.

Every Wednesday, the Pope usually appears in St Peter’s Square to meet and bless the faithful, but Alisha experienced it inside the majestic St Peter’s Basilica!

What an incredible experience to see Pope Leo XIV up close and what a wonderful memory to have of Rome!

On Monday we welcomed in the photography team from John Hunt Photography to take portrait photographs of all students from Years 7 to 11.

The day is often a hectic one, but students responded fantastically well and the calm co-operation saw the job swiftly and effectively completed.

The photography team were delighted with the maturity and attitude of our students and we're looking forward to the photographs shortly being made available to parents. Each student was issued with a card on the day with the necessary information and access codes to view the photo once it is made available by the lab.

Congratulations to Scout in Year 9 who was selected to represent Lancashire this summer in the County Girls Golf Team!

She recently contested her first event at Ashton Under Lyne Golf Club where a win in her match secured a draw for the team.

Also during the summer Scout played in the Childwall Junior Open against 32 competitors, almost all of whom were boys. Despite the broad age range with players aged up to 18 Scout earned a superb fourth place in the tournament.

Scout currently captains the Junior Formby Ladies Golf Club and is in ongoing competitions with four other prestigious clubs. We wish her every success in her leadership role!

An incredible 56 students took part in this summer’s LAMDA examinations, our biggest cohort yet, and delivered truly outstanding results.

We are thrilled to announce that out of the 56 entries, 47 students achieved Distinctions and the remaining 9 were awarded Merits, marking a 100% pass rate across the board. The results are a testament to the students' hard work, determination, and passion for performance.

We are incredibly proud of each and every student for their achievements and the confidence they have developed through the LAMDA programme. Their success reflects not only their talent but also their commitment to personal growth and expression.

As we celebrate these fantastic results, we are also excited to welcome a new intake of students for the upcoming academic year. Here's to another year of creativity, confidence, and performance excellence!

We were delighted today to open our days to students for the new Academic Year, including our new Year 7 students resplendent in their new uniforms!

We had a wonderfully smooth start to the day with our excited students settling quickly and all of our students in formal learning by 11 o'clock! 

Thank you to all of our parents and carers for their support and hard work in preparing students for the new year.

We are delighted to share the exceptional achievements of our Year 11 students in their GCSE examinations this summer. Their hard work, determination, and commitment to excellence have resulted in an outstanding set of results that we could not be prouder of.

Not only have our students achieved results significantly above the national average, but they have also performed above the national average for girls only. This is an extraordinary accomplishment and a testament to the dedication of our students, the expertise of our staff, and the unwavering support of families and the school community.

These results reflect not only academic excellence but also the values of resilience, faith, and ambition that lie at the heart of our school.

We are especially thrilled that, as a result of this success, we have a huge number of students choosing to return to our Sixth Form to continue their journey with us. This strong vote of confidence in our community shows the trust our students place in the opportunities we provide, as they prepare for their next steps toward university, apprenticeships, and future careers.

At St. Julie's Catholic High School, we believe in nurturing every student to reach her full potential. This year’s achievements are a shining example of what can be accomplished when young women are empowered to aim high and believe in themselves.

Congratulations to all our students — we celebrate your achievements with pride and look forward to supporting you in the next exciting chapter of your education.

Today St Julie’s staff are incredibly proud to be celebrating the exceptional achievements of our Year 13 students as they receive their A Level results.

We are delighted to be celebrating our best outcomes since before the pandemic. These exceptional achievements reflect the dedication and determination of our students and staff; and have enabled our young people to take their next steps with confidence - whether progressing to university, training or employment.

Year 13 have demonstrated remarkable hard work, resilience, and determination throughout their studies, and we are thrilled to see their efforts rewarded with outstanding outcomes. They have  shown unwavering dedication to their learning,  balancing academic pressures with personal growth; consistently supporting one another and embodying the values that make St. Julie’s Sixth Form such a special community.

This year's results have opened the doors to a wide variety of exciting destinations. Many students are heading to prestigious Russell Group universities, including the University of Liverpool, Newcastle, York, King’s College London, Manchester, and Leeds, to pursue a diverse range of subjects. From Law, Medicine, and Nursing  to Biomedical Sciences, Physics, and English, our students are set to make a real impact in their chosen fields. Others are moving on to study Accounting, Social Work, Geography, Sports and Exercise Science, Media, Teaching, and Biology - all testament to the breadth of talent and ambition within this year group.

As they take the next steps in their journeys, we would like to reflect on the incredible young adults they have become. This has been a truly exceptional cohort: compassionate, humble, and hardworking. It has been an absolute privilege to teach and guide them. Their positive attitudes, sense of humour, and mutual respect have left a lasting impression on our staff and school community.

To our Year 13 students: congratulations on your well-deserved success. We know you will go on to do amazing things, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for each and every one of you.  As you prepare to take these next steps over the coming weeks, arranging accommodation and navigating new timetables, remember, once a St. Julie’s student, always a St. Julie’s student  - you’ll always have a home here with us.

Well done, Class of 2025.

Holly in Year 12 has had an incredible residential trip in the USA with the Sutton Trust Fullbright US Programme, visiting Harvard and Princeton Universities!

Holly was one of only 132 UK students selected from over 1,850 applications, and was placed in the Philadelphia week, staying at Princeton University.

In the new term we'll catch up with Holly for more details about her summer experience!

A small group of our new students attended a Transition Summer School here at St Julie’s during the first week of our summer break.

The group got off to a great start as St Julie’s students by showing great kindness and thoughtfulness to each other, and new friendships began to be established.

Some of our external partner agencies LFC Foundation, YPAS and MHST, and the Be Free Campaign provided a number of workshops on Transition, Resilience, Wellbeing and also a STEM problem solving activity for the students to take part in, and everyone engaged well with these. We are very grateful to all of our visitors for taking the time to come in and see us during the break.

In addition to the workshops, our students enjoyed making bread and oatie bars in taster Food Technology lessons, as well as making key rings and completing a collage activity.

We were blessed with some lovely warm weather and got to spend some time outdoors in the Peace Garden, as well as taking a walk up through Camp Hill to the nearby Walled Garden.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on 2nd September.

Open letter to Parents and Carers in Merseyside from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, UKHSA and Directors of Public Health for Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley

A recent increase in measles cases in Merseyside is putting children and young people at risk within our communities and our hospital.

Several children are seriously unwell and receiving treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Measles is on the rise amongst our children. We can all help stop it. Get vaccinated now.

What is the current situation with measles in Merseyside?

We are seeing an increase in measles cases in Merseyside with more of our local children and young people becoming ill.

The reason we are seeing more cases of measles in our children and young people is because fewer people are having the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles as well as two other viruses called mumps and rubella.

The number of children being treated at Alder Hey for effects and complications of measles is increasing. Children in hospital who are very poorly for another reason, are at higher risk of catching the virus.

What is measles?

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus which can infect anyone who isn’t immune. Symptoms can be severe and are leading to increasing numbers of children being admitted to our hospital. In rare cases, catching the disease can be fatal. There is no specific treatment for measles.

Anyone can catch measles at any age. Measles is particularly dangerous for some of our most vulnerable children and young people, including those under one year of age and those already battling other serious illnesses like cancer.

Measles usually starts with a runny nose, sneezing, coughing and a high temperature. It may also cause red, sore eyes. The measles rash follows a few days later, starting on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.

How can I prevent my child from catching measles?

The MMR vaccination is the safest and best defence against measles.

This vaccine has been available for many years and is proven to be safe. Two doses of the MMR vaccine will give lifelong protection against measles, mumps and rubella. The vaccination is free and easily available from your GP at any age. For children, the first dose of the vaccine is typically given at 12 months of age, and the second at around 3 years and 4 months. 

Studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccine and developing autism spectrum disorders. 

Please protect yourself as well as our children and young people by ensuring you are vaccinated.

Anyone who suspects they or their child has measles should call their GP surgery or NHS 111 first before turning up at a healthcare setting such as a GP practice, urgent treatment centre or accident and emergency department, to help stop the spread of the virus.

You can find further information on MMR and other childhood vaccinations here: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/  For further information about measles visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/

Alfie Bass, Medical Director Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Nathan Askew, Chief Nurse, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool Council
Margaret Jones, Director of Public Health for Sefton Council
Dr. Sarah McNulty, Director of Public Health for Knowsley Council
Dr Merav Kliner, Regional Deputy Director from UKHSA North West

The Liverpool Immunisation Team are running clinics on 13th August, 16th August and 20th August and you can book an appointment by calling 0151 295 3833.

Congratulations to our Merit Cup champions who have feasted on the traditional winners' breakfast banquet!

Mr Eccles and the catering team prepared a magnificent meal with something to suit all tastes. Well done to our winners: 7 Therese, 8 Nugent, 9 Therese and 10 Therese!

Our Performing Arts students have finished the year with a bang at the spectacular Summer showcase!

The show featured eleven acts drawing on the best of song, dance and drama that our students have been working on during extra curricular clubs before school and during lunchtimes.

The company of no less than 120 students can be very proud of their well earned applause during the dynamic show. Well done to them all!

Year 13 students have dazzled at their end of school Prom, hosted at Neon Jamon on Smithdown Road.

They took over the stylish bar for the private event and made a very special event! We look forward to seeing them again on Results Day!

This week, our Year 12 students have taken part in a wide-ranging and highly successful work experience programme. From accountancy and law firms to primary schools, the NHS, tourism, cadets, and retail; students have explored potential career paths, developed key workplace skills, and made a strong impression across a variety of sectors. Others have been working closely with our Performing Arts team in preparation for their Showcase on Thursday 17th July, while many contributed to the fantastic atmosphere and teamwork that made Sports Day on Tuesday 16th July such a success.

Feedback from employers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising our students' professionalism, enthusiasm, and adaptability. In schools, students have supported teachers in Reception and Year One classes, showing initiative and strong communication skills. Those placed in office-based roles have demonstrated a growing confidence with tools like Word and Excel, while also learning how to apply these skills in real-world scenarios. One student has spent the week with an engagement and communications team, supporting a high-profile awards event in Greater Manchester and participating in filming at the Albert Dock. Their time included face-to-face experience with senior leadership, including a Chief Executive, and they were described as an absolute delight and a credit to the school.

This week has not only given students a valuable glimpse into the working world but has also highlighted their talent, resilience, and readiness for life beyond the classroom. A huge thank you to all our placement partners for their support, and congratulations to the students for embracing every opportunity and being described as a credit to themselves and the school.

Congratulations to Faye in Year 10 who has been presented with a special award from Tony James, Vice Chair of the English Schools Football Association Council.

Faye started her Year 10 Merit Cup Assembly with a special surprise as the delegation from ESFA entered the room to present the plaque recognising the award for pupil development through schools' football at secondary age.

This outstanding national award is the culmination of a fantastic season for Faye, and we believe it is a just reflection of her hard work, commitment and dedication to her sport. Well done Faye!

On Wednesday the coaches rolled up to the gates of St Julie's as we made our annual visit to Wavertree Athletics Centre for school sports day!

The weather was kind to us this year and initial forecasts of showers were quickly dispelled as we opened our event in beautiful sunshine with a powerful vocal performance from Layel in Year 8. With the crowd nicely warmed up our dancers took their turn to perform with a superb high energy dance performance.

The traditional flag parade then took place, before competitors took the field in the familiar programme of events, including 100m, 200m and 400m runs, long jumping, high jumping, javelin, shot put, welly throwing, standing long jump and more!

Under the watchful eyes of Mr Torpey the scores were tallied as we approached our final events of the afternoon. The staff vs students tug of war saw staff take on a team of Year 10 students and the staff tugged their way to victory, though not without some questions being raised about the number of participants on each team!

The final event was the staff vs students relay, traditionally led by Year 12 students but this year staff again took on a team of Year 10 students. As we entered the final leg of the race the student team were running against their Progress Leader. With the pressure on, a hugely determined run from Georgie saw the students break the stranglehold that the staff have long held on this event - very well done to the team!

The last business to deal with was identifying the all important winning house. Our sincere congratulations this year go the talented students of Maria, who prevailed by a short head from Rigby.

Well done to everyone who helped make the day such a success.

Earlier this month a team of students from Years 7 to 9 visited 'All Ears' - the world's first Poetry Expo!

The exhibition was hosted at the Liverpool Exhibition Centre and was conceived by Liverpool poet Joseph Roberts who at 21 has already realised a grand ambition.

Students engaged with the wide range of exhibitors from across the world of poetry and verse and enjoyed some inspiring live performances.

The students had a fantastic time at an event which is set to become an annual celebration of the spoken word.

Students who have completed the We Empower female empowerment have enjoyed a fantastic celebration event at Anfield Sports Centre!

Students engaged in STEM workshops, explored VR Gaming with Pixel Playground, learned some DJ skills in a workshop with Toni and had a talk with social media star Sophie Ellen!

Well done to all of our students for embracing the opportunity so enthusiastically, and thanks to LFC for hosting a great event!

At St Julie’s, we believe punctuality is crucial for a successful and positive school day. Arriving on time ensures every pupil is ready to learn and minimises disruption for all.

Why Is Punctuality So Important?

- Sets good routines for life
- Ensures no learning is missed
- Minimises disruption for others

You can read our punctuality procedures in detail here.

On Monday this week students from Years 7 and 8 made the short journey to join Father Tim at St. Mary's Church to celebrate an end of year Mass.

Although we've enjoyed many Masses in our school Chapel, and occasionally our Sports Hall, this year students asked us if they could have their end of year Mass in a church. We were happy to do our best to make that happen, and after some enquiries and extensive planning we walked across from school and into the beautiful church of St Mary's in Woolton Village.

The service commenced with a beautiful welcome, both from Father Tim and from our readers. Throughout the service we heard music from our talented choristers, accompanied by Ms Wallace, Mr Quinn and guest musician Martin on piano. 

Bidding prayers and readings were delivered with confidence and clarity and helped set a tone of reverence and prayerfulness that students maintained throughout the service despite it being an uncomfortably warm day.

We'd like to thank everybody who worked hard to make the service such a wonderful occasion, and a particular thanks to Father Tim and the team at St Mary's for making us feel so welcome.

Thirty-six Performing Arts students from St Julie’s Catholic High School recently returned from the trip of a lifetime after spending four unforgettable days in New York City. The action-packed adventure gave students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the energy, creativity, and cultural richness of one of the world’s most iconic cities.

Day 1 began with excitement in the air as students and staff departed Manchester Airport, flying with Virgin Atlantic to JFK International Airport. Spirits remained high as students belted out karaoke classics on the coach ride to their hotel. After checking in, the group headed straight into the heart of the city, Times Square, where they dined at Bubba Gump and explored the dazzling lights and bustling atmosphere of New York’s nightlife.

Day 2 kicked off with a high-energy stage combat workshop led by industry professionals. Students learned the art of choreographing safe but thrilling fight scenes for the stage, gaining hands-on experience that brought drama to life. A quick subway ride to South Ferry followed, where students boarded a river cruise to take in panoramic views of the iconic New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Later, the group visited the moving 9/11 Memorial site, taking time to reflect on the tragic events of 2001. Dinner was served at the legendary Hard Rock Cafe before students experienced the spectacle of Broadway firsthand. The group was swept away by the production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, a dazzling display of music, costume, and choreography that left them on their feet in applause.

Day 3 brought another surprise: a musical theatre workshop led by actual cast members from Moulin Rouge that students had watched on stage the previous night. Over the course of two hours, students worked together to stage a musical number and then enjoyed a Q&A session about life on Broadway, audition tips, and the cast’s personal journeys to the stage.

Next came a scenic tour of Central Park by tuk-tuk, offering glimpses of famous TV and movie landmarks. The tour was followed by a visit to the famous Plaza Hotel—recognisable to many students from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The shopping of Fifth Avenue awaited, where students enjoyed some retail therapy before dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, a singing-and-dancing restaurant experience like no other. The highlight came as the staff performed the Grease Megamix, which St Julie’s students, who starred in our schools most recent production, joined in with much enthusiasm.

The evening ended on a high note, quite literally, with a visit to the top of the Empire State Building. As the sun set over Manhattan, students captured breathtaking photos and created memories to last a lifetime.

Day 4 offered a final taste of the city, with visits to Grand Central Station and Bryant Park. Some last-minute shopping at Macy’s and in Times Square gave students the chance to grab souvenirs—and American snacks—before heading to the airport for the journey home.

Throughout the trip, students impressed with their conduct, energy, and humour. They embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and professionalism.

As they unpack suitcases and relive the magic through photos and stories, there’s no doubt these students brought a little bit of Liverpool flair to the Big Apple—and took home memories that will last forever.

This week our Year 9 Language Leaders prepared and delivered lessons to students in Years 3, 4 and 5 at Much Woolton Primary School.

The primary students had a fantastic time exploring the Spanish language with our enthusiastic leaders who delivered an engaging and well planned lesson.

Well done to our young teachers and thank you to Much Woolton for hosting us!

On Tuesday this week our travellers returned from a magnificent trip to Valencia for an experience immersed in language and culture.

The trip started with an early start the previous Thursday and saw students return home in the early hours of Tuesday morning, but the tiredness proved well worth it!

The five day trip packed in a lot of activities. Students took a boat trip at Albufera on water that is a mix of sea water and fresh water and is used for the rice to grow paella, the staple dish of Valencia.

At Torres de Seranos students visited the cathedral and the old town, with lots of fun being had at the Oceanografic aquarium, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Terra Mitica theme park!

Language skills were put to the test on a visit to the bustling Mercado Central, getting a taste of real Spanish life!

Well done to all of the students for engaging so positively with the trip during some searing 36C heat!

On Thursday 3 of our talented artists went to Mather Avenue Police academy to accept awards for submitting work into the LGBTQ+ drawing competition.

The competition required the girls to create a drawing representing the LGBTQ+ community, with winnings entries being used in Merseyside Police branding during Pride Month.

Congratulations to the runners up Isla and Erin for taking part in the competition and to Rowan whose winnings design was unveiled today on the side of a police van, with similar artwork being rolled out on vehicles across the city.

The students experienced seeing the police horses, police vehicles and speaking to community and police detectives who will be proudly driving the vans displaying their fantastic work!

Two of our Year 12 students have taken part in a residential visit to Cambridge University this week, organised in partnership with Liverpool Aspire.

Liverpool Aspire is a collaborative outreach programme that aims to inspire young people across Liverpool to achieve their academic potential and broaden their horizons through access to leading universities.

During the residential, students have had the opportunity to experience university life first-hand, attend academic workshops, tour the historic colleges, and meet current undergraduates.

This unique experience is designed to boost confidence, raise aspirations, and support students in making informed choices about their future education and career pathways. We are incredibly proud of Ruby and Hannah for seizing this fantastic opportunity and look forward to hearing about their experiences when they return.

On Tuesday and Wednesday students in Year 9 celebrated all of their achievements at Key Stage 3 with a trip to the Lake District that drew upon many of the themes studied during Citizenship lessons this year.

The trip started with a woodland walk to the summit of Orrest Head to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views and a picnic lunch. Then came the much easier walk down to enjoy the town of Bowness-on-Windermere in the glorious weather!

Thanks to everyone for engaging so well in the days.

We took a team of twelve Year 9 students to the finale of the Future Food Challenge at the University of Liverpool where they pitched an aquaponic produce pod.

The final was the culmination of four months work on an entrepreneurial project which saw the students develop a functioning prototype in which they have grown vegetables. The pitch involved making a display board showing the development cycle of the product and a three minute presentation to local business owners, engineers and university researchers. 

The team gave a confident and well-informed address and we look forward to hearing the feedback on their excellent pitch!

In what has become an annual event, a group of Year 10 students who are interested in engineering as a possible career took part in an engineering project to celebrate Women in Engineering Day, hosted by Amey Engineering in Speke.

Their brief was to work in groups with an Amey engineer to design, cost and present ways of easing traffic congestion on a section of The Strand while making the area safe and accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly.

Competition was strong and the team from Co-op Academy, Bebington won the challenge this year. However, every one of our team was a winner with their string engagement and sense of fun. Well done to Lilly, Ava, Bansari, Mylee, Ava, Daisy-Mai, Ella, Lucie, Freya, Libby, Bobbie-J and Anna. You were great ambassadors for Saint Julie's.

During PSHE day a group of Year 8 students worked with Collaborate Digital in an interactive media workshop exploring the world of podcasting.

During the session the students explored the risks of their social media use, and learned some of important basic principles of podcasting including structuring, scripting, recording and understanding licencing.

Thanks to the team from Collaborate Digital for a great workshop!

During our PSHE day students in Year 9 spent the day in a series of powerful workshops with the team from the CELLS project, discussing the consequences of crime.

The team brought insights from their own life journeys about the reality of a life that can sometimes be represented as seductive, and helped the students reflect on how they can make positive choices about their actions, their friends and their relationships. 

One of the sessions includes a replica of a prison cell, where students can experience some of the realities of imprisonment.

The day ended with a collective reflective session where students got the chance to discuss and reflect on all that they had seen and heard through the day.

Thank you to the CELLS team for an insightful day.

During PSHE drop down day students in Year 8 combined mindulfness and safety as their areas of focus.

The mixed programme for the day saw art therapy and cake decorating to explore creativity. For careers awareness we welcomed back our school construction partner, Keir, to tell us more about their operations in the north west and the staggering diversity of roles within the company.

The students heard a very informative talk about digital communications and the consequences of a careless social media post and also heard some advice on the risk of drugs.

Thanks to all of our guest speakers!

On our PSHE drop down day a key focus for Year 10 students was employer engagement, and we were pleased to welcome representatives from many sectors.

Working with Careers Connect, a partner agency, students heard from speakers from the construction sector, uniformed services, shipping and logistics and many more. The engagement from the students was fantastic and they finished the day with a lot of new knowledge about different careers.

Thank you to all of our guest speakers.

On Tuesday we had several athletes competing at the LSSP athletics event at the Wavertree Centre, with some medals secured!

Our medallists included:

In Year 8 - Stevie, long jump gold and 800m bronze; Heidi, 100m bronze; Heidi, Hamin, Heidi and Olivia, 4 x 100m relay gold.

In Year 9 - Eva, 100m gold.

In Year 10 - Faye, high jump gold; Georgina, triple jump gold and 300m gold, Millie, 200m silver; Isabella, Georgina,Millie and Isabella, 4 x 100m relay gold.

Well done to all of our students for their great sportsmanship and resilience throughout the day.

Amongst the activities for Year 7 students on our PSHE drop down day was a self defence workshop with MMA Defence!

The day also offered less strenuous activities, with some relaxing art therapy and a thought provoking drama workshop. We were pleased to welcome Kirsty Doyle back into school who led a workshop. 

Learning activities included guidance sessions on drug risk awareness and a valuable session on the consequences of malicious communications online.

Well done to all of the students for engaging so well in the day's programme.

We are proud to announce that three of our Year 12 students have been selected to attend a prestigious residential at the University of Oxford, as part of the Future Leaders Programme. This highly competitive initiative supports high-achieving students from across the UK, offering academic enrichment, university preparation, and personal development opportunities.

During the residential, Mae, Holly and Aislinn will take part in subject masterclasses, university-style seminars, and gain valuable insight into life at a world-class institution. It’s a fantastic opportunity to develop their academic confidence, explore future pathways, and build connections with like-minded peers from around the country. Experiences like this also support our wider careers programme, helping us meet national standards to ensure students receive high-quality guidance and exposure to higher education options.

To learn more about the Future Leaders programme, click here: Future Leaders UK

On Wednesday evening, Year 12 A Level Drama students performed their devised exam pieces to an audience of friends and family. 

Over the past 3 months, students have been studying theatre practitioners and working to create performance inspired by their style. 

The first performance of the evening was a hard hitting drama, inspired by feminist theatre practitioner, Katie Mitchell. The performance, which tackled the issue of domestic violence, cleverly combined naturalistic acting with multimedia and had a shocking twist which had audience members on the edge of their seats. 

In contrast, the second performance was inspired by observation comedy practitioner, John Godber and saw Susan, Bev, Kelly and Joanne band together to try and save the beloved airline, Wizz Wings. With multi-role, stylised movement and direct address of the audience, the fast-paced comedy was a roaring success. 

Well done to all students who performed this evening. 

Our newest students joined us on Wednesday for a taste of life at St. Julie's as welcomed them in for transition day!

The transition day is an annual event that allows students across the city to spend a day in their new school meeting their new teachers. We were delighted to welcome 181 students into school who congregated in the Dining Room with a mixture of enthusiasm and apprehension.

Nerves quickly disappeared as got straight into a busy day, starting with a whole school assembly to meet some of the key staff who will be an important part of life from September. 

After our assembly we were straight into lessons with new form tutors and some icebreaking exercises before breaktime on the yard.

After break it was time to get a taste of some subject lessons with our subject specialist teachers. Then it was the all important lunch time! Students were able to get a feel of how our Dining Room works, as well as enjoy the tasty food on offer. Today's menu was very well received, even if the noodles were a little spicy for some!

The afternoon session brought a chance to work in the Chapel with our school Chaplain, and discover more about our Notre Dame values.

We had a wonderful day and we hope that our students really enjoyed themselves too. We're looking forward very much to setting extremely quickly in September and getting to work!

On Monday we began auditions for our annual Christmas production, with a record 178 students turning out to try and secure a place in this year's musical, Annie.

Students from Year 7 to Year 12 were put through their paces with challenging choreography and musical numbers. All students worked exceptionally hard, demonstrating passion, energy and enthusiasm.

We already know this is going to a fantastic show and are looking forward to seeing students progression throughout the next round of auditions.

Well done to all students who took part and auditioned!