6 September, 2023
Letter from the Headteacher (2023-24) 1
The heart of faith
At the beginning of this week, the staff of St Teilo's gathered at Llandaff Cathedral to celebrate the Holy Eucharist together. My sermon was based on Matthew 18.15-20 - not the easiest of verses to navigate - and drew on the importance of serving one another in a spirit of gentleness and love.
It’s a passage about relationship
and most importantly Jesus comforts us that he is present, in good times and in bad. Such is the overarching theme of Matthew’s Gospel, which begins in the promise of a child named Emmanuel – which means ‘God with us’ – and concludes with God’s assurance that He is with us always, to the very end of the age.
You see, the heart of the Christian faith is not a set of teachings about God. It is not a set of rules to follow to please God. The heart of the Christian faith is about our relationship with God. A relationship made possible by the gift of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. But a relationship takes two. Grace describes God’s action in sending His only Son to take our sins to the cross and restore our relationship with Him. Faith describes our response. Faith is our part in making that relationship alive.
It’s no wonder, then, that the heart of our school is relationship: a community of learning and formation which seeks to improve excellence, increase equity and deepen faith so that we can be fully the people God is calling us to be. A community that cares for one another, prays for one another, shares our gifts with one another. A community that loves one another in all our diversity, forgives one another in all our disagreement, serves one another in all our difference. This is what makes St Teilo's such a special place to be, I think.
As we commence this new academic year - full of hopeful expectation and eager anticipation - may we praise our God who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Keeping in touch
Parents and carers are encouraged to be in regular contact with us. The principal points of contact are:
- Year 7, Mr Evans (r.evans@stteilos.com)
- Year 8, Mrs Williams (a.williams@stteilos.com)
- Year 9, Miss Hallett (k.hallett@stteilos.com)
- Year 10, Mrs Pitt (r.pitt@stteilos.com)
- Year 11, Mrs Phillips (j.phillips@stteilos.com)
- Years 12 and 13, Mrs Owen (e.owen@stteilos.com)
You are also invited to contact me directly by emailing headteacher@stteilos.com. Please do remember that staff are unlikely to be available without notice in person or by telephone (they are busy working with children); email is by far the most effective way to contact us!
Reporting your child's absence
In order to support the national agenda to improve school attendance, we wish to improve our own systems and processes. This means that, from today onward, parents and carers must report their child's absence online. Simply complete the form found here or click on the 'Absence' link in the main menu.
Nut allergies
St Teilo’s prides itself on its culture of care and compassion. Several of our pupils suffer from extremely severe allergies to nuts. Therefore, any efforts you can make to ensure your child does not bring nuts or nut-based products to school in their packed lunch would be hugely appreciated. A small sacrifice on your child’s part can, potentially, save a life.
Cost of living
I know that many families will be deeply concerned by the increasing cost of living. If you are struggling, please reach out to us and we will help however we are able. You may wish to find out a little more about our free food pantry provision, ‘Puffins’, by contacting us.
Frequently asked questions
As always, I have compiled a list of ‘frequently asked questions’ to inform you of our plans for the year ahead. You will find these below.
With every blessing,
Mr I Loynd, Headteacher
- Autumn 1: 4 September 2023 – 27 October 2023
- Autumn 2: 6 November 2023 – 22 December 2023
- Spring 1: 8 January 2024 – 9 February 2024
- Spring 2: 19 February 2024 – 22 March 2024
- Summer 1: 8 April 2024 – 24 May 2024
- Summer 2: 3 June 2024 – 22 July 2024
- INSET 1: 4 September 2023
- INSET 2: 5 September 2023
- INSET 3: 6 November 2023
- INSET 4: 22 December 2023
- INSET 5: 8 January 2024
- INSET 6: 22 July 2024
There will be an Induction Day for Years 7 and 12 on Wednesday 6 September 2023. The first day of school for all other pupils will be Thursday 7 September 2023.
Pupils should be on site no later than 8.30am, ready for their first lesson at 8.40am. Parents and carers must make every effort to ensure children are in school and ready to learn before lesson 1.
You may drop you child off in the morning on the school site by pulling up to our safe drop-off zone. Please do not exceed the 5mph speed limit and please do not attempt to overtake another vehicle. Your patience will keep children safe. You will not be allowed onto the school site for collection in the afternoon. Instead, you should park sensibly and legally on the roads surrounding the site.
Mobile phones are strictly not permitted inside the school. This is one of our ‘non-negotiables’. If a child is seen to be using their telephone inside the building, it will calmly be removed from them and returned at the end of the school day. Pupils are able to use their telephones in the designated outdoor ‘phone zone’ for their year group. Parental support on this issue is critical.
Uniform arrangements for Years 8-13 remain unchanged and can be found here. Year 7 are supporting us in a uniform trial and parents and carers have received separate information about this in the transition pack.
You can read the Home-School Agreement here.
Good school attendance is a high priority at St Teilo's. If your child is absent from school, you must let us know straight away on the first day of absence. All absence must be reported online here.
Yes, we will provide all parents and carers with a written report. As we implement the new Curriculum for Wales, arrangements for recording and reporting will change. Updates about this will be provided during the year.
Progress meetings take place online. If you have a question or concern, please do not wait. You are able to contact your child’s Achievement Leader by email at any time.
Children can speak with their Achievement Leader, Assistant Achievement Leader(s), Form Tutor or a member of our Wellbeing or Inclusion Team. Our team of Youth Workers are available every day in the student hub.
Yes, for Years 7, 10 and 12 as usual. These individual photographs will take place on 13 September 2023.
Please contact us and a member of staff will reply as soon as possible. As always, you will receive regular letters and updates via SMS text message throughout the year. All letters are published here.
