Following the visit of the Congregational Leadership of the Sisters of Notre Dame last week, we asked students to reflect on their time with the Sisters.
During their visit, the team were very keen to meet with students but our students were equally keen to find out more about our visitors! Students decided that an informal Q&A session would be a great way to learn about the lives of our guests who have not only been on a fascinating spiritual journey but also live and work in fascinating places across the world!
The session helped our students to get a real feeling of just how big and wide the Notre Dame global community is, and you can read some of their thoughts below:
“I spoke to Sr Miriam. She is from Peru and wanted to be a Sister when she was 18. It was interesting.”
“It was nice as I was able to talk to a Sister of Notre Dame and I asked questions and was inspired to follow my dreams after speaking to them about how they became a Sister. I also got the chance to talk about my time at St Julie’s.”
“It was nice to talk to a Sister of Notre Dame from Nigeria and to learn about her. She was VERY nice!”
“I enjoyed the inspiration of chasing our dreams and learning about her life.”
“I liked it because I learnt new things abut Sister Miriam. I learnt that Sisters can come from all over the world. The experience was amazing as I interacted with someone from Peru.”
“I enjoyed it because I learned how they live and how they travel to different schools. I was interested by the group of women who came to school to meet us came from all different continents.”
On Monday our Year 10 Kinball team were crowned reigning champions in the secondary school Kinball competition held at Archbishop Beck Tennis Centre!
Kinball is quite a modern team sport, invented in the 1980s, and uses an enormous but very light ball (four feet across and just one kilogram, stat fans!) across an indoor court.
The event was highly competitive but the team from St. Julie's were phenomenal and didn't lose a single match throughout the competition. Very well done to Katie, Faye, Yasmin, Olivia and Georgina!
On Friday this week we were honoured to welcome the Congregational Leadership Team of the Sisters of Notre Dame, accompanied by Sister Mary O’Brien, into school to meet with our staff and students.
The visiting delegation of eight sisters spent the morning with us and we were delighted that they were able to make time to visit.
This week a group of students tested their physical and team work skills at the LSSP Sports Challenge hosted at Wavertree Tennis Centre.
The challenge on Wednesday was designed to create a fun and engaging experience of different and new sports for each of the students. This included taekwondo, zorb football and team building activities.
Thanks to LSSP for hosting a wonderful event.
Students have been doing fantastic work in public examinations this week, and they have been well supported by staff in school!
Masterclasses and pre-exam revision and strategy sessions have been the order of the day, and this A Level English group got some gifts as mementos in their revision sessions!
All exam candidates are benefitting from a free exam breakfast in the school dining room as part of our commitment to wellbeing of students during the exhausting exam season.
This week Performing Arts students headed to the theatre for the much anticipated trip of Hamilton.
The musical is a multi award-winning masterpiece by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and tells thestory of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the very foundations of the America we know today.
The score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway - the story of America then, as told by America now. Students were mesmerised by the acting, singing and dancing and have firmly placed it in the number 1 position as 'Theatre Trip of the Year' so far!
On Thursday this week students in Year 7 took the field in a sponsored run to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Our intrepid students braved the heat to run circuits of the playing field, fully living up to the expectations of their generous sponsors! Thank you to everyone who took part in the event, and to everyone who kindly agreed to sponsor a runner.
We followed up the sponsored run with a charity cake sale during break time on Friday, and the combined total from all of our fundraising efforts this week was a massive £1206.42! Thank you to everybody who bought a cake in support of the groundbreaking work of this important charity.
This week, Y12 drama students headed to the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre to see the psychological thriller, 'The Girl on the Train.'
This fast paced and gripping story had year 12 on the edge of their seats and has already proven to have inspired ideas for their own devised performances, which they will be showcasing in July.
Congratulations to our two teams from Year 7 who contested the LSSP Boccia Tournament, taking first and fourth place!
The tournament saw twelve teams from schools across the city competing in the precision ball sport that is a popular event at the Paralympic Games.
We'd like to give a special mention to Phoebe who won a 'Fair Play' award for the best shot in the whole tournament!
Merseyside Youth Association have been commissioned to produce an educational resource based on sleep and how the lack of sleep can affect a young persons health and well-being.
After an exceptional performance in this year's Now Festival, MYA selected St Julie’s students to feature in this short film.
Today we welcomed First Take Film Company into school who worked with students on the script, directed the dialogue and taught students about the art of acting for camera.
After an afternoon of filming, students were delighted to receive gift vouchers for their performance and are excited that First Take Film Company have asked for them to send through head shots for future projects.
Congratulations to our Year 7 Football team who competed at the Girls’ School Association’s National Football Festival and went all the way through the tournament undefeated!
The tournament, hosted by King’s High in Warwick, saw squads of ten players from GSA member schools across the country competing in 7-a-side matches. Well done to all of our players on a fantastic tournament win!
On Thursday, our top set Year 7 and 8 students took part in the Junior UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Maths Challenge. Designed to stretch the brightest young mathematicians in the country, the challenge tests logical thinking, problem-solving skills, and mathematical creativity.
Our students rose to the occasion with enthusiasm and determination, tackling tricky puzzles and multi-step problems with confidence. We’re incredibly proud of their hard work and look forward to seeing how they scored in this nationally recognised competition.
Well done to everyone who took part!
During the Easter break this year Mrs Munoz got the chance to revisit her former school with some wonderful exchange work!
Working with her students in Years 8 and 9, she took a collection of Easter cards, all written in Spanish, to the Escoles Parroquials in the town of Picassent in Valencia, a Catholic School that Mrs Munoz attended as a student.
Year 10 students at the school then spent a lesson checking the Spanish in the cards for correctness, before writing back in both Spanish and English.
Thanks very much to the staff and students at both schools for helping to make this exciting exchange happen!
On Wednesday a group of Year 10 students wore their St Julie's badge with pride to attend a series of debates at the magnificent Athenaeum in the city centre, in all of its historical and literary splendour.
The debate was impassioned, articulate and impactful, resulting in a victory over the team from Archbishop Blanch.
Our students were complimented on their effervescent personalities and their ability to listen and then respond respectfully to differing opinions. The accompanying staff watched on with great pride as the team exuded confidence, honing skills that will make for some powerful orators for the future!
Congratulations to Georgina in Year 10 who has been awarded the overall silver medal for county cross country running.
After competing in three races she placed second in the Merseyside Schools Cross Country League. We're very proud of her success!
Last Wednesday evening 34 pupils competed in a regional dance competition, The Great Big Dance Off, with a KS3 and KS4/5 team.
Our KS3 team performed a dance piece titled 'The Impossible'; A contemporary dance piece that told the story of the tragic tsunami that hit Thailand in 2004.
Our KS4/5 Team performed a beautiful contemporary piece inspired by the award winning book and TV series 'The Handmaid's tale' which showcased our students excellent dance ability and brilliant acting skills portraying the harrowing story of the Handmaids.
We've now received our certificate recognising our accreditation for the nationally recognised award in Leading Parental Partnerships!
The assessment took place in February and considered evidence from dozens of criteria, assessing parental engagement across all aspects of school life, from our initial interviews in Year 6 through to our Leavers’ Mass in Year 13. The assessor met with staff, students, parents, governors, and representatives from external agencies.
Thank you for continuing to help us in maintaining strong links between home and school!
At school, we want to make sure that every student feels safe, cared for, and supported. Sometimes, people might not get all the things they need to be happy and healthy, like enough food, warm clothes, or someone to check in on how they’re feeling.
This is called neglect, and it can be tough to talk about. If you ever feel like you're not getting the care you need or notice a friend who might be struggling, it’s always okay to reach out for help. Talking to a trusted adult can make a big difference.
Childline has a helpful booklet called ‘Neglect Matters’, which explains what neglect is and how to get support. You can find it here.
If you’d rather talk to someone in school, or you're worried that someone you know may be struggling, please speak to your Form Tutor, your Progress Leader; our Chaplain, any of our Pastoral Support Team or a member of the Safeguarding Team who are always happy to listen and help. You’re never alone, and there are always people who care and want to support you.
If you are a parent or carer, Barnados has a number of useful resources here: I’m looking for support with being a parent or carer | Barnardo's
Students from Year 8 have taken part in the Faraday challenge day this week, run by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
The Faraday Battery Challenge, delivered by All About Futures, All About Stem, had students working in teams to develop new battery technologies. Each team designed and built one prototype which; is capable of using a battery, can help someone with a specific need, or is an educational toy.
Students demonstrated their creativity, planning, ability to work within a budget, resilience and presentation skills. The winning team designed a children's shape sorter.
Project manager Eliza Stephens, described the day as: 'A wonderful learning experience which was interesting, and we learnt a lot about engineering'. Well done Team 2!
Congratulations to Amelia in Year 9, who during the Easter break lifted the JPL PGA Football Trophy as part of the Blackburn Rovers U14 Academy team!
The team contested the final against Bristol City and with a great performance from Amelia between the sticks secured the trophy with a 2-1 victory.
The following week Amelia had her review meeting with her club and was delighted to have earned the offer of a 2 year contract with the Pro Game Academy U16s squad.
We're very proud of Amelia's achievements which speak of enormous amounts of dedication and hard work. We wish her every success progressing with her career in football, and we look forward to bringing you more news of future success!
On Friday we ended the term with a whole school service in the Sports Hall, uniting all students in the same room for possibly the first time since the pandemic.
Our Chaplain led the very full congregation through a service both reflective and celebratory, telling the Easter story through the modernised context of a rolling news channel.
Our service featured a performance throughout from our very talented dancers and accompaniment throughout from our choir. We finished with a rousing chorus of 'My Lighthouse', sung perhaps most exuberantly by our Sixth Form students!
We wish you all a very happy Easter.
A huge congratulations to Niah in Year 11 and Yasmin in Year 10 for their win with Liverpool Feds at the County Final on Thursday evening.
The fixture was contested under the lights at Walton Hall Park, the home of Everton's WSL team.
With a thumping 11-1 rout over Widnes based Pex Hill FC, maybe some of the players will return there one day as professionals!
Congratulations to all of our merit cup winning forms who celebrated their success at the winners’ breakfast banquet on Friday morning.
The event is always hugely popular with students and our kitchen team once again rose to the occasion splendidly with a magnificent feast to satisfy all tastes. Congratulations to our winners!
This week a group of students in Year 10 took place in a Law Taster Day at Liverpool John Moores University.
They listened to experienced solicitors and law students about their career pathways and options in school to support their future career.
They also had the opportunity to visit areas of the Law Department in LJMU and take part in a mock trial. Thanks to Liverpool JMU for a great day!
Year 7 textile students have completed their tote bags as part of their Environmental Technology unit of work.
They have used recycled fabrics to create a tote bag with an environmental slogan raising awareness of a range of important issues. They then applied their knowledge of embroidery and embellishment techniques to decorate them.
We think the results are brilliant!
A huge well done to our Year 7 Netball team who came third in their league on Monday.
They showed amazing teamwork and commitment and worked extremely hard in all of their games.
We'd like to give a special mention to Daisy, Ruby and Grace who were named as players of the matches.
We're proud to have received a fundraising certificate from the Antibully Alliance. In the correspondence that came with the certificate, the ABA reminded us that:
Bullying continues to affect over one in five children each year, impacting their mental health, education, and long-term opportunities. Vulnerable groups, such as children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities, are especially at risk.
Thanks to schools like yours:
- Over 7.5 million children participated in Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day, promoting kindness and inclusion.
- More than 20,000 professionals received training to better support children affected by bullying.
- Young people have been empowered to lead the fight against bullying through our youth advocacy programmes.
Your contribution has played a key part in this important work.
Thank you to everybody who contributed to our activities in school that helped to fund raise!
On Wednesday this week we celebrated the achievements of students from across all of the year groups as at our annual Notre Dame awards evening!
Our guests arrived to some beautiful piano playing from Haley, who played pieces from Debussy and Chopin, before a welcoming address from our Chair of Governors, Mrs Smith.
Entertainment followed with a powerful collaboration from our Performing Arts Department, with a performance from our senior dancers to 'Never Enough', with a live vocal and dramatic monologue from Layel in Year 8.
The business of the evening then began in earnest with the presentation of Year 11 subject prizes, announced by Miss Gawley followed by the Year 13 subject prizes announced by Mrs Jones.
The named awards were then announced by Mrs Rooney. These prestigious awards bear the name of a person with a special association with St Julie's and honours the values that they strove to espouse.
Our choir then took centre stage for a beautiful rendition of Snow Patrol's 'Run', conducted by Mrs Hambleton and accompanied by Mr Quinn on the piano.
Mrs Gee then announced the winners of the Mission Statement award, with a winner from each year group demonstration values associated with a particular element of our Mission Statement.
Mrs McCourt followed with an inspiring Headteacher's address, before we moved to the final awards of the evening, our Notre Dame Awards. These awards go to students who truly live out the values, attitudes and behaviours shown by St. Julie herself. Each winner heard an individual testimonial detailing the reasons for their award, and each winner was a shining example to the school community.
Our flagship award, the Spirit of St Julie Award, goes to the student who, after detailed nomination and discussion, best represents the values of St Julie and of whom St. Julie would be immensely proud. Our winner this year was Hannah in Year 13.
With the presentation of awards complete, it only remained for Ms Wallace to round off the evening with reflection and prayer, and of course a rousing chorus of 'Qu'il Est Bon'!
Thank you to everybody who joined us on our wonderful evening and congratulations to all of our winners.
On Monday we enjoyed some tasty treats courtesy of our two aspiring pilgrims, Lucy and Julia.
The break time bake sale was raising funds for their forthcoming pilgrimage to Lourdes, and the popular event raised an impressive £143.68 for their travel expenses!
Thank you to everybody who came along and bought a cake.
Science students from across the year groups got a taste of crime scene investigation in a forensic science workshop led by Gill from The Education Group.
The sessions began with some discussion of theory and principles before they were put into practice with a small scale crime scene simulation. The test scene made use of many of the principles discussed, including footprint, fingerprint and DNA analysis, allowing students to follow logical scientific processes to correctly identify their criminal perpetrator!
Well done to all of the students involved for their excellent engagement in the sessions.
On Tuesday students in Year 10 participated in an apprenticeship workshop from the ASK Apprenticeship programme.
We welcomed in Gary King to lead the workshop, which gave students the opportunity to find out about different routes after school including A Levels, Apprenticeships and T Levels.
Our students were very enthusiastic and asked lots of very good questions to make informed choices in the future.
Today Year 13 had the opportunity to take part in an inspiring and high-energy session with Jasper from Maximise Training, and it was nothing short of amazing! We were pleased to welcome Jasper back to St Julie's as his expertise is second to none. Jasper shared top tips on revision, exam planning, and how to make the most of the time students have left in school before the exams begin. He encouraged the girls to be creative in their approach to studying, offering practical exam tips and stressing the importance of goal-setting to stay on track.
Along with these valuable insights, Jasper also emphasised the significance of taking some time out for self-care, highlighting the need to consider their own mental health during the exam period, and the importance of looking after their sleep and diet. Jasper was incredibly impressed by how engaged and motivated Year 13 s were throughout the session. He praised their enthusiasm, energy and welcoming attitude. His straight-talking style combined with his infectious enthusiasm and interesting life stories is sure to help the girls embrace a positive, "can-do" attitude toward their exams and school over the coming weeks. We'd like to thank Jasper for his time and look forward to seeing him again next year.
On Friday this week we celebrated Foundation day by welcoming former Headteachers Sister Mary O’Brien SND and Mr Alderman into school for a presentation of our new Honours Board!
The board, based on research by Sr Mary, traces the lineage of our school leadership all the way to March 1851 when the Sisters of Notre Dame first began their work in our city.
During the service we heard from members of our 1804 Society and Student President about the history of the Sisters in our city and what a Notre Dame education means to them. Some of that more recent history was brought vividly to life by recollections from Sister Mary about relationships formed with the people named on the board and the Sisters present with us today.
The board will be housed on the Notre Dame Convent, with an identical twin being displayed in St. Julie's.
Happy Foundation Day!
On Friday this week students were able to hear the powerful messages in ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’, our festival winning performance exploring themes of weapons culture and codes of silence within criminal activities.
The piece encourages young people to use their most powerful weapon – their voice. Thank you to our student company who staged several performances throughout the day as part of our PSHE programme.
Year 12 students Holly, Hannah and Ruby have landed at Oxford University and are having a wonderful time!
Our students are experiencing some of the wonderful facilities that the University has to offer as well as getting a great taste of student life!
Today, Year 10 St Julie's MVP mentors attended St George's Hall, along with schools across the city, to be presented with their graduation certificates acknowledging their hard work and fantastic contributions towards delivering lessons regarding violence in our city.
All graduates received a red carpet reception on arrival, and were happy to pose for a photograph to celebrate the occasion! While enjoying the splendour of St. George's Hall the students were fortunate enough to sit in the historic courtroom, often used as a location in TV and Film, to participate in a mock courtroom trial!
Congratulations to all of our MVP graduates and we wish them well taking their training forward into everyday life.
On Thurday, students from St Julie's had the privilege of performing this year's Now Festival piece, 'Wrong Place, Wrong Time' to support the event's messages.
The students delivered the powerful piece to graduating students from St. Julie's and right across the city! Well done to all who graduated and performed today.
Huge congratulations to the Year 8 Indoor Athletics team who finished an amazing 7th in Merseyside after competing in the finals on Tuesday.
Over 50 schools from all over Merseyside took part in the competition and the finals and the team from St Julie's were placed 7th in Merseyside.
Well done Ella, Olivia, Annie, Jess, Stevie, Ava, Heidi, and Jasmine.
Over a two day visit, 28 of our students from Years 8, 9 and 10 attended the Liverpool City Region 'Experience of the Workplace' event.
During the event students attended a lecture on the wide range of apprenticeship opportunities that are available within the region, and took part in workshops operated by a number of firms who are recruiting locally.
Workshops were delivered by organisations like Speke based pharmaceutical company CSL Seqirus, Peel Ports who operate across the waterfront and Knowsley Safari Park.
The students returned to school with a much better knowledge of the diverse range of employment opportunities available locally.
Congratulations to Ava in Year 8 who ran the Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday.
She managed the 13 mile run in one hour and ten minutes, which was close to her personal best at this distance.
Despite her young age, this was Avas's tenth half marathon. She has been part of the world of athletics since the age of 2, and currently trains with the Liverpool Harriers at Wavertree.
We wish her luck in her next race on Sunday in Portsmouth!