Headteacher's Blog Post - Friday 28th February 2025

This month, as mentioned in the January blog, we were pleased to welcome parents and carers to our Spring Revision Workshop, an event designed to equip them with the knowledge and strategies needed to support their children’s studies at home. With a focus on metacognition — the understanding of how we learn — this session provided invaluable insights into how students can optimise their revision techniques, manage their time effectively and retain information more successfully. The workshop covered a range of evidence-based revision strategies, including retrieval practice, spaced repetition and interleaving, all of which help students strengthen their learning and confidence as they approach their exams. To further support our learners, we were delighted to distribute revision packs containing carefully-prepared booklets and essential stationery. These resources will be invaluable in guiding our students as they refine their revision techniques in the weeks ahead.

A heartfelt thank you to all the parents and carers who attended — it was wonderful to see such engagement and partnership in supporting our pupils’ academic success. Working closely together, we can provide our young people with the best possible foundation for their future.

Excitement has been building as we prepare for our annual Eisteddfod, which is always a vibrant celebration of Welsh language, culture and creativity. Our Criw Cymraeg have been busy planning and indeed pupils throughout the school have been preparing performances, artwork and literary pieces that showcase their talents and their love of Welsh heritage. Our Eisteddfod is always a highlight of the school year, fostering a deep appreciation for the richness of Welsh culture amongst our pupils. We look forward to a spectacular event that will honour our school’s proud Welsh identity and provide an opportunity for pupils to participate and shine.

Our Criw Cymraeg and our dedicated Welsh Ambassadors have also been instrumental in supporting our school’s journey with Siarter Iaith. These students are working hard to promote the Welsh language within the school, encouraging their peers to use Welsh in their everyday conversations and activities. The Siarter Iaith framework helps schools strengthen their Welsh language provision and create a positive Welsh-speaking environment. Thanks to the hard work of our pupils and staff, we are making fantastic progress in embedding the language further into school life. The Criw’s enthusiasm and leadership is setting a wonderful example for others, and we’re grateful for their commitment to promoting the beauty of the Welsh language.

Our Junior Legion of Mary students have been actively fundraising for an incredible opportunity, as referenced last month: a pilgrimage to Rome for the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis. Blessed Carlo, a young Italian who used his deep faith and technological skills to spread the Gospel, is an inspiring figure for many of our students. His impending canonisation is a momentous occasion, and our Junior Legion members are determined to be present to witness it. Through various fundraising efforts — including bake sales, sponsored events and parish and community fundraisers — these pupils have demonstrated real dedication and faith in working towards their goal. Their commitment to this pilgrimage reflects their passion for their faith and we are proud to support them on this meaningful journey.

The last week of the half-term also saw the staging of our annual school musical, and this year’s production of ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr’ was truly spectacular. Over multiple performances, our talented cast and crew brought this much-loved tale to life with stunning vocals, captivating acting and impressive stagecraft. We were delighted to welcome our cluster primary pupils as cast members, and we know that many audience members stated that this was the ‘best ever’ BVS musical – and those of you who have been to one previously will know that this is no small claim! In fact, Mr. Eynon-Davies, our Head of Music and Performing Arts, is in such demand as a musical director that he will be directing ‘Les Misérables’ in the only Wales production in July, hence our bringing-forward of our own show.  It was really special to see such young pupils from our primaries perform alongside our own pupils from 11-18, all under expert direction creating a simply outstanding performance. Well done to all involved!

Another significant event this month was a group of our students visiting Poland, with a particular focus on a deeply moving visit to Auschwitz. This experience provided our young people with an opportunity to reflect on the horrors of the past and the importance of remembrance and tolerance in today’s world. Our pupils approached this visit with the utmost respect and maturity, acting as true ambassadors for our school. They returned with powerful insights about the importance of standing against hatred and fostering a society built on respect and compassion. Their reflections will be shared with the wider school community, ensuring that the lessons learned from this trip continue to resonate with us all.

On the final day of the half-term, our Sixth Form Leadership Team led the school’s talent show, which some of you may recall was postponed from the Christmas term due to early closure to facilitate emergency roof repairs following storms. The team did a superb job of hosting, allowing the pupils who participated to showcase their talents, entertaining the audiences and raising funds for charity along the way! Well done to the team and to all of the acts involved!

As we move into March we look ahead to Lent and the upcoming Eisteddfod in particular. We look forward to updating you on these at the end of the month. In the meantime, very best wishes to all in the BVS community!

Mrs Pole