“Saint Gregory’s is simply the best school in every possible way. My children have gone from strength to strength due to excellent teaching and pastoral care. They are confident, capable, well-rounded and above all, happy.”
– Parent
Welcome to the family of Saint Gregory’s
Live Online Q&A Forums, Tuesday 13 October, 2020
17:30 – 18:30 & 19:00 – 20:00
Below, you will find our registration form to reserve a place at our live Q&A Forums, providing you with an opportunity to meet with key members of our transition team and ask any questions that you may have. We will confirm arrangements by email the week beginning 5 October 2020 and provide you with your Zoom meeting access details.
Thank you for taking the time to view our Virtual Open Day. In ordinary circumstances I would welcome you personally to our school and you would have the opportunity to discover Saint Gregory’s and all that it has to offer your child. Unfortunately, for this year at least, we will have to rely on the power of technology to bring Saint Gregory’s to your homes virtually!
Through this online platform, we have brought together a range of films that will hopefully provide you with a flavour of what you can expect from Saint Gregory’s and what it is like to be a student here. When listening to some of the film presentations you will hear the phrase ‘we are a family’ a great deal but this truly is what we feel about our school community. I hope that you will gain a sense of the warmth and friendship you will find at our school through your exploration of our Virtual Experience!
What makes Saint Gregory’s stand out from other schools is our commitment to the young people in our care, a commitment that encourages and inspires every child to fulfil their potential and flourish. We encourage our students to love learning, participate fully in the life of our school and embrace the many opportunities that are on offer.
As a Catholic school we provide our students with a moral compass based on Catholic Social Teaching that supports their growth and development. It is essential that our students are encouraged to have enquiring minds, ask questions and form their own opinions.
Saint Gregory’s is a happy and vibrant school that serves its community. Our academic tradition fosters a culture of enquiry and creativity. We value curiosity and thoughtfulness and are ambitious for our students to achieve success whatever their aspirations.
We are always here to support you as you choose the right secondary school for your child. If you have any questions or would like our assistance through the admissions process, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Ms Ann Cusack, Headmistress
Supporting you on your journey to secondary
I am delighted to introduce myself to you as the Head of Year 7 and Transition leader here at Saint Gregory’s. The move to secondary school is a very important step in the life of every young person. It is an extremely exciting step, yet can understandably be confusing and overwhelming at times. I am here to support you and guide you through this important decision and welcome you to our school community.
Here at Saint Gregory’s, we strive to promote the dignity and wellbeing of every child and ensure that they flourish in a safe, happy and enriching environment, even when working under the restrictions of the unprecedented times we are currently living in. I will be a key point of contact for you in the coming weeks and months ahead.
When your child joins us in Year 7, I will also be their Head of Year and will get to know your child well. This allows me to continue to support them as they make the important transition from primary to secondary whilst also building on this throughout the year to prepare them for Year 8 and beyond. I will be on hand to help to settle your sons and daughters into the school and to establish a positive, ambitious and warm ethos for the year group as a whole, by building on the secure foundations and accomplishments your child has already achieved thus far.
As a parent/carer you play an important role in the education of your child, and your encouragement and involvement is valued by all staff and this can help your child excel in all areas. I am passionate about supporting the needs of each individual in the year group and have high expectations not only for myself, but for all members of our school community. Through a positive and proactive partnership with our parents and carers, we create a supportive and nurturing environment that allows your child to feel safe and well-cared for.
There are many new and exciting opportunities for your child to participate in throughout their time with us. Some of this you will discover through the resources and information contained within this Virtual Open Day but I just want to reiterate that If you have any questions and/or queries, please do please do not hesitate to get in contact. I look forward to meeting you soon and throughout this upcoming year.
Miss E Miller
Head of Year 7 & Transition
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the application deadline and how do I apply?
We are thrilled that you are considering an application for a place at Saint Gregory’s. Our full admissions policy is available on our website via the link below.
We would advise that in the first instance parents/carers follow the guidance as issued by B&NES at http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/schools-colleges-and-learning/admissions-schools or your home Local Authority.
Application forms must be submitted directly to the home Local Authority, to arrive no later than 23.59 hours on 31 October.
If your child is a baptised Catholic, you must also provide a copy of the baptism certificate to the school, even if you already have a child attending our school. Please ensure you return this with your Supplementary Information Form, if relevant.
If you need advice on making an application to Years 7-11 at St Gregory’s, please contact our Admissions Manager, Mrs Quinn on 01225 832873.
Will we get a chance to visit Saint Gregory’s before we need to apply?
We would dearly love to say ‘yes’ but unfortunately, at this stage, we think that it will be unlikely that we will be able to welcome you personally. We will of course update this page if we have more information or if circumstances change.
We appreciate that our Virtual Open Day can only convey a small insight into our wonderful school and, whilst we hope that you discover the strong sense of family, warmth and friendship at Saint Gregory’s through your exploration here, it cannot be a replacement for the real thing!
You are warmly invited to join us for our Live Online Q&A Forums to be held during the autumn term. You will find a registration form on this page at the start of the new term for you to complete. This forum will be a chance for you to find out more about our outstanding co-educational school, meet key members of our transition team and hear from our fantastic students, as well as ask any questions that you may have.
What extra curricular options are there at Saint Gregory's?
We are really proud of our extra curricular and enrichment offer with a huge range of activities for our students to get involved with. These include:
Sport
- Athletics
- Football
- Table Tennis
- Badminton
- Hockey Tennis
- Basketball
- Netball
- Trampolining
- Cricket
- Rounders
- Cross-Country
- Rugby
- Cross Fit
- Softball
Music
- Wind Ensemble
- Folk Band
- Year 7 & 8 Choir
- Composition Club
- Orchestra
- String Group
- Senior Concert
- Band Workshop
- Flute Salad
- Brass Group
In addition, there are a huge selection of lunchtime and after school clubs including:
- Art Club
- Battle of the Books
- Centurion Reading Group
- Carnegie Reading Group
- Chaplaincy Group
- Dance Clubs
- Debate and Public Speaking Club
- Duke of Edinburgh
- First Aid Club
- Code Club (Maths)
- Drama Club
- Science Club
- LAMDA Speech and Drama exams
- Maths Challenge
- Shakespeare Festival
- STEM Engineering Club
- University Maths Masterclasses
Not to mention the many performing arts shows that take place each year!
Whilst the list of activities may change from year to year, depending on our teachers subject specialisms, we ensure that there really is something for everyone.
How will you support my son/daughter in their transition from primary to secondary?
Moving from primary to secondary can be daunting, but it can also be an exciting experience too! At Saint Gregory’s, we work with you and your child’s school to make the journey a happy one so that, when the first day arrives, the adventure is less worrying and more about being a part of our family.
We think it’s important to create a clear pathway to secondary school so that everyone knows what to expect at every stage. Unfortunately, this year, things have changed a bit but we hope to resume normal service soon!
Our transition programme includes:
- A range of primary events held at Saint Gregory’s to help children familiarise themselves with the school and our staff;
- Taster Days to introduce subjects they may not have tried before;
- Masterclasses to build on subject knowledge and explore new topics and ways of learning;
- Activity days to introduce a broad and engaging range of enrichment activities.
Our transition programme continues throughout Year 6 and new pupils who choose Saint Gregory’s can expect to visit the school often ahead of the new academic year.
This includes:
- A personal visit for our feeder primary schools, prior to coming to Saint Gregory’s;
- A warm welcome at our Transition Evening;
- An exciting Transition Day in July to help prepare your son/daughter for Year 7;
- A special Year 7 only Induction Day on their first day in September;
- A team building day and pastoral retreat during your first term to support your child as they establish new friendships;
- An opportunity to act as a School Ambassador at our autumn open events, sharing their journey and experiences of Saint Gregory’s with younger pupils.
What trips or visits are there in Years 7-9?
There is a wide variety of trips and visits on offer at Saint Gregory’s which, in normal circumstances at Key Stage 3, will include:
- Retreat programme
- Trip to Chepstow Castle
- Trip to Bristol Zoo
- Brokerswood camping (2 days)
- Scholars Programme
- Dance Umbrella
- Longleat Safari Park
- Black Country Museum
- Trip to We The Curious (@Bristol)
- Twickenham Rugby trip
- MEP China residential trip (12 days)
- Bovington Tank Museum
- WW1 Battlefields residential (3 days)
- Ski trip to Europe
- Music trip to Europe
- Germany residential (5 days)
- Cordoba, Spain residential (5 days)
- Duke of Edinburgh Awards
This can change from year to year but, we hope, allows for a broad range of opportunities that allow students to have fun, develop new skills or deepen their subject knowledge.
What is the food like?
This is a question that we get asked an awful lot! This is how one student describes it:
“The food at Saint Gregory’s is absolutely amazing. There’s so much to chose from and everything is sooooo yummy!”
Catering services are provided by our school caterers, Sodexo, who have been working with us for a number of years and are very experienced in dealing with a range of dietary needs and allergies. All food is freshly prepared onsite with a new menu every term – a subject of much anticipation and excitement for students and staff!
Students have the choice of a 2 course hot lunch with either a meat or vegetarian option available. In addition we have a Pasta Bar and the Snack Shack, serving paninis, wraps, rolls and sandwiches etc.
The hot breakfast rolls are a particular favourite amongst students, served in the morning before assembly or tutor time.
Students are also very welcome to bring a packed lunch or they can mix and match some days and have a hot lunch for part of the week. We operate a no-nut policy throughout the school.
What transport options are available to Saint Gregory's?
There are a number of cost effective bus routes to school from within our catchment area.
Saint Gregory’s is located on a main public bus route with No 14 services running every 10-15 minutes during term time from Bath City Centre. This service also extends to the eastern fringes of Bath, serving Newbridge and Weston.
Directly opposite is the Odd Down Park and Ride facility with additional services running directly from town every 10 minutes.
In addition, we also have school transport services covering a wider catchment outside of Bath. These normally include:
– Kingswood via Warmley, Longwell Green, Saltford and Keynsham.
– Shepton Mallet via Wells, Chilcompton, Oakhill and Stratton Fosse.
For all enquiries about school transport please contact the School Finance Manager on 01225 832873 who will provide the most up to date availability and routes.
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Our Head of Transition, Miss Miller, is on hand to support you through the next few months as you decide on the best school for your child and your family. She will also be supporting your son/daughter as they join Saint Gregory’s in Year 7 so will be a familiar face that you will get to know well.
You can email her at millere@st-gregorys.org.uk
For questions about our SEND provision, or any support that your child may need when they arrive at Saint Gregory’s, Mrs Stack, will guide you and help you ensure the transition process is as smooth as possible.
You can email her at stackk@st-gregorys.org.uk
For all other general questions please contact the school on 01225 832873 or email us at stgregorys_sec@bathnes.gov.uk and we will be pleased to help you.
“This is an outstanding school” – OFSTED