--- title: "Welcome to the start of another exciting year of learning" url: "https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/blog/2021-09-09-11-48-52-welcome-to-the-start-of-another-exciting-year-of-learning" school: "St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School" --- [Family Handbook](https://www.arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/family-handbook) [Follow our new social media page on BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/seawigan.bsky.social) [Latest News](https://stedmundarrowsmith.schudio.com/news) [![St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/images/logo/SEA_Logo_(new)(1).png)![](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/images/logo/SEA_Logo_(new).png)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/) - [ Our School](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/welcome) - [Headteacher's Welcome](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/welcome) - [Mission Statement](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/mission-statement) - [Staff](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/staff) - [Latest News](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news) - [Family Handbook](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/family-handbook) - [Climate Change Action Plan 2025-26](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/climate-action-plan-2025-26) - [Governors](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/welcome/governors) - [Examination Results and School Performance ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/results) - [Primary Transition ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/primary-transition) - [Job Vacancies](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/job-vacancies) - [Train to Teach Here ](http://catholicsd.org.uk) - [International Partnership](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/international-partnership) - [Visits](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/international-partnership/visits) - [Alumni](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/alumni) - [ Catholic Ethos](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/catholic-ethos) - [Introduction](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/catholic-ethos/introduction) - 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[Uniform ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/parents/uniform-code) - [ Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum) - [School Intent](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/school-intent) - [Assessment Preparation](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/assessment-preparation) - [Curriculum Overview](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/curriculum-overview) - [Year 7 Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/year-7-curriculum) - [Year 8 Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/year-8-curriculum) - [Year 9 Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/year-9) - [Year 10 Curriculum ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/year-10-curriculum) - [Year 11 Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/year-11-curriculum) - [Curriculum Road Maps](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-curriculum/curriculum-maps) - [Year 9 Options](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/year-9-options) - [Careers](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers) - [Introduction- Personnel ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/introduction) - [Careers Coverage](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/Careers-Education-Guidance-Program) - [Careers Education & Guidance Program](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers) - [What are the Aims of Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)?](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/what-are-the-aims-of-careers-information-advice-and-guidance-c-i-a-g) - [How do we Measure and Access the Impact of Careers Programme? ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/how-do-we-measure-and-assess-the-impact-of-careers-programme) - [Parental Engagement and Support](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/parental-engagement-and-support) - [Students and Parents' Information - Post 16 Options](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/students-and-parents-information-post-16-options) - [Students and Parents' Information - Apprenticeships](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/students-and-parents-information-apprenticeships) - [Information for Employers and Volunteers ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/information-for-employers-and-volunteers) - [Year 10 Workplace Experience ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/year-10-workplace-experience) - [Useful Websites](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/useful-websites) - [ Job Interview Preparation](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/job-interview-preparation) - [The Eight Gatsby Benchmarks - How did we do?](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/the-eight-gatsby-benchmark-) - [Work Place Challenge](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers/virtual-careers-fair/work-place-challenge) - [Personal Development Curriculum](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/personal-development-curriculum) - [Personal Development Curriculum Events](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events) - [Introduction](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/introduction) - [What will I study KS3?](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/what-will-i-study-ks3) - [What will I study KS4?](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/what-will-i-study-ks4) - [Assessment](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/assessment) - [Where does it lead?](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/where-does-it-lead) - [Our students say](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/pdc-events/our-students-say) - [ Student Life](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life) - [High School Musical Jr](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/high-school-musical-jr) - [Music Festival (1st Night)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/music-festival-1st-night) - [Music Festival (2nd Night)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/music-festival-2nd-night) - [Paris (Disney Trip) 2026](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/paris-disney-trip-2026) - [New York 2026](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/new-york-2026) - [Enrichment and Extracurricular ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/Enrichment-and-Extracurricular) - [Senior Prefect Team](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/senior-prefect-team) - [Pastoral](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral) - [Year 7](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral/year-7) - [Year 8](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral/year-8) - [Year 9](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral/year-9) - [Year 10](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral/year-10) - [Year 11](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/students/pastoral/year-11) - [Remote Learning](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/remote-learning) - [School Council](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/student-council) - [Reward and Sanctions ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/rewards-and-sanctions) - [Careers Guidance ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/curriculum/careers) - [The School Day](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/our-school/the-school-day) - [Revision Tips](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/student-life/revision-tips) - [ Wellbeing ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-wellbeing) - [Wellbeing Strategy](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-wellbeing/wellbeing-strategy) - [Support for Young People/Families ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-wellbeing/support-for-young-people-families) - [Who to Contact for Support](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/-wellbeing/email-us) - [Report incident of bullying](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/report-incident-of-bullying) - [ Safeguarding](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/safeguarding) - [Safeguarding at St Edmund Arrowsmith](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/parents/safeguarding-at-st-edmund-arrrowsmith) - [Online Safety ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/safeguarding/online-safety) - [CEOP - Report an Online Safety Issue](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/safeguarding/ceop) - [Report incident of bullying](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/report-incident-of-bullying) - [Arbor](https://login.arbor.sc/) - [Email](https://outlook.office365.com/mail/) - [Statutory Information](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/statatory-information/ofsted) - [Job Vacancies](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/job-vacancies) - [ Contact us](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/contact) - [The Archdiocese of Liverpool](https://www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/) # Welcome to the start of another exciting year of learning ![Image of Welcome to the start of another exciting year of learning](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/images/blog/holding_hands.png) 9 September 2021 [School Blog](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/blog/category/school-blog) [Plennon](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/blog/author/Plennon) From Y7 pupils to Y11 pupils - getting ready for a new academic year is exciting and daunting in equal measure. I will let you into a little secret – teachers experience exactly the same feelings! I like to use a joke for Y7 parents which I've borrowed from Mr Eyes, former Deputy Headteacher ... *"don't worry about the first few days in school for your son or daughter, there will be upset, there could even be tears, but the staff will soon recover!".* Our return to school has been incredibly smooth; it has been lovely welcoming our school community back to a more 'normal' way of life, one without face coverings or ‘bubbles’. We have been able to come together to share whole year group assemblies in the main school hall, which has been quite an emotional experience for us all. We have really missed being together in our year group communities. It has also been wonderful to watch how quickly our Year 7 pupils have settled into our school community, looking very smart in their new school uniforms. I am sure that they had many questions playing in their minds as they prepared to come to secondary school … Will I be successful? Will I make friends? Will the teachers be nice/strict? However, what is already very apparent to us is that they are keen to embrace this new experience, as it will be a time filled with excitement, engagement, friendship and happiness. As all our year groups have now moved up onto the next step in their learning journey, we have a new Year 11 cohort who have returned to school ready for the challenges that this year will bring for them. Our new Prefect Team have been given their responsibilities and will be led superbly by our new **Head Boy, Robert Morris** and **Head Girl, Megan Blaikie**, **Deputy Head Boys, Angelo Cutrona** and **Robbie Edward**s, and **Deputy Head Girls, Alicia Smith** and **Isabel Hill.** I would like to offer my congratulations to the Senior Prefect Team on their appointments to these prestigious positions. We have taken the team photograph this week, ready to update the board in our reception area and I look forward to working closely with them this year. The Year 11 cohort will have their final year photograph taken in a couple of weeks' time, which is always a poignant moment for us, as we reflect on what they have achieved so far and feel optimistic about their achievements yet to come. However, as we begin another year of learning, we remind our pupils that they do not need to predict how everything will play out this year – they only need to focus on the next step and keep moving in the right direction. We will be there for them in every step of their journey, holding their hand along the way. [ It's the end of another academic year! ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/blog/2021-07-16-15-06-10-it-s-the-end-of-another-academic-year) [ Bring that Effort Every Single Day ](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/blog/2021-10-13-14-55-16-bring-that-effort-every-single-day) ### [Latest News](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news) [![Image of Y8 Football Success!](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/imagecache/150x150c/news/Y8_football_team(1).png)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-12-y8-football-success) #### [Y8 Football Success!](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-12-y8-football-success) 12 November 2026 [![Image of Y10 Rugby Team Success!](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/imagecache/150x150c/news/Y10_rugby_team.png)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-11-y10-rugby-team-success) #### [Y10 Rugby Team Success!](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-11-y10-rugby-team-success) 11 November 2026 [![Image of St Edmund Arrowsmith Remembers](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/imagecache/150x150c/news/IMG_6001.jpg)](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-11-st-edmund-arrowsmith-remembers) #### [St Edmund Arrowsmith Remembers](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/news/2026-11-11-st-edmund-arrowsmith-remembers) 11 November 2026 ![St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School](https://files.schudio.com/stedmundarrowsmith/images/logo/Citrix-Logo-Large.png) ### Contact Us **St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School** Rookery Avenue Ashton-in-Makerfield. Wigan Lancashire WN4 9PF Tel: 01942 728651 ### School Opening Time The School Reception is manned between the core hours of 8.00am - 4.00pm. Outside of these hours there is a facility to leave a voice message on the school answerphone. Alternatively, parents/carers can send a message via the Arbor App - https://login.arbor.sc/ [Contact Us](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/contact) - [X](https://bsky.app/profile/seawigan.bsky.social) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/seamentalhealth/) © Copyright 2015–2026 St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://arrowsmith.wigan.sch.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)