UTC Oxfordshire
End of Term Newsletter
Dear all,
It’s been a superb end of term with another busy week; highlights have to include the final presentations in our Mini dashboard/steering wheel design challenge, the Thames Water network supply problem solving day and the regional finals of the Lego Trash Trek challenge at Portsmouth University. These activities are helping UTC students build up employability skills such as teamwork, creativity, problem solving, leadership and presentation and providing the added value a UTC offers over a traditional school. Industry representatives from Mini and Thames Water were truly impressed by the qualities of the UTC students. One of the highlights of any term is our celebration assembly and staff were rightly proud of the students’ achievements in today’s assembly.
It’s been a fantastic term with such a lot of achieved; it does only seem yesterday when we moved in back in September. The UTC building has grown around us and we’re starting to really use its potential. What has really grown alongside the building is the confidence and pride of the students as they have become more comfortable in their new learning environment; they continue to impress with strong leadership skills and immense perseverance and energy. There is no doubt it’s been a long term, with long days and a lot of new challenges, but they have adapted brilliantly and continue to show the resilience and employability skills which we continue to focus upon.
A few reminders for the forthcoming term: we start back with students on the 5th January. We’ll be doing some work on the students laptops on the 6th January to ensure they are ready for the term ahead so it’s vital that they bring them in with charger. Can you also encourage students to make sure they’ve signed up for a locker in the first few days back. The Christmas break is also a good opportunity to check that students are looking smart and ready for UTC life, lanyard, ID card and business dress.
So it remains for me to thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. We’ve all achieved a lot in short time. You’ve been overwhelmingly supportive and patient as we have grown and developed (there is still work to be done) but we all remain passionate about the UTC and its potential. We’re all proud of what has been achieved, particularly how much our students have achieved in such a short time.
Please, have a restful Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all upon return in the 2016.
Happy New Year !
Owain
Year 10 Engineering Exam
All year 10 students taking the engineering option have a formal, written examination at 9am on Friday 8th January. It is essential that students continue to prepare for this exam over the Christmas break - successful students will not need to take any more exams in engineering as the rest of the course is internally assessed. Students have access to course materials via their 365 engineering One Note site.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Monday 4th January - INSET DAY
Tuesday 5th January - Students return to UTCFriday 8th January - Engineering exam