UTC Oxfordshire
Newsletter - 12th March 2021
Dear all,
It's been a great week with the students returning to face-to-face lessons having had their first lateral flow test. The buzz around the corridors and school is a welcome return with lots of personal connections being made. Feedback from the Year 12 Parent Consultation evening was positive. We have a busy schedule up to Spring break with some events which we hope you and your students will take part in.
Covid Update
Thank you for your support with students wearing face coverings in and around the school and in lessons. If paper coverings are uncomfortable then we suggest bandanas or soft cloth masks. The government are due to review the guidelines for the use of face masks in lessons for after the Spring Break but until then, unless medically exempt, it is important to keep wearing these.
Covid testing has been going well in school and once students have completed their third test, they will be issued with a box of home testing kits by the testers. Two tests per week will be needed, one on a Monday and one on a Friday. The testers will ensure that students know how to self-test but full instructions are included in the kit.
The results will need to be reported to both the government website, as per the instructions in the booklet and to the school via this link: Covid Test Result Form.
A separate e-mail will be sent as a reminder next week.
Final Qualification Grades
As a school we are clear that “grades should reflect the standard at which a student is working, assessed only on the content that their teachers have taught, so that the grade, as far as possible, reflects what a student knows, understands and can do”.
The process that we will be following will enable students to receive a grade that fairly reflects their current progress; it will enable students to demonstrate improvements over the coming weeks that can be reflected in the final grade.
Three documents that will help give more information on our guiding principles are for this process:
- Outcome from exam consultation Decisions on how GCSE, AS and A level grades will be determined in summer 2021 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Letter from Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education: Letter from Gavin Williamson to Ofqual (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Whilst we will not be able to share the grade with students or parents in advance, we will be making sure the process we will be following is clear. Glen, our Vice-Principal will be leading on this and will send separate communications at each stage.
The Great Quiz Battle
Calling all students, parents, carers, teachers, family & friends! You are invited to join us for our Online Great Quiz Battle, 6.30pm Friday 19th March 2021, in which our school will be competing against all the other schools across our multi-academy trust - Activate Learning Education trust! The quiz will feature over 150 questions covering topics such as general knowledge, sport, history and curriculum-related questions as well as bonuses and motivating messages. Think you've got what it takes to be the winning school? Be sure to sign up for our school to gain the glory and bragging rights! Please follow this link to sign up to The Great Quiz Battle
National Day
Alfred Hitchcock Day – March 12, 2021
Known as the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock is a pioneering film director who brought us some of our favourite classic horror films. From The 39 Steps to Psycho, Hitchcock developed innovative filmmaking techniques that influenced generations of future filmmakers and changed the way we view horror and mystery.
Hitchcock directed over 50 films throughout his career and introduced the world to iconic characters, film shots, and directorial conventions. Drawing on his austere childhood and exacting parents as well as the work of German Expressionist artists, Hitchcock became an expert at nerve-wracking suspense, twist endings, and psychologically complex characters.
Hollywood blockbusters have become increasingly reliant on visual effects over the past few decades, and recent advances in technology have made it possible to do almost anything you can possibly imagine!
Local Careers related to special effects
Wellbeing
Walking With You (WWY) are a parent led support group for parents of young people with mental health difficulties and they have a link here that might be of use to some in these challenging times: Stronger Together
Everyone's Safe; Everyone's Informed
As part of our safeguarding programme, Everyone's Safe; Everyone's Informed, and following on from the success of the live presentations we hosted in 2019, we would like to share with you an invitation from Thames Valley Police to attend a free online presentation to address the risks posed through teenage drug and alcohol use.
An online parents information event run by The Training Effect (TTE) in partnership with South & Vale Council and Thames Valley Police
About this Event
This online event for parents aims to improve your understanding of adolescent risk-taking, specifically around drugs and alcohol.
Parents may be worried that once lockdown is lifted and a sense of 'normality' returns, that adolescents may engage in unnecessary risk-taking. Whilst we want children and teenagers to live their lives to the fullest, we want them to remain as safe as possible. However, discussing these sorts of topics is often difficult. This session aims to remove this difficulty.
This session will develop your knowledge of and confidence in discussing risk-taking behaviours, whilst also providing you with best practice techniques - such as the do's and don'ts of talking to young people - to ensure you have the skills which enable you to have open, respectful and productive discussions with your children on these sorts of topics.
The session will be delivered by Ben Lovatt (TTE), a highly experienced practitioner who has been working directly with young people in Oxfordshire since 2014.
Tuesday 16th March 4:45-5:15pm - Reserve your space here
Friday 19th March 12.30-1pm - Reserve your space here
Comic Relief
We will be showing our support for Comic Relief on Friday 19th March with a dress up or dress down day.
Elements Cafe
The elements café is up to full-service from Monday 15th March.
Please see the menu opposite
Dates for the diary
Monday 15th March
- All year groups on site for face-to-face lessons following normal timetable
- Second round of testing for year 10 by appointment
- Year 11 EAL exams
Tuesday 16th March
- Yr 12/13 third Covid test by appointment
- Year 10 Virtual Progress consultation Evening
Wednesday 17th March
- Year 11 third Covid test by appointment
- Careers and Apprenticeships Open Event
Thursday 18th March
- Year 10 third Covid test by appointment
Friday 19th March
- Comic relief, dress up or dress down
w/b Monday 22nd March
- Year 11 and 13 PPEs'
Looking further ahead:
Thursday 1st to Sunday 18th April - Spring Break UTCO will be closed during this time
Monday 19th April - INSET day no school for students
Tuesday 20th April - All students in for Term 5
31st May to 4th June - Half term
Wednesday 21st July - Summer break (finish lunchtime)
Tuesday 10th August - A-level results (onsite)
Thursday 12th August - GCSE Results (onsite)
Stay safe
With good wishes
Sam