UTC Oxfordshire
Newsletter - 28th April 2022
Dear all,
Welcome to Term 5. We have started the term with a positive vibe leading up to the exams. Students and staff are working hard preparing for those final qualifications and we have a series of booster lessons, revision sessions and interventions planned and being delivered to ensure the best outcomes for our students.
National Zipper Day - An Engineering Revolution
National Zipper Day commemorates 29 April 1913, when the patent for the modern zip or zipper was issued. The day celebrates something we often do not think about and automatically take for granted.
The first attempt at creating the zipper came from the inventor of the sewing machine. In 1851, Elias Howe received a patent for the “Automatic, Continuous Clothing Closure.” Howe, however, never marketed his invention and missed the recognition he may have received. Forty-two years later, Whitcomb Judson began selling the “Clasp Locker.” Similar to Elias Howe’s patent, this device served as a more complicated hook-and-eye shoe fastener. Judson started the Universal Fastener Company, where he manufactured his new device and debuted it at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and unfortunately met with very little success but earned credit as its creator because he put the invention before the public for sale.
In 1906, the Universal Fastener Company hired Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American electrical engineer. He was highly skilled and known for his devotion to the company. On 29 April 1913, he was granted a patent for the modern zipper, known then as the “Separable Fastener.” He submitted modifications to his invention in 1917. Today we wear designs similar to those Sundback created in his patent. While he may have called them a separable fastener, we know them as zips or zippers.
Covid update
As covid begins to be a thing of the past please can you ensure that student absence is reported through attendance@utcoxfordshire.org.uk
Covid is being treated as any other respiratory illness but if students have covid symptoms they shouldn't be attending school. If students under the age of 18 years do test positive for Covid then the isolation time is 3 days (5 days for adults over 18 yrs.). Please see the link for additional guidance: People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Opportunities
- How to build a star inside a donut and other events. This title really intrigued me. The Engineering in Action council have a number of webinars available: Engineering in Action - The Training Partnership
The Hintze lectures: Cosmic concordance or tension on the dark side?
Date: Tue 10 May 2022
Time: 5.00pm
Location: Martin Wood Lecture Theatre, Martin Wood Complex, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PU
Speaker: Professor Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland and University of Edinburgh
Physics knowledge: Yes, knowledge of physics required
Exquisite observations of the early Universe by the Planck satellite have provided the strongest evidence yet that the Universe we live in is very dark indeed. Its precise results show that our Universe is composed of 26.6% dark matter and 68.4% dark energy, while less than 5% is made up of the baryonic material that we are familiar with on Earth. With the long-standing quest to make these precision measurements essentially now concluded, cosmologists are rapidly turning their attention to a much bigger and further-reaching question: what is the exact nature of this mysterious dark universe?
More information and booking: Visit the event page for more information. This event is free both online and in person. If you would like to attend online, registration is required. Registration is not required if you would like to attend in person.
Details of all upcoming events can be found here: https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/events
Students planning to study/ work in medicine/ healthcare would be interested in this free Schools-only lecture by Professor Chris Whitty on The Future of Health Globally on 18 May.
- Computer science students The Wolfram Language for Python Users - Friday May 20th Webinar: The Wolfram Language for Python Users by Wolfram Research (bigmarker.com)
The Abingdon Eagles are looking to encourage more local basketball players to reach their potential with the 2022/23 National League trials in May and June.
Hagbourne Fun Run and Walk - Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May. The course is just under 4 ½ miles over footpaths around East and West Hagbourne, Upton and Blewbury: the course is marked and there are marshals strategically placed to direct and offer assistance if needed. Further details can be found here.
As well as being a great family event, the money raised by the Fun Run is divided between Cancer Research, and the Village Fund which supports local deserving causes and projects. Entry is only £1 for children. For adult runners entry is £7 online (£8 on the day) and £5 adult walkers. Online entries are open now at www.evententry.co.uk/hagbourne-fun-run-walk
Congratulations
- Harry T for securing a scholarship at Swansea university for September
- Jamie D for securing a level 6 manufacturing apprenticeship at Renishaw
- George G for an offer of a degree apprenticeship from AWE
We are so proud of our amazing destinations that our students go on to.
Year 11 Product Design Exhibition
If your student is studying Product Design in Year 11 you should have received an invite this week to the Year 11 Product Design Exhibition on Thursday 12th May. You can RSVP here if you would like to come and see your student’s work on display.
Exam Certificate Collection
Following on from our Exam certificate collection evening at the end of last term, we still have some certificates yet to be completed. Please check with your students if they have not yet collected their envelopes as these documents are often required as proof of qualification in employment. If you are in touch with any former students, please nudge them to check they have collected their certificates. If they aren’t able to come in to school to collect them in person, we are able to hand them over to a nominated person if we receive written consent.
Dates for the diary
- Monday 16th May to Tuesday 28th June – GCSE/A level/Level 3 exam period - A reminder that BTEC Level 3 coursework may still be required after this end date. Please note students will not be able to finish school until after 28th June
- Monday 27th June - Year 13 Leavers Celebration at The Garden House Venue.
- Thursday 30th June - Year 11 prom at Milton Mill House. Dinner and disco included! More details to follow soon.
- Monday 11th July 2022 to Friday 15th July New York Science, Engineering and Business Trip
- Thursday 18th August – A level results day
- Thursday 25th August - GCSE results day.
Remaining Term dates for 2022
- Monday 2nd May is a Bank Holiday school is closed
- Half term is 30th May to 3rd June 2022
- Monday 6th June - start of Term 6
- The last day of term is Wednesday 20th July 2022. Lunch time finish
Have a lovely Bank Holiday
Stay safe
With good wishes
Sam