UTC Oxfordshire
Newsletter – 30th June 2023
Dear all,
As we move towards the end of term there’s still plenty going on in school. This week has seen engineering awards, trips to Amazon HQ and the National Satellite Testing Centre, the start of the exam season for our year 10 and year 12 students and a taster morning for students who have applied to join us for 6th form in September.
Industrial Action
Further dates for Industrial Action to be taken by teachers have been announced by the Government and members of the NEU to take place on July 5th and July 7th 2023. Whilst we support the right to strike and the need for more funding in schools, UTC Oxfordshire will remain fully open for these two days.
Visit to the National Satellite Testing Centre
On Monday UTC Oxfordshire students had the unique opportunity to visit the National Satellite Testing Centre being built at the Harwell campus by MACE. The centre will be one of 7 in the world where satellites from both commercial and government facilities will be tested onsite using the most up to date technology. Students were privy to the internal workings of, not only the construction of the building, but also how the satellites go through the simulations of ‘’take-off’’ to space and the elements they will be subjected to. Once the building goes ‘live’ and is classed as a clean building with a cleanliness spec higher than that of the pharmaceutical industry, no visitors will be allowed. We are hugely grateful to the staff at MACE for facilitating this informative visit.
Oxfordshire High Sheriff Young Engineers Award Success
On Monday night we were invited to the Oxfordshire High Sheriff Young Engineers Award evening.
Our year 12 EDT Reaction Engines team and year 13 student Emily were shortlisted against many nominations.
Emily designed a table for a wheelchair user to be able to do puzzles in their chair to improve posture. It had to be comfortable for the user and easy to remove for the care staff. Alongside this work, Emily is studying the equivalent to 5 A Levels (extended BTEC in Engineering, A Level Product design and A Level Maths) and did a CAD (Fusion360) Certified User qualification. She also led her team to success in the Callisto project last summer with her design for a craft to land on the surface of Callisto (a moon of Jupiter).
The reaction engines team were working on the project for EDT Industrial Cadets Gold award and worked on a waste Thermal Energy recovery system (i.e. taking the waste heat from a Jet engine and using this energy for something useful) The students had to CNC Machine nearly 1000 nano holes of 0.75 mm in a very precise formation to create a heat exchanger which then needed nanotubes threading through and sealing. The rest of the system consisted of a pump and a Stirling engine that moved the water through the heat exchanger and transferring the heat to the drive the Stirling engine to transfer into Kinetic energy.
Emily won 3rd place in the year 12/13 category and the Reaction Engines team won their category
All students were given Amazon vouchers and UTC were given a cheque to develop future projects. We are really proud of everyone involved.
F1 in Schools
Our year 12 engineers are forming a team to take part in the F1 in Schools competition next academic year.
This week they have made their first bid for sponsorship to raise money for materials, branding, marketing, and designing their own wind tunnel. The team met online with Gareth from Zircotec to present their project plan.
Luc has 3D printed the first design iteration of the tunnel for testing on hot wheel cars to check the design works. They are hoping to build a larger version to test on the race car. They are using Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on Fusion 360 to test the car designs and then the wind tunnel to inform the designs.
Feedback includes a very professional presentation with some impressive skills and engineering knowledge. Zircotec, have offered to allow our students to access their industrial 3D printer and give knowledge support as well as considering contributing financial support to the team.
They’re off to a great start!
Year 12 Taster Morning
On Thursday morning we welcomed our September 2023 year 12 applicants into school to see what life in the 6th Form might be like. They had a welcome from head of 6th form Kieran, before being split into groups to take on two different challenges. One being to tackle the housing crisis and the other being to build a robot to tackle their competition. The day concluded with a lunch for them to get to know each other better, meet some more staff and ask any questions they ay have about joining us.
We hope everyone enjoyed the morning.
Degree Apprenticeship Success
Congratulations to Year 13 student Archie who following an assessment centre has secured a Level 6 Business Management apprenticeship with Nielsen. A fantastic opportunity for him.
Moon Buggies
Last week Stephen Freeman school (Year 5) visited us to work with our Vex robotics kits, complementing their termly topic of Space
They were challenged to design and create their own Moon Buggies and were able to test them out on a replica moon surface created by one of our Engineering teachers (Rich). Our Year 12 engineers supported the visits and assisted with technical support for the robotics and helped bring out the design ideas from our visitors.
It was a delight to see how eager the students were to use our equipment and it was clear to see their knowledge on space rovers, forces and aerodynamics come through during discussions with them.
Our Year 12s were wonderful UTC ambassadors and I think they had just as much fun as the Year 5s.
We hope this will be an annual collaboration between the two schools.
Year 13 Prom
A reminder that tickets are still available for the Year 13 Prom at Boundary Park Pavilion, Great Western on Thursday 6th of July 2023. If your student would like to attend, please purchase a ticket via Parent Pay. The cost is £12.50 per ticket and each student is permitted to purchase up to 2 tickets, should they wish to bring a guest. The ticket price includes food.
Attendance
Below are the figures for attendance at the end of last week. Sadly attendance in year 10 and 12 is still well below where we would hope. Some parents in Year 10 will have received a letter at the end of last term highlighting their students’ declining attendance and encouraging improvement over the course of this term. As ever, please share any relevant information regarding barriers to your student attending regularly, so we can offer support and signpost to any additional services. We don’t expect students to attend if they have a high temperature and are feeling very unwell, or have an upset stomach, however, we do encourage students to attend if they are feeling under the weather. We would rather a student came in a little later in the day than not at all in these circumstances. Please report any absences or expected lateness to attendance@utcoxfordshire.org.uk or by calling 01235 391587 and using option 1 to leave a voicemail.
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
Work Experience Opportunity
Lockheed Martin on the Harwell campus, have a placement available in their Space department during the first week in July. If you would like more information, please contact Gerrie or Paula.
Met Engineering Apprenticeships - Webinar
This webinar with the Met Police’s Operational Support Unit on 12th July from 15:00-16:00 will explain how engineering apprentices can kickstart their career and work on surveillance solutions that help to keep people safe. https://amazingapprenticeships.com/metSoaring To Success
Soaring to Success® is a careers enrichment programme that bridges the gap between education and industry. It aims to inspire, enable, and support the next generation to consider a career within aviation and aerospace. They offer virtual careers conferences, in-depth understanding and further insight into the roles and pathways available and finishing with Air Experience Days. Further details can be found here https://airleague.co.uk/our-programmes/soaring-to-success Airleague soaring-to-success
Free Virtual Work Experience
MEDICAL WORK EXPERIENCE - Geriatric Care
Aspiring doctors will learn about the unique qualities and skills required to look after frail, older people who can present with atypical symptoms, such as confusion, and often have multiple comorbidities.
Students will join a medical team assessing a patient with new onset limb weakness and speech disturbance and observe the essential role of the multidisciplinary team in managing these complex health issues. They will also hear from geriatric care experts to understand how we can improve healthcare when people near the end of their lives.
Free registration link: https://wexlibrary.yourmedicfamily.org/courses/medic-mentor-work-experience-palliative-care/
DENTAL WORK EXPERIENCE - New Patients
Aspiring dentists will be introduced to the team at Dental Mentor Smiles and observe a range of both child and adult patient consultations. This includes a possible oral cancer diagnosis, aesthetic solutions and child safeguarding concerns. There will be debriefing sessions for each of the cases.
Free registration link: https://wexlibrary.yourmedicfamily.org/courses/dental-mentor-work-experience/
Aspiring vets are welcomed into the world of small animal surgery! Chief Vet mentors will demonstrate how vets prepare owners for their pet’s surgery and administer anaesthesia and routine surgery.
Free registration link: https://wexlibrary.yourmedicfamily.org/courses/vet-mentor-virtual-work-experience-surgery/
Engineering Apprenticeships
The Engineering Trust - are currently advertising a wide range of engineering apprenticeships in Oxfordshire with companies like FMB Oxford, Viridor, Oxford Instruments, Chiltern Railways, Zircotec, ICE Oxford, Paintbox Banbury, SI Pumps and Barrus. https://apply.theengineeringtrust.org/#/vacancies
Science and Technology Facilities Council – have readvertised their Advanced Engineering Machinist Apprentice. More details can be found here: Advanced Engineering Machinist Apprentice - Careers Portal Careers
University of Oxford Apprenticeships
Becoming an apprentice at the University of Oxford is an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience, training and qualifications. They have a variety op opportunities available: University of Oxford Apprenticeships
Year 12 Future Cities (Virtual) - 24 July to 26 July 2023
Future Cities is a virtual course, run in collaboration with experts from the University of Southampton and generously sponsored by the Ove Arup Foundation who are committed to promoting education and knowledge in the built environment through the interdisciplinary nature of design.
Students will get to explore how Civil Engineers design and develop these amazing structures, making our cities clean, safe and energy efficient. From skyscrapers and bridges to water and waste services, civil engineering is all around us.
This three-day virtual course will explore how Civil Engineers work on environmentally friendly infrastructure, but also manage existing public services and work to improve future sustainability.
Students will learn the social value of a career in Civil Engineering from leading academics and improve their CVs and UCAS applications.
Cost: £99
More information here: Small Peice Trust - Future Cities
Year 10 Human Habitat on Mars (virtual) - 29 August to 31 August 2023
Human Habitat on Mars will involve students in space exploration, how to get to Mars, how the journey would impact the human body, and look at Quantum Computing.
This course – which starts August 29 - is for Year 10 students and is run with the support and input from experts in their field from City, University of London.
Cost: £99 All kit included
More information here: Small Peice Trust - Human Habitat on Mars
STEM Summer Experience for Years 11, 12 & 13
The 2023 STEM Summer Experience provides an incredible opportunity for students to gain skills, experience and expertise over two weeks in the summer holidays, all while having fun. It's free to attend, but places are limited, so encourage your students to apply now! Applications close on 30th June.
Apply here: https://scienceoxford.com/schools/secondary-schools/stem-summer-experience/
With this year's theme focusing on coding and robotics, students will build and code their own robots and put them to the test (no previous experience necessary). They'll also meet inspiring people with visits to and from local STEM companies and gain various skills important in the world of work.
When: 24th July – 4th August 2023; 9am to 4pm (daily Monday to Friday over the two weeks)
Where: Science Oxford Centre in Headington, with visits to and from local STEM companies
Cost: It’s FREE
Who should apply: Students in Years 11, 12 and 13, interested in careers in STEM.
Update from the School Health Nurse Team
Please follow this link for the term 6 Secondary School Health Team Newsletter – June 2023
Autism Central- support for families
Autism Central offers a wealth of resources for parents, carers and personal assistants of autistic people in England – from articles and learning materials to signposting to services and support in the local area.
The project is run by leading not-for-profit organisations, supporting families and autistic people and has been commissioned by Health Education England. It has been set up to help parents/carers access information they can trust, all in one place. Resources have been developed together with autistic people, parents and carers and subject matter experts, and follow the most recent research and guidance.
Families do not have to have a confirmed diagnosis to access support.
More information can be found here: Autism Central- support for families
Elements Café
Alice's Day at Oxford Botanic Garden
Saturday July 1st at Oxford Botanic Garden is Alice's Day when their Walled Garden will be transformed into a magical Wonderland. More details here: https://www.obga.ox.ac.uk/event/alices-day
Dates for the diary
- Y10 and 12 PPEs start on Thursday the 29th of June and finish on Friday the 7th of July
- Thursday 17th August – A level results day - Students will be able to pick up results from 10:00hrs to 12:00 hrs
- Thursday 24th August - GCSE results day - Students will be able to pick up their results from 10:00hrs to 12:00 hrs and enrol into the sixth form. Further communication about enrolment will be sent in due course
Remaining Term dates for 2022 to 2023
- Summer Term 2: Monday 5 June 2023 – Friday 21 July 2023
Term Dates 2023/2024
- Autumn Term 1: Tuesday 5 September 2023 – Wednesday 18 October 2023
- Autumn Term 2: Monday 30 October 2023 – Wednesday 20 December 2023
- Spring Term 1: Wednesday 10 January 2024 – Friday 9 February 2024
- Spring Term 2: Monday 19 February 2024 – Thursday 28 March 2024
- Summer Term 1: Tuesday 16 April 2024 – Friday 24 May 2024
- Summer Term 2: Monday 3 June 2024 – Wednesday 24 July 2024
Further details can be found on our website: https://www.utcoxfordshire.org.uk/term-dates/
Have a great weekend.
Stay safe
Best wishes
Emma