UTC Oxfordshire
Newsletter - 10th June 2022
Dear all,
I hope you had a good half term and enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations.
In school this week we have continued with the external exams for years 11 and 13, as well as preparing our year 10 and 12 students for their end of year exams later this month.
National VCR Day 7th June
The video cassette recorder (VCR) is one of the most famous innovations in the history of technology.
The VCR is an electro-mechanical device that records analogue audio and analogue video from television on a removable, magnetic tape videocassette. Images and sound can then be played back at a more convenient time. Charles Ginsburg was an American engineer at Ampex which developed one of the first practical videotape recorders in 1956. The Telcan became the first home video recorder to be produced and demonstrated on June 24, 1963. In 1970, the innovation was launched for home use.
It is during this time that the VCR wars started. The competitors that introduced two different formats included the Sony Betamax and VHS by JVC. In the end, VHS came out on top and, by 1987, JVC had 90% of the $5.25 billion VCR market in the U.S. Once made available for the public, the device transformed several industries, including the world of cinema. It also birthed numerous VHS and video rental stores, adding to an increase in local businesses.
This marvel of technology had several uses such as playing movies/videos, as well as recording shows and events that were aired on TV. At a point in time when the internet did not exist, recording television shows to later replay them was a joy for many. Though the act of recording shows raised some concerns regarding copyright issues initially, the perception changed when the Supreme Court ruled home recording of TV programs ‘fair’ in 1984. This ruling allowed millions of people across the country to make their own collections of movies and TV shows. To acknowledge the impact VCRs had on the world, National VCR Day is celebrated every year.
FUN FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VCRS
- The bestselling VHS movie is “The Lion King” which sold 35 million copies in VHS.
- The first VHS movie was a South Korean film called “The Young Teacher.”
- “A History of Violence” was the last VHS produced in 2016.
UTC Oxfordshire in the Community
One of our ELP teams were asked to design signs for the rooms in the District Community Centre. The centre set the names of the rooms and our students produced designs and presented them to the centre.
We are delighted to say that the lovely signage, has now been installed. The design is a culmination of all their ideas and provides a creative personality and identity for the centre. There will be an official open day on Saturday 25th June from 10am – 12noon and everyone is welcome to pop in!
CDL High School Girls Program
We were delighted to be invited to the CDL high school girls program at the Saïd Business school, Oxford University. The program was to introduce girls into STEM business ideas and to see how business mentors help start-up companies.
Opportunities
Science Oxford STEM Summer Experience (free)
Open to years 11 & 12 it will take place in the first two weeks of the summer holidays 25th July–5th August 2022 and will be jam packed with events and interactions with leading STEM organisations in and around Oxfordshire. It will be run in a mixed setting of face-to-face visits and online sessions. Applications open now: Science Oxford STEM Summer Experience
Great Western Hospitals Virtual Work Experience
Registrations are now open for the next virtual work experience programme. Further details can be fund here: GWH NHS virtual work experience - July 2022
There are limited spaces so please ensure your students are aware of this great opportunity.
They received excellent feedback from our previous cohorts who found the programme very insightful as it made them aware of the 350 job roles available in the NHS and supported them with decisions about their future career paths.
Great Western Hospitals / Allied Health Professionals Webinar
Great Western Hospitals are hosting an online webinar on Wednesday 22nd June 2022, 5pm – 6pm. This will be an opportunity to meet with staff and join other Allied Health Professionals, whilst introducing you to the unique, exciting and varied careers available in this field. You can find out more here: Great Western Hospitals Online Webinar or scan the QR code to register your interest and receive a meeting link.
This is online event is primarily aimed at year 11s who will be starting A-levels (or equivalent) in September 2022. There will be current medical students covering the application timeline, work experience, entrance exams and everything students need to hit the ground running in September.
Title: Medical School Application Timeline: What you need to do now
Date: Wednesday, 14th September 2022
Location: Online
Suitable for: Current year 11 (going into year 12 in September)
Registration link: educationprojects.co.uk/project/timeline-of-applying-to-medical-school-what-you-need-to-do-now/
Last year around 10,000 students signed up for this event and registration had to be stopped weeks before the event itself. Early registration is crucial.
Changes to the School Day
Following on from the consultation about the change to the end of school day on a Friday from September 2022, we would like to reassure that no curriculum time has been lost to accommodate this. We will still be engaging with employers and are still well above the new government guidelines for the school working day, being a minimum of 32.5hrs.
From September 2022 the working week will look like this:
Year 11 Prom – Thursday 30th June
There is still time to get your year 11 Prom tickets. We are really keen to ensure our students have the celebration they deserve after the last few years so please do encourage them to get their tickets which can be purchased through ParentPay.
Ever thought of being a governor?
Becoming a school governor is an invaluable role, contributing to “transforming lives through learning” of all Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) learners. This is an extremely rewarding opportunity to make a difference and give something back to the local community. Becoming an ALET governor will allow you to use and develop your skills in a board-level environment. You would also be joining the largest volunteer network force in the country, with over a quarter of a million volunteers governing state funded schools in England.
To become a governor, you must be aged over 18 and have the necessary skills, attributes, and time to positively impact our learners. You do not necessarily need an understanding of education systems to be successful in this role as plenty of training and support is available and school governance benefits from a range of backgrounds such as from business, HR, legal, marketing and property. Our schools and University Technical Colleges in Theale, Bicester, Reading, Didcot, Swindon and Hillingdon need the benefit from a wide range of professional knowledge to provide a balanced and diverse range of knowledge, skill, and experience to be effective. As noted by Ofsted – the most effective schools demonstrate effective leadership and management, which includes the governing body.
Should you wish to discuss what this role entails in more detail, please contact Heledd Walker, Head of Governance and Compliance via email Clerk@alet.org.uk by 30th June 2022.
Elements Café
Dates for the diary
- Ongoing until 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 – Friday 1st July – end of year exams for year 10 and 12.
- 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!
- 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
- Wednesday 20th July 2022 - last day of term is, lunch time finish
Have a good weekend
Stay safe
With good wishes
Sam