Newsletter 28 02 2014

All Hallows Catholic College Newsletter Easter Term

Friday 28th February 2014

EXAMS Friday 23/05/14 INSET DAY EXAMS Please be advised that the following GCE/GCSE exams will be taking place on the above date.

PRAYER Fairtrade Fortnight.

Lord, open our eyes so that we do not sit indifferently in front of issues of injustice.

Lord, use our voices to give voice to those who cannot be heard.

Lord, bless our campaigning and give us courage when we feel we are working in vain.

Let our skills and voices become a strength for those whose skills and voices are trapped by poverty or exploitation. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(Laura Bigoni, CAFODVolunteer)

GCE (AS) CHEM1 @ 9.00 am GCE (AS) 6RS02 @13.00 pm (Ethics and Psychology Paper 2) GCSE (Year 11) Drama Unit 3 @13.00 pm GCSE (Year 11) History Unit 2 @ 9.00 am Dates and times are set by the exam boards and cannot be re-arranged by the college. Students taking these courses are therefore expected to attend their exams on this date in school uniform or business dress. School buses will be arranged for students concerned. Parents/Guardians please complete transport requirements slips and return to Form Tutor/Reception/ Exams Office. Thank you.

Exam Results Days - August 2014 Thursday 14th August 2014 8:30am - 10:30am A2 Results (Year 13) 11:00am - 12:30am AS Results (Year 12) Thursday 21st August 2014 10:00am - 12:00 noon - GCSE Results (Y11 only)

BIOMETRIC Students will be using a new biometric system to pay for meals in school. Each child will be registered with your consent. If you do not consent to your child’s biometric data being taken, they will be issued with a PIN which they can use to pay. The system uses an image of the fingerprint to create a mathematical algorithm and then discards the fingerprint. Only the numbers remain and these cannot be reinterpreted back into the fingerprint.

We will be holding a drop-in session for parents who have any questions on Tuesday 4th March between 2:30pm and 4:30pm, so feel free to come along. If you are unable to attend or have any further questions, please contact finance@allhallows.org.uk and we will get back to you.

We hope you will support us in achieving our goal to become a cashless school and driving efficiency in our school. Your support in using ParentPay will help the school enormously, thank you.

You will receive your unique ParentPay Account activation details shortly

YEAR LEADER "DROP IN SURGERIES” Year Learning Leader "Drop In Surgeries" will be run on the following times and dates: Year 11 Tuesday 4 March 2014 between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm with Mrs Williams Year 7 and Year 8 Friday 14 March 2014 between 8.30 am and 9.30 am with Mrs Moffat and Mr Parke.

These are for parents who would like to discuss any concerns relating to their child. No appointment is necessary but please be prepared to wait. Future dates for other year groups will be confirmed shortly.

YEAR 8 PATHWAYS Parents/carers of Year 8 students should note the following important dates concerning the Pathway (Option) Process.

Date

Event

February onwards Thu 6th March 7.00 pm – 9.30 pm Tue 11th March 3.45 pm – 5.30 pm Mon 17th March

Students involved in dialogue about pathways with subject teachers and form tutors.

Y8 Pathways Information Evening (please bring Pathways Booklet) Leadership Team Y8 Parental Surgery Conference Room Deadline for Pathway Choices

ATTENDANCE MATTERS Over the last week of College attendance was as follows: Year 7 - 95.0% (down 0.5% on the previous week) Year 8 - 95.0% (down 0.4%) Year 9 - 93.4% (down 0.5%) Year 10 - 94.8% (down 0.3%) Year 11 - 96.3% (up 0.2%) Well done once again to Year 11 on leading the way with attendance across the college.

Y12: 95.7% down 0.09% on last week Y13: 97.35% up 0.85% on last week The average for the week was 94.9% (down 0.3%). Since 3rd September attendance is still 95.6%. We aim for 97%.

Last week GIRLS attendance has decreased 0.3% to 93.9%, BOYS attendance has decreased 0.4% to 95.9%. Since 3rd September boys are still winning girls 96.1% to 95.1%. Come on girls, you can beat the boys!

Parents are politely reminded to avoid absence unless it is absolutely necessary. Thank you for your ongoing support regarding medical absence and holiday absence.

Holiday absence from College Holidays have not been authorised since 1st September 2013 under new legislation on all English schools. Requests for holidays must still be made in writing to the appropriate Key Stage leader (Mrs Garvey KS5, Mr Blades KS4 and Mr Diamond KS3), but in the vast majority of cases they will be unauthorised. A Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued of £60 per parent / carer per student, to be paid within 21 days, otherwise the penalty will rise to £120 per parent / carer to be paid within 28 days. If the penalty remains unpaid then the matter will proceed to the Magistrates Court where you will receive a criminal record if you are found guilty.

Medical absence from College Whilst the College requires parents to contact us on each day of absence , school policy now requires that any student who accumulates 7 or more days of absence during the course of the academic year will be asked to provide medical confirmation of the need to be absent before any further absences are authorised for medical reasons. This is a necessary measure as we closely monitor absence due to illness / medical reasons in order that we can ensure students are supported where needed.

For your information medical confirmation does not have to be a doctor's note but can also take the form of a medical appointment card, a copy of a relevant dated prescription or evidence of medication being taken If no medical evidence is provided then the absence will be coded as unauthorised. Ten or more unauthorised absences may result in you receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice. This incurs a penalty of £60 per parent / carer to be paid within 21 days, otherwise the penalty will rise to £120 per parent / carer to be paid within 28 days. If the penalty remains unpaid then the matter will proceed to the Magistrates Court where you will receive a criminal record if you are found guilty.

CALENDAR

Term

College Opens to Students

College Closes to Students

Epiphany

Monday 6 January 2014

Friday 14 February 2014

Easter

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Friday 4 April 2014

Whitsun

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Thursday 22 May 2014

Trinity

Monday 2 June 2014

Tuesday 22 July 2014

The following are the dates for training days in 2013-14. Students are not required to attend on these days. Unless taking an external exam.

Monday 24 February 2014 Tuesday 25 February 2014 Tuesday 22 April 2014 Friday 23 May 2014 Wednesday 23 July 2014

ADVANCED NOTICE Languages Controlled Assessments 2013-2014

Please find below the list of dates for the languages controlled assessments. Each assessment can count for 15% of the final GCSE. Teachers will let your son/daughter know on which dates they will complete assessments. Please avoid time off both on the date and in the lessons preceding these dates. Please contact a.harrison@allhallows.org.uk with any queries.

Year 11 Speaking 2 Year 10 Writing 2

Thursday and Monday 13/17 March 10y Tuesday 6 May 10g Thursday 8 May

Speaking 1 Speaking 2

Tuesday/Wednesday 10/11 March Thursday/Friday 3 /4 July

Year 9 Speaking

Tuesday/Wednesday 8/9 July

RECOMMENDED READS Department 19

by Will Hill In a secret supernatural battle that's been raging for over a century, the stakes have just been raised - and they're not wooden anymore.

DEPARTMENT 6 IS THE ARMY DEPARTMENT 12 is MI5 DEPARTMENT 19 IS THE REASON YOU'RE ALIVE When Jamie Carpenter's mother is kidnapped by strange creatures, he finds himself dragged into Department 19, the government's most secret agency. Fortunately for Jamie, Department 19 can provide the tools he needs to find his mother, and to kill the vampires who want him dead. But unfortunately for everyone, something much older is stirring, something even Department 19 can't stand up against…

Slumdog Millioaire

by Vikas Swarup “I have been arrested. For winning a quiz show.

They come for me late last night, when even stray dogs had gone to sleep.

There are those who say I brought this on myself. After all, what business does a penniless waiter have to be participating in a brain quiz?”

Eighteen year old Ram Mohammad Thomas is in prison after answering twelve questions correctly on a TV quiz show to win one million rupees. The producers have arrested him, convinced that he cheated his way to victory.

Twelve extraordinary events in street-kid Ram’s life – how he was found in the dustbin by a priest; come to have three names; fooled professional hitman, even fell in love – give him crucial answers.

PARENT VIEW SURVEY FOR 2012-13

8 parent responds so far to the OfSTED Parent View Survey for 2013-14.

Each week we will be presenting a statistic from the 2012-13 survey and asking you a question or two about how we can continue to work together to do our very best for our young people. 130 parents responded last year and we’d like to reach a minimum of 200 this year!

As a Catholic college we pride ourselves on trying to address the needs of the whole child. 97% of parents strongly agree or agree that their children is being well looked after at All Hallows – and 2% don’t know. We’d like all parents to know more about how we look after children and would encourage parents to have regular conversations with us and their children about this area. How do we, together, make sure our children are well looked after? Email your views to parentview@allhallows.org.uk and please follow this link to complete the questionnaire this year - http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk

ALL HALLOWS IS AGAINST BULLYING We would like to remind students and parents that our website has links to an anti-bullying email service. bullying@allhallowslearning.org.uk is the email address that can be used to confidentially report incidents of bullying to a senior teacher. Students are also encouraged to report bullying to their form tutor and Year Leader.

PARENTS AS PARTNERS: THE NEW TERM Parents, please can you check your child’s equipment for learning, uniform and PE kit this Easter term and replenish any items as necessary.

All students should carry with them everyday a pen, pencil, ruler and their planner, in addition to their exercise books and textbooks. A calculator is also required for Mathematics, Bible for RE and dictionaries for languages and English. Thank you.

SPECIALISM SUCCESS OF THE WEEK Students in Mr Blades' two Year 8 BITE classes have shown their enterprise skills with two large scale production runs recently that saw them make home made candles and soap for Valentines Day. Combined they sold over £100 worth of products. One group, called Amaze, produced heart shaped candles whilst the other group, GR8, make hand made soap in a variety of shapes. They produced marketing materials for display around the college and sold to staff, students as well as parents and friends. Since September Amaze has had a total sales revenue of £409.33 with a net profit of £249.36, whilst GR8 have a total sales revenue of £158.50 with a net profit of £90.20 and we are only in February! Students will keep 75% of the net profit which will be divided between shareholders as a dividend, whilst 25% goes to the India Clinic Appeal. Amaze shares are worth £9.24 at present, whilst GR8 shares are worth £3.34 - not bad on a £1 investment. Full credit to both classes for the hard work and efforts.

COMMUNITY MASS All Hallows Chapel every Friday 9am-9.45am Parishioners are all welcome

CAREERS ADVICE FOR STUDENTS If any parents would like their son or daughter to have a careers interview this year with Mrs Jean Pilling, our new careers advisor, then please notify the relevant Year Leader who can ensure names are added to the list.

Priority will be given to Year 11, 12 and 13 students, but she will also see other students lower down the college for careers interviews. She has a drop in on Thursday lunchtime for students of any year.

Parents/Carers/

ECO FACT About 85% of the electricity used by your DVD Player is consumed while it’s on standby. The unnecessary us of this energy makes your meter whiz, wastes energy and also harms the environment.

COMMUNITY EVENTS FAMILY GAMES NIGHT St Alban’s parish will be holding a family ‘Games Night’ with a fish and chip supper on Saturday 28th February, 6.45pm in the parish centre. All welcome. Soft drinks available. To place an order for fish and chips or for further information, please contact Natalie Nye, tel 421603. There is also a list at the back of St Alban’s church to sign up on COMING SOON– OUR NEW ONLINE PAYMENT SERVICE We’re pleased to announce that we will be launching ParentPay as our preferred method of payment to school from 23 April 2014.

ParentPay offers you the freedom to make online payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available.

Parents will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password (these will be sent to you shortly); making a payment with your credit or debit card is straightforward and ParentPay holds an electronic record of your payments for you to view at a later date.

In addition to payments ParentPay also offers an integrated email/SMS reminders option ensuring you never need miss a payment and helping you keep your child’s school meal account in credit.

We look forward to your support in using ParentPay as it will help us further support teaching and learning by reducing the burden of income collection in the classroom and school office whilst improving school-home communication.

We will be sending letters to parents in the near future and holding a ‘drop-in’ session on 4 March 2014 between 2.30pm-4.30pm to answer any queries