Newsletter 07 01 2013

All Hallows Catholic College Newsletter Epiphany Term

Friday 10th January 2014

PRAYER Reborn of Christ

EXAMS

Almighty ever-living God, when Christ was baptised in the River Jordan and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, You declared Him Your beloved Son. Grant that we, Your children, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to You. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Please be advised that the following GCE/GCSE exams will be taking place on the above date.

ECO FACT If every UK household installed just one energy efficient bulb tomorrow, we’d save £80 million a year and enough electricity to power the UK’s street lighting for 7 months. We’d also save half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

PARENTS AS PARTNERS – A NEW TERM Uniform and Equipment: All students should have returned to College wearing the correct, full uniform and be carrying the correct equipment in a College bag A full list of uniform and equipment expectations are located on the College Website

Friday 23/05/14 INSET DAY EXAMS

GCE (AS) CHEM1 GCE (AS) DRAM1 GCE (AS) 6RS02 GCSE (Year 11) History Unit 2 Dates and times are dictated 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. Exam Results Days - August 2014 Thursday 14th August 2014 08:30am - 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)

SPECIALISM SUCCESS OF THE WEEK Stella White, Frankie Slater, Ria Hubbard, Sarah Buxton, Rachel Hemy and Sinead O'Boyle in the year 12 and 13 "immersion", French Form raised over £40 for the India appeal with sales of French themed breakfast items (coffee and croissants!) to students within the college.

The students have also done a sponsored "speak only in French day!" again to raise funds for the College appeal.

Not only have the students raised a considerable amount of money their grades have improved dramatically! Many thanks to Mr Deay for co-ordinating.

Student Planners: Parents are requested to check student planners regularly and sign them once weekly.

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

YEAR LEADER "DROP IN SURGERIES” Year Learning Leader "Drop In Surgeries" will be run on the following times and dates: Year 12/13 – Thursday 30 January 2014 between 8am– 9:30am with Mr Howells and Mrs Garvey 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.

YEAR 11 PARENTS EVENING 16th January 2014, 5pm - 7.30pm On line booking for this event is now available through the College website. Please go to "For Parents Parental Gateway". For problems with log-in please contact the College on 01625 426138/01625 410287. The College hopes to see all parents/students in Year 11 as we consider this an essential aspect of home-school partnership. As a College event, students are expected to attend in full College uniform.

YEAR 11 PROM The date for the Year 11 prom has been set. It will take place on Thursday 26th June 2014 at Cranage Hall in Holmes Chapel.

Letters have been sent home with details. Please contact Mrs Williams (Year 11 Learning Leader) staffsw@allhallows.org.uk for any additional details.

YEAR 8 AND 10 PARENT CONSULTATION DAY On line booking for this event is now available through the College website. Please go to "For Parents>Parental Gateway". For problems with log-in please contact the College on 01625 426138/01625 410287. The College hopes to see all parents/students in Years 8 and 10 as we consider this an essential aspect of home-school partnership. As a College event, students are expected to attend in full College uniform.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

98.00%

Over the last week of College attendance was as follows:

97.00%

Year 7 - 97.1% (up 2.1% on the previous week - well done Year 7) Year 8 - 94.4% (down 1.8%) Year 9 - 95.0% (up 0.9% - well done Year 9) Year 10 - 93.4% (down 0.1%) Year 11 - 92.0% (down 0.1 %) Year 12- 94.99% Year13- 95.95%

95.00%

96.00%

94.00% 93.00% 92.00% 91.00% 90.00%

89.00% YEAR 7

YEAR 8

YEAR 9

YEAR 10 YEAR 11 Year 12

Year 13

This was a good end to the term for our students overall. The average for the week was 94.4% (up 0.2%). Since 3rd September attendance is still 95.6%.

We aim for 97%.

Last week GIRLS attendance has increased 1.1% to 94.4%, BOYS attendance has decreased 0.6% to 94.5% so well done girls this time!. Since 3rd September boys are still winning girls 96.0% to 95.2%, but the gap is closing. Come on girls, you can beat the boys!

Parents are politely reminded to avoid absence unless it is absolutely necessary. Thank you for your on going 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.

The link between attendance and achievement is well researched and documented and students should be aiming for an attendance rate of no less than 97% over the year. Thank you for your continued support with this importance issue.

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 Writing 2 Speaking 2

11y Thursday 16 January 11g Tuesday 21 January Thursday and Monday 13/17 March

Year 10 Writing 2 Speaking 1 Speaking 2

10y Tuesday 6 May 10g Thursday 8 May Tuesday/Wednesday 10/11 March Thursday/Friday 3 /4 July

Year 9 Speaking

Tuesday/Wednesday 8/9 July

RECOMMENDED READS Fifteen Bones by Rebecca Morgan Jake is not a bad person - he used to be the class joker, the comedian. He used to have 'potential'. But now he's been expelled from five schools and only Cattle Rise, a tough inner-city school, will take him. All he has to do is survive these first few weeks because otherwise he's heading to the Detention Centre. But survival means keeping his head down, and that's not something Jake's very good at. What nobody knows is that Jake is drowning in grief - a grief that makes him angry and violent and unafraid. Then one night he hears screams in the night from the girl next door. Could it be that Robin's trapped in a fate worse than his? Perhaps, in helping her, he can help himself. But, as he's drawn into Robin's world, Jake realizes that he's about to discover what real danger is.

Taken by David Massey A young crew of five are toughing it out together, sailing around the world on a gruelling charity challenge. They are used to being pushed to the limit, but nothing could have prepared them for being kidnapped. When they are taken hostage by a notorious warlord and his band of child soldiers, the trip of a lifetime turns into a oneway journey into the heart of the African jungle. When hope is all you have, survival is all you can fight for.

SilverFin - Young Bond by Charlie Higson File Note: Strictly Confidential – Authorised Personnel Only Subject: James Bond Age: 13 Description: dark hair that falls in a comma above his brow, despite efforts to control it; blue eyes; tall for age; surprisingly strong; fluent French, good German Essential components: a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing; a girl—blond, green-eyed, named Wilder Lawless; a fast car Additional detail: Sinister experiments at a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands; the disappearance of a young boy; and a dangerous encounter with killer eels

YEAR 7 TAKE PART IN READATHON In English lessons this term, Year 7 students will be doing 'Readathon'. Students will ask as many people as possible to sponsor them to read new books and pass Accelerated Reader quizzes. All the money raised will go to two childrens' charities, which support children in hospital and their families. The deadline for money to be returned to school is Friday 28th February. For more information please contact Miss E. Stebbings (Literacy Co-Ordinator).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE READING BLOG (Parent Consultation Day 30th January 2014) Go to the All Hallows Website - www.allhallows.org.uk Log in using their REALSMART username and password.

Either: A) Click the image on the homepage that says “Student Work for Parental Consultation Day” on the homepage and then click “Year 7, 8 and 9 Reading Blog” OR B) Click “For Students” in the main menu and the choose the link that says “Parental Consultation Day Year 7, 8 & 9 Blog” At the bottom of the page there is a comments box. They need to type their response to the blog in the comments box and hit submit.

Their blog will then be checked by staff in College and then published once spell checked.

Parental Consultation Day - Work for Students

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY 2014 –

Year 7

ARRANGEMENTS

Year 7 students attend College as normal for a day focused on Mathematics and Physical Education.

ATTEND COLLEGE

Year 8

Attend College with ments.

parent/carer(s) for booked appoint-

HOME STUDY AND

AND

ATTEND APPOINTMENTS

Reading Challenge (Accelerated between 9.30am-3.00pm)

Year 9 DO NOT ATTEND COLLEGE EXPERIENCE OF WORK DAY

Young People’s Take Over Day child to work day)

(Self placed – take your

OR Maths based work agreed with teachers if not attending work day.

Attend College with ments.

Year 10

Reader – blogs to be sent

parent/carer(s) for booked appoint-

AND

HOME STUDY AND ATTEND APPOINTMENTS

Year 11

Subject Reading Day (Making Science revision notes/cards for at least one subject)

Young People’s Take Over Day child to work day)

DO NOT ATTEND COLLEGE

OR

EXPERIENCE OF WORK DAY

Subject Reading Day (Making least one subject)

Sixth Form

(Self placed – take your

revision notes/cards for at

Subject Reading Day

DO NOT ATTEND COLLEGE

Work Experience Opportunity

SUBJECT READING

First Aid Training (selected

students)