PRAYER FOR THE COLLEGE YEAR

Bless us as we start this new College year,

Help us to make the most of every chance we receive,

May we show love to one another and to all.

May the new beginning of this year remind us that you give us

chances to start over and over again.

Protect us and guide us Lord

And help us to live as you would want us to.

We ask this in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

Through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

All Hallows Catholic College Newsletter

Michaelmas

Friday 5th September 2014

SPECIALISM SUCCESS Nine Y12 BTEC Business Students who are enrolled with The Career Academy UK all successfully completed paid internships with local businesses over the summer. The students have come back into Y13 full of enthusiasm for the experiences they have had and with confidence levels high. Some of the students reported that they enjoyed the experience so much, they didn't want to finish and literally some students didn't finish, but carried on with their internship at the invitation of the company. Particularly worthy of note is Dominic Bentley who completed nine weeks with Axon IT in Macclesfield. Other companies providing internships included Peaks and Plains Housing Trust, Chrome Motors, Barclays Bank and Soft Surfaces Ltd. Work placement supervisors provided very positive feedback on all interns who are to be congratulated on their professional approach to completing 'real world' work tasks to exceptionally high standards.

PARENTS AS PARTNERS—THE 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 was sent to parents together with the end of year report. Student Planners: Parents are requested to check student planners regularly and sign them once weekly.

OPEN MORNINGS AND EVENING Open Evening - 15 September 7pm until 9:30pm Open Morning - 23 September 9:30am until 11:00am Open Morning - 30 September 9:30am until 11:00am Open Morning - 7 October 9:30am until 11:00am

YEAR LEARNING LEADER “DROP IN SURGERIES” Year 7 - 24 September and 12 November (11.00-12.30) Year 8 - 14 October and 16 December (11.45-1.15) Year 9 - 6 October and 1 December (9.00-10.00) Year 10 - 17 October and 5 December (1.15-2.00) Year 11 - 29 September and 8 December (2.30-3.30) These are for parents who would like to discuss any concerns relating to their child. No appointment is necessary but please be pre-pared to wait. Feel free to contact our Pastoral Assistant, Mrs C Jepson (C.Jepson@allhallows.org.uk 01625 426138 x215) should you require an appointment with a Year Learning Leader.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS Students (and parents) are encouraged to use our two dedicated email address should they need help and support from staff. bullying@allhallowslearning.org.uk is for students and parents to report bullying issues if required. beingme@allhallowslearning.org.uk is for students to use should they find themselves in need of help, support and guidance for any other issues that they face. Emails will be read by a senior member of staff who will then seek out other staff volunteers (we have 18 of them) to offer the help and support that is required.

CAREERS ADVICE FOR STUDENTS

Our careers advisor, Mrs Jean Pilling, has seen 266 students for impartial careers interviews since she started in last December -

22% of the whole College. If any parents would like their son or daughter to have a careers interview this year then please notify the

relevant Year Leader who can ensure names are added to the list. Priority is now with Year 11 students and sixth formers, but other

students in Year 9 and Year 10 may also have careers interviews appointments over the next few months. Students in Year 7 and

Year 8 are welcome to attend her lunch time drop in. She uses the Student Support office based next door to Music

TRIPS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Disco for year 7&8 students.

Friday 19th September from 6-8pm. Tickets £3 available from

the cash office. Letters of consent distributed next week.

'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time'

Monday 5th January 2015. For letters see Mrs Michaels down

in Drama. First come first served to open to all Years 9-13.

Ski Trip

If anyone is interested in the ski trip please come and see Mrs

A Marsh in F6.

BUS TIMETABLES Please note that the current bus timetables are available on the College website. Please go to For Parents > Parental Information > Transport and Trips > Transport Booklet to check any changes in timings

RECOMMENDED READS The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett

One morning in the woods of France, a blinded soldier is found by two sisters, Coco and Marcelle. In return for

their kindness the soldier tells the sisters marvellous tales, connected with the keepsake he carries in his pocket: a

tiny silver donkey. As the days pass and they struggle to help the soldier reach home, the sisters learn the truth

behind the silver donkey and what the precious object means: honesty, loyalty and courage.

Recommended for: Students who are interested in history, specifically the effects of war on different types of

people and how they deal with it.

The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series.

Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to

what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something

suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees.

Suited for KS3/KS4 Boys

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Last year attendance was a fantastic 95.8% across Year 7 to Year 11 with sixth form attendance also very high. This was an

improvement from 94.1% in the previous year. We have our sights set high and will aim for 97% this year, but we need your support as

parents to do this.

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 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, other-

wise 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 ill-

ness / 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 with-

in 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 mat-

ter 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 support with this importance issue.

BOOK COVERS

At All Hallows we take pride in the presentation of our students work. For this reason, we suggest that students protect their exercise

books with CLEAR covers.

Good news! We are stocking plastic book covers in the Pod, our College shop, so please don’t feel the need to rush out and get them all

this weekend. The covers we have in stock have come directly from our exercise book provider, so are made to fit our books perfectly.

Prices in the Pod are:

9”x7” (small) covers 50p

A4 (large) covers 75p

Special Offer - Buy 5, get one free

The Pod is open at both breaks during the College day.

CALENDAR

The following are the dates for training days in 2013-15. Students are not required to attend on these days unless taking an external ex-

am.

Monday 3 November 2014

Friday 13 February 2015

Friday 22 May 2015

Term College Opens to Students College Closes to Students

Michaelmas Tuesday 2 September 2014 (Year 7, 12 and 13)

Wednesday 3 September 2014 (All Students) Friday 24 October 2014

Christmas Tuesday 4 November 2014 Friday 19 December 2014

Epiphany Monday 5 January 2015 Thursday 12 February 2015

Easter Monday 23 February 2015 Thursday 2 April 2015

Whitsun Monday 20 April 2015 Thurdays 21 May 2015

Trinity Monday 6 July 2015 Tuesday 21 July 2015

PUNCTUALITY

Most students appreciate the importance of being in College on time. Children who are regularly late do miss out on their education and

form bad habits that will not be tolerated in the workplace.

As a result of the change to the College day we need to inform parents that students must be in the registration form class for the register

to be taken at 8.45am. This means students should arrive 5-10 minutes earlier in College to be on time.

Any students arriving after 8.45am will receive a L code. Two L codes within a week will result in a form tutor detention.

Any student arriving after 9.05am will receive a U code. This means they will be classed as absent for the whole morning and this may

have consequences for overall attendance.

Thank you for your co-operation and support with this matter

STUDENT SUPPORT ACROSS THE COLLEGE

Careers Support - Mrs J Pilling - Monday and Thursday

Visyon Counsellor -Mrs L Nolan - Tuesday

College Nurse - Mrs J Jones - Wednesday

Family Support - Mrs P Shatwell - Monday and Friday

bullying@allhallowslearning.org.uk

beingme@allhalowslearning.org.uk

esafety@allhallowslearning.org.uk