Papdale Halls of Residence

Spring Newsletter 2019 Welcome to our Spring edition of the Papdale Halls of Residence newsletter. Our new letter is sent on a termly basis to advise you of future events, consultations, changes, achievements, and to encourage you to participate fully in the service we provide at Papdale Halls of Residence.

Easter Break Papdale Halls of Residence will close at 17:00 on Friday 5th April. Papdale Halls of Residence will reopen on Monday 22 of April at 19:00 North Isle residents. Tuesday 23 April at 07:15 for inner and south isle pupils.

New Residents Welcome to Hannah Cockram and Kate Friel who join us to continue their studies at Kirkwall Grammar School. We hope they are settling well and enjoying life at Papdale Halls.

Staff changes We have recently recruited Alana Docherty as Relief Night Care Assistant. Alana will be a regular face in PHoR as she will be covering for Moira at times to enable her to complete her qualification at Orkney College. We are also sad to be losing Fiona Robertson. Fiona has made the hard decision to leave her contracted Assistant House Parent Post. Fiona will remain at PHoR as relief, so we will still get to see her from time to time. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Fiona for all her hard work and wish her all the best in her new job.

Robert has been off work since January, all the residents have had the opportunity to sign a get well card for him and we hope to have him back with us soon.

Supported Study Supported study is part of the Junior Support Plan for S1-S3 residents and is a chance to develop positive relationships between the younger residents and staff. As well as homework they may have, residents are given the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and workshops, that encourage team work, communication, inclusion and developing knowledge and awareness of relevant topics. Our Supported study sessions have recently changed format due to high numbers and to

help enhance our nurturing environment. The group is now split into 3 groups with 3 / 4 residents in each group. Each group is assigned a different staff member each night. Feedback from the residents has been positive with many enjoying the smaller groups and various activities. Residents also completed a survey on supported study which included possible name changes and activities they would like to see.

This term has consisted of:

• Homework. • Boardgames. • Ironing lesson. • Coding activity. • Giant Jenga. • Quizes. • Word searches. • Riddles. • Outside play in the snow. • WII. • Microwave baking. • Internet safety awareness session. • Mindfulness sessions. • Slime. • Basket ball. • Arts and crafts. • Film. • Bingo. • Anime. • Walk. • Rock painting.

My favourite things Kyle Dixon – S5 Favourite Meal. Spaghetti Bolognaise, Meaty Pizza.

Favourite Film. Battleships, warrior, Real Steel.

Favourite Band. Don’t have one.

Favourite place. Cinema, Football pitch, Home.

Favourite colour. Red/Blue.

Who would I like to meet? David Beckham.

If I won £1 million I would. Buy Houses to rent and spend £100K on a car.

Erynn Stevenson – S6 Favourite Meal. Curry and Naan Bread.

Favourite Film. The Lost Boys and Harry Potter.

Favourite Band. Biffy Clyro.

Favourite Meal. Curry and Naan Bread.

Favourite place. The Beach.

Favourite colour. Blue.

Who would I like to meet? Billy Connely and Corey Taylor.

If I won £1 million I would. I would give it to my parents.

Lana Linklater – Staff member Favourite Meal. Lasagne.

Favourite Film. The Hungar Games.

Favourite Band. Jess Gylne.

Favourite place. Orkney.

Favourite colour. Purple.

Who would I like to meet Jason Statham.

If I won £1 million I would Save half, spend half.

What’s been happening in PHoR Residents have participated in the following activities this term, Arts and Crafts, games hall, discounted swimming, card games/board games, dungeons and dragons, baking, Burns Supper, Slumber Party, Lads pizza and Games, milkshakes, flower arranging, bake off, Chinese themes crafts, Easter crafts, Mother’s day crafts. All activities are displayed on an activities poster a month in advance so residents have the opportunity to see what’s is available and what they may want to take part in.

Christmas Party Residents all enjoyed Christmas party on 19 December with various games.

Burns Supper Burns night was held on the 25 of January at PHoR. The meal was Mince, Haggis, Clapshot, and Orkney Fudge Cheesecake. The dining room was decorated with homemade tartan bunting and residents also decorated jars to hold flowers on the tables. Councillor John Ross Scott provided a very animated address to the haggis before saying the Selkirk grace.

Chinese theme night Our Catering team provided a lovely Chinese meal for our Chinese theme night to celebrate Chinese New Year. The meal was Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Crispy Noodles, Mini Spring Rolls, Mini Ribs, Pancakes, Sweet and Sour Tofu. Pudding was Toffee Tart. Residents also decorated the dining room with Chinese lanterns.

Various activity nights

Transitions Work has begun on transitions to KGS and PHoR. Staff have been out to some of the Isles to visit pupils coming into 5th Year in June. Residents from Sanday, and Westray have been in to PHoR will be coming in to stay on the 27th of March and have a day at KGS. Transitions are also underway for S1 pupils.

Safer Internet Day This year in the UK, Safer Internet Day focused on how consent works in an online context and will ask young people to explore how they ask, give, and receive consent online. This could be in their friendships or relationships, how they take and share images and videos or how they manage their privacy and data.

The campaign encouraged young people to explore how the internet works, who owns the information that is shared on it, and how they can actively take ownership of digital spaces. As a service we feel we need to provide young people with the information, so they can take control of their online lives and to feel that they can harness and use the positive power of the internet for good.

Houseparent’s held a supported study session with the residents in S1 to S3 encourage learners to discuss each scenario either in pairs or small groups, and write notes on what they would do in each situation, which included:

• Sharing a screen shot with your friends of a conversation with another friend • Sharing an image that has been going around school of someone in your year

group that spilt food down themselves and didn’t realise.

The residents were then asked to consider all the points of view in their group and think about actions that would make everyone in that scenario feel happier.

We also looked at a Data Jargon Buster we asked then asked if they have seen any of the words listed on the left before. If so, where did they see them? Did they know what they meant?

Papdale Halls of Residence Bake Off Bake off at Papdale Halls started after the February break. We had 3 groups competing over 3 weeks with the winner being crowned on the 12 March. Bakers had to recreate a recipe, follow a brief and produce their bake anonymously to a judging panel. Bakes included Vegan Walnut cakes, Chocolate chip cookies, blueberry muffins and Brownies for the final. Week 1 bakers were Maisy Grist, Christopher McBean, Callum Mackinnon and Dunstan Clackson. Week 2 bakers were Zach Rhodes, Jacob Davies, Stella Kirkpatrick, Molly Cannon. Week 3 bakers were Archie Cannon, Kyle Dixon, Kai Hanton, Jasmine Walker.

Due to a tie in scores, our 4 finalists were Dunstan Clackson, Zach Rhodes, Kai Hanton and Kyle Dixon. Dunstan Clackson was crowned the winner and received a Mary Berry cook book.

Room of the month – January 2018 Alex Mackinnon, Aaron Hodge, Callum Mackinnon, Jade Kerr, Teigan Scott.

Room of the month – February 2018 Anna Drever, Kyle Dixon, Hannah Cockram, Bailey Sailor.

All winners of room of the month received a certificate and a £5 Grooves or Boots voucher.

Wanted you to ken box The waned you to ken suggestion box is located at the entrance to the dining room. This is for Complaints, Comments and Suggestions. This is checked weekly by Management and we welcome your opinions on all aspects of life at the Halls, including areas where you feel we are doing well. We have had several compliments and suggestions in our wanted you to ken box. Here are some of the suggestions and outcomes.

Suggestion Outcome

Waffles for breakfast. Taken to Kitchen meeting.

Board game club. Taken to staff meeting.

Purchase a certain DVD when its released. Taken to staff meeting.

Areas for improvement We asked all the young people to tell us what things they thought we do well here at PHoR and what things we can improve on. Here are the resident’s comments. We are now working through them and formulating an action plan to work on things that we can improve and provide residents with feedback and reasons behind some suggestions that cant change.

Residents thoughts on what we do well • Food Nice. • Staff. • Activities. • Supporting us when we need someone to talk to. • Letting us treat the hostel as our home. • Being Friendly at all times = Brightness spirits after a day at school. • The Staff are lovely. • They feed us well. • They are a second family. • Strict like parents but they love us really. • Great Banter. • I feel more motivated because of you. • Made to feel right at home. • Everything. • House Parents are nice. • Helpful with any questions. • Tannoy in the morning. • Dinner Variety. • Laundry. • Making people go to rooms on time. • Security. • Wake up calls. • Supported study. • Stopping bullying. • Board Games. • DnD. • Leaving us to privacy. • Making us feel safe. • Organise activities. • Kind. • Fun. • Party’s. • Room. • Bake off. • Games Hall. • Night checks. • Make everything fun. • Salmon for dinner. • Friendly night staff.

What we can improve on • Let the internet stay on longer.

• Let us out longer. • Let us stay down longer. • If you could say night quietly just in case, we are asleep. • Supported study does not help with studying. • Nothing. • Tannoy does not cover all areas. • Heating does not always work. • Not making up beds as I don’t like people touching my stuff. • Our Salty rice. • Food. • Decoration. • New books in the library (diary of a wimpy kid). • Age of Empires back. • We need more Board Games. • Laser Tag. • Aloud in the library after dinner. • Supported study for older students. • Study spaces for older students. • More food. • Stop nagging us about registration. • Breakfast. • Bedding “please trust us to do it”. • Don’t treat us like Children we are 17. • Get A Hostel Fish. • More Party’s. • Salty Veg. • Waiting for 10 mins before dinner. • Food available (not only dinner).

Coming up next term Exams Exam leave starts on Thursday 25 April and runs until 31 May. Study facilities are not available during the day at Papdale Halls of Residence, however study facilities are provided at KGS. Any resident who chooses to stay in PHoR during study leave will be expected to attend school as normal and take advantage of the study areas provided at KGS. Staying in PHoR during study leave should only occur when, for example, there is an exam on the Monday and again on the Wednesday. Any request beyond this should be discussed with the Manager. Can we ask that all residents leaving PHoR after exams please start to pack and take belongings home before their last exam.

Monthly Campaign Board This terms campaigns have been reading, social media and Dyslexia. Next term will see campaigns on revision and exam preparation, Extra curricular activities and sports.

May Day Holiday 6 May PHoR will close Friday 3 of May and reopen to North Isle pupils on Monday 6 of May at 19:00 and to Inner and South Isle pupils on Tuesday 7 of May at 07:30.

In-service 3 June PHoR will close Friday 31 of May and reopen to North Isle pupils on Monday 3 of June at 19:00 and to Inner and South Isle pupils on Tuesday 4 of June at 07:30.

PHoR Website We update our news section of the website regularly with events, activities and any other news, so please feel free to browse and let us have any comments or suggestions. Please see here for any up to date information you can visit our website at http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/E/papdale-halls-of-residence.htm.Our website is in an accesible format and features Browse Aloud.

Data Protection The information you have provided Orkney Islands Council and Papdale Halls of Residence with about your Child is in order that we can provide your child with accommodation and the support they need while staying with us.

We will also at times ask the school for some information about your child, about their likes and dislikes and about any needs they may have. This will help us provide the right support for your child.

We are legally obliged to collect all this information by the Care Inspectorate who regulate and inspect Papdale Halls of Residence.

More information on how Orkney Islands Council will use your information, your rights and about Orkney Islands Council, as a Data Controller, is available on the Orkney Islands Council’s website.

http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Online-Services/privacy.htm We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter and welcome any feedback. Please feel free to contact us if you have any queries or comments

Papdale Halls of Residence, By Papdale Road, Kirkwall, KW15 1QN.

Telephone: 01856876060.

Email: admin.papdalehalls@orkney.gov.uk or Danielle.leslie@orkney.gov.uk