Introduction
The Newsletter is designed to provide students and parents with information about recent developments at the College, to highlight forthcoming activities and events and to provide guidance on a number of important College-related matters. Similar newsletters will be prepared and distributed in the Spring and Summer Terms.
At the start of term, all students were issued with a Student Handbook and Charter. This, together with a Parents Handbook is available on the Document Library section of the College website. These documents provide in depth information regarding College policies, procedures, systems and arrangements. We advise that they are also held as reference materials. If any students have not received a copy of the Handbook, or cannot access this from the website, please let my secretary, Julie Procter know. Please note, that in the event of an emergency or severe weather, updated information will normally be posted on the website, (and for students also on Moodle) and are the best sources of accurate information.
It is essential that the parent/guardian ‘contact details’ provided to us are up to date so that the College can, where appropriate, contact home in
the event of an accident or illness during the College day.
Our College website has recently been expanded and improved. On an on-going basis, The Documents section contains a significant range of useful materials, i.e., in due course, it will include copies of invitations to Parents Consultation Evenings. The News section provides feedback from a range of our student activities. Students also have access to significant communications and teaching and learning materials through ‘Moodle’. Students should check Moodle, and also their College emails, twice a day, as College communication systems rely heavily on these electronic forms.
The safety and wellbeing of our students is always a primary concern and on a daily basis we have a Registered Nurse, Michelle Black, available and also other trained ‘first aiders’ on site for any medical problems that may occur. If a student needs to be sent home, then we would expect a ‘responsible adult’ to collect them from College, or, where this is not possible, we will arrange a taxi to take the student home, but you may be liable for the cost. If parents guardians are not readily available ‘for emergency contact’, for example during their son/daughter's participation in a residential College trip or visit, when parents are out of the country on holiday or business, it is important that clear arrangements are made for a nominated ‘responsible adult’ contact who will have ‘duty of care’ for their son or daughter - and that the College is made aware of the detail of this arrangement prior to the trip taking place.
The construction of a 6 Teaching Room ‘Language Centre’ located on the lower section of the College site commenced in July, is progressing well and should be completed and available for usage from spring 2012. During the construction period, to ensure high levels of safety, we have to adjust some of our normal access arrangements. These are working very well and we thank students for their cooperation.
Where needs arise, please contact your son or daughter’s Personal or Senior Tutor and, if appropriate, Frances Grew, Assistant Principal with responsibility for student matters. You can also contact Ian Thompson, Vice Principal, or myself.
Ian MacNaughton
Principal
2011 Examination Results and Destinations
The results achieved by College students in the summer 2011 public exams were excellent - the best set of results our students have achieved to date and well above the national benchmark levels.
The group of Year 2 students achieved an A Level pass rate of 99% with a top grade (A* - C) rate of 78%, while IB Diploma students achieved a pass rate of 91% and an average IB points score of 32 – well above the international averages. Overall last year’s Year 2 students achieved an average ‘DfE achievement points’ score of 925 points (an A* at A Level is 300 points) an A at A Level 270 points, B 240 etc). This is over 20 % above the national average achieved in all schools and Colleges including those in the independent and grammar school sector. Indeed, the ‘top 100’ achievers at the College attained average UCAS and DfE point scores which we understand, for the fifteenth consecutive year, are better than those achieved by the ‘top 100’ students in any selective or independent school in the country and the results mean that our students were, again, the most successful of any College in Essex, Suffolk or Norfolk.
Well over 1000 of last year’s Year 2 students are now studying for degree courses at universities or specialist Art or Performing Arts courses or have arranged ‘GAP’ or other ‘Year Out’ placements and experiences before they enter higher education in 2012. Others have obtained excellent employment and training opportunities in London or the local area.
Our current Year 2 students also achieved excellent results in their AS exams with overall pass rates and A-C grades above the national averages. At the time of writing due to identified ‘aberrant marking’ we are still awaiting full ‘re-marks’ of one module in AS Sociology and some further marks in one module of AS Modern History. We expect that the results of these re-marks will be back soon. We are also discussing inconsistencies of marking with OCR in one module of AS Law. The modular AS marks achieved now provide a sound basis upon which Year 2 students can build for success at A2 Level, particularly when students make skilful and considered decisions about AS modular re-sit entries. The January AS and A2 exams are very important to build a platform for further success.
At GCSE, where the majority of our candidates were repeating examinations to improve grades, results were also excellent – nearly 10% above the national average level in the A*-C grades range. These results are particularly good when it is considered that the majority of entries are ‘re-sits’. Congratulations must be offered to our students for their hard work and successes and credit must also go to the College staff who supported our students in their studies and wider experiences.
Year 2 Students
We anticipate at least 1000 of our Year 2 students will apply for higher education courses either for 2012 entry or for a deferred place for 2013 entry. Staff are currently very busy advising and working with students to help them prepare and finalise their applications and a good number of applications have already been dispatched to UCAS. The specified deadline for the receipt of applications for most degree courses at UCAS is 15 January 2012 although for some degree courses deadlines dates were earlier than this. (These have been clearly and regularly communicated within College). Students are required to submit their applications to UCAS electronically. From the ‘first submission of a draft’ UCAS application to our staff, please remember that there is a significant amount of checking, administrative work and reference preparation which then needs to be undertaken. We will therefore require that draft applications, are completed and submitted to College staff by Friday 18 November at the latest to enable staff to ‘despatch’ by the ‘end of this term’ . Alternatively an internal deadline of just a week later (25 November) applies for the College to guarantee to be able to meet the 15 January UCAS deadline. We do strongly advise all students applying to UCAS to submit their applications as early as possible. Feedback received from universities indicates that early applications are generally given greater and more favourable consideration by Admissions Tutors. When making the final UCAS ‘choices’ from ‘offers’, we strongly advise that students should have a ‘fallback option as their ‘insurance’ ‘2nd choice’ This should allow students to achieve an ‘offer’ which is likely to reflect ‘’Current’ grades and below ‘Target’ grades and is lower than expected with other choices.
Students considering applying for competitive employment or sponsorship options with national organisations, will in many instances, need to make their application relatively early and are urged to commence their research as a matter of urgency. With regard to the January 2012 series exams, many Year 2 students have chosen to re-sit one or more AS modules and please note that the programme of AS exams begins in early January, just a few days after the start of term. A number of A2 Level subjects at the College enter their students for a January sitting of the first of the A2 Level modular exams and these exams are nationally timetabled for the period from mid to late January to early February.
To help students there will be an Exam and Study Leave period for Year 2 A2 students in mid-January. Dates will be finalised and communicated by early November. During this period Year 2 IB students will be completing their mock exams.
If Year 2 students only have AS/A2 exams in or after the Exam and Study Leave period, students are advised to use the flexible time available in mid-January to make progress with completion of coursework and/or preparation for any practical assessments taking place later in the term. There will be ‘revision classes’/‘workshops’ made available in most subjects, for January exams and revision materials are made available to students in a number of ways, including teaching, learning and assessment resources posted on ‘Moodle’.
Certificates for all the AS Level exams taken last summer will be distributed to relevant students, via Tutor Groups in December. Year 2 IB students are currently finalising their Extended Essays. The IB External Exams will commence on Wednesday 2 May (Please note: Monday 7 May is a Bank Holiday, but there will still be IB exams taking place on that day). IB results are scheduled for release in early July 5 weeks earlier than the release of AS and A2 results.
Year 1 Students
We have been very pleased to welcome our new students this term and the first signs are that they are settling very quickly at College and into their individual programmes of study. We feel it important to highlight to parents and students the Summer Term arrangements. The main period for the national AS Level exams is between early May and early June. In some subject areas students will complete practical assessments, or language orals, or assessed projects or coursework, in the period between October and May. Each subject area will give their students the relevant detail of the applicable assessments and dates which students are then encouraged to record in their Handbook and Diary, together with details of homework and other work set.
Year 1 AS Level students will have an Exam and Study Leave period in the mid May to early June 2012 period (dates to be confirmed) to help them to prepare and perform effectively in AS exams. Please note that the Easter break period in April, is ‘just in front’ of the start of the AS exam programme in early May and during this period students should plan to make substantial progress with their independent programmes of revision and preparation for the exams. IB students will have ‘Internal Exams’ in the week beginning 09 May – 15 May. From Wednesday 30 May – Friday 01 June they will be ‘back in’ in for a mixture of study skills, TOK activities and Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 July will be the ‘Group 4’ Project. The IB Internal Exams will help ‘inform’ the Predicted Grades process, used in the UCAS HE applications completed in the early autumn period.
On Monday 11 June Year 1 AS Level students will also return to College to re-commence their studies. In this period from 11 June to the end of term (17 July), the teaching of the IB and A2 Level courses will begin and attendance is essential for progression in September as students intending to keep the option of a second year of A2 study open are expected to be in classes for the teaching of the first A2 module during this 5 week period.
We remind students and parents that holidays should not be taken by students at any stage within term time in the period including in the second half of the Summer Term. A2 teaching starts in June and substantial progress will be made in the period to 17 July. Students should also be aware that some work will be set by staff in each A2 Level subject area for completion during the summer holiday period. IB students will also be expected to make significant progress with their Extended Essays as well as completing some work in most individual subjects. To inform and guide students and their parents, an outline of calendar working arrangements was included in the Student Handbook and also in the Parent Handbook.
If parents particularly wish to discuss a matter with their son or daughter’s Senior or Personal Tutor, please contact them directly. There is also an opportunity to make an appointment for the forthcoming Parents’ Consultation Evenings (details below). A College programme of Higher Education and Employment guidance will begin in March, including a Careers and H.E Fair and an HE Briefing Evening. Students have an opportunity, if they wish, to attend a Colchester Careers Convention to be held at the Community Stadium on Wednesday 02 November 5 – 7 pm.
Reviews/Parent Consultation Evenings/Reports
Students are currently undertaking Initial Progress Checks with their Personal Tutors. Full Progress Reviews with their subject teachers will take place in November, culminating in discussions with Personal Tutors. Students will be asked to show parents their Progress Review sheets and ensure that parents sign their Review documents upon completion. Subject focussed Consultation Evenings will then be held for parents of all students on Tuesday 22 November, Thursday 24 November and Tuesday 29 November. Letters inviting parents to make specific appointments with relevant staff which can include Personal Tutors, for one of the evenings will be distributed after half-term. Students are warmly invited to join their parents for these meetings. If the specified date allocated to you is inconvenient, then it is possible for parents to make appointments on one of the other two evenings.
Further full reports for all students will be prepared and posted home in late March. Parents of students following the Advanced Foundation Programme were invited to a Consultation Evening held on 5 October.
Summer 2012 Results and Post Results Arrangements
We understand that the Examination Boards are planning to release A2 and AS Level results on Thursday 16 August 2012 with GCSE results released on Thursday 23 August. Year 1 AS Level students should ensure that they are available to come into College in the period between 16 and 24 August to receive post-results help, advice and guidance, should this prove to be necessary. A large team of Senior and Careers Dept. staff will be in College from 16 August to discuss Year 2 courses and to offer guidance and advice with regard to progression issues. Enrolment for ‘new’ students will begin on Tuesday 28 August 2012 with all students returning for Year 2 A Levels or IB will need to be in College on Thursday 30 August.
Expeditions and Residential Field Trips
Groups of History/Politics and Archaeology students recently visited Berlin and Wales respectively. In September groups of Environmental Students undertook fieldwork in Tiptree and Geography students in Felixstowe. There was also a Politics trip to Parliament, where students met local MPs Bob Russell, Bernard Jenkin and Priti Patel. They also met Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall, had a tour of Parliament and visited the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The Holocaust Memorial Programme has started and a group of students will be visiting Krakow/Auschwitz between 06 - 08 November. We also have a Holocaust survivor coming in to College to speak on 31 October.
In the Spring Term there are also a series of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science fieldwork trips planned, including a trip to Southern Italy and the Aeolian Islands. There are groups of German, Italian and Spanish students visiting Munich, Perugia, and Mazarrón respectively. A group of Yr. 2 Sociology and Health & Social Care students will visit New York in February, whilst AS level Sociology will attend a revision conference at the University of Essex University in early April In late June Creative Writing students will enjoy a residential writing weekend at the National Trust Windmill at Burnham Overy Staithe.
Students and their parents will of course need to decide which trips/visits they wish to undertake - and to prioritise their choices in light of educational need, workloads and financial affordability.
Sport
A comprehensive sports fixture list is now underway covering a very wide range of sports. This includes our Equestrian team that recently competed at the Norton Heath Interschool’s event. The British Colleges Sports competitions are underway and the College is looking forward to another successful year in this with, hopefully, a large number of successful qualifiers for the finals to be held at the University of Bath. The Colchester Basketball Academy is in its second year of operation which includes the collaboration of the College with Colchester Institute and local basketball coaching team led by Mark Lloyd.
An excellent range of competitive and recreational opportunities continue to be made available at the College with the overall aim of encouraging greater sports participation. From November, regular information will be made available, by our team of sports reporters, in the Sports Bulletin.
Performing Arts.
An impressive Performing Arts programme is planned for the term. In September a large Year 2 Theatre Studies students went to the National Theatre in London to watch the last night of the comedy ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’, starring James Corden in the main role. Many students also met Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen -who were generous with their time and seemed genuinely interested in our students and their study of Commedia Del Arte.
Forthcoming Performing Arts Activities include:
- A group of students will perform The Taming of the Shrew in the Shakespeare Schools Festival at the Wolsey Theatre on Monday 01 November
- Music students will perform in an Autumn Concert at 7.30pm on 8 November. The evening will feature a wide ranging programme of musical performances from both ensembles and soloists. The Choir and Orchestra will perform a series of carols and musical items as an integral aspect of the Carol Service at St Peter’s Church on the evening of Tuesday December 13.
- This year we have a number of students taking Extended Project Qualification in Performance. This includes several ‘actors’ and a ‘director’ and they will be showing their work on the evening of Tuesday 6 December.
- AS/A2 Dance students will be involved in Performance Evenings on 7 and 8 December. These evenings will also include EPQ Dance, CHOREOlab and Dance Club performances.
- A number of continuing musical performance opportunities are scheduled including the first of a series of ‘Unplugged’ performances on Friday 21 October, with a second scheduled for December.
- A Rock Opera on the evenings of Thursday 01 and Friday 02 of December - ‘The Damnation of Jonathan Fist’. This will involve a group of music students, drawn from across the College. Performances will be at 7:00 pm.
- The Battle of the Bands final will be held at the Colchester Arts Centre on Thursday 9 February 2012, with Heats held at the College prior to this date.
We are very proud of ex-student Luke Jessop who is now performing professionally with 2Faced Dance Company. Dance and Performance studies students will be going to watch his debut performance in front of his home crowd on 21st October. Former student William Danes, who completed his A-levels in the summer has recently been offered an Oxford Choral Scholarship at Magdalene College, Oxford.
Science and Mathematics
Lucy Dawson has recently won an achievement for her performance in the recent Salters Advanced Chemistry Individual Investigation. Lucy gained the joint highest mark nationally and has been invited to attend the Salters’ Institute Annual Awards Ceremony at Salters’ Hall In London in November. Amy Parkinson was entered for the Chemistry Cambridge Challenge. There were over 2000 entrants and Amy was in the top cohort of achievers and awarded a Gold Certificate.
The College Science Society will organise a range of activities through the year and a number of science students will have a chance to take part in the Science Olympiads and/or Maths Challenge.
Languages
In late September, the Languages Department celebrated the European Day of Languages. There were 20 excellent language presentations ranging from Finnish, Arabic, Polish, Russian and Thai to Tagalog and Twi. In addition to staff contributions a number of students and 5 staff delivered very polished sessions where they taught basic greetings and numbers from these languages, as well as giving insights into some aspects of the cultures associated with them.
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award
Last year the College D of E Gold groups had excellent and challenging experiences. 20 students, in 3 groups, successfully negotiated the Peak District in April and the Yorkshire Dales in July. The students also undertook Personal Skill, Volunteering and Physical skill experiences, as well as arranging residential projects. These took in locations as far apart as Senegal and NE Essex! A further 15 of our students were involved in other local D of E groups and again reported successful experiences.
The International Society
The International Society held an International food tasting event at the beginning of term with sweets and savouries being offered from ‘Around the World’. The Society is currently organising Diwali celebrations and an ‘Indigo Dying’ workshop as part of Black History Month activities, will be organised in November.
The Charities and Social Committees
The Charities Committee is organising a ‘Pink Day’ activity for 19 October and a ‘Children in Need Day’ in November. The College Council Social Committee is now in the process of organising a Student Christmas Party. This has always been a very successful and enjoyable event and this year it will be held at Yates's Wine Lodge on 07 December.
Environmental Issues and The Environment Committee
There continues to be a strong focus on improving the College’s sustainability. The College has this year, again, been nominated in the Colchester Business Awards, ‘Active Travel and Staff Wellbeing’ category. This recognises the college commitment to promoting sustainable travel options and the health of staff and students.
The Environment Committee
The Environment Committee continues to promote sustainability throughout the college, the most recent being a ‘Green Tutorial’ - , comprising of a ‘Green Quiz’ and ‘Litter Pick’. This is especially relevant as the College is hoping to apply for the Eco-Schools Green Flag award this year and minimising litter is a prominent subject of the application. The Tutor Group who win the ‘Green Quiz’ will get to name a goat as part of the work of the ‘Kenya 2020’ Charity, which will be supported by the College Environmental Council this year, ‘Green Week’ and a number of other student activities will also support ‘eco’ projects internationally. For updates and further ‘eco’ and ‘green’ details please again visit the College website.
College Association
The Association Committee welcomes parents of ‘new’ students and hopes that you will be able to support its fund-raising activities to enhance the facilities for students at College. A Quiz night is scheduled for Friday 11 November. Please see the enclosed ‘flier’ for details. There will be an Association meeting held at 8:00 pm on the Parents’ Evenings on Tuesday 29 November. Parents who would like to attend the meeting can arrange their appointments before the meeting times. Details will be given within the letters which invite parents to the evening and these will be distributed after half term.
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