The Principal's Newsletter

Last updated October 2025

Dear parents and carers,

As we reach the end of the first half term, I’d like to share some information and news with you, as we are well aware that our students definitely benefit from you knowing what’s going on. As you may have noticed if you drive past up Balkerne Hill, we are having some work done! I’d like to thank students for their patience and care as we restore the historic stonework at the front of the building. The painstaking and highly skilled stonemasons’ work should be finished by Christmas and we’re looking forward to seeing the beautiful restoration in all its glory.

Please note that, for students, the half-term break is slightly more than a week (for this year only): they will finish on Thursday 23 October and return on Tuesday 4 November. Before that, we have our Open Evenings coming up on Wednesday 22 October and Thursday 23 October, at which we welcome next year’s prospective new students. (Please do direct friends and family to our website if they wish to find out more about these events). I’d like to thank close to 300 students who’ve promised to help out on those evenings – they’re always our best ambassadors!

We have many other events to look forward to, including our Autumn Music Concert on Thursday 13 November (tickets available now on Wisepay) and an abundance of events closer to Christmas. There will be Dance Performance evenings on Wednesday 10 December and Thursday 11 December, sharing all areas of the dance community in College. Thursday 11 December is also the date for the Christmas Music Concert and audiences for both events can visit the Christmas market before the performances and pick up some artisan gifts! Looking further ahead, we’re excited to announce the College production of The Addams Family on 10-12 February. Rehearsals are underway and it’s sounding good already!

You may have seen in the local media that Colchester County High School for Girls are consulting on a plan to expand and change their sixth form. Please do watch out for an email from us, outlining our response and how you can respond to the consultation, should you wish to.

Our first year students have got off to a flying start and our second years are well underway with preparing for their next steps, including completing their UCAS applications if they are intending to (or just think they might) go to university.

The Tutorial Programme this half term has focused on welcoming our new students to college, building community within tutor groups, and welcoming back our second years for their final year with us. Initial sessions asked students to consider their vision for life beyond college and set themselves some short- and long-term goals to support their success. For second year students, this included support with personal statement and CV writing, and for first years there was a focus on building good routines and habits to support their success here.

Students have learned about staying safe at College and in the city centre and discussed ways in which they can support their wellbeing and positive mental health during their time here. Last week we launched Copilot to students as our in-house AI platform, and gave students guidance about positive, appropriate and acceptable use of these tools. Students have voted for College Council representatives and engaged with what it means to be an Active Citizen, and explored global citizenship issues.

Going forwards into next half term and beyond, we’ll continue to reflect on academic and personal development and set goals alongside the progress review and report-writing process. (We will publish November progress reviews to parents in the last week of November, in time for the year 1 Parents Evenings on Thursday 27 November and Tuesday 2 December ). The week after half term is Green Careers Week, and students will have the opportunity to engage in conversations around careers in sustainability. As we head towards the festive season, we’ll be sharing advice on staying safe at this time of year, and tutor groups will start to build their charity Christmas hampers – a longstanding college tradition involving competition between tutor groups to build the best-looking hamper, before sending them off to families in need at Christmas. In the Spring, we’ll deliver a series of sessions on healthy relationships to first year students, and second years will start to think about preparing for mocks and adult life beyond college.

Thank you for your support in encouraging student attendance and engagement with this important part of their programme.

REMINDER OF ONLINE SYSTEMS AND SUPPORT

Students should ask their personal tutors if they are at all uncertain of where to access expert help. The list below should give you an indication of what help is on offer, as well as a reminder of systems that you can use for reporting absence and monitoring progress.

Cedar

Our online tracking and monitoring system accessible by all staff, students and those listed as next of kin for students. 

We ask students to report their own absence using Cedar, ensuring they include the reason for the absence.  Just like reporting an absence for the workplace, we do need to know a little detail if the student reports ‘unwell’ – indicating the nature of the ill health. 

Personal Tutors monitor absences and may contact the student’s next of kin if they have questions or concerns about attendance. 

As next of kin, you can access the Cedar platform and see the registers and absence.  You can also view the attendance marks but do be patient with us – this data is ‘live’ and so registers may be amended after the lesson. 

 

Details of how to access Cedar are on our website in the ‘Viewing and Reporting Absences’ section, under the Parents/ Diary tab (here).

 

WisePay

Our online system for making any financial payments to College, including paying for a trip/ visit, resources for a subject area or to top up credit for the College refectories.

You can access the WisePay platform via our College website in the ‘WisePay’ section, under the Parents/ Diary tab (here)

 

Details of financial support available to students is also on our website, in the ‘Finance’ section, under the Information/ Documents tab (here)

 

Togetherall

An online mental health support package, available 24/7.  All students have full access to this app and can sign up for an account using their College email address. 

The support package comprises of:

• online mentoring,
• 1-2-1 support in times of crisis,
• online journaling
• workshops to improve mental health, physical health and study skills.

 

A link to Togetherall is on our website, in the ‘Safeguarding’ section, under the Support tab (here)

 

Wellbeing Team

Our Wellbeing Team are based on site in our Wellbeing Hub. 

They offer drop-in support for students struggling with their mental health or the pressures of College. 

They also offer bookable regular appointments for weekly check-ins. 

Our wellbeing team can triage a student and then refer them on to other services in College or external counselling and support services, for example:

• The College Counselling Team
• The Youth Enquiry Service Counselling Team
• The MHST (Mental Health Support Team)
• CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Support Service)
• Therapy4You, CARA and others.

 

Students can email the team at:  wellbeing@colchsfc.ac.uk to book an appointment or drop-in and see the team.

 

Number 58:  The Learning Support Team

Our Learning Support Team can offer help, support and advice regarding any Learning Support issues including study skills support.

Students can discuss Exam Access Arrangements (EAA’s) with a member of the team.

Students can also meet to discuss concerns around study skills or revision technique.

We have a specialist teacher who can work with students either 1-2-1 or in small groups to develop study skills.

 

Students can contact the team directly either by popping in and meeting with a team member or by emailing: learningsupport@colchsfc.ac.uk

 

MHST: Mental Health Support Service – FREE Online Workshops: For Parents and Students

 

The Mental Health Support Team works on-site to support our student mental health needs.  The team have created some FREE online parent workshops to help parents to support their young person with mental health difficulties.  These workshops can be booked directly with the MHST service.

 

Parent workshop details and booking link:

• Understanding Self Harm and Supporting your Child:  Monday 17^th November @ 7pm – book here
• Understanding Autism for Parents of Children in Secondary School:  Monday 1^st December @ 10am – book here
• Neurodiversity and Communication: Monday 15^th December @ 10am – book here
• Understanding Low Mood:  Wednesday 17^th December @ 7pm – book here
• Understanding Anxiety and Emotionally Based School Avoidance:  Wednesday 14^th January @ 7pm – book here
• Understanding ADHD for Parents of Children in Secondary School:  Tuesday 20^th January @ 10am – book here
• Understanding Anxiety:  Tuesday 5^th May @ 10am – book here

 

In addition, the team have created some FREE online workshops which we will be advertising to students, to enable them to develop strategies and techniques to assist them on their mental health journey. 

 

Student workshop details:

 

• Neurodiversity and Sensory Needs (Young People 16+):  Wednesday 3^rd December @ 7pm – book here
• Managing Distress (Grounding Techniques) for Young People 16+:  Monday 26^th January @ 10am – book here
• Neurodiversity and Meltdowns and Shutdown (Young People 16+): Wednesday 4^th March @ 10am – book here
• Understanding My Low Mood: Monday 9^th February @ 7pm – book here
• Neurodiversity and Energy Accounting and Burnout (Young People 16+):  Wednesday 20^th May @ 10am – book here