003_Year9_28May2021_ECI

Parent/Carer Bulletin

Friday 28th May 2021

Year 9

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring that our students have fulfilling and wholesome learning
experience during their time at Uckfield College. Going forward, there are a number of events worth noting.

Year 9 assessments started in the final week of term 5 and will continue into the first week back in term 6
with assessments in Maths and English. Students have been focussing on revision skills and revision
timetabling. These are skills that will follow your child well as they progress through their studies at GCSE
level. If you require more information regarding the assessment timetable, please check your Edulink inbox
for an email from the Exams Office.

Planning for enhancement week is well underway. As you can imagine, planning a bespoke Y9 trip during a
pandemic requires much more consideration than usual. Nonetheless, the residential trip will be appearing
on parent pay very early Term 6. This will be the same for trips to Blacklands farm as well. We are looking
forward to this as the students have worked incredibly hard in what has been an intensely challenging two
years.

In last week's parent bulletin, Mr. Bradley explained the importance of wearing the correct uniform and the
reasons why we place such emphasis on this at Uckfield College.
Please make sure that your child wears the correct uniform to school when we return after half term.
Students will be given a detention for wearing incorrect uniform unless they have a note from you that has
been countersigned by the Pastoral Leader. Please note that now that the weather has improved, coats and
scarves are not allowed to be worn in the building and sweatshirts and hoodies will be confiscated. Please
contact us if there are issues around uniform that we need to be aware of. The college uniform regulations
are set out on the college website. Thank you for your continued support with this issue.

As always, we hope you have a restful and enjoyable break.

Eoin Mitchell and Jo Ogden
Director of Year and Pastoral Lead Y9.

NOTICES AND PREVIOUSLY SHARED INFORMATION:

Please can ALL students remember to bring
water bottles into school - it is very important to keep hydrated at

all times

Reading Roundup - Book Club is back!
Book Club is back from Term 6 onwards! It will be open to all keen readers
from all year groups (social distancing and year group bubbles maintained
where possible). It will be on Mondays after school (3 - 4pm) in the Reading
Room.
We will be shadowing the Carnegie Medal books and taking part in the
Southern Schools Book Awards, as well as listening to each other's
recommendations and suggestions for further reading. We hope to see you there!

Recommended Read
Mrs Harriyott recommends ‘Invisible Women’ by Carline Criado Perez: “From the ‘one-size-fits-men’ approach to
smartphone design, to the medical trials that are putting women’s lives at risk … this book uses data like a laser.”

Talking Point - reading for connection
Whilst independent reading is often a solo activity, books have the power to bring us together and help us feel
connected to others: to the friends we discuss them with; to characters we identify with; or maybe even to the
author themselves!

We love this quote from Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’:

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at
things - that you’d thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you’ve
never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it’s as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.”

Students must be aware that some of their lessons in the Z block will
now be in the newly redeveloped F block. They can find this
information of where their lessons are in Edulink.

Covid testing at home for the students - We are pleased to confirm that an
additional supply of lateral flow tests have now been delivered to the students. Students
should use this new supply of tests to continue testing twice a week at home (all those
who are able to) and report results online as positive, negative or void. This information
is critical in helping to understand the prevalence of the virus across the country. Please
space the tests so that students are able to test, either the night before, or the Monday
morning before college, to find and isolate any positive cases. We suggest testing on Wednesday and Sunday
evenings if possible.

● Report each test result to us using Uckfield College home test confirmation form

● and to the NHS site online as positive, negative or void. This information is critical in helping us to
understand the prevalence of the virus across the country

Students attending college must bring a clean face mask to college every day.
Masks must be worn in assemblies and in exams. This will be reviewed after half-term.
Masks are now being sold at Student Services:-

➢ Disposable medical type masks - 30p each
➢ Reusable, washable cloth masks with a filter - £3.50 each
Please bring correct change where possible.

Lewes Priory Cricket Club - are currently giving a big push to girls and women's cricket.
Please see attached poster

Does your child want to learn a musical instrument?
At Uckfield College we are lucky to have access to instrumental tuition through East Sussex Music. All instruments
are available to learn in school and instrumental hire can be arranged. Please see the message from East Sussex
Music below or contact Mr Gower, Director of Music, for more information: [email protected]

Dear Parents/Carers,
The Magic of Music - see flyer We’re back

Learning to play a musical instrument provides children with an experience that enriches their lives in so many
ways and we are on a mission to bring the magic of music to every home in Sussex. Children will learn musical
skills that help develop a lifelong love of music and research has shown that there are many other benefits
associated with learning to play a musical instrument including:

● raising confidence and self-esteem
● improving teamwork, concentration and many other skills for learning
● connecting with new people and broadening horizons
● improving their well-being by becoming happier and healthier

Lessons take place in small groups during the school day with specialist teachers from East Sussex Music. To find
out more about more about the opportunities available please visit our website where you can watch our teachers
introducing and demonstrating their instruments https://www.eastsussexmusic.org/types-of-instrument

To help you find out which instrument your child might like to learn we are hosting a series of zoom parent/carer
meetings. The meetings will last approximately 30 minutes and you will be able to meet the teachers, find out
more about what’s involved in learning an instrument, the costs involved and how you may be able to receive
help towards lesson fees. To register your interest and to gain access to the parent/carer meetings please click on
the link

https://www.eastsussexmusic.org/parent-carer-meetings

If your child already knows which instrument they would like to learn you can apply for lessons directly via our
website

https://ukbrighton.speedadmin.dk/registration#/

If you have any questions regarding our music activities please contact us on [email protected]

We look forward to meeting you and introducing your child to the magic of music,
Yours sincerely - East Sussex Music

ACRES Adult Learning is very happy to be back, now offering both in-person and
online courses. We will offer a full programme from September onwards.

● See our latest Newsletter for courses starting in June.
● To hear more about all our courses, sign up to our Mailing List
● Interested in English or Maths GCSE, Functional Skills or ESOL?
Register your interest. Email us with your address and your contact number. We
will send you details and an application pack.

Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline is available to answer questions about coronavirus
(COVID-19) relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this
helpline by calling:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm

Covid-19 related student absence - A quick reference guide for parents

Job Vacancies - see link to current vacancies page here for both Support staff and Teachers
https://www.uckfield.college/vacancies

Uckfield College Life - Spring Edition

Uckfield College Life will be published once a month. We have attached the Newsletter to the title above - if you wish
you can click on the title to see the newsletter. Please e-mail details to Toni Fletcher, [email protected].

Term dates for the Academic years 20/21 and 21/22 - http://www.uckfield.college/termdates

Reporting Absences - See link to information on Website

Uckfield College Facebook - Uckfield College Facebook page

Uckfield College TWITTER- Follow us on Twitter @UckfieldCollege