August Bulletin to parents

ST PATRICK’S COLLEGE, MAGHERA
PARENT BULLETIN
August 2019

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

I hope that you have all had a restful summer break and are ready for the challenges. A new
academic year always has new challenges and I am sure that you are ready to face these head
on. This is a new start for some of you and a fresh start for the rest of you. This means that you
have a chance to aim to be the best that you can be. Make this year an exceptional year for you!

For those just commencing their journey at St Patrick’s College, we hope you settle in quickly; this
is an outstanding College and every effort will be made to make sure you are happy and
successful whilst being at St Patrick’s. I want to extend a very special welcome to our new Year 8
and 13 pupils, as well as new pupils who have joined us from other schools and countries and I
look forward to meeting you all.

We begin the term with fantastic ‘A’ level results and anticipate our GCSE results will be excellent
also. We are tremendously proud of all our examination students and we wish them every success
as they continue on their journey in education or into the world of work.

Below are key dates for your diaries:

BACK TO SCHOOL DATES:

Years 8 Thursday 29h August 2019 (no buses or canteen available)
Pupils should bring a packed lunch
Years 13 Friday 30th August 2019 (no buses or canteen available)
All year groups Monday 2nd September 2019

Terms: 29h August 2019 – 19th December 2019
Term 1: 7th January 2020 – 9th April 2020
Term 2: 20th April 2020 – 30th June 2020
Term 3:

Mid Term Holidays Term 1: 28th October 2019 – 1st November 2019 inclusive
Mid Term Holidays Term 2: 17th February 2020 – 21st February 2020 inclusive

Induction evenings: 18th September 2019
Year 8 10th September 2019
Year 11 24th September 2019
Year 13

Parents Meetings:

Years 12, 13 and 14 7th January 2020 9.00am – 3.45pm

[all other Year Groups remain at home]

Years 8, 9 and 11 24th January 2020 9.00am – 3.45pm

[all other Year Groups remain at home]

Year 10 4th March 2020 1.00pm – 3.45pm

(all other Year Groups remain at home)

Holidays during term time

Parents/Carers are reminded that they are not permitted to take children out of school during
school term.
Medical and doctor appointments, where feasible, should be made out of school hours. Please
remember that appointment cards must be presented to Mrs Convery in the General
Office/Myra in the St Mary Building at least 24 hours beforehand.

Attendance/ Punctuality

All students are expected to have 100% attendance and punctuality to school. This establishes
good practice for the world of work.

If a student (Year 9-14) is unable to attend school a parent/guardian must call the College’s
Attendance Officer
Tel 79642451 Option 1 by 10.00am.

If a Year 8 pupil is unable to attend school a parent/guardian must call the St Mary Building,
Tel 79642464 or Tel 79642451 Option 6.

If no call is made the pupil must bring a note to their Class Tutor on their return to school. If no
contact is made from home the Attendance Officer will make contact with home.

Communication with parents - PAPERLESS

Text Messages will be our main form of communication with home; it is therefore essential that
we have the correct contact telephone number for you. Should your address or telephone
number change during the year, please inform the General Office (Tel 79642451 Option 2).

Parent App

This is the ONLY platform on which parents can access Assessment Data for their child. It will
be rolled out to ALL Year groups this year. Please ensure the College has an up to date email
address so you can accept the invite link that the College sends. A ‘How to’ guide is available

Show My Homework

Show My Homework is an online tool to help you keep track of your child’s homework. This
app will replace the traditional homework diary. Show My Homework will allow you to see the
details of the tasks your child has been set, all their deadlines and their submission status.
We have decided to use this system to improve the way we communicate with parents and
give you greater visibility into the homework we set.
Logins will be issued to our new Year 8 pupils, in September.
We will reissue logins to all other year groups in September.
Please download the Show My Homework app.:

https://www.showmyhomework.co.uk/login?subdomain=stpatricksmaghera

You will then be sent push notifications to let you know what homework is due. You will also be
notified of overdue homework and announcements/events.

Stationery List

Please ensure pupils come to school equipped for lessons. Due to budget constraints we
are unable to provide any stationery for pupils. The recommended stationery list is:

 Use a proper schoolbag big enough to hold your books and equipment
 Bring a book to read
 Bring a plastic coloured A4 folder for each subject
 Remember to bring your PE kit on days when you have PE
 Bring a pencil case to school with all the things you need, including the following stationery:

 Black and red pens
 HB pencil(s)
 30cm ruler
 Protractor
 Compass
 Colouring pencils
 Rubber and sharpener
 Pritt stick
 Dictionary/Thesaurus (Small Collins or Oxford)
 Small notebook or jotter
 Calculator (preferably Casio)
 A stapler and a hole puncher (for use at home)

Please don’t bring scissors to school.

School Fund

Payment of the school fund is important as it helps us to assist with resources for pupil
learning, extra-curricular activities, educational visits, and pupil rewards, amongst other things.
With education cuts, this has never been more important. The cuts are having a major
impact on our ability to fully resource lessons.

Year 13 pupils must pay their school fund on Friday 30th August

All other pupils must pay their school fund on or before 6th September - Envelopes will be
provided.

We can also take credit /debit card payments over the phone.

Amount payable:
1 pupil (Year 8-12) £30
2 pupils (Year 8-12) £25 each (Total £50)
3 or more pupils (Year 8-12) £20 each (Total £60)
Sixth Form pupils £60 each

Thank you to all the new Year 8 parents who have already paid their School Fund.

Uniform

 I appreciate that parents/carers have spent a lot of money on new uniform items and students
are expected to wear their uniform with pride and to be smartly dressed every day.

 Plain low heeled, black dress shoes are the recognised footwear and parents are asked to
ensure that this type of footwear is provided. The following must not be worn: platforms;
wedges; high heels; stilettos; sling backs; coloured shoes; shoes with steel heels/toes, metal
strips or ornamentation; trainers or shoes that resemble trainers.

 Combat trousers, black denim jeans or corduroy trousers, are not acceptable.
 Boys socks must be black. White or brightly coloured socks must not be worn

with the school uniform. Socks must be an appropriate length.
 Girls must wear black tights.
 School scarves, if desired, are available from Official Supplier.
 Hairstyles must be acceptable to the College Authorities. Extreme hair colouring is not

acceptable nor are styles which reflect street culture, such as shaven. NB Stripes or
patterns cut into hair are strictly forbidden. Hair must not be cut below a number 2.
 Boys are not permitted to have styles which are long and unkempt.
 Girls may only wear a watch and one pair of small plain earrings, (to be worn on the lobe of the
ear). No other piercings are permitted. Other jewellery must not be worn.
 Make-up, fake tan, nail polish, gel or acrylic nails, false eye lashes or eyelash extensions must
not be worn. HD eyebrows are not acceptable.
 Boys may not wear earrings or any other item of jewellery, excluding watches. No other
piercings are permitted.
 Boys should be clean-shaven.
 To avoid embarrassment / unpleasantness please ensure that the College uniform as
outlined above is worn at all times throughout the school year.
 To promote a high standard of uniform, clip on ties MUST be worn by all pupils.
 To promote modesty and a high standard of uniform, all female pupils will be expected to
wear the College skirt (available from the official supplier). All skirts must be knee length.
 All uniform items must be clearly labelled with the pupil’s name.

Charity Fund Raising Days

Wednesday 18th December Christmas Jumper Day (fund raiser for St Vincent de Paul).
This will also be our Christmas Dinner day.
Friday 1st May Pink Friday (fund raiser for Cancer Research)

Non-Uniform Day

Thursday 5th March World Book Day (Year 8 only)

School trip to Jungle NI

Friday 19th June for Years 8 pupils. This will cost approximately £15.

We look forward to our College family getting back together in September and I am confident that
2019/20 will be yet another successful year in the life of St Patrick’s College. If you haven’t
purchased our College magazine, the Patrician, for 2018/19 a limited number of copies are still
available from the Bursar (cost £5).

A copy of our 2 week timetable is attached.

Good luck and God bless for the year ahead.

Mrs B Mussen
Principal

St Patrick's College, Maghera
Draft 2019/2020

M T W Th F M T W Th F

September Wk1 2 3 4 5 6 October Wk 1 1234

Wk 2 9 10 11 12 13 Wk 2 7 8 9 10 11

Wk 1 16 17 18 19 20 Wk 1 14 15 16 17 18

Wk 2 23 24 25 26 S Wk 2 21 22 23 24T 25

Wk 1 30 S* H H H

M T W Th F M T W Th F

November H December Wk 1 2 3 4 5 6

Wk 1 4 5T 6 7 8 Wk 2 9 10 11 12 13

Wk 2 11 12 13 14 15 Wk 1 16 17 18 19 S

Wk 1 18 19 20 21 22 HHHHH

Wk 2 25 26 27 28 29 HH

M T W Th F M T W Th F

January HHH February Wk 2 3 4 5 6 7
Wk1 10 11 12 13T 14
Wk 2 S 7 8 9 10
S* H H H H
Wk 1 13 14 15 16 17 Wk 2 24 25 26 27 28

Wk 2 S 21 22 23 24

Wk 1 27 28 29 30 31

M T W Th F M T W Th F
2 6
Wk1 9 345 13 Wk 1 123
Wk 2 16 20
March Wk 1 23 10 11 12 270 April Wk 2 6 7T 8 9** H
Wk 2 30
Wk 1 H 18 19 Wk H H H H H

24 25 26 Wk1 20 21 22 23 24

31 Wk2 27 28 29 30

M T W Th F M T W Th F

Wk 2 1 Wk 1 1 2 3 4 5

May Wk 1 4 5 6 7 H June Wk 2 8 9 10 11 12

Wk 2 11 12 13 14 15 Wk 1 15 16 17 18 19

Wk 1 18 19 20 21 22 Wk2 22 23 24 25 26

Wk 2 H S 27 28 29 Wk1 29 30

26th – 28th August Staff days in August

29th and 30th August School days for Year 8

30th August School day for Year 13

H Holiday (no transport) S Staff training day

S* Holiday if Staff training completed by Twilight sessions

x** School day, but no buses Y12 & 14 only xxT Twilight session

7th January Parents Day Years 12, 13, 14

24th January Parents Day Years 8, 9, 11
5th March Parents Day Years 10

14th and 15th January Open Evenings SMB Saturday 18th January Open Day SPC