Dear Parent/ Guardian, Student wellbeing is paramount to ... us... · From Thursday 17th March 2016...

Success is an Attitude!

Issue 8– published 14th

March

Contact information Narcot Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, SL9 8TP Email: [email protected] Tel: 01753 882032 www.chalfonts.org Fax: 01753 890716 Twitter: @CCChalfonts

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

As I am sure you will appreciate, an important part of our students’ development and growth is how they care for themselves and take the responsibility to care for others.

Student wellbeing is paramount to everything that we do as a college and we are currently undertaking a programme called Digital Leaders which some of you may remember me making reference to during Parent Information Evenings before Christmas. This is an exciting opportunity for our students to become trained and then subsequently plan and deliver e-safety lessons and activities to all year groups. This is an important step for The Chalfonts Community College because this means that our e-safety content will now be delivered by those who have a clear understanding of how social networking sites operate and the pitfalls that they bring with them. It also allows us as adults to be up to speed with developments online which are constantly changing. We are looking forward to this programme having an impact not only on how students operate online but on how key messages and themes can be delivered across a wide range of subjects and topics. It is always a good idea to remind ourselves that, although our children may be more knowledgeable about what sites, online content and apps are available, we as adults must still take the role of ensuring that these are used safely and responsibly. I hear of many parents who do this regularly and successfully with their children by having, for example, time limits and their own accounts on Instagram and Snapchat so that they are aware of changes, alterations to privacy settings and how to report abuse if this becomes an issue. Please do take the time to talk to your child about e-safety so that they know they can come to you should they feel worried or concerned. This becomes even more important when we consider how good e-safety can have a positive impact on Mental Health. Thankfully, we are moving into an age where this is becoming less of a difficult discussion topic and something that we as families and communities should be open about; it has recently been reported in the news however that cyberbullying can have a detrimental effect on Mental Health. We must therefore aim to ensure that our children protect themselves as much as possible from this by ensuring that privacy settings are always switched on, that they do not engage in any harmful discussions or request from others and that they report immediately any incidents that may have occurred online. If you do have any concerns or worries with regards to any aspect of e-safety then please do get in contact with the College; we will be more than pleased to assist and support you in any way that we can. Dave Chapman Assistant Principal

World Book Day Reading for pleasure is at the heart of every English teacher’s philosophy and what better day to celebrate the love of reading than on World Book Day. This year, we decided to engage students early across the College to ensure a ‘buzz’ was created in the build up to the day. Tutor groups were set a competition to design a book cover for their tutor door and it was our intention to award every year group with a first and second place winner. Arriving into College on Thursday morning was a delight; the school was decorated in vibrant colours depicting some of the most loved children’s literature. Students were seen walking around the school before their first lesson and during their break times commenting on the book covers that were on display and discussing books they wanted to read. During tutor time, students completed a quiz which was to match the bookshelf to the teacher. This created a sense of intrigue and there were some very engaging discussions about the types of books staff read. It certainly opened students’ eyes to the fact that it’s not just the English teachers who share a love of reading! To add to their engagement and excitement in the day, some members of staff were dressed up as their favourite character from a book and students were keen to guess who we were. It was our aim to encourage students to actively discuss books and to show them just how engaging and stimulating reading can be. As you can see from the pictures, they immersed themselves in the spirit of the day and we are certainly looking forward to next year! Joanna Green Head of Faculty, English

Success is an Attitude

Contact information Narcot Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, SL9 8TP Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01753 882032 www.chalfonts.org Fax: 01753 890716 Twitter: @CCChalfonts


Year 9 University Visit to Brunel

We took 50 Year 9 students to Brunel University on 25th February to help raise awareness and aspiration as they

commence their GCSE courses.

The visit started with a couple of presentations, the first about university life in general and the other about the route a

current student has chosen. We then listened to more students who spoke about their subjects and how much they enjoy

life at Brunel. This gave our Year 9s a great opportunity to ask lots of questions, which was then followed by a quiz. A tour

was next, enhanced by seeing Linford Christie training on the indoor athletics track and learning that Usain Bolt also trains

there! The students were also shown the living accommodation.

Here are some comments from the feedback forms:

“I feel very excited about university following this trip”

“It was great to have the current students there to talk to us about university life”

“Great tour, showing and explaining all aspects of university”

“I feel a lot better about it now”

“I am looking forward to being more independent and taking care of my own education”

Prior to this trip, 33 students said that going to university was a ‘possible’ consideration.

Following the trip, 18 of these students said they would now like to positively consider it.

Team working amongst the Students in the College

The Employability Team is working closely with Heads of Faculty to raise awareness of the use of employability skills within

the curriculum and the classroom. I was invited to a Year 10 engineering class taught by Mr Giles to observe team

working skills.

Some of the comments I made:

All teams were comfortable with their choice of leader and were able to articulate the skills they feel they have

A couple of the teams talked about how their leaders were motivating them

One team commented that their leader was good at being able to see the full picture of the project

There was such a willingness to support and help each other within each team

All team members had identified their areas of strength and what they could offer to the project

I was extremely impressed by how the students had embraced the model of team building, stepped into various roles and

were approaching their work with such professionalism.

Interview Skills workshops

Following the Year 11 progression interviews with the Senior Leadership Team on Thursday, 25th February, we are now

offering interview coaching on a 1:1 basis or in a workshop for those students who feel they might like some extra support.

A note has been sent to Tutors to gauge interest.

Christine Sanders

Leader for Employability



Employability

Adjacent to the front of the college is a private development known as ‘Tunmers’ which consists of a number of residential dwellings. It has been brought to my attention by the residents that they are seeing an increasing number of parents parking in this area and using it to turn vehicles around. Could I ask that if you do currently drop off and collect your child from college that you respect the private property signs. The students have also been reminded not to enter or block entry to the development as it is clearly out of bounds and not part of college grounds. Thank you for your cooperation. Simon Jones Acting Vice Principal


Polite reminder to parents and students regarding ‘Tunmers’

Contact information Narcot Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, SL9 8TP Email: [email protected] Tel: 01753 882032 www.chalfonts.org Fax: 01753 890716 Twitter: @CCChalfonts

World Book Day - LSAs The Learning Support Department dressed up for World Book Day taking inspiration from the popular, ‘Where’s Wally’ books. The team would like to take this opportunity to welcome two new Learning Support Assistants Julie Stewart and Nigel Wheat. And now we ask…Where’s Nigel (Mr Wheat)?

New Youth Drop-In Evening Opens in Iver

From Thursday 17th March 2016 a new ‘Youth Drop-In’ evening will be open at The Evreham Youth Centre, Iver. The evening is aimed at young people aged 15-18 from Iver and surrounding areas and will be open from 7.30 to 9.30pm. There will be a range of activities on offer including pool, table football, table tennis, games consoles, music, an IT suite, tuck shop as well as information and advice. The drop-in evening will be open throughout the year, including school holidays. Admission is £2.00.


Taster Day On Thursday 11th January, Year 11 took part in our annual sixth form Taster Day. 180 students attended lessons trying out 5 different subjects to assist them in making their post-16 choices. A further 30 students visited Langley College to experience Construction, Mechanics, Engineering and Hair & Beauty taster sessions. Comments from the feedback forms included the words ‘fun, interactive, enjoyable, interesting, informative and well taught’. Some of the other comments were: “Mr Daniel (Business & Economics) showed his passion for his subject, making you want to do that subject” “Informative, got you thinking and was interesting” “Physics & Chemistry had practical experiments, which let us be independent which helped us understand how sixth form would be” “They kept us engaged the whole time and always checked for questions. They also gave us activities that require thought and group participation” “The teachers showed great enthusiasm towards their subjects” “Well delivered and entertaining with a plethora of activities to participate in” “Psychology… made me think in a way I usually don’t” “Wasn’t expecting to be dissecting things in PE, but it was really interesting” “Media… I am already excited to find out more and hopefully do the course” English & French: “Both subjects were interesting and the teachers gave a really honest and interesting insight into the courses. The lessons were interactive throughout and enjoyable”.

The House of Bernarda Alba Passion, jealousy and repression were the themes of the electrifying production performed by Year 12 and 13 Performing Arts students at The Beck Theatre in Hayes on 23rd February. The play, written by the Spanish playwright Lorca, was adapted to include music and dance by our own Mr Smith. The acting roles were taken by Year 13 students, with Year 12 students providing the supporting singing. Choreography was led by Megan Morris and music / digital production were also impressively handled by Chalfonts students. It was amazing to see such incredibly self-assured performances from all the cast in such a daunting arena as the 600 seat Beck Theatre. The acting was strong and passionate and the singing was excellent throughout. The music (provided by Julian, Jonathan Smith and Harriet Newman) and the dancing complemented the play beautifully. Fantastic ex-students Beth Mackerness and Shona Hunter-Singh came along to help out with the dance, lighting and digital projection; Laurie Deane also helped out with the sound control. Cast: Chloe Cole, Angelique Domingo, Georgie Druce, Lori Freeborn, Megan Grint, Katie Hales, Megan Morris, Alex Papadatos, Stephanie Jones, Zoe Thomson, Avril Tricker.



Sixth Form




Career Related Information Local employers are constantly sending through career related opportunities. Please remember to look at the VLE under Tutor Notices, Years 11 to 13, for up-to-date listings: http://www.chalfonts.org/page/?title=Careers+Education+%26+Advice&pid=193

Relief Catering Assistant Would you like to work in The College Café? We have a vacancy for a Relief Catering Assistant. This would be a temporary position being on call for two days a week but could progress to a permanent position for the right applicant. You must be prepared to work hard and be physically fit. The job would involve food preparation, serving the students, washing up and cleaning of the kitchens. Term time only. Experience in catering is preferred but training would be given, including a Level 2 Food Safety Certificate. The College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. A criminal record check via the DBS will be undertaken for the successful applicant. Apply to Carole Fadipe or Barbara Pestell on 01753 881718 or email [email protected]

Progression Interviews On Thursday 25th February, Year 11 students were invited in to speak to senior teachers about their options post-16. Those who wished to be considered for sixth form were able to talk through subject choices and entry requirements with their interviewer. For those who weren’t sure about their future plans, the interviewers were able to provide information about other colleges or career choices. Those Year 11 students who couldn’t attend the Progression Interview Evening but would like an interview should contact their form tutor to make an appointment. The interview process will be on-going for the next couple of weeks and offer letters for sixth form places will follow shortly.

UCAS Convention – ExCel, London Docklands Monday 18th April 2016 As part of Year 12 students’ university application process, I have booked the whole year group in to the UCAS Convention being held at ExCel on Monday 18th April. There is no charge for this event; students will be attending as “independent travellers” and are expected to make their own way to the venue. We will be issuing e-ticket registration details, directions and a copy of a leaflet highlighting safety tips to the students in due course. Mr Way Leader for Sixth Form

Sixth Form

http://www.chalfonts.org/page/?title=Careers+Education+%26+Advice&pid=193

mailto:[email protected]




Rowing On March 3rd fourteen students participated in the South Bucks rowing finals at Evreham Sport Centre. We had a very strong day winning a number of events:

Year 7 & 8 boys relay (Ben Withall, Oliver Collins, Jack Eden and Harrison Lockless) Year 9 & 10 boys relay (Jasper Robinson, Edward Barrett, Mathew Lipscombe and Mason McDonnell) Year 8 boys singles (Harrison Lockless) Both Year 10 boys singles (Mason McDonnell and Mathew Lipscombe) Year 10 girls singles (Charlotte Parrett)

I was very proud of how our students behaved and supported one another during the events, an excellent team effort! Congratulations to all. Pedro Pinho Teacher of PE

PE Department News

17/03/16 – Y7/8 Chemistry Trip – Salter’s Festival

18/03/16 – Y7 Bake Off Final – P6

22/03/16 – Y9 Parents Evening 4 to 8pm

24/03/16 - End of Spring Term - Years 7 to 9 at 12.20pm - Years 10 to 13 at 1.10pm

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Parents can now make an online donation via

ParentPay (www.parentpay.com). Contributions

to the School Fund will support the College in further developing our larger projects that we

receive limited external funding for. The School Fund projects impact on every student in the

College, ensuring they have the very best

facilities and resources to enrich their learning experiences. It is for these reasons that we ask

you to support the scheme and any amount would be gratefully received. Thank you in

advance for your support and generosity.

Together we can make a difference!

School Fund Contributions

http://www.parentpay.com/

After your e-safety training these are

YOUR top tips to keep us all safe when using the internet:

The Chalfont Community College’s Top Tips on e-safety

Don’t add people that you don’t know on social networking sites. You wouldn’t talk to a stranger in the street, so why talk to them

online?

Don’t upload photographs of yourself that are inappropriate or give information away about yourself. You don’t know how these

images will be used by others!

Don’t give away your personal details on the internet. You don’t know who can access

this information!

If you feel unsafe online, tell a parent, carer or teacher, or open the hyperlink below for more information. Child Exploitation & Online Protection (National Crime Agency)

PARENTPAY

We are asking all parents/guardians to now use ParentPay, which is an online payment method, to pay for trips, visits and other one-off school related events. We will not be accepting cheques or cash for payment of such items for the remainder of this autumn term, or indeed the whole academic year. We will be asking for your consent on ParentPay, and you will be prompted to provide an emergency contact number and any relevant medical information before paying for a trip. This will allow us to carefully monitor payments and reduce administrative time in collating all the necessary information before a trip can take place. If you require a username and password to access ParentPay or have any questions, please contact Rachel MacKeith on 01753 881607 or via email [email protected]. Please note we will also not be accepting cheques for items purchased in the College Shop. Uniform items can be ordered and paid for online via our online shop (www.chalfonts.org/uniform).


Help Us To Help You!

We have links with Amazon, Boots, M&S, House of Fraser, Argos, John Lewis and many, many more. Please note that your personal information is not recorded when making a transaction.

Add this page to your favourites http://www.chalfonts.org/page/default.asp?pid=56 and start shopping today!!

Do your online shopping through The College website and The College will benefit in commission. No registration or sign-up required.

‘Drop in’ Coffee Sessions

Please feel free to attend any of our ‘drop in’ coffee sessions for parents to meet with a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss any topics. These will run for an hour, as per the calendar below. No appointment required.

Session Time Session Time

Tuesday 15th March 9.30 – 10.30

More dates to follow………



mailto:[email protected]

http://www.chalfonts.org/uniform

http://www.chalfonts.org/page/default.asp?pid=56

Dear Parent/ Guardian, Student wellbeing is paramount to ... us... · From Thursday 17th March 2016...

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