Year 8 Welcome Back Letter

September 2023

Dear Parent,

I hope that you and your family have enjoyed a restful and relaxing summer break. It has been lovely to welcome your child back to College this week and they seem refreshed and enthusiastic to build on the successes of Year 7 as they enter Year 8. Year 8 is a crucial year as habits are formed and cemented which underpin academic success in the next few years.

As a College, we are having a focus on students arriving to lessons equipped and ready to learn so that no learning time is wasted. As a minimum, all students should arrive in College with a pencil case containing several pens and pencils. However, a well-stocked pencil case which includes a 30cm ruler, rubbers, pencil sharpener, highlighters and a scientific calculator is always helpful. At home, there should be access to a distraction free environment in which your child can complete homework and self-study to the best of their ability. Please do get in touch with us if there is anything that we can do to support your child with the equipment that they need.

I would also like to remind you that all parents should, if you haven’t already done so, download Synergy parent app from their online app store. Synergy is the key system that we are using as part of our College communication strategy. We recommend that parents download the app to their smart device so that they get notifications regarding letters and communications from the College. Our plan over the next academic year is to move all communication to this app. In time, you will be able to access key data (e.g. reports, achievement and behaviour points and homework details). Please do contact the main office if you have any difficulties accessing or logging onto the app.

Your support of College policies is never taken for granted and I thank you for your help in maintaining our high standards. The high standard of uniform continues to be excellent and demonstrates a pride in and a commitment to being part of our wonderful community. However, we are seeing a small increase in the number of uniform issues, which include the wrong type of school footwear, missing ties, and incorrect coats. As a College, we have a responsibility to challenge this and must insist that all students are correctly dressed. Out uniform policy is available on our website at https://www.blessededward.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/UniformPolicy-2023-2024.pdf .
Please do get in touch if you have any questions regarding our College uniform.

There are many opportunities for your child to take advantage of at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College. Rehearsals are currently underway for both our performing arts production of Beauty and the Beast (February 2024) and our annual Carol Service at the end of this term (Wednesday 20th December). If your child would like to get involved with these events, please encourage them to see Mr Bryant or Mrs Thomas in the performing arts department.

As a College, we are very proud of the sporting and extracurricular opportunities that are offered to our students. The PE department currently run over 20 different sports clubs both at lunchtime and after school. The impact of sport and exercise on mental and physical wellbeing cannot be understated. Please encourage your child to get involved with a club if they aren’t doing so already. A full list of the clubs and the times that these take place can be found at
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bcu0V_EoFw3mpXzcfkPfCdCMhiXEM8LV5WXyZ051p2Y
/edit#gid=1921157149

We are also holding our open evening on Thursday 28th September. Our students are the best ambassadors of our wonderful College community. Academic departments will be asking for volunteers to support them and please encourage your child to get involved. The impact on the confidence of our students speaking with prospective students and their parents is excellent and gives them some good experience of communicating confidently and eloquently.
I am looking forward to continuing to work with you this year as we continue to support your child to achieve their very best at their College. For the majority of the year group, their form tutors remain unchanged. However, the new form tutors for 8 Pritchard are Mrs Hall and Mrs Milne as Mrs Rice has taken up her new role within our College as the Head of Year 7. We wish her every success in her new role. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor in the first instance if you have
any concerns regarding any aspect of College life.

With best wishes,

Mr C M Taylor
Head of Year 8