UTC Oxfordshire
Newsletter – 22nd October 2021
Dear all,
We have made it through the first term of 2021! Despite a small amount of disruption due to Covid we have had an excellent start to the new academic year. I would like to review some of the highlights of this term and send a big thank you to you all for your continued support. We strive to give our young people the best scientific and engineering experiences, alongside a quality education that develops not just the acquisition of knowledge but the whole person and their attributes.
Our new staff are already settled into their roles and it feels like they have been with us for longer than two months. Here are some of their first impressions on joining Team UTC:
Emma Reynolds, Vice Principal
I have really enjoyed my first term at UTC Oxfordshire. The staff have been exceptionally supportive as I have tackled my new role and I have really relished getting the opportunity to be part of a specialist school. The students are smart, hardworking and overall, a friendly bunch! Thank you, for welcoming me and teaching me the UTC way. I look forward to carrying out more learning walks next term and getting a better understanding of the climate and culture of the school. Have a lovely half term.
Paisley Ireland, Teacher of PE
Emily Brown, Teacher of English
Marketing
We are promoting life and our Science and Engineering Excellence at UTC Oxfordshire through a number of channels. This term saw a new minibus and a new static sign outside the UTC. We have also updated our prospectus for 2022 entry.
Young Enterprise
Product Design
Year 12 product designers have been practicing drawing and rendering skills at the start of their course.
Santa Pod Trip
We had an amazing trip to Santa Pod raceway for our sixth form engineering students - keep a look out for other opportunities for educational visits as the academic year progresses.
Open Event
We held a successful Open Event with a key stage 4 focus on 30th September and welcomed 160 people onsite to see our wonderful displays and speak with staff.
Our next event is a KS5 Open Event and Careers Fair on 18th November 17:00hrs to 19:00hrs. You can register for tickets here: www.utcoxfordshire.org.uk/events
SEM
The Scanning Electron Microscope continues to provide students and staff with the knowledge and skills to run this high precision instrument which would normally only be found at university level. We are so proud of the team and what they have achieved and are grateful of the support from JOEL.
Parent App Update
The Parent App has just been updated, please check the App and Play Stores for the latest version. If you encounter any issues, please delete and redownload the app. If you haven’t logged in before and need a new activation code please email smayers@utcoxfordshire.org.uk who will be able to assist after half term.
You may find the Parent App User Guide useful.
After Half Term
We are anticipating a normal return to school after the half term break with all year groups back in for face-to-face teaching. It would be helpful for students to have face coverings available to them and we will maintain our hygiene protocols. With a 9 day break this should see a decline in cases of both illness and Covid cases.
Covid update
Please continue to have students take their Lateral Flow Tests twice per week and please record the results on the school form and the government website. If the lateral flow test is positive, then a PCR test must be taken. Please do not come to school if there is positive test or students have covid symptoms:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.
Communication
- Student absences - If your student is not going to be in, please email Attendance@utcoxfordshire.org.uk, or select the appropriate option when phoning in, this includes Covid related absences.
- Student specific queries or issues – please direct these to your student’s tutor in the first instance. Email addresses are configured First initial Surname @utcoxfordshire.org.uk e.g. John Smith would be jsmith@utcoxfordshire.org.uk.
- General enquiries – Please email admin@utcoxfordshire.org.uk or call 01235 391587.
Dates for the diary
- Wednesday 3rd November, 16.15 to 19.30 Year 13 Virtual Progress Consultation Evening - 3pm finish. Bookings now open.
- Wednesday 10th November, 16.15 to 19.30 Year 11 Virtual Progress Consultation Evening - 3pm finish. Bookings will open after half term.
Thursday 18th November 6th Form Open Evening and Careers Fair in school,17.00 to 19.00
Term dates for 2021 to 2022
- Last day of term Friday 22nd October 2021
- Half Term is 25th to 29th October 2021
- Term 2 is Monday 1st November to Friday 17th December 2021
- Winter break is 20th December to 31st December 2021
- Spring Term 3 starts on Thursday 6th January
Further information can be found our website here: www.utcoxfordshire.org.uk/term-dates/
Have a restful break
Stay safe
With good wishes
Sam