GLASTRY COLLEGE ENRICH EMPOWER EXCEL Our College Admissions Curriculum Parents Pastoral Care Pupils Glastry College Education Restart Information Dealing with Worry in Difficult Times Posted February 25 2021 Many people experience worry in difficult times. This video created by Ed Sipher provides an overview of a booklet that has been developed to help you manage worry. The full booklet can also be downloaded by clicking the button below. The full booklet Lockdown Support from the Education Authority Posted November 02 2020 Please click on the links below to find useful information for parents and families from the Education Authority Looking after your mental health Anxiety after lockdown Dealing with worry in difficult times Information for Parents regarding Examinations Posted October 15 2020 Please find below a letter from the Minister of Education outlining changes to qualifications for the academic year 2020-2021. A summary of these changes can also be found in the second button below. Letter from the Minister of Education Key changes to qualifications 2020-2021 Parental Communication from Mr Hutchinson Posted October 14 2020 Dear Parent As you may well be aware, the Minister for Education has announced that all schools will be closed to all students from Monday 19th October 2020 to Friday 30th October 2020 inclusive. The College will reopen on Monday 2nd November as planned. The Minister has indicated that remote learning is not required during this period, however, I would strongly advise students sitting the GCSE Science modules in November 2020 and GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English in January 2021 to revise and complete the work issued by their teacher. Students in Years 11 to Year 14 should also use this time as an opportunity to catch up on any outstanding work. It is essential that students ensure they are thoroughly prepared for all Tracked Assessments and Mock Examinations in December 2020 as these could well be crucial in awarding GCSE, AS and A-Level grades should the ongoing situation with COVID-19 result in the cancellation of public examinations this academic year. Direct payments will be made to pupils in receipt of Free School Meals for the week commencing 19th October. If the situation changes or the guidance is amended, we will keep you updated via our digital platforms. I would also take this opportunity to thank you all for your cooperation and support as we navigate our way through very challenging times and circumstances. A Hutchinson Principal Parenting Workshops Posted October 09 2020 Parental Letter from Mr Hutchinson Posted September 17 2020 Parental Letter from Mr Hutchinson 17-9-2020 Education Restart Information from the Chief Medical Officer Posted September 10 2020 Letter from the Chief Medical Officer Parent Info - Covid 19 Support from the Safeguarding Board NI Posted August 25 2020 The button opposite provides a link to a useful document provided by the SBNI to support parents and carers of children. The booklet is intended to offer helpful suggestions and resources for families to support parents, children and adolescents deal with stress and strengthen meaningful connections together. Well worth a read! What just happened? Coping with Covid 19 Support Services Available Posted August 25 2020 The Education Authority continue to offer a suite of services to support families dealing with the impact of lockdown and Covid 19. The services are numerous and varied and details of them are detailed across the page. Glastry College Education Restart Induction Programme Posted August 21 2020 Click on the buttons below for information and guidance relating to the Induction Programmes for each year group starting Monday 24 August 2020. Year 8 Induction Information Year 11 Induction Information Year 14 Induction Information Year 9 Induction Information Year 12 Induction Information Year 10 Induction Information Year 13 Induction Information Medical Information Letter Glastry College Education Restart Posted August 19 2020 Click on the links below for information and guidance relating to the restart of education at Glastry College Latest Education Restart Letter from Mr Hutchinson Glastry College Education Restart Guidance Aug 21 2020 Education Restart Letter from Mr Hutchinson Posted August 17 2020 Click here for information and guidance from Translink and the E.A. regarding transport to school. Resources for Parents Posted August 17 2020 Click on the links below for resources for parents relating to supporting you and your children following lockdown Back to Basics Helping your child deal with anxieties Education Restart Letter from Mr Hutchinson Posted August 10 2020 Dear Parent, On Thursday 6 August the Minister for Education announced that all students will be returning to school on a full time basis from 01 September 2020. It is of the utmost importance to me that Glastry College will be a safe, supportive and caring environment for the entire College community upon our return. I appreciate that there may be some anxiety about the return to school so I want to assure everyone that procedures will be in place to minimise the risk posed by Covid-19. As part of our restart programme a bespoke pastoral care programme will be in place to support those students who may feel anxious about returning to school. To ensure the safety of all members of our College community the following procedures will be implemented: Everyone (staff, students and visitors with appointments) entering the College will have their temperature taken using an IR thermometer. If anyone has a raised temperature (37.8oC or above) they will be asked to remain outside the building for 15 minutes and then their temperature will be taken again. In the case of a student, if it is still raised they will be isolated until they are collected and taken home. Students will be in Year Group bubbles and will have their own assigned entrances and exits. Students will not be permitted access to the building prior to 09:10. Students will go immediately to their registration class on admission to the building. Students will sanitise their hands at the beginning and end of each lesson. There will be a one-way system in operation for movement around the College. Break time and lunches will be staggered to enable students to remain within their Year Group bubbles. A cleaning programme will be implemented throughout the College day to ensure the highest levels of hygiene at all times. Full compliance with all procedures is expected at all times to ensure everyone is safe; students who persistently fail or refuse to follow them will have to study from home. Students should be in full College uniform when attending the College. There will be Induction days for each year group on the week beginning 24 August 2020 as detailed below: Monday 24 August 2020 Year 12 09:30 – 15:45 Tuesday 25 August 2020 Year 9 & Year 13 09:30 – 15:45 Wednesday 26 August 2020 Year 10 & Year 14 09:30 – 15:45 Thursday 27 August 2020 Year 8 09:30 – 13:00 Friday 28 August 2020 Year 11 09:30 – 15:45 The Minister has not clarified if school transport will be provided on these days as yet. More information relating to our Restart Programme and Procedures will be forwarded following further guidance from the Minister which we expect to receive on Wednesday 12 August 2020. In the meantime, enjoy the remainder of the summer holidays, A J Hutchinson Principal Procedures for Collecting A Level and GCSE Results Posted August 7 2020 Due to the unique circumstances we find ourselves in this year, our procedures for the collection of results have changed and our new procedures are outlined below. All results will be given out to students in the Assembly Hall. There will be a one-way system in operation, with entry through the main front doors of the college and safe distancing measures in place. Only students should enter the college to collect their results – parents should wait outside the college building. Staff will be available to offer guidance and answer any queries that students may have. Thursday 13 August – AS and A Level Results Year 14 Results will be available from 8.30am until 10.30am in the Assembly Hall. All students are welcome to collect their results in person. Parents/Guardians will have to remain outside the college building due to COVID 19 protocols. Support will be available for anyone who needs UCAS advice from our Careers Team. All students will need to complete the “leavers” form in their results pack. Students collecting BTEC results will need to come into school to get their results. Year 13 Results will be available from 11.00am until 12.30am in the Assembly Hall. All students are welcome to collect their results in person. Parents/Guardians will have to remain outside the college building due to COVID 19 protocols. If any Year 13 students wish to discuss their results/subjects, support and advice will be available. BTEC students do not get results at the end of Year 13 because of the nature of these courses so they do not need to attend. Thursday 20 August - GCSE/BTEC/Occupational Studies/Other Level 2 Results Year 12 Results will be available from 8.30am until 11.00am in the Assembly Hall. Students who have decided to return to Year 13 will be asked to confirm their subject choices on the day. Students who did not receive a letter of offer, but would like to return to Sixth Form, will be invited to come for an interview with Mr Breen. Students from other schools who wish to study at Glastry College in Year 13. Please contact the college on 028 427 71226 and our Head of Sixth Form, Mr Breen, will be in contact with you to arrange an interview. End of Academic Year Letter from Mr Hutchinson Posted June 19 2020 As we approach the end of the academic year, please click here to read a communication from Mr Hutchinson. Parentline NI Posted June 16 2020 Parent Line NI has provided additional information for parents which can be used to support them and their family during COVID 19. CEOP has also just produced new guidance and information for parents on how to keep their children safe and line. Check out www.thinkuknow.com for helpsheets for parents and pupils and click here for their May update publication.. #keepingsafe Useful Resources for Parents as Lockdown Continues Posted June 10 2020 Resource Pack for Children and Young People - click here COVID-19: Fortnightly Family Support Hubs Newsletter The Family Support Hubs continue to be open for referrals during the current situation. They will try to access Family Support agencies during this time but this will be subject to individual projects ability to respond. Click here to access the newsletter. AWARE NI 10 things you can do to feel better right now: Simple steps that we can implement into our lives that can make a big difference to our mental health. Support from Family Works Posted June 4 2020 Accelerated Reader - Attention Students in Years 8 to 10 Posted May 29 2020 ***Attention all students years 8-10*** Reading has been proven to be an effective method to keep up to date with literacy skills and deepen knowledge. Follow the link below to access over 7000 digital books and news articles. 850 of these also have Accelerated Reading quizzes attached. No log in details required (except if doing quiz) Click here for access. #bookloverheaven #lockdownlearning Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 Posted May 19 2020 Visit https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week to find out more about Mental Health Awareness Week. You are Not Alone Campaign Posted May 14 2020 Whilst government messages are encouraging everyone to stay home for their safety and in an attempt to delay Covid-19 cases, we are aware that not everyone’s home is a safe place. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has teamed up with South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and Southern Health and Social Care Trust to support young people who may be experiencing domestic abuse. If things are not okay at home and you are worried, need advice or support, call us on one of the numbers below and there will be someone to listen to you and provide you with help. South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust: 0300 100 0300 (9am-5pm Monday to Friday) The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust provides health and care services to people in the North Down and Ards and Down and Lisburn areas. Emergency Social Work Service (Regional) : 028 9504 9999 (5pm-9am Monday to Friday, 24 hours Saturday/Sunday/Bank Holidays) CHILDLINE: 0800 1111 (24 hours) Click here to find out more. AWARE - 10 things you can do to feel better right now Posted May 13 2020 AWARE have released their third awareness video focussed on helping those with mental health issues. Please watch. Advice for Parents during Lockdown from the RCPCH Posted May 12 2020 Whilst coronavirus is infectious to children it is very rarely serious. If your child is unwell it is likely to be a non-coronavirus illness, rather than coronavirus itself. However, you will be aware of media coverage in relation to children not being taken to see GPs or to hospitals, so the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have devised advice for parents. Please click here to see the advice to help. #keepingeveryonesafe Prince's Trust - Supporting young people through lockdown Posted May 6 2020 Please click here to find useful information and links to websites from the Prince's Trust on supporting young people during the lockdown caused by coronavirus. Support Services Available to Parents and Students Posted May 4 2020 Below are links to a variety of support services available during lockdown caused by coronavirus. You may find the information informative and useful. Information from SWGFL Helplines NI Resources from CAHMS Department of Education Support for Families Posted April 28 2020 The Department of Education has collated a range of online resources which are intended to be helpful for families and students during the lockdown caused by Covid-19. These resources can be found by clicking here. ASCERT Parent/Carer Support Sessions Posted April 27 2020 ASCERT are running a series of weekly support sessions for parents and carers. Click here to find out more. Public Health Agency AWARE Campaign - Looking after your mental health Posted April 27 2020 The Public Health Agency have released a document encouraging people to look after their mental health. The document can be found by clicking here. NCA CEOP Team - Keeping Children Safe Online Posted April 27 2020 The NCA CEOP Team have released more details at their thinkuknow online safety site containing some useful information about how you can keep your child safe online. Please click here to find out more. Covid-19 News from the Department of Education Posted April 24 2020 The Department of Education have released their new safer schools app. Information about the release can be found by clicking here. There is also a letter from Peter Weir, the Minister for Education, outlining the information which can be found by clicking here. A flyer detailing the safer schools hub can also be found by clicking here. CCEA GCSE & GCE Examinations Update Posted Apr 16 2020 Following consultation by the Department of Education with representatives of the teaching profession, CCEA has received instruction from the Minister of Education about how to proceed for the awarding of GCSE, AS and A Level qualifications. Please click here for a letter to students and parents and click here for accompanying guidance and information on how the process will take place. Further information can be found by visiting https://ccea.org.uk. Support for Students and Parents from CYPSP and Action for Children Posted Apr 8 2020 Click here for a newsletter containing advice resources and projects from the Children and Young Peoples' Services Planning (CYPSP). It contains a wealth of information and list of organisations offering help during the Covid-19 crisis. Action for Children have produced a list of apps and websites supporting students and parents during the lockdown. Click here to access this useful resource. Easter Update from Mr Hutchinson Posted Apr 2 2020 Dear Parent/Person with Parental Responsibility, I hope that you and your family are safe and well during these difficult and uncertain times. I am writing to update you on the ongoing situation and to advise how the college will be supporting your children’s learning in the weeks ahead. I know that many students are communicating with their teachers via e-mail and OneNote etc. and I would encourage those who have not engaged as yet to do so. Students in Years 8 – 10 should continue to work through their work packs and the tasks placed on OneNote or sent via e-mail. After Easter, each subject will be setting weekly tasks for students to complete; Teachers will review any work which is sent to them and provide appropriate feedback. I would also encourage every student to read as much as possible as this will maintain and develop their literacy skills, which will help in every subject area. Students in Year 11 should continue to work on the tasks set by their teachers and to continue to prepare for any examinations they would have been taking this summer as they will be rescheduled for the next academic year. It is also vital that any work set should be completed as this will alleviate some stress and pressure in the next academic year as there will be very little opportunity for ‘catch-up time’. Students in Year 12 should note that although they are not required to complete any outstanding coursework tasks or coursework for GCSE subjects including PAL, they are required to do so for BTEC, CoPE and Prince’s Trust qualifications; they will continue to receive detailed guidance from their teachers. Students planning to return to Sixth Form should focus on maintaining their skill and knowledge levels in the subjects they have indicated they would like to study next year. Students in Year 13 should continue to prepare for their AS examinations as these will be rescheduled in the next academic year. They should also maintain regular contact with their teachers so that they keep up with all necessary work; this will reduce time pressures next academic year. If you are Year 14 student studying courses at SERC, you should follow all guidance from your tutors. For all other A-Level examinations please be advised that you will no longer be required to sit examinations or submit coursework. After Easter it is hoped that the examining bodies will let us know how students will be awarded grades at GCSE and A-Level. They have continued to reassure us that no student will be disadvantaged by the process. The Minister for Education has indicated that there may be a possibility to sit the examination at a later date, if you are unhappy with the grade awarded. I also want to reassure students that admission to Sixth Form (Year 13 and Year 14) will take account of these unprecedented circumstances. In the meantime, enjoy all the unexpected free time, be physically and mentally active, follow the guidance to stay safe and healthy and have a happy Easter. Kindest regards, Mr A J Hutchinson Principal Information from CCEA Regarding Year 12 and Year 14 Posted Mar 31 2020 CCEA have informed schools that all work on GCSE and A Level Controlled Assessment Tasks and Coursework by Year 12 and Year 14 students should stop; they are not going to use the marks awarded from it in the awarding of grades. The process for awarding grades is not yet finalised. We will of course keep you updated. Mr A J Hutchinson Principal Advice from the Safeguarding Board NI Posted Mar 30 2020 The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland have published a flier for parents and students about how children can cope with stress during the COVID-19 crisis. It can be accessed by clicking here. Family Works Counselling Service Posted Mar 26 2020 The Clinical Director of Familyworks has written to the College and asked us to share some valuable information and sources of help that Familyworks can offer during this time of school closure due to COVID-19. Please click here to view the document outlining their help and support services. Careers Services for Years 12, 13 and 14 Posted Mar 25 2020 As we all navigate these unprecedented times, we at Parentline NI would like to remind you all that our Regional Parents Helpline is in full operation throughout this period. We can be contacted on freephone 0808 8020 400 to provide advice, support and guidance to parents and carers. We are open: Monday- Thursday 9am-9pm Friday 9am-5pm Saturday 9am-1pm You can also contact us via webchat www.ci-ni.org.uk or email parentline@ci-ni.org.uk Education Authority Guidance and Support for Children Studying at Home Posted Mar 25 2020 The EA have provided links to different websites that provide support for children studying at home. How to support children with studying at home Telephone support for children ICT Support for Students at Glastry during School Closure Posted Mar 25 2020 Due to the current reliance on technology for access to pupil work and for communication between the school, parents and pupils, Glastry College has set up an email account to assist with school based IT problems wherever possible. The email account will primarily: Reset pupil passwords and unlock pupil accounts Forward email messages to specific teachers where appropriate Help with issues relating to Sims Parent app access This service will work as quickly as possible to assist with queries and resolve issues but may take a few days to reply to your email. The email account is: glastryit291@c2kni.net Principal's Communication to Parents re School Closure Posted Mar 23 2020 Dear Parent/Person with Parental Responsibility, As of 15:30 today Glastry College will be closed until further notice. We will continue to keep you updated if there are any changes in the situation via our Parents App, website and Facebook page. In the meantime, guidance and activities for students to continue learning at home have been shared on the Parents App and are available on the Pupil Zone page of the College website. Materials for students to continue to work from home have also been made available on the College’s virtual learning environment, OneNote or paper copies were given to students prior to the closure of the College. Students may contact their teachers by e-mail if they need further assistance with subject specific resources. For students who would have been sitting A Level or GCSE examinations this year, there is, as yet no clear mechanism identified on how grades will be awarded. However, all the Examination Boards have reassured schools that no student will be disadvantaged as a consequence of the examinations being cancelled. We will keep you updated when the process is known. Please continue to comply with all guidance on social distancing and social isolation and stay safe. Thank you for your patience and cooperation at this challenging time. Yours faithfully A J Hutchinson Principal © 2020 Glastry College. All rights reserved. Website developed by Glastry College.