HONESTY RESPECT KINDNESS

Uppingham Community College

Principal's weekly message

Dear UCC Families

I met with the Student Council yesterday to discuss a number of the topics they had raised with me a fortnight ago. I've had discussions with a number of colleagues around school in order to make decisions on the issues they raised, and these are summarised below:

  • The uniform 'reset' has been very positive, however students asked for a couple of adaptations to be considered. Based on this I have agreed that charity and school issued badges are allowed on blazers. When a student wishes to support a charity that is important to them, they should make their form tutor aware through a quick discussion.
  • 1 necklace and 1 bracelet per wrist are now permitted items of jewellery, along with 2 studs per ear and 1 ring per hand.  
  • Smart watches that can be used to communicate in any way are not allowed. If a watch is used to track steps and cannot be used to exchange messages or make calls then this is ok. 
  • Students asked for a system for recycling uniform when they leave Year 11 - we are happy to make this happen, as it is a good, sustainable practice.
  • Students asked for a quiet place to study or print homework before school, so we are going to organise LRA4 being a supervised space from 8:10-8:30 each morning as a trial for the rest of term to gauge how much usage this gets.
  • We have been doing some work this year through Mr Heppell to reignite our House System and Student Council have been involved in this. Changing the names of our Houses has long been on my list of things to do, and has been pushed back somewhat in recent years, but I think it is something we can do for September. I have asked the Student Council to bring me some suggestions of names we could use that are more inclusive than the current ones, along with why they believe they would be a suitable choice. 

The Student Council are an absolute joy to work with. They are mature, empathetic and very responsible young people who care deeply about our school. I have been very impressed with the work they have completed this year, on behalf of their peers and thank them for their positive attitudes and excellent ideas.

Members of the local Uppingham community have brought my attention to a small number of students who have not been treating the park area on Tod's Piece respectfully. The main issue has been litter, so please could you talk with your child about taking responsibility and behaving appropriately whilst out in the local community. On the flip side to this, in the same email I was asked whether we had any students who would like to volunteer with the local Rotary Club during their litter picking sessions in that area. I have received a great response so far and it is lovely to know so many of our students are willing to give up their own time to support the environmental push in their local area.  

As you know we are launching a new PE kit in 2022-23, and this is now available to order from Kids and More in Oakham. The weblink is here, and the phone number is 01572 771 775. All students in current Y7, 8 and 9 need this kit ready for the start of the 22-23 academic year, with current Y10 students having the option of whether to retain the current one or purchase the new one. Where a child qualifies for Pupil Premium funding we are purchasing the compulsory items (t-shirt, mid layer, and one of the 'bottom-half' options) on their behalf and a separate communication will be sent out regarding this soon. 

If your child has to attend an appointment, we strongly encourage you to try and organise this on a day when they won't miss school. However, we know that sometimes this is unavoidable, despite the best efforts of parents/carers to avoid disrupting their child's learning. When this occurs, parents/carers need to email absences@ucc.rutland.sch.uk with the details and evidence of the appointment, along with when the child will be collected and by whom. We have recently experienced a number of instances where parents/carers have arrived with no prior communication to collect their child for an appointment. It should also be noted that we always ask for ID when you collect your child as part of our safeguarding measures - we aren't being difficult, it is just essential that we know that an adult with parental responsibility is collecting the student, and the ID details match those we have on our SIMS database. Many thanks for your support with this. 

I hope you have a great weekend, take care.Mr B Solly. 

School Buses (UCC 1, 2, 3 & 4)

Information regarding the UCC buses was emailed home earlier this week.  The registration forms for the above buses are now open.  Please register your interest for a place on the bus before Sunday 22 May.  Click on the image for more information. 

Safeguarding Concern

Please note:  A local school has made us aware of an incident that happened yesterday. A man has attempted to talk to, take pictures of and grab at children through locked gates at lunchtime. Luckily, all children are safe and well and the police are investigating this incident. Please be extra vigilant.

Y8 Black Country Museum Trip

An opportunity to build on the History work about life in the Victorian era. Please see details below:
Date:  Wednesday 13 July  
Time:  08:40am - 6:00pm
Cost:  £22.50 
Non-Uniform, please provide a packed lunch 
Please book a place for your child via Wisepay before Thursday 19 May

Y10 Drayton Manor Park Trip

We are delighted to be able to offer Y10 this well deserved end of year trip. Please see details below:
Date:  Thursday 14 July  
Time:  08:40am - 5:30pm
Cost:  £31 
Non-Uniform, please provide a packed lunch 
Please book a place for your child via Wisepay before Wednesday 25 May

Y10 Work & Careers Event

We are holding a work and careers event for Y10 here at UCC on Wednesday 13th July.  To make it more 'real' for them, we are hoping to be able to offer them some mock interviews with people from industry and also to have some people from different career backgrounds to come in and talk to small groups about their role and their career.  If you would be able to help with either of these please contact Mrs Hirst by Weds 8th June and we will be very grateful!  hirst_j@ucc.rutland.sch.uk

Y11 Prom!

The Y11 Prom tickets are on sale now - please see all the details below: 

Date:   Wednesday 6 July 
Time:   7:00pm - 10:00pm 
Venue: Barnsdale Lodge Hotel
Cost:    £27.50

The Prom is a great way to celebrate the end of your 5 year journey at UCC, and the end of exam season.  Please purchase tickets via Wisepay before Friday 20 May. 

Y11 Stonemason Apprenticeship Opporutunity

We have been contacted by Sherman Finnemore who has a stonemasonry business near Manton.  The company are a growing business and are interested in taking on a stonemasonry apprentice.The company have worked with several UCC students in the past and they have been very successful.  Their last apprentice went on to be crowned national champion at Skillbuild and came second in the Screwfix apprentice of the year. If your child is interested in finding out more about this opportunity then please contact Mr Rhodes at UCC on rhodes_p@ucc.rutland.sch.uk

Message from Kids & More re. Uniform

Please note during July and August appointments will be required to visit the shop.

Appointments can be made by texting 07847531994 or email:  sallyanne67@live.co.ukAll items are available to order from kidsandmore.co.uk for delivery or click and collect. (Click on the image above to visit the website)

E-LIBRARY Recommended Book of the Week

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman

A teenage American football player is forced into a series of parallel lives. As a star player on his high school American football team, Ash is used to taking some hard hits. But that one run in his last game must have knocked him a little loose, because suddenly his life doesn't look quite the way he remembers it. As Ash bounces into worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own, he starts to question everything, including his own perceptions and place in his own reality. But can he even work out how to get back there?

Available on the UCC e-library as an e-book and audiobook now. 

Click on the image to access the E-library

Xzibit Young Creatives - hip hop dance theatre project

Xzibit Young Creatives is a hip hop dance theatre project that focuses on developing the young creatives of the future through an intensive choreographic mentoring programme.

Xzibit Young Creatives is a free programme and is open to young creatives aged between 11-19 from across the whole of the Midlands region. 

Applications are open! Visit their website www.xzibityoungcreatives.com or their IG profile @xzibityoungcreatives to apply.

XZIBITYOUNGCREATIVES

#CORBYINTENSIVE

#XYC2022

Extra Curricular Diary Summer Term 1

Please click on the image to access the extra-curricular activities on offer during Summer Term 1. There's a variety of activities on offer this term including boys softball and girls rounders for year 7-9 students.  Athletics for all year groups has also commenced on Tuesday evenings too.  Feedback from the students participating in this term's activities has been really positive.

Food Pre-Orders

BEFORE YOU PLACE ANY PRE-ORDERS - PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS ON THE WISEPAY ACCOUNT.

We are pleased to announce that the hot-food counter in the dining room is now open.  Please see our catering section on the website to view the weekly menus.  We will be following the week 2 menu next week, and highlights include; roast chicken & stuffing, sausages in onion gravy with roasted vegetables & mushroom stroganoff with rice.  You do not need to pre-order the hot dish of the day.  

Please ensure that any pre-ordered food is ordered before 8am on the day the food is required, or, order ahead of time.  Thank you.

Remember...

If your child has shown acts of kindness or learnt new skills or completed amazing projects we would love to know about it! Please email Mrs O'Brien (obrien_h@ucc.rutland.sch.uk)

Emergency contacts / consent

Parents/carers are responsible for keeping UCC up to date with changes to emergency contact details.

In addition consent can be withdrawn or changed at any time.

Please contact obrien_h@ucc.rutland.sch.uk 

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Uppingham Community College

Uppingham Community College, London Road, Uppingham, LE15 9TJ

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