Dear UCC Families

On Wednesday we hosted our first GCSE Presentation Evening since 2019 and it was a superb event. It was wonderful to welcome back our class of 2022. They were an excellent year group who overcame significant barriers during a period of extreme turbulence throughout their KS4 journey.  We are incredibly proud of every single student and I thoroughly enjoyed watching our 2022 alumni collecting their certificates and prizes, whilst reconnecting with friends they hadn't seen since August. 

This week we have held House assemblies and our Heads of House have challenged their students to come up with exciting and creative ways to raise money for Children in Need. The House that raises the most money will be awarded additional bonus points which will contribute towards the grand total.

Next week is national Anti Bullying Week and in preparation for this we asked our Student Council to update our Anti Bullying Charter. This document outlines what we want our students and staff to commit to, so that we can, collectively, support everyone in understanding the impact of bullying. Ultimately, we want to develop high levels of empathy within our school community, so that our students are considerate of everyone and make positive, responsible choices regarding their actions towards others. On Monday we are asking all students to sign the Charter and commit to upholding the statements against bullying at UCC.

We are aware that there are a number of TikTok accounts / WhatsApp / Instagram groups that have been set up under the UCC name, by students.  There are also some form/year group 'WhatsApp' groups etc.  We would like to make you aware as parents/carers that none of these unofficial groups are created or monitored by UCC, and that any content uploaded and shared is at the students' own risk. 

To support you as parents/carers in helping your child make good choices on-line, here is a link to Social Media guidance produced by the UK Safer Internet Centre which may be of interest. It highlights, for example, that TikTok and Instagram have an age requirement of 13+, whilst for WhatsApp there is an age requirement of 16+. 

Remember you can view the curriculum offer for your child by visiting the relevant section on our website, or (for KS3 students) view the Curriculum 'Microsoft Sway' document online by clicking here. It is useful to see what your child has been learning and what they are moving onto next, and this information can help start positive conversations about what they have been learning at school. 

Please take the time to read through the Newsletter this week, so you are up-to-date with everything that has been going on at UCC.

I hope you all have a great weekend.
Mr B Solly.