PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Prayer for Prisons Week (Nov 17 - 23)

Lord, you offer freedom to all people. We pray

for those in prison. Break the bonds of fear and

isolation that exist. Support with your love

prisoners and their families and friends, prison

staff and all who care. Heal those who have

been wounded by the activities of others, espe-

cially the victims of crime. Help us to forgive

one another, to act justly, love mercy and walk

humbly together with Christ in His strength and

in His Spirit, now and every day.

Amen.

PARENTS AS PARTNERS: SOCKS A reminder to parents about socks! Socks should be BLACK. When worn with skirts they should reach to knee height. We welcome the support of our parents in ensuring that our young people are dressed appropriately at College. Full details of the College uniform requirements can be found on the Parent section of the College website.

SPECIALISM SUCCESS OF THE WEEK

Business students at All Hallows have been given the opportunity to compete in a Social Media Project with a genuine prospect of creating media pieces for Peaks and Plains Housing Trust. Students have until February to come up with various animations/clips that Peaks and Plains could use for their media campaign. This is coupled with a prize valued up to £100 for the best campaign work and a runner-up prize. Miss Sophie Lewis, Resident Involvement Officer with Peaks and Plains visited All Hallows last week to launch this enterprise project which will be led by Mr J Steed.

COMMUNITY MASS

is held at All Hallows Chapel every Friday 9am-9.45am, Parents/Carers/Parishioners ALL ARE WELCOME!

PRINCIPAL’S SURGERY

Parents / Carers are invited to attend a Principal's Surgery to discuss any concerns or ask questions, on the following dates

Tuesday 19 November, 9am - 10am

Tuesday 3 December, 3.30pm - 4.30pm

There is no appointment system so please be prepared to wait

HAVING FUN AND RAISING MONEY

FOR OUR INDIA PROJECT

Sixth Form students from All Hallows Sixth Form attended College in Fancy Dress last week to raise money for The Clinic and Community Centre the College have built in Varasanadu in India. Students raised almost £500. Assistant Principal Michelle Garvey and Year Leader David Howells each donated prizes for the best 'Home made costume'. First Prize went to Joe Burns Yr 12, with second prize to the glamorous grannies Chloe Levett Smith and Katie McGuigan Yr 13.

YEAR 7 AND 9 PARENT CONSULATION DAY 21 NOVEMBER 2013 Teaching staff would like to see parents of all Y7 and Y9 students on this day. Your engagement and partnership is much appreciated and is essential to your child's well being and academic success. Students are expected to attend appointments with their parent(s)/carer(s) in full college uniform on this day. Thank you to the 315 parents who have booked so far. We now have 55 appointments to be made for Year 7 and 47 appointments to be made for Year 9. Please book your appointments now at

https://portal.allhallows.org.uk/

All Hallows Catholic College Newsletter

Christmas Term

Friday 15th November 2013

YEAR LEADER "DROP IN SURGERIES”

Year Learning Leader "Drop In Surgeries" will be run on the following times and dates:

Sixth Form - Thursday 21 November 2013 between 8am to 9.30am with Mrs Garvey or Mr Howells This session is available for parents to meet with Mrs Garvey or Mr Howells to discuss any issues as regards Sixth Form students, enquiries about the application process for Sixth Form, including subject choice. It is a also a good opportunity to discuss any questions about Higher Education. Year 7 and Year 8 - Friday 22 November 2013 between 8.30 am and 9.30 am with Mrs Moffat and Mr Parke

Year 9 - Friday 13 December 2013 between 9.00 am and 10.30 am with Mrs Moulsdale

Year 11 - Tuesday 7 January 2014 between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm with Mrs Williams

Year 10 - Thursday 9 January 2014 between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm with Mrs Remfry Any further questions please contact Mr Howells via email d.howells@allhallows.org.uk

These are for parents who would like to discuss any concerns relating to their child. No appointment is necessary, but please be prepared to wait.

CALENDAR

The following are the dates for training days in 2013-14. Students are not required to attend on these days.

Monday 24 February 2014

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Friday 23 May 2014

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Term College Opens to Students College Closes to Students

Christmas Monday 28 October 2013 Thursday 19 December

2013

Epiphany Monday 6 January 2014 Friday 14 February 2014

Easter Wednesday 26 February 2014 Friday 4 April 2014

Whitsun Wednesday 23 April 2014 Thursday 22 May 2014

Trinity Monday 2 June 2014 Tuesday 22 July 2014

ATTENDANCE MATTERS Over the last week of College attendance was as follows:

Year 7 - 96.5% (up 0.1% on the previous week)

Year 8 - 97.6% (no change)

Year 9 - 96.7% (up 0.7%)

Year 10 - 95.1% (down 1.7%)

Year 11 - 93.5% (down %) Year 12- 95.25%

Year 13- 96.33%

The average for the week is 95.9% (down from 96.5% last week). Since 3rd September attendance is still 96.0%. We aim for 97%. Last week GIRLS at-tendance has decreased to 94.9%, BOYS attendance has also decreased to 96.9%. Since 3rd September boys are still winning girls 96.5% to 95.5%

Parents are politely reminded to avoid absence unless it is absolutely necessary. Thank you for your ongoing support regarding medical absence and holi-day absence.

Holiday absence from College Holidays will not be authorised from 1st September 2013 under new legislation on all English schools. Requests for holidays must still be made in writing to the appropriate Key Stage leader (Mrs Garvey KS5, Mr Blades KS4 and Mr Diamond KS3), but in the vast majority of cases they will be unauthorised. A Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued of £60 per parent / carer per student, to be paid within 21 days, otherwise the penalty will rise to £120 per parent / carer to be paid within 28 days. If the penalty remains unpaid then the matter will proceed to the Magistrates Court where you will receive a criminal rec-ord if you are found guilty.

Medical absence from College Whilst the College requires parents to contact us on each day of absence , school policy now requires that any student who accumulates 7 or more days of absence during the course of the academic year will be asked to provide medical confirmation of need to be absent before any further absences are author-ised for medical reasons. This is a necessary measure as we closely monitor absence due to illness / medical reasons in order that we can ensure students are supported where needed.

For your information medical confirmation does not have to be a doctor's note but can also take the form of a medical appointment card, a copy of a relevant dated prescription or evidence of medication being taken

If no medical evidence is provided then the absence will be coded as unauthorised. Ten or more unauthorised absences may result in you receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice. This incurs a penalty of £60 per parent / carer to be paid within 21 days, otherwise the penalty will rise to £120 per parent / carer to be paid within 28 days. If the penalty remains unpaid then the matter will proceed to the Magistrates Court where you will receive a criminal record if you are found guilty.

The link between attendance and achievement is well researched and documented and students should be aiming for an attendance rate of no less than 97% over the year. Thank you for your continued support with this importance issue.

91.00%

92.00%

93.00%

94.00%

95.00%

96.00%

97.00%

98.00%

YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 YEAR 11

ADVANCED NOTICE Languages Controlled Assessments 2013-2014

Please find below the list of dates for the languages controlled assessments. Each assessment can count for 15% of the final GCSE. Teachers will let your son/daughter know on which dates they will complete assessments. Please avoid time off both on the date and in the lessons preceding these dates. Please contact a.harrison@allhallows.org.uk with any queries.

Year 11 Writing 2 11y Thursday 16 January 11g Tuesday 21 January Speaking 1 Monday/Tuesday 9/10 December Speaking 2 Thursday and Monday 13/17 March

Year 10 Writing 1 10y Tuesday 10 December 10g Thursday 12 December Writing 2 10y Tuesday 6 May 10g Thursday 8 May Speaking 1 Tuesday/Wednesday 10/11 March Speaking 2 Thursday/Friday 3 /4 July

Year 9 Speaking Tuesday/Wednesday 8/9 July

READING BLOG FOR STUDENTS (work for Parent's Consultation Day)

Part of the work students can complete during the Parent's Consultation Day on the 21st November is a blog either about a book they have read or about the work they are doing during the Reading period on Monday and Friday mornings. Students have been given the instruction's in form time but for parents those instructions were:

Reading Blog for Students - Instructions

Go to the All Hallows Website - www.allhallows.org.uk

Log in using their REALSMART username and password.

Either:

A) Click the image on the homepage that says “Student Work for Parental Consultation Day” on the homepage and then click “Year 7, 8 and 9 Reading Blog” OR

B) Click “For Students” in the main menu and the choose the link that says “Parental Consultation Day Year 7, 8 & 9 Blog”

At the bottom of the page there is a comments box. They need to type their response to the blog in the comments box and hit submit. Their blog will then be checked by staff in College and then published once spell checked.

CHRISTMAS TERM MONDAY 28 OCTOBER 2013 TO THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER 2013 Thursday 21 November, Year 7 and 9 Parents’ Consultation Day 9am– 7pm Thursday 21 November, Children's Takeover Day for Years 10 and 11, opportunity to accompany relative or friend to work. Thursday 28 November, Year 7 Sex and Relationship Education Evening 7– 8pm (Information on curriculum for Parents) Monday 2 - Friday 13 December, Assessment weeks for Students Friday 6 December 6pm, PTA Disco Year 7 and 8 Thursday 12 December 7pm (Provisional), Carol Service St Albans Church Friday 13 December, PTA Christmas Party (details tbc) Wednesday 18 December 7– 9pm, Key Stage 4 and 5 Awards Evening– College Hall

MACCLESFIELD POTATO DAY AND SEED SALE This annual event, formerly held in Bollington, has moved to Macclesfield Town Hall, coinciding with the January Treacle Market, and will offer you the opportunity to buy all your seed and plant requirements for the coming season. Sunday 26th January 2014, 10am - 3:30pm Macclesfield Town Hall, Market Place, Macclesfield, SK10 1EA Over 80 varieties of potatoes supplied in 1kg nets. Including first and second earlies, main crop and salads. Organic varieties will be available. Onion setts, Shallots and Garlic Large range of vegetable seed Fruit bushes including, Raspberries, Black, Red and White Currants, Blueberries and Gooseberries Rhubarb and Strawberry plants Fruit Trees Dahlia tubers and Gladioli bulbs

PARENT CONSULATION DAY DICTIONAIRES

The latest editions of the market-leading dictionaries and some fiction will be on sale on the day with saving of up to 60% off the RRP!

Special price on the day – all dictionaries only £5 each!

Up-to-date and fully comprehensive editions perfect for homework

Accessible - Compiled specifically for students and the school curriculum

Designed to last, easy-to-use, and with the quality you’d expect from the world’s most trusted dictionary publisher

Carefully chosen selection to be age appropriate for 12+ year olds

Please pay for your dictionaries and books by cash or cheque (payable to the College) on the day. Card payments will not be possible.

SIXTH FORM LAPTOP SCHEME All Hallows Catholic College is pleased to offer our Sixth Form students the opportunity to purchase laptops through the College. We are offering a range of laptops to suit all requirements and budgets. The laptops are available until Friday 22nd November 2013 while stocks last.

Please go to www.allhallows.org.uk\l4ss for all the details.

ECO FACTS AND TIPS Average UK office worker prints 38 pages per day, which is at 232 working days per annum is 8,816