Dear Parents
Year 13 Attendance until May half term
The support and work with Year 13 students has not ended, and lessons are still planned until May half term when we will formally say goodbye to Year 13. After this point we will continue to signpost Lifeskills resources in Google Classroom that students can access to continue their preparations for adulthood.
I want to outline the importance of their continued education until May half term and our statutory responsibilities to support successful student progression for every student.
- We have a statutory duty from the Department of Education to help support students in shaping their readiness for their next pathways and therefore they need to continue in education until the 28th May. This is to reduce any gaps in skills or knowledge that will affect their success at university, employment or apprenticeships. For example, some students will really benefit from the final teaching which will prepare them even more for specific University courses.
- If there are gaps in knowledge in a particular area of the curriculum, staff may decide to redeliver an area that they think is going to be important for students’ progression.
- Not all courses completed their curriculum delivery by Easter. Teachers will be able to deliver the final topics providing stimulating and exciting lessons.
- Students have missed so much time out of normal education including opportunities for social interaction and they are owed those final days to keep learning and keep experiencing interesting areas of their courses.
- This is a time that students should be able to be more relaxed and enjoy being in their classroom with their friends and teachers. We should be affording that opportunity because so much of the lockdown experience has removed or diluted this.
- The college will continue to provide further guidance to year 13 after half term. Our weekly baking club enrichment will focus specifically on cooking on a budget, and wider preparations previously covered in Lifeskills for life as a young adult will be available such as financial
management.
Some students studying vocational courses that finished after Easter have received consent to allow them to move onto a secure employment role – and it is important in these instances that we have supported them to ensure their progression has not been hindered.
We hope this provides clarity on the expectations set out to us from the Department of Education and the importance in valuing and supporting your young person and their progression.
Yours Sincerely,
Louise Henderson
Vice Principal
