Newsletter utc october 2020 (2)
- 1. UTC NEWS
- 2. Contents: You have heard the word from our Principal, Jo. Now let’s look at all the amazing things that have been going at UTC. This is Us! Our Open Day success and virtual tour Meet the Governors Meet our partners Covid-19 Update Engineering News KS3 News and success stories KS4 News and success stories KS5 News and success stories Hear from our parents Our Environment WAGOLL uniform Google classroom Have your say Click on the links to find pictures and information from each topic. Click the UTC badge to return to the contents page each time.
- 3. This is Us! Thanks to two talented photographers and Photoshop, we were able to create this whole school photo, from four separate photos, while abiding by the bubble restrictions to keep our students safe. A fantastic photo that captures all of our core values.
- 4. OPEN DAY – 10/10/2020 Today, we opened our doors to perspective students and parents of the future. We had a steady flow of people in small groups to ensure the safety of all. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was great to see so many happy faces leave with our branded bag in tow. Go to the next slide to meet our staff and students!
- 5. Welcome to UTC Meet our students. Meet our staff.
- 7. MEET OUR GOVERNORS Peter Bragg Nick Buckland Lt. Col Craig Hampton- Stone Professor Kevin Jones Hendirk Koornhof Polly Lovell
- 8. MEET OUR GOVERNORS Sam Smith Tony Bent Neil Bond Emma Hill
- 10. How are we keeping everyone safe during these times? We are pulling out all the stops when it comes to safety around Covid-19. • We have hand sanitiser stations outside of each classroom. • Students are all in year group bubbles to ensure that the risk of any potential spread is limited. Each group have dedicated entrances and exits in their year group zones. • Classrooms are deep cleaned at the end of each day. • Staff are required to wear masks around the school and when interacting with students. • Tape has been laid out to indicate teacher and students zones in classrooms to encourage the 2 meter rule. • Students abide by the space rule during break out times. • We deliver their lunches to prevent a crowded canteen!
- 11. Engineering News Hi Honey, I’m Home! This week, we welcomed ‘Honey Girl’, an Achilles 24 foot yacht. We had lots of success with our composites unit last year, building better and bigger links with Princess Yachts as a result. So for this year we have decided to go one bigger and restore our very own yacht. Once finished we hope to be using her to teach our own students to sail as well! There is much in the news about changing to electric cars to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But have you ever wondered how our goods might get from far flung countries such as China to the UK? Presently they come in large cargo ships powered by diesel engines (using what's known as heavy oil) or gas turbines. A Swedish company, Wallenius Marine, is currently developing a cargo ship powered by the wind aiming to cut emissions by 90%. What challenges will this bring? Will we need a skilled team of sailors? Wind powered cargo ships
- 12. Engineering News Its never too soon to start thinking about your future, Babcock apprenticeships open in November! How will you set yourself apart from all the other applicants? What additional information about yourselves can you add to your C.V to make you stand out? The advert is from this week. Something to note is the comment that they require a young person who is not just bright and innovative, but who is able to function without a phone stuck in their hand or an air pod glued in their ear!! Key thing to note from this advert is that they want someone who is innovative. At interview how would you answer the question, “tell me about a time when you had to come up with an innovative solution to a problem?” Apprenticeship Alert
- 13. KEY STAGE 3 NEWS Diary Entry Winners! Our wonderfully creative year 7 students have been capturing their first experiences of UTC in our Diary Entry competition! What else have we been up to? Keep clicking for some more KS3 news.
- 14. KEY STAGE 3 NEWS Year 7 have been asked by their Heads of Year, Natasha Ive and Nathan Tills, to bring in any tins, packets or jars of non- perishable food, lurking at the back of the cupboard (still in date of course!) and donate them to Plymouth Foodbank. There is a collection point in the year 7 hub so please help us to collect as many donations as possible!
- 15. KEY STAGE 3 NEWS Stars of the Week Every Friday, the year 7 team award the student with the highest average ELPS (Effective Learning Point Score) a certificate in recognition of their amazing efforts, dedication and professionalism! The impact COVID-19 has had on our local theatre has meant that this year we will be unable to take students to experience the magic of a live stage performance. Students in year 9 were treated to a ‘cinema style’ experience and watched an in-house screening of the play ‘An Inspector Calls’ as part of their GCSE curriculum learning.
- 16. KEY STAGE 3 NEWS Our first ever year 7 cohort have been busy preparing postcards to send back to their primary schools, to let them know how they have been getting on in their first term at UTC Plymouth! Postcards to Primary
- 18. KEY STAGE 4 News Football Mad! Jay has kindly donated a football table to the Year 11 area. It keeps the students occupied at their break and lunch times - Lucky students! Read about our Rosie next!
- 19. KEY STAGE 4 News Rosie-Mae Miller has completed her Royal Navy entry test and interview and is awaiting her medical and fitness test. Once she has completed these she will be awaiting her joining date. We are excited to see our great students getting the rewards they deserve for their hard work and dedication here at UTC Plymouth
- 20. KEY STAGE 5 NEWS This half term bought some fantastic news from our P16 group. On Tuesday 29/9, Dan Hambly (Year 12) had a job interview with the Royal Navy for a position as a Marine Engineering Technician (ETME). The interview went really well, and he got the job! His next step (after filling out some more paperwork) is the fitness test and medical examinations. To prepare himself for this, he is going to the gym twice a week to build his core strength, goes running three times a week and does a small workout at home every morning. After he successfully passes the medical and fitness tests, he will get the initial start date for basic training at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint and Basic Engineering Training in HMS Sultan in Gosport. Congratulations Dan and good luck! Well done Dan! On to our school trips…
- 21. KEY STAGE 5 NEWS Key Stage 5 have been out and about practising their orienteering skills. CCF are focusing on navigation skills, radio communication and teamwork during their PLT (Personal Leadership Task). They were asked to collect materials that could be used to rebuild a bridge over a crossing for humanitarian aid. It was a success and they showed great leadership skills and modelled our core values well.
- 22. Our Environment. All year groups have taken part in a school-wide initiative to become more aware of the impact we have on our environment! We have started by giving all students the opportunity to watch David Attenborough's new Documentary ‘’A Life on our Planet’ We then used our Oracy hour to discuss how we can all create a more sustainable way of life.
- 23. Google Classroom Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have gone to extra lengths to ensure that all learning is easily accessible online. All students have been invited to a google classroom for each of their subjects. They will have extra resources and revision materials posted weekly to support them with their home learning. Students, join the classrooms and don’t miss out on fab revision support!
- 24. WAGOLL Uniform
- 25. Hear from our parents…
- 26. Parent feedback It is great to hear feedback on how we are doing. It is lovely to hear how well your children are getting on at home and how they are enjoying our curriculum. Likewise, it is very helpful to hear how we can further support your children. Please feel free to feedback to the school via email at info@utcplymouth.orhg
- 27. MEET OUR GOVERNERS Peter Bragg - Elected by staff Pete has been with the UTC since its inception in 2013 under his role as Art & Design lead, moving into Head of Sixth form. He will now be looking towards cementing his position within the school as Careers & Employer Engagement. Part of Pete's role is developing careers for the whole school programme and supporting local employers to engage effectively with education in STEAM. Nick Buckland - Appointed by Local Governing Body Nick Buckland OBE has been the Chair of Governors at UTC Plymouth since 2016. Originally a mathematician, he spent many years in the IT industry working on high performance computers; the early years of virtual reality and the internet. From the mid 1990’s he has had a portfolio career as a Chair and director of organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors. He has been a strong advocate of STEM and its importance for the UK economy and is passionate about ensuring young people are given the opportunities to gain a good education that will ensure they can take up exciting and well paid jobs and careers. He was appointed OBE for services to Innovation and Technology in the 2009 New Year Honours List and is a Chartered Engineer, Information Technology Practitioner and Manager. He is a Fellow of a number of professional bodies. Click here to return to ‘Meet the Governors’
- 28. MEET OUR GOVERNERS Lt. Col Craig Hampton-Stone - Appointed by Local Governing Body Lieutenant Colonel Craig Hampton-Stone is a project manager in the Ministry of Defence and was previously the Commanding Officer of 165 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC, which is based in Plymouth and is one of the largest reserve Regiments in the Army. Having recently settled in the area, Craig is very keen to contribute to the successful running of UTC Plymouth, where he has been truly inspired by the attitude and dedication of the pupils. As a school governor, Craig hopes to use his experiences from 25 years’ service as an army officer, including many years on operations around the globe, to develop the leadership, values and standards of the pupils at UTC Plymouth. Prof. Kevin Jones - University Sponsor Appointed by Trust Professor Kevin Jones is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Plymouth, responsible for the Schools of Engineering, Computing & Mathematics, Biological & Marine Sciences, and Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences. He holds a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Manchester, an MSc in Computation from Oxford University and a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Reading. He is a Fellow of the IMARest, the IET and the BCS, a CEng, a CSci and a CITP. Professor Jones has been the University nominated governor at UTC Plymouth since 2016. Click here to return to ‘Meet the Governors’
- 29. MEET OUR GOVERNERS Hendirk Koornhof - Appointed by Trust Hendrik is the HR Director at Babcock’s Devonport facility, the biggest dockyard in Western Europe. He joined Babcock in 2018 after a varied career spanning director level HR and Operations roles across the world, with extensive experience in South Africa, the UK, Europe, India, China and the US, mostly in high hazard industries. The UK is experiencing a skills crisis which is set to deepen further. Engineering skills coupled with Nuclear capabilities are required to successfully deliver long term Naval programmes which are critical to national and international security. Hendrik is one of the governors representing the industry and the STEM agenda required to address the skills gap. His business experience adds to the governance and management rigour of the board. Polly Lovell - Ex-Officio by virtue of position as Executive Principal Polly Lovell is the Executive Principal at UTC Plymouth and the Head of Secondary at Millbay Academy. She also leads on STEAM and vocational education for Reach South Trust. Polly is an experienced governor having been a parent governor at her children’s secondary school, a staff governor at Lampton School, Hounslow, a governor at Stoke Damerel Primary Academy and recently deputy chair at Stoke Damerel Community College. Polly also brings experience to the board as a trained SENDCo, Designated Safeguarding lead and STORM Mental health lead. Polly has led the UTC PLYMOUTH through a journey of improvement as is well versed in school restructures and developing data led instruction. Click here to return to ‘Meet the Governors’
- 30. MEET OUR GOVERNERS Sam Smith - Appointed by Local Governing Body Sam is delighted to be joining UTC Governing Board. She has been in the Education profession for 23 years, and has experience both in the UK and internationally. Her first experience of working in primary education was as a consultant for an NGO in Calcutta, India. From this point, Sam made a decision to develop her knowledge, skills and understanding of education so that she would be able to effectively support the provision of high-quality education for all. As Head Teacher of an inner London primary school for the past 10 years, Sam’s clear vision for ensuring the best possible education for every child, along with strong leadership and management skills, has delivered improved outcomes for all children regardless of their starting points. Sam has been the Head Teacher of Stoke Damerel Primary Academy since April 2019 and is looking forward to helping lead the school forward towards becoming the very best school it can be. Neil Bond - Elected by parents of UTC Neil is 55 years old and has worked in an engineering background all his life. He is currently employed with Fibre Glass Systems formerly Pipex, as a team leader and is responsible for the quality of work and ensuring jobs which are undertaken are completed on time and on budget. Neil’s son attends UTC Plymouth and is currently in the 6th form. Neil works often with young apprentices to help them achieve their goals and qualifications within an engineering background. He hopes to help pupils gain knowledge and understanding so they can further their career in engineering. Click here to return to ‘Meet the Governors’
- 31. MEET OUR GOVERNERS Emma Hill - Elected by parents of UTC Emma was delighted to become a parent governor at UTC. She has a son who is in the Sixth Form, and is looking forward to watching him develop at UTC and fulfil his career aspirations. Emma has worked in social care for twenty years, and recognises the importance of good quality education that is committed to developing young people to reach their potential. By being a parent governor, Emma wants to be able to use her skills, experience and knowledge as a social worker to assist the school to reach the goals it has. The hope is, that in her own way, Emma can make a positive contribution to the school so that it can continue to remain highly successful and go from strength to strength. Outside of work and her family, Emma loves to read, bake and try anything crafty whenever there is time to actually sit down! Tony Bent - Employer Sponsor Appointed by the Trust I have responsibility for all strategic and operational aspects of the Rittal- CSM Supply Chain, including; Sourcing & Procurement, Supplier Quality, Materials Planning, Logistics and Warehousing, Click here to return to ‘Meet the Governors’