Category: Uncategorized

27^th June 2023

Dear Parent/Carer,

Re. Industrial Action

As you will be aware, the National Education Union (NEU) has announced it is to take further industrial action due to a national dispute between the unions and government over teachers’ pay and funding decisions for school.  The next planned strike days are next Wednesday, 5^th July and Friday, 7^th July. 

Due to the number of NEU members and health and safety implications, unfortunately, after careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision that the College cannot operate a standard day.  I have outlined the plans below.

During these two days, the College will only be open to Year 12, Year 10 and a small group of identified Year 7-9 students.  Parents/carers of the Year 7-9 identified group will receive a personal communication in the next few days, and those students will attend College in full uniform from 8.30am to 3.05pm.

Year 12 students will follow their normal timetable.  If their teacher is not in College, they will complete independent study in the Sixth Form Study Area.

Year 10 students will arrive at 8.30am, in full uniform, and register with the year team in the canteen.  On Wednesday, 5^th July, they will complete their English Literature GCSE rehearsal exam during periods 1-4 and then leave the site at approximately 12:30pm to complete exam study at home.  On Friday, 7^th July, they will complete their Chemistry and Physics GCSE rehearsal exams periods 1-4 and leave site at approximately 1:15pm.  If Year 10 students require school transport at the end of the school day, we will supervise them during lunchtime and period 5.  Please inform the Year 10 team if your child requires this provision by Monday 3^rd July to enable us to make appropriate arrangements.

All Year 7 – 9 students not attending on these two days will be provided with appropriate independent study to complete at home.  Miss Barry, Vice Principal, will be providing more details about this and adding information to our website early next week.

As most students entitled to Free School Meals won’t be in school on the two strike days, Mrs Callaghan, Business Manager, has once again arranged for £2.50 to be credited to their ParentPay meal account which won’t expire until spent.  We understand that times are tough for families and it is important that no student goes hungry, therefore, if you prefer, a packed lunch can be collected or delivered on the day.  Please let Mrs Callaghan know by noon on Monday 3^rd July via email to enquiries@cowleysthelens.org.uk and she will arrange for this to happen.

I am sorry that you will have to make alternative arrangements for your child, and for the disruption to their education.  I have prioritised the exam year groups to ensure this strike does not interrupt their exam preparation. I very much hope this situation can be swiftly resolved so we can continue to deliver high quality education and opportunities for our students.  I am in regular contact with LA and Union representatives and will keep you informed of any progress or change.

College will be open as normal for all students on Thursday, 6^th July and it is a requirement that all students attend.    

If you have any questions, please contact the college on the above email.

Yours sincerely,

Mr R Cormack
Principal

The Quinta Residential trip is almost upon us, so here is the all of the final information that you should need.

On Wednesday 21st June, at 8.30am participating students should meet in the canteen with their bags for registration.

Students should bring an easily accessible packed lunch for Wednesday as this will not be provided. Students who receive free school meals will have one provided for them. Also, if your daughter/son has special dietary requirements or allergies, please ensure college is made aware of this.

We will be back at Cowley for approximately 2.30 to 3pm on Friday, but students will be able to confirm a more exact time when we are in transit.

Below is an equipment list, but if you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Collins.

Any student who needs medication whilst they are away, please ensure this is in a labelled bag and handed to staff when they arrive at school. The only exception to this is inhalers, they must be kept on the child.
Any student who has not returned the EVB health form please do so ASAP as without this your child will not be able to attend the residential.

Space will be limited on the coach so please limit your baggage to a main luggage bag and a hand luggage bag for the packed lunch.

•  A packed lunch for Wednesday (food and drink!)
• A waterproof coat – this is ESSENTIAL as we are in Wales and will be outside for a lot of the time, rain or shine!
•  A complete change of clothes for two days – they may get muddy/wet outside. This should include warm clothes, a spare jumper and even a hat and gloves if the weather forecast is bad!
• Avoid jeans on daytime activities as they are cold and uncomfortable when wet. Combat trousers, leggings or tracksuit bottoms are better.
•  A complete set of old clothes and trainers that you don’t mind getting wet and muddy during raft building.
•  A set of evening clothes – quiz & disco.
•  Shorts, sun cream/hat.
•  Personal toiletries and medication (any medication must be in a bag with the students name on, and handed to staff on arrival at school)
•  Toothbrush and toothpaste.
•  Large towel.
•  Swimming costume.
•  A sleeping bag or duvet and pillow case.
•  Pocket money – £10 maximum for tuck shop and/or the payphone.

We recommend that students do not bring expensive ‘gadgets’ such as iPads, and apple watches. Students are allowed to bring their phones but will not be allowed to use them during the day when they are on activities. Please do not let your daughter/son bring valuable personal items or clothing that is likely to get damaged as we cannot guarantee their safety and the college cannot be held responsible for the theft or loss of goods!

Please be advised that phone coverage at Quinta is very intermittent and there is no WIFI.

FORTY NINE ‘number crunchers’ from Year 7 and 8 at Cowley International College have won medals in a UK junior maths challenge.

Earlier this year, students from Cowley joined schools from up and down the country to compete in a nationwide maths challenge. The challenge is organised by UK Mathematics Trust and requires students to use mathematical reasoning and techniques to think-outside-the-box and solve sophisticated mathematical problems.

Three Year 8 students achieved the top Gold medal by achieving an impressive 85 points respectively.

The Silver certificate, which is achieved by only 16-17% of UK entrants, was awarded to 14 Cowley students in total.  Bronze, which is achieved by only 25% of all entrants, was awarded to 32 students.

The number of Gold medals won in this challenge is a personal best for the college.  In the past, our students have achieved Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates, and many have qualified for further rounds.

A massive thank you also goes out to our brilliant maths teacher, Mrs Lloyd, for all the training and encouragement given to our competitors.  We also give thanks to the parents and carers who continue to support their daughter/son in their academic and extra-curricular endeavours.

 How the competition is scored

In the Junior and Intermediate Challenges the top scoring 50% of the entrants receive bronze, silver or gold certificates based on their mark in the paper.

• The Gold award is achieved by the top 8-9% of the entrants.
• The Silver award is achieved by 16-17% of the entrants.
• The Bronze award is achieved by 25% of the entrants.

With an important final few weeks of exams ahead for students in Years 11, 12 and 13, once again we are putting on some useful revision masterclasses over the Whitsun holidays for students to attend.

Students have found these additional sessions really useful in their preparations for the exams, so we’d encourage all applicable students to attend if they can.

Please find the timetables below.

Year 11

Sixth Form

Dear Parents/Carers,

Tickets are now on sale for our production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which runs on Thursday 25th May and Friday 26th May.  The show will take place in the Emerald Theatre, formerly known as the Cowley International Hall on the 11-16 site. Tickets can be purchased through the ticket office by emailing tickets@cowleysthelens.org.uk. All tickets are priced at £6.

Please note: all tickets are sold on a ‘first come first served’ basis. There are no ‘reserve and pay on the door’ tickets. A strict pay upfront policy is undertaken.

Once your tickets have been reserved via the email account, you will receive a confirmation email stating that your tickets are ready for collection. From this point, you will have 3 days to collect and pay in full at the main reception on the 11-16 site. If you do not collect your tickets within 3 days, the tickets will be resold.

Your daughter/son will soon be receiving a props/costume sheet stating some of the items that they must provide themselves.  In all cases, this is very straightforward but if there are any issues with getting any items, please encourage your daughter/son to speak to me.

Cowley has a history of producing excellent quality musicals and we only achieve the standard we do due to the commitment of the staff and, moreover, the pupils.  So, although the rehearsal schedule may seem daunting, it is vital we work this hard to allow us to achieve the best show possible.

I thank you in advance for your support both at the show itself and in encouraging your daughter/son to attend as required.  They will benefit greatly and have an experience that they will remember forever.

Yours sincerely,

Miss C Radford

Assistant Head of Performing Arts

A number of music students from Cowley Sixth Form College  performed alongside other local students at the Tunza Centre on Friday 5th May.

The event, entitled ‘Upcoming’ was organised by Cowley students with the aim of bringing local musicians and bands from local colleges together, giving students a platform to showcase their abilities to a live audience.

The event was herald a huge success and the students received a standing ovation at the end.

We wish to say a huge well done to our Y13 students on your success!

Dear Parent/Carer

PARENT GOVERNOR ELECTION

I wrote to you on 22^nd March to invite nominations for the vacancy for a parent governor.

I am delighted to say that there has been a good response and there are three candidates for the vacancy.  This means we must now hold a ballot.

You may vote for one of the candidates. Each parent/carer can submit one vote, regardless of the number of students you have attending Cowley. Please select the name of the person you wish to support at the bottom of this page and then click the ‘vote’ button by Wednesday, 17th May 2023.

The election will be decided by a simple majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie, lots will be drawn.

When the election has been completed, I will let you know the outcome. If, in the meantime, you have any queries, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Cormack
Principal

Personal statements

Richard Holtby
“I am willing to stand as a parent governor to support the oversight in the school, I currently work in a managerial role and feel that this would meet the preferred experience of dealing with HR issues. I have also been a union representative for the Royal College of Nursing so have supported staff dealing with HR issues in the workplace. This enables me to see issues from both a staff and HR perspective. I have established links with the college as I currently support students attending placement learning experience as well as having a daughter studying in year 12 on the nursing cadetship.”

Karl van der Laan
“I’m an ambitious and self-motivated person, with an extensive background in delivering results in a retail background. Currently I work for Tesco Superstores PLC as a Store Manager in Liverpool. Recognised as a capable and effective leader, with good decision making skills and the ability to support the delivery of key objectives. I feel that the skills I have acquired in my retail career could help me became a very effective parent governor. As a governor I would enjoy all of the challenges before me, being part of a team that can effectively help the performance of the college and would really enjoy the opportunities to attend training courses which would help further my understanding of what is expected of me. I feel it is essential to support the school, so every child can strive to develop to their full potential, also I’ve been very impressed in how my two children have developed while at the college and would like to give something back to the college.”

Leanne Williams
“I am a mum of a child in Year 8 and also work in Human Resources so can bring the knowledge and experience requested to ensure that our children have the right staff with the right values and attitudes to give our chidren the best Education. I will ensure that the voice of parents and our children is represented and that the school continues to thrive.”

Dear Student,

The exam season is upon us and this is your time to shine! I can’t say this is going to be an enjoyable few weeks, but it is necessary and something we all go through in our lives. It won’t be long before your magical Prom and longest summer holiday ever will be here. However, we can’t ignore the fact that these next few weeks will have a significant impact on the rest of your life. To help you through, I want to give you some tips and advice to help you perform to the best of your ability.

1. There is still enough time to make significant improvements in your grades
The time studying at home and in revision classes will have a significant impact on your results, right up to the moment you walk into the exam. Keep working hard and use every moment you can to make that next grade.

2. This is nothing to do with luck
Your GCSE results are all about the effort and the work you do to prepare for your exams. No one will say those students who do well have been “lucky”; work hard and put the effort in and you will see the benefits.

3. Prioritise your time
Over the next few weeks, your exams must be your number one priority. This is the time to be disciplined about how you use the precious time you have.

4. Use the staff to help you achieve the top grades
Don’t sit at home worrying about some content you are struggling with, ask your teachers for help as they are the experts. They will always find time for you, and five minutes with a teacher could save you hours.

5. Attend all the extra sessions
Staff at Cowley always have extra sessions after college, at weekends and holidays that are carefully planned to support you with exam preparation. Don’t miss out on these important opportunities as students who come to these sessions are far more prepared and achieve higher grades.

6. Work hard at home
Evenings and weekends are long enough to fit in relaxation and revision. Each evening, you should be studying for 2 hours (not including your Period 6). Split your weekends into 3 (mornings, afternoons, and evenings) and study for 2 out of 3.

7. Reward your hard work with some ‘down time’
Relax, get outside, and do some exercise. Studies show that students who punctuate their revision with exercise outside do better in their exams.

8. Be honest and ruthless with your distractions
We all have distractions in our lives that stop us from doing what we need to do. Be disciplined with these distractions, whether this is your phone, your PlayStation or something else. For the next few weeks these must be managed. You will have plenty of time once the exams have finished!

9. Be organised and prepared for the day
Use your exam timetable to know when and where your exams are. The morning of the exam can be very busy and therefore preparation is key. Each night, make sure you have all the necessary equipment for the next day. If you are not sure on what equipment you need, please speak to your Team Tutor.

10. Use the resources provided
All the resources we have given you, including the ‘Knowledge organisers’, GCSE Pod, Revision books and past papers are all brilliant, but only if you use them! Don’t spend time copying things down or making extensive notes. Familiarise yourself with key topics, make lists of areas that you are concerned about and speak to your teachers.

You are going to be nervous; it is normal to be nervous as it means you care, and these exams mean something to you. All you must do is work hard and ask for help when you need it.

I believe in you and your ability and look forward to celebrating with you at Prom and Results Day.

Best wishes,
Mr Cormack
Principal

On Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th April, our Geography Department took Year 10 GCSE Geographers on a coastal fieldwork trip to Formby beach to help them to prepare for their GCSE exam next year.

Students spent the day undertaking a variety of techniques to collect data to compare vegetation cover on a managed with an unmanaged dune.

The fieldwork trip provided students with good quality data that they can use in their GCSE Geography exam in Year 11, as well as to help broaden their fieldwork knowledge and understanding.

Fortunately, both fieldwork days were dry and somewhat sunny, which made the visit even more enjoyable.  The Geographers who participated on the fieldtrips were all a credit to the school.