Update 8th January 2021 from Department of Education regarding exams
Update 6th January 2021
I hope this correspondence finds everyone in our school family safe and well. It is not the start to the new year which we had hoped for with all schools being instructed to engage in remote learning until the February half-term break. Remote learning is not easy for pupils, teachers or parents but I cannot stress enough the importance of engaging with this over the next six weeks. Pupils who need passwords changed should complete the ICT Difficulties form on our ICT Support webpage http://www.fivemiletowncollege.org/ictsupport. If anyone has any issues regarding accessing remote learning please do not hesitate to contact us here in school on 02889521279 or via email on info@college.fivemiletown.ni.sch.uk.
We remain open to children of key workers and vulnerable children for supervised learning during normal school hours. Please use the following link if you want to check if your child falls under either of these categories. https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/weir-sets-out-plans-education-provision. If you wish your child to access supervised learning in school, please let us know via telephone or again email via the school info account (see above.)
As a parent myself, I know the best place for learning is within the classroom, however we must follow the current legislation to stay at home in order to try and keep the worrying rate of Covid19 infection at bay. Pupils can contact their teachers directly via Google Classroom or parents can contact the school via telephone or email. There will be staff in school every day and your queries will be directed to the appropriate person who is best suited to deal with them.
A text is being sent to parents this afternoon to advise that hard copies of work (to compliment on-line learning) can be collected from school on Thursday 7th January for Years 8 – 11. Parents should pull up in front of the school building and remain in their cars. Staff will be outside the main doors to hand over work. Please note the following times:
Year 8 Parents – 12 noon – 12.45p.m.
Year 9 Parents – 12.45p.m. – 1.30p.m.
Year 10 Parents – 1.30p.m. – 2.15p.m.
Year 11 Parents – 2.15p.m. – 3.00p.m.
We have just heard the announcement today via the media of the cancellation of GCSE and A Level examinations, we await further information from the department of education regarding how our examination students will be assessed. We will be in touch in due course with parents of Years 11, 12, 13 and 14 pupils when we receive this guidance. In the meantime, we encourage all these pupils to continue to engage with remote learning in all subjects.
I send every good wish to you all in these very difficult circumstances. It is my hope that everyone in our school community will remain healthy and safe during this very worrying time. I look forward to welcoming all our pupils back to school whenever it is safe to do so.
The helpsheet below is a reminder for our pupils logging onto My-School.
Update 31st December 2020
Following advice from the Education Authority we are unable to start on Monday 4th January as planned. All parents have been contacted and any updates will be posted here and on our school Facebook and Twitter accounts.
EA Guidance
Thank you for taking part in our Christmas Fundraisers
Our Silly Sock Day and our Christmas Jumper Day proved very successful and raised over £800 for two worthwhile charities. We were able to send 26 shoeboxes via Operation ChristmasChild with our SU Group purchasing these online. £300 was sent to Save the Children Fund. Well done everyone!
Information from the Department of Education 14 October 2020
Following the announcement today from the Department of Education NI, we can confirm that we will be fully closed next week. We have been instructed that remote learning is not to take place, but we trust that our students will use this as an opportunity for revision and to get all work up-to-date. Contact from parents next week is via our school email account: info@college.fivemiletown.ni.sch.uk All pupils will be back in school on Monday 2 November. The Yr8 Parent Teacher calls planned for that morning, will now be postponed. As always, we appreciate the cooperation of our families at this time of uncertainty.
Useful information for parents regarding symptoms and cases of Covid 19.
Our school canteen staff are doing all they can to help our students.
All students are able to pre-order food for each half-term.Pupils and families should note the cost for each day, andbring in the correct money on that day to pay the canteen staff directly.Remember that the value of a FSM is £2.80.Yr8-10 will have food delivered to their classrooms.Yr11-14 will use the canteen, but still have to pre-order.This will be the pattern for the terms to follow.
You can view our calendar month by month, or you can access a pdf version here:
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