Principal’s Update
What a fabulous sixth form celebration on Friday. Well done to the events team and caretakers for quickly moving the James the DJ, photo booth and face painting inside. Staff and students enjoyed the delicious catering provided by Patrick and Café Connect. It was lovely too to see colleagues bringing their children in to enjoy the celebration after school. Eileen was wonderful, as usual, at making sure we all had a good time.
The second part of these celebrations continue on Thursday evening with the P.R.I.D.E. of Highlands Sixth Form Awards night. We have 38 sponsors supporting your great work with these young people.
Our end of term event where we say goodbye to staff ahead of the summer break and reflect on the year’s achievements is in The Great Hall on Thursday 11th of July. Invites are in your calendars.
There are still part-time courses running and a few full-time students who have final submissions last chance deadlines. In UCJ, the annual University Awards Boards are taking place over the next two weeks. At these boards, grades will be agreed and decisions made about students progressing to the next year, or otherwise.
This week SLT will be chaired by Rob Moy whilst I am on training. The focus will be the final curriculum plan sign off for 2024 to 2025. There has been a lot of work updating Connect Finance to show all variances in appointments. This means if you teach 0.70 in one department and 0.30 in another, the fractions are held against each budget area accurately. This is important so that resources are allocated adequately as well.
Kate Hobbs, our Vice-Principal for Curriculum is off for a month due to unplanned, emergency surgery. She is at home and recuperating so you may not see her before the end of term. We have sent flowers and visited in hospital; she is very grateful for the support she has received from those who knew she was unwell. I am addressing this in the bulletin as staff have been asking after her.
This week, I am at the Chamber Lunch, joined by three 6th form students and seated with ministers and business leaders. The speaker is Deputy Lyndon Farnham, Jersey’s Chief Minister. His speech is about progress thus far and plans for the next 18 months of his government. On Thursday, Ben Bennett and I will meet with a delegation from Southampton University. This is led by CYPES and is exploring future links for research and on-island medical training.
With Transition Days next week and hundreds of prospective students on campus, I hope you have a fun week. The SLT has a programme of visits to come and meet the students which we are very much looking forward to.
Jo