As part of our Strategic Plan, we are committed to looking at the role that technology plays in learning, what that looks like at Victoria College and the impact on our students. With that in mind, this term sees the start of our turning our attention to this matter long term, and a starting point is to hear some parental views. This will help us plan our next steps, both in the short and long term, as well as help guide our training and strategic decisions moving forward.

Please help us by completing this short survey. If you have more than one son, please complete a separate survey for each.

Please ensure that if you leave your child in the care of someone else and are not available to respond in an emergency, that you let the College know who to contact in your absence. If we need to administer medication and/or communicate an incident, it is critical that we can get in touch with parents or carers quickly.  

What a brilliant week to start off the term - our students have thoroughly enjoyed break and lunchtimes out in the snow! Don't forget to follow us on our social media channels to see this and other stories of what they've been up to!

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The Joint Charter of Respect was created in 2021 following work between senior students at JCG and Victoria College. This group, which continues to run today, and is known as the Joint Student Working Party, comprises Sixth Form representatives from both schools. The group’s remit is to help support positive relationships and engagement between boys and girls in the schools, and to create a climate of mutual respect.

The Joint Charter is an entirely student-created document, which outlines the standards of behaviour that both student bodies feel everyone should uphold. It aligns with the values of both schools, and in particular with Victoria College’s emphasis on kindness and respect. The Charter has recently been reviewed, and the latest version can be found here.

In line with our mission to provide a dynamic, transformative curriculum in and out of the classroom that inspires excellence, curiosity and independent thinking, Victoria College has been working with Voice 21, a charity dedicated to transforming the learning and subsequent life chances of young people through oracy.

Read more here about the positive impact that this is having on developing the physical, cognitive, linguistic and social and emotional skills that students need to engage in successful discussions.  

To enable parents to have a better idea of what our KS3 students are studying in their PSHE lessons and to spread these conversations out of the classroom and into the home, we would be delighted if you could adopt our dinner table discussions into your weekly schedule.

Each week there will be questions that you can ask your child, that will link into their learning from PSHE that week and hopefully prompt interesting conversations. 

This week's questions:

Y7: Why is it important to set boundaries in healthy relationships? How can we do this successfully? 

Y8: What do you think is important in a healthy relationship? 

Y9: What did you learn from the guest teachers about how to protect your personal information online? 

Sign up for Spring Term clubs is open for another week and is accessible via SOCS. 

Please find below the link to a parent letter from Mr Francis Murton, Director of Music, detailing the wonderful array of musical events on offer throughout this term. This even includes an opportunity for staff and parents to get involved - why not join the Jersey Island Singers and our school choir to prepare some fabulous music by Elgar and Parry for our end of term concert on Saturday 23 March?

 Music Department Parent Letter

As indicated in the letter, please do confirm your son's availability for the events that he wishes to take part in here. 

We will once again be taking part in the Grace Crocker Family Support Foundation's February Challenge, which will see students and staff walk, jog and run the equivalent distance from Jersey to Southampton Hospital, to raise funds and awareness for the Foundation. Staff and student teams will be entered and each student in Years 7-11 will be taking part via their PE and games lessons, meaning that every student in those Year groups will contribute to this challenge in some way.

We will update everybody on our progress in the newsletter and via our social media pages throughout February. It would be great to see our wider community taking part in this in some way. You can enter as an individual or as a team using this Race Nation sign up page. Alternatively, you can support our fundraising efforts using this link. To find out more about the work that the Foundation takes on, visit their website.

As part of their Multilingual Young People Project, the Jersey Youth Service is inviting all multilingual learners to join in a fun evening of ice-skating on Thursday 1 February. For more information and to sign up, please click on the links below:

Ice Skating Poster

Consent Form

Letter to Parents

The Languages Eisteddfod competition is back! If your son is interested in taking part, please refer to the information attached and register him online using the links. The closing date for entries is Friday 19 January 2024.

French - 28 & 29 February 2024 

Spanish - 1 March 2024 

Once registered online, please inform Head of Modern Foreign Languages, Ms Perestrelo (m.perestrelo@vcj.sch.je) of your son's name and selected class.

The VCPA cordially invites you to 'save the date' for their 'Bingo Night with a Twist' on Thursday 29 February 2024!  Watch this space for more information coming shortly.

To better access their Neurodevelopmental Service, CAMHS have introduced this CAMHS Support Pack containing information about neurodiversity, links to resources, sessions and local support services (this is a live document that will be updated as the Service offer develops). Key events to note are:

1. Introduction to the Neurodiversity Service sessions – these will take place every first Tuesday of the month for parents/carers that believe their child may be neurodiverse and would like to find out further information or are on the waiting list for an assessment.  This session takes place at St James School, Jersey Youth Service  from 12:00 – 13:00. The session focuses on: an introduction to CAMHS, neurodiversity, the assessment process and support available.

2. Weekly drop-in support session for Parents/Carers of neurodiverse children - Mondays 11:30 – 13:30 at the Yes Project.  

3. Sibling Support – siblings of ND children can now access a 4-week course to help them better understand neurodiversity, identify and understand their sibling's needs and how to best support them, recognise the importance of self-care as well as have the opportunity to connect with others who share similar experiences.  This course is for young people age 9 – 14 years.  The next course is running in February 2024 and ongoing support is available via the Jersey Youth Service ‘My Time Project’.

4. ADHD Awareness and Support Group for Parents/carers - medication talk - NEW! - The next parent/carer support session will be taking place on Monday 29 January 2023, 6:30pm – 8:30pm at Samarès School with a focus on ADHD medication.  A 45 minute presentation will be delivered by Dr Catherine Keep and Specialist Nurse Prescriber Alison Pell, from CAMHS.  CAMHS administrators will also be available to answer any questions you may have about upcoming appointments. Attendees will be able to access peer support afterwards. To book a free ticket please click here. 

Are you or is someone you know looking for a career change and interested in teaching?

To find out more about a career in teaching and the different routes to apply, why not attend this Government of Jersey event taking place at Highlands on Monday 15 January? This event is open to anyone with an interest in teaching – both graduates and those looking to change career.

Teacher Training Information Evening

If you are interested in invigilating examinations during this busy period of mocks and moving into the summer when students will be sitting GCSE and A Level examinations, please contact Assistant Head - Staffing, Parm Plummer (p.plummer@vcj.sch.je).  

Please find attached what your son needs to bring to lessons this half term. Please note as the weather is getting colder they must now wear their reversible tops for their games lessons not their PE tops. They are also welcome to wear their ¼ zip should they want to.

Y7 PE & Games - Spring Half Term Parent Letter

We are delighted to welcome back Kieran Akers who has returned from his sabbatical and will lead the Activity Week plans from here onwards. All off-island choices were made prior to the Christmas holidays and are now closed.

On-Island activities are to be selected by Friday 19 January please:

1. Valley Adventure - outdoor high ropes activity package
2. Learn to Golf – for beginners and intermediates
3. Wild Adventures – outdoor and coastal activity package
4. Surfing at Splash Surf Centre
5. Le Mourier – water activity package
6. Absolute Adventure – water sports activity package
7. Junior Lifesaver Programme with the Jersey Surf School

On-Island school-based activities

8. STEM ‘make it’ Remote Control Car activity workshop
9. Supervised self-study in the library
10. College activities - in-school and local visit fun days
11. Sports Week – a whole week of Sport at the College with 1 day of water sports off campus.

Please follow this link to make your choices. 

For students who receive a bursary or are registered as Jersey Premium there is the opportunity to apply for funding support. Please complete the form above with your son’s preference and email any request to the College Bursar Carolyn Ferguson. (C.Ferguson@vcj.sch.je)

Parents of Year 9 CCF Recruits are warmly invited to attend our Pass Out Parade at 4pm on Friday 19 January. We will begin with presentations and awards in the Howard Davis Theatre, followed by a Parade in the Quad and refreshments in De Quetteville Library. Please arrive in the Howard Davis Theatre from 3.45pm.

All Year 11 students will undertake a guidance interview with Mrs Job (Head of Careers), Ms Murphy (Deputy Head of Sixth Form and Head of UCAS), Mrs Palfreyman (Assistant Head Academic), Mr Crossley (Deputy Headteacher) or Mr Falle (Head of Sixth Form) from Monday 22 January to Wednesday 7 February to discuss their A Level options and to assist them in making informed choices. They will be informed of these meetings via their tutor. 

Please find below the Y11 mock timetable alongside the exam paper guidance and a letter from the Head of Y11 (Mr Hodder).

Mock Examination Timetable

Mock Examination Paper Guidance

Mock Examination Timetable Letter

Please find attached a letter from Mr Falle following the Sixth Form Open Evening, held on 14th November, including information regarding the application process for a Sixth Form place. You will also find attached a copy of the presentation, and a draft application form, which is referenced in the letter. Deadline for applications is Friday 9 February.

Sixth Form Open Evening Follow Up

Sixth Form Open Evening Presentation

Victoria College Sixth Form Application Form

Please find below the links to the Y13 Mock Examination timetable and a parent letter providing further information. 

Y13 Mock Examination Timetable

Y13 Mock Examination Parent Letter