Student & Parent Letters
We want to keep you updated as much as possible with any changes. Please see the updates below for more information.
Student and Parent letter – Wednesday 14th October
Parental Update – Thursday 8th October
Letter to Parents – Thursday 1st October
Carmel Update – Friday 25th September
Parental Update – Friday 18th September
Letter to Parents – Tuesday 15th September
Letter to Parents – Friday 11th September
Student & Parent Letter – Wednesday 2nd September
Parentmail Letter – Tuesday 1st September
17th August 2020
Message regarding A level Grades
You will be aware of the current confusion with regards to A level grades, grading and review. We are expecting an update from No 10 at 4pm today.
Can I assure you that the college is doing everything in our power to support all our students who are disappointed with their results. Staff spent the weekend collating 500 separate appeals and we had planned to start sending the appeals in from today. We were in direct contact with exam boards on Friday – however as you will have heard the goal posts appear to be changing all the time. The work we started on Friday and Saturday has now had to be put on hold till we receive further updates from Ofqual.
One of our St Helens MPs directly challenged the Schools Minister on Radio 4 on Friday evening about the appeals Carmel will be sending. Our National Association published a report widely shared across the national media channels this morning showing that Sixth Form Colleges have been disproportionately affected. There are now several national legal challenges underway and the Metro Mayors of Liverpool and Manchester are also pushing a legal challenge.
For those who have already submitted appeals, you have all articulated in great detail why this process has been unfair and I do hope we can support you in getting a positive outcome. Please do not hesitate in sharing my contact details with any university admissions tutors/employers/apprenticeship providers you are dealing with.
At present we are awaiting an update from the DfE and /or Ofqual with regards to any potential process for appealing grades, or if indeed the Government decides upon a new procedure i.e. employing valid mock examination grades across a centre, re-running algorithms or reverting to Centre Assessed Grades.
Please be assured that we will update you as soon as we know via ParentMail
Hopefully, it goes without saying that our key focus at this juncture is in supporting our young people and parents throughout this very upsetting and uncertain time.
Mike Hill
Principal
This message has also been sent via ParentMail
Results Day 13th August 2020
Click the link below to watch a short video from our Principal about Results Day.
Principal’s Results Day Update
11th August 2020
This week’s update is a message from Ofqual that they want us to share with parents/carers of students expecting their GCSE, AS and A Level results this summer.
4th August 2020
Click here to read this week’s update
28th July 2020
There is no update this week as college is closed. The Principal’s updates will resume next week.
21st July 2020
Carmel moves towards a short period of closure at the end of this week. This is to allow all staff to have a short break after several challenging months. The college will be open again from Monday the 3rd August. We will still be able to receive telephone and email messages/queries, but we may take a little longer to respond. Existing students and those joining us in September will still be able to access work, resources and support online through Carmel Connect.
Free School Meals
The Government has recently announced that it is extending the free school meals funding over the summer holidays which also applies to colleges. For existing students who are eligible, we will start to make the additional ‘one off’ payment of £73 directly to your bank account from the start of August.
For eligible students currently in Year 11, please check with your high school as to how they are managing the summer scheme.
Transport
We continue to work with our travel partners planning for September. It is likely that we will be putting on additional services to the Widnes and Warrington areas in the middle of the college day to cover the new timetable. For users of Merseytravel routes, these services are regularly being increased. A good place to check on the current situation re school and college routes is the Merseytravel travel update web page – https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/travel-updates/school-services-latest-information/
14 July 2020
Choosing and starting your post-16 journey in September
10th July 2020
New Timetable
Click the link to view information about the new timetable for the 20/21 academic year.
Zoom Meeting Recordings
New students – Recordings of the subject area zoom meetings and parent information meeting are available on the New Student Gateway
Lower Sixth students – A recording of the Zoom meeting with parents / guardians of Lower Sixth students who are transitioning into Upper Sixth / Year 13 in September can be viewed here – Welcome to Year 13
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