Taic Ionnsachaidh
'Moving On - Moving Up'
BEFORE SEPTEMBER
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Your child’s primary school may have received invitations to e.g. STEM events, World Sports’ Day, Year 8 EA Transition Project or a matinee performance in the college;
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Primary 7 Taster Day – a full day at the college for all P7 children who express an interest in transferring to us by returning a Pre-Enrolment Form. This does not mean that you have to choose us, nor does it guarantee your child a place;
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Primary 7 Transition Days in June – an opportunity for students transferring to the college to meet Subject Teachers and Year Head, tour the College and sample some subjects and clubs available at ICD;
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Cognitive ability testing supports information sent by primary schools and helps us to plan to support each student effectively and efficiently from the outset. Students are placed into academic streams based on their cognitive ability; the top stream are grammar stream students;
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Literacy, Numeracy and SEN links with primary schools – our Learning Support Team collates and disseminates all relevant information on each child to help smooth their transition into the college. This may include visits by our staff to your child’s primary school;
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Year 8 Transition Evening in June – invitation to an informative evening for transferring students and their parents;
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Summer Scheme – a week of fun activities and trips to help form new friendships and strengthen relationships with other students and staff.
IN SEPTEMBER
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Two full days of induction with only limited year groups present;
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Sixth Form students act as Form Class Buddies with Year 8s;
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Transport Assembly – Year 8 students are assigned to staff who will assist them boarding buses on a daily basis thereafter;
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Literacy, Numeracy and attitudinal testing supports other baseline information and helps us to refine our plans to support each student;
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Welcome Assembly for Year 8 with year group pastoral staff;
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Team Building Day – an event for Year 8 students, Form Tutors and Head of Year to get to know each other even better;
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Year 8 study skills workshop.
ONGOING
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Daily registration with Form Tutors – ensures that the highest standards of uniform, behaviour, attendance and effort are maintained;
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Departmental and class teacher reward systems – to encourage each student to work, to learn and to reach their potential;
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Lesson Monitor – to record attendance, achievements, homework, behaviour and attitude to learning in each lesson;
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Homework diaries – checked regularly by teachers, Form Tutors and parents;
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Head Boy, Head Girl and Sixth Form Prefects mentor younger students;
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Bus Prefects – assist students when travelling to and from College;
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All new students receive training in our restorative methods;
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Parents restorative training event in the College;
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Transport Assemblies – reminding students how to stay safe when travelling with input from PSNI and Translink;
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Year 8 Progress Report at Halloween.
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Student support days throughout the year - keeps everyone updated and promotes learning together.
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Extra-curricular activity programmes with late transport arrangements to Armagh and Dungannon bus depots;
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Assemblies, reward afternoons/trips across the year and Fun Day in June – reward and encourage students’ positive behaviour, progress, achievement, readiness to learn and attendance.