This week we have been talking to the boys about expectations and how to ensure the College runs as smoothly and consistently for all. To help that, we have shared with all students the below expectations. We would appreciate your support in reinforcing these:

• Students must arrive to lessons on time and ready to learn
• Phones must be switched off between 0825-1525, and Y7 phones must be stored in the lockers in their tutor room
• If students need to contact their parents, they must go to Reception by the main gate
• No food purchased from the Bistro may be eaten outside the Bistro, except if attending a club or activity
• Bags must be put on bag racks or in lockers
• Uniform must be worn correctly at all times (shirt tucked in, top-button and tie done up, black shoes)
• Any medication students need to bring to College must be handed in at the Medical Bay before the start of the school day. The exceptions to this are inhalers and autoinjectors
• Students may not stay indoors at break and lunchtime unless they are attending a club or activity, or if it has been confirmed as Wet Break.
• No bags must be left at College over the weekend
• Boys are not allowed to go to the toilet in the first 15 or last 15 minutes of a lesson

Please note that individual school photos are being taken tomorrow during the day. Please ensure your son looks his smartest (top button done up, tie neatly done) and has his biggest smile. Photos will then be available to purchase.

All of our Clubs and Activities are listed publicly on the College Calendar.

Sign up for current Y8-13 is open until Sunday 15 September at 11.59pm.

Sign up for current Y7 is open from tomorrow morning, Friday 6 September, at 9am until Sunday 15 September at 11.59pm.

New parental users will need to “Activate” (set up) their accounts using the email address that they use to receive college communication. The link to sign up, as well as a “How to” Guide can be found here.

Boys using it for the first time need to click “Forgot Password” here and enter their College email addresses (ending @vcj.sch.je). An email will then be sent to their College account.

The benefits of this system for parents and students include:

• All Clubs and Activities are visible in one place
• Each individual student's timetable is in one place
• Users are alerted to clashes, changes or last-minute cancellations
• For those boys having individual instrumental lessons, this system also displays times and locations

The benefits of the system to the College:

• All Clubs and Activities are visible in one place
• Waiting lists can be set up for oversubscribed Clubs and Activities
• Track participation more easily
• Communicate any changes or last-minute cancellations easily
• We can control who can sign up, and when

Once your account is activated, you and/or your son can sign up to the Clubs and Activities that are available to him. Not only does this allow us to plan for who is coming, but it will also give you an overview of his week.

If your son hasn’t signed up, he can still attend a non-paid for club by turning up. He will be added to the register.

The following are the dates for the important Parent Information Evenings for each year group, where your son’s Head of Year and other senior colleagues will share key information about the year ahead. They are all held in person in the Great Hall from 5.30-6.30pm. Attendance is greatly appreciated:

Year 8 - 18 September

Year 9 - 24 September

Year 10 - 10 September

Year 11 - 11 September

Year 12 - 17 September

Year 13 - 25 September

Founders’ Week marks the College’s founding on 29 September 1852, and is a really important celebratory week where we raise money for the College Foundation and instil real pride in our College Houses. This year, Founders' Week begins on Monday 23 September. The week will be packed with exciting competitions for staff and students, including the CCF Cannon Race, Tug of War, and the Knight Shield Race, Founders’ Day Assembly and the annual Founders’ Walk from Les Jardins de la Mer to Corbiere and back on Friday 27 September.  

Please consider sponsoring your sons. Last year, we exceeded £10,000 in support of the Victoria College Foundation, helping ensure that students from all backgrounds can access a world-class education. This year, we are looking to go bigger and better than ever before – look out for more about Founders’ Week next week and how to sponsor.

The school counselling team are available to your son and can support with a variety of issues including feeling anxious, low self-esteem, relationship issues, concerns at school, life events, decision making and so on. 

The team are flexible and can offer one-off sessions as and when students need them or a set number of sessions depending on what feels best for them. Students can self-refer by using the referral form on the school website, via you - the parent/guardian by submitting the same form or by visiting the counselling team in the Dunlop room. Referrals will be reviewed by the Senior Safeguarding Team and the appropriate support identified.

All new parents to the college will receive their activation emails for the College's Parent Pay system in the next week. Please also check your junk emails. You will require this system in order to pay and confirm your son's place at any club and on school trips. All payments to the college must be made via this new system going forward.

If you do not receive your Parent Pay login details by Wednesday 11 September, or have still not activated your account from last academic year, please contact Mrs Cunningham on finance@vcj.sch.je who will be able to supply these to you.

Parents are reminded that without payment through Parent Pay, you cannot secure your son's place for any clubs, trips or activities, including Homework Club.

If you require your login details, or an additional person added to your son's account to make payments, then please contact Mrs Cunningham at finance@vcj.sch.je, and she will be happy to assist.

Parents are kindly requested to enable alerts so that every time a new item is available to you, you will receive an alert. The “Manage Alerts” button can be found on your homepage and you can set these for “New Items", either sending you an email or Text Message.

For more information, please click here.

Please can all trophies presented at our Annual Prize Giving event be returned to school by Friday 13 September to be displayed in the trophy cabinets outside the Great Hall. 

Run for Kezia - Sunday 15 September

After the success of the Run for Kezia in 2022 and 2023, this charity run/ walk returns in memory of Kezia Mason who took her own life in March 2022, age 14. Kezia's friends and family want to raise awareness and funds for children and young people's mental health in Jersey. All funds raised will be added to Kezia's Fund which was set up as part of the Jersey Community Foundation. More information can be found here. 

Open Evening  (for prospective *new* students only)  – Thursday 3rd October, 4.30 - 7pm. New parents who do not already have a son attending College should sign up here. 

New Year 7 Parents Meal – Thursday 17 October 

House Drama Save the Date – Thursday 24 October, 6.30pm, Arts Centre 

** Please see the school calendar for the full list of events.

Please find the latest PE rotation for Y7 for this half-term here. This information details the new activity your son will be doing, as well as the kit he will need.

In addition, the Sports Teams training sessions and activities for the term ahead are now updated on the College Calendar.

This term Year 7 students will be focusing on a successful transition to secondary school, thinking about how we build community and reflecting on their personal values and goals. Afterwards, they will focus on the United Nation’s Charter of the Rights of the Child. Here they will consider needs versus wants, learn about the rights children have and how some children may struggle to access their rights. They will also look at how rights can come into conflict with each other and consider the ethical issues surrounding this.  

Year 8 will be learning about media literacy. They will cover a wide range of topics, including: fake news, social media use and its impact on mental health, how to identify bias and evaluate the validity of sources, the effects of online hate and how to debate in a healthy way without discrimination, the difference between opinion and fact and how to form informed opinions.   

Year 9 students will be following a unit written by the charity ‘Being Mankind.’ It explores different men’s stories and aims to challenge the gender stereotypes that create false expectations for men and can burden and damage both men themselves and the people around them. The resources offer a diverse range of male voices that ‘help to plot a path towards equality, paved with kindness and unlimited potential.’ 

To continue the conversation out of the classroom and into the home, questions that you might wish to discuss this week include: 

Year 7 - Why do schools need to have rules? Can you remember any of Victoria College’s 10 golden rules?  

Year 8- How can we stop fake news going viral online? Should social media platforms that spread fake news be banned? Why? 

Year 9 - How can gender stereotypes start in childhood? What effect can they have, particularly on boys and men? 

If there are any students in possession of a locker that they no longer use, it would be helpful if they could return their keys to the School Office as soon as possible.