Victoria College is proud to announce the upcoming Founders' Week, taking place from Monday 23 to Friday 27 September, celebrating 172 years of excellence, tradition, and community. This annual event is a much-anticipated highlight of the school calendar, bringing together students and staff to participate in and support a series of exciting competitions, all in aid of the Victoria College Foundation.

Please click here to hear more about what's in store throughout the week and how parents, guardians, students and alumni are invited to get involved and help us reach our fundraising goals!

Please click here for full details of the Founders' Walk.

Over the last week, we have been talking to the boys about expectations and how to ensure the College runs as smoothly and consistently as possible 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

A reminder that sign up for paid Clubs and Activities shuts this weekend. After that, invoices will be generated and shared via the ParentPay App.

We also have a few new Clubs and Activities that have been added to the calendar, starting next week.

• History Club (Y7-9), Wednesday lunchtime
• Diversity & Inclusion Club (All years), Wednesday lunchtime
• Shooting Club (Y9-13), Tuesday after school (contact Shooting Coach Mr Pirouet c.pirouet@vcj.sch.je for more details)

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 12 - 17 September

Year 13 - 25 September

The link for parents to order school photos has arrived and can be accessed here. 

For several years the boys from Sartorius House have been helping Jersey Heritage prepare for the Fête Du Cidre by picking the apples in the orchard at Hamptonne Country Life Museum.  We are pleased to advise that it is back again this year! 

As well as the community involvement, we will have, as always, a fundraising aspect to the event. We hope that, whether they can attend on the day or not, each student will be able to raise a minimum of £20 through sponsorship or donations towards our international house charity - Sightsavers.

Please click here to find out how to get involved and donate.

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.

Meet the Counsellors!

All new parents to the college should have received their activation emails for the College's Parent Pay system this 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 have not received your Parent Pay login details 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. 

We would like to make you aware that there is change in leadership in Design Technology at Victoria College, which takes effect from this week. Mr Batchford will assume the role of Head of Department from Ms Aikenhead, and we would both like to congratulate Mr Batchford on the new position and offer our thanks to Ms Aikenhead for her leadership of DT. This information has been relayed to your sons in the Daily Briefing. If you have any questions about Design Technology, please now direct communications to l.batchford@vcj.sch.je. 

1. 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. 

2. Founders Week - Monday 23 - Friday 27 September 

Please see full details inserted above.

3. Open Evening  (for prospective *new* students only)  – Thursday 3rd October, 4.30 - 7pm.

New parents should sign up here. 

4. New Year 7 Parents Meal – Thursday 17 October 

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

Note that tickets will go live here from next Tuesday. Seats are limited so it is recommended to book as early as possible.

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

Victoria College Heads of House have been really excited to welcome your sons to College over the last week. Please select the relevant letter  from each Head of House below, outlining important information that will be a useful reference point for the year ahead. 

Braithwaite House

Bruce House

Diarmid House

Dunlop House

Sartorius House

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

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

Please find the link here to an important letter about CAT4 Testing taking place next week.

Please find the link to the Information Evening slides here. 

Please find a letter from Head of Geography, Mr Hodder, containing important information about the launch of this trip here. 

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.