Parents' Information

for students on IB - Pre-IB - E16+ courses

News

50 years celebration

Wassail

Wilderness Challenge

Football Report

Outward Bound

Riding Weekend

Arrivals Day Photos

Principal's reports

Pictures

St. Clare's Home

Students are returning to you tired after a long term, but we are pleased that it has been successful. Most first year IB students have made an excellent start. In addition to all of the academic demands, all students have been involved in the Science Group Project which had its grand finale last week. It was wonderfully entertaining as well as informative, and a lot of work had gone into the presentations. This is a term of high pressure for second year IB students. They have had substantial amounts of work for Internal Asessment in many subjects, November exams, Theory of Knowledge essays and presentations and, for many, university applications to the UK, the USA and elsewhere. The Pre-IBs and Engish Course 16+ students this term have shown a wide range of interests and abilities, involving theselves in College life to varying degrees.

Students have also been involved in the Christmas concert, an excellent International Evening, some lively charity events, International Volunteers Day, the St. Clare's 50th anniversary celebration in Oxford Town Hall, and a host of other activities.

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Parent / Teacher Meetings
There will be two opportunities for parents to meet individually with Personal Tutors, teachers and advisers: Sunday 4 January at 14.00 in the Hall, and at the Parents Day on 11 June. The first of these is scheduled so that you can see us when your son / daughter returns in January. The second is designed so that you can collect them at the end of the year and review the year with us.

Parents who cannot attend these meetings are welcome to visit St Clare's at other times to discuss their son or daughter's progress with their teachers, Careers and Higher Education Advisers, Personal Tutor, Director of Studies, Dean of Students, Vice Principal, Assistant Principal, and Principal, as necessary. We would like a few days' warning of such visits so that appointments can be made for the meetings. Please contact Sylvia Corrie, the Academic Secretary, if you would like to make such a visit.

Half Term - long weekend break : 18 - 22 February
Students may leave on Wednesday 18 February from 13.15 and must return to their houses by 22.00 on Sunday 22 February. Because this is a short mid-term break the college houses and dining facilities will remain open. House rules will apply to those students remaining in residence. During the break, there will be an optional college-organised trip to Barcelona

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Mock exams for IB2 students: 25 February - 5 March
Mock exams for Year 2 students will take place in the two weeks after the long weekend break. They are very important, being in length and format similar to the final exams in May. Students will be tested on all the work they have completed so far and this is a good chance to consolidate the work of earlier terms. A good mock result provides students with reassurance and confidence. For this reason, it is particularly important that students continue their preparation for the mocks during the Christmas holidays. We ask parents to join with us in encouraging them to do so.

Our aim is to complete all the Internal Assessment work required, with the exception of the final language orals, during the period leading up to half term. This means that after the mocks we can focus entirely on the final exams.

Interim exams for IB1
There are exams on Wednesday 10 March - Friday 12 March. These are important, and they will help us to advise students on progressing from the first year to the second.

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Easter Break: 2 - 18 April
Term ends at 13.15 on Friday 2 April. Those who cannot get away that evening may stay until Saturday. Classes continue right up to the end of term and it is important for students not to leave before this. They should also return on time for the essential final preparation for the exams.

It is probable that houses will be closed through the Easter Break to 18 April. We shall be happy to advise students about accommodation if they need to stay in Oxford during this time, but they must let Stephanie O'Keeffe, Student Services Officer, know their needs early in the term. Bed and breakfast lodging in Oxford can cost over £45 per day.

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Final IB examinations: 4 - 25 May
Details of the final examinations have been displayed in the College and are in the Diary. A few Year 1 students have exams and they should check their timetable. Year 2 students should check their own timetable. Students may leave as soon as they have finished their last exam (some as early as 14 May). We encourage this as the presence of students who have finished their papers inevitably distracts those who still have to work. However, we equally encourage leaving students to return for the Graduation events on 28 and 29 May.

Graduation Ball and Graduation
The Graduation Ball for the leaving students will take place on Friday 28 May, with the Graduation Day on Saturday 29. The Friday evening event will be for the students to celebrate with each other, but on the Saturday we will have a formal lunch for students and their parents, followed by a presentation of graduation certificates. We hope that all parents will be able to join us for this event. It marks the end of term for our second year students, and indeed is their time for leaving, so you can combine your visit with collecting your daughter/son after the exams.

End of year
IB2 students must leave by Sunday 30 May. We hope that all will attend the leaving celebrations even though they may have gone away for the period following their last examination.
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Field Trips
The field trip is a valuable experience for IB students, and this year it will take place in Pembrokeshire between Saturday 1 and Friday 14 May 2004. Students of Biology and Ecosystems and Societies will be away from college for about five days during this period, longer if they have Geography as well. During this time they will complete exercises relevant to their portfolios of work for these sciences and Geography.

IB1 Year Exams
During the period of Monday 24 May to Friday 28 May there will be major exams in each subject. These will be based on the full year's work. They are another important measure of student progress, and give us information that is vital for predicted grades and references for university applications. At the end of term these grades will be recorded on the Transcript and given, together with a full report in each subject, to students to take home to their parents.

Parents' Day
This year's Parents' Day takes place on Friday 11 June. From 10.30 to 13.00, there will be a programme which will include time for parents to meet Teachers and Personal Tutors. This will be followed by lunch. We always try to make this a pleasant and informative occasion to which all parents and close family are invited. Further details will be sent to you nearer the time.

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End of term
Year 1 students may leave after the Parents' Day on Friday 11 June. Those unable to get away that evening may stay until 14.00 on Saturday 12 June.

Summer Courses
Parents whose son / daughter is studying a language other than English as Language B (foreign language) will know that a stay in the country where the language is spoken is of great benefit to the student, unless of course there are exceptional circumstances, e.g. if he / she is bilingual. One formula is for the student to follow a course offering several hours a day of tuition in the language. For example, for students of French we have a special link with a summer school in Bordeaux. Another is to stay with a family, thus "living" the language. For families who live in Britain and who have the time to entertain a foreign guest, an exchange can be a good arrangement involving minimal cost. Teachers of the various foreign languages at St. Clare's are always willing to advise students in planning such stays.

Other students may be interested in joining the St. Clare's Summer Institute. This started very successfully last year with courses for review of first year work, introduction for students starting the Diploma, and programmes for IB teachers. There may be students amongst our present first year who would benefit from these courses, which will take place between 24 July and 13 August. Further details are available here.

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Careers and Higher Education
Year 2 - Applications to British Universities have now been submitted and many IB2 students have been visiting Universities for Open Days and interviews. Students are receiving conditional offers of places and being informed of the IB grades that they have to achieve if they are to gain a place.

Please contact Paul Lennon if you are concerned about the progress of your son or daughter's application or if you require further information.

Year 1 - During the Spring Term IB1 students will begin to make decisions about their higher education plans. Our Careers Programme of talks by visiting speakers, visits to university campuses and regular counselling interviews is designed to assist them with their choices. The programme is primarily arranged by Paul Lennon, our Careers and Higher Education Adviser. Please contact him if you have any questions - email paul.lennon@stclares.ac.uk.

Early next term all first year students will be given the opportunity to undertake an interest questionnaire called "Centigrade". This provides students with a very detailed printout on the university courses which would be most suitable for them. The cost of £10 will be added to your bill. We hope that you will encourage students to take advantage of this offer.

Applications to college in the United States are dealt with by Jay Bosworth, US College Advisor. Students contemplating applying to American universities should see him as soon as they return in January. All applicants need to take the American SAT examinations. These are required by almost all universities and interested students should definitely sit the SAT exams on May 1. Those whose first language is not English also need to take the TOEFL examination on May 18. Students will be enrolled and given practice for them. The costs are: SAT £30, TOEFL £84. These charges can be added to the student's account in the Bursary.

Writing to us
Parents who are not comfortable writing to us in English should feel free to write in other languages. Among our staff we are usually able to find at least one speaker of other languages. However, please note that it may take us a few days to do so. For URGENT correspondence it is therefore helpful to use English.

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Activities this term
During this successful first term of the year, we offered a breadth of new activities, featuring: Fitness Training at a local gym in town, as well as Capoeira, Rowing, Model United Nations and the launch of The Clarion (St Clare's student newspaper). We also continued with some of the students' favourites such as Latin Funk, STEP Tanzanian project, International Affairs, and Swimming. The buzz around the college after hours has been very positive with a high level of involvement. The general theme this term has been "Life at St Clare's" which provided an excellent end of term exhibition.

New activities coming next term are Play School (from script to performance of a play), St Clare's TV (use of video editing to produce a news programme), and netball, amongst others. The theme for next term will be South America, with the aim to run a carnival with a truly Brazilian flavour.

We have also launched the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, which has proved popular with the students. The expedition phase of the award will be run over two weekends in February.

We also hope to emulate the successes achieved by the St Clare's football team, who were narrowly beaten finalists in an International Tournament. We hope they will now compete in a tournament in Milan. Also worth a mention are the Wilderness Challenge competitors who qualified for the national survival challenge in March.

St Clare's students have been working hard for their service hours. This culminated in the "Helping in the Community Day" which was well supported recently with over 50 volunteers. We are hoping to run a similar scheme next term.

We have had several successful trips this term notably the Paris weekend, Horse riding in Wales and The Outward Bound residential week in Wales. Our plans for next term will be focussing on the Barcelona trip in February and the proposed Brazil trip at the end of term.

The students have enjoyed a range of cultural experiences this term including day trips to the Cotswolds, Cambridge, London and Theatre trips to see the Lion King and Phantom of the Opera. We are planning next to take some day trips to Windsor, Hampton Court, Cardiff, and Theatre trips, which could include such shows as Mamma Mia, CATS as well as more locally based dramatic productions.

The Spring promises to be most exciting.

Maureen Guy, Dean of Students and Nick Lee, Director of Studies

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