News and Updates – Oldmachar Academy

NESCol Campus - Covid-19 Measures from Next Week
The health, safety and wellbeing of all connected with the College remain the priority as the gradual easing of restrictions continues - therefore, school pupils must wear a face covering when attending the College and those that are exempt wear a sunflower lanyard or carry an exemption card.

Please see below for more information.

From Monday, 28th of February, the following changes to guidelines will be in place across all NESCol facilities:

Face coverings: Must be worn in all public areas of the College, including corridors, but can be removed in learning areas or to eat or drink. Those with an exemption are asked to wear a sunflower lanyard or carry an exemption card.
Distancing: Maintain appropriate distancing where possible. Although the 1m rule will not be in
place, every individual should take personal responsibility to keep those around them safe.

It is also important to continue to follow existing guidance:

Avoid crowded spaces and don’t gather in groups - follow one-way systems where those are in place.
Clean your hands regularly - this remains an important measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses.
Don’t attend if you have symptoms - if you feel unwell or have any illness that could spread to those around you, it’s important to stay at home. You should follow the latest Scottish Government guidance on testing and isolation.
Test regularly - even if you don’t have symptoms we ask all students, staff and visitors to our campus to carry out a lateral flow test before attending any of our sites.
Get vaccinated - vaccination remains the best form of defence against Covid-19. Ensure you are fully vaccinated, including boosters, to help protect yourself and all those around you.

Students in areas with industry-specific guidance, including hospitality and hair and beauty, will continue to adopt measures relating to those sectors.

Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme
Young people who are aged between 5 and 21 years can apply now for a card to access the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme which goes live on the 31st of January. Parents must apply for young people aged 5 to 15, and young people aged 16 and over can apply themselves if they choose.

Pupils Travelling by Bus to ACC City Campus, School Links and Foundation Apprenticeship Courses
With the introduction of the Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme, those pupils doing ACC City Campus courses, School Links and/or Foundation Apprenticeship courses at NESCol will no longer be issued a pass from school but will need to use this new card instead. We will stop issuing passes on behalf of the college on the 2nd of February. Pupils should apply now as the application process can take about 10 days.

How to Apply
The links below provide helpful information about applying. Please note that we are unable to assist with the application process.

Information about the scheme and the application process from the Aberdeen City Council website
Information about the scheme from the Transport Scotland website
Apply online at the GetYourNEC.Scot website
Parents applying on behalf of their children will need a MyGov.Scot account. If you don't have an account, you can find out more here.
As part of the application process, parents will need to provide proof of their identity online. If necessary, the application Yoti can help with this.

School Links and Foundation Apprenticeships - Updates
Pupils attending School Links courses and Foundation Apprenticeships at NESCol should be aware of the following.

NESCol is going ahead with a phased return to activity on campus, as planned, and limited face-to-face teaching will resume on Monday, 17th of January.
The Google Sheet (available in the S4 to S6 Year Google Classrooms) shows the status of all school links courses – the usual delivery method and the plan for the next two weeks (weeks commencing the 17th and 24th of January).
You will receive information, via Blackboard, confirming these arrangements.
The transition link course scheduled to start on Monday 17th of January will go ahead, on campus, as planned.
The Schools Liaison Team will let us know by noon tomorrow, where the course delivery mode has been changed temporarily for the next 2 weeks. These courses are highlighted in yellow on the Sheet.
Also, please be aware that all school links courses (on campus, remote, and in school) will be cancelled on Tuesday 1st of February to enable all College staff to take part in a Professional Development Day.

S4-S6 Pupils: NESCol School Links and Foundation Apprenticeships Classes

Monday 10th of January to Friday 14th of January - ALL School Links and Foundation Apprenticeship classes will be online next week at their usual class times.

It has been decided that NESCol will extend online learning to include the week commencing the 10th of January, 2022. This means that they would not be expecting school pupils back on campus before the 17th of January.

The Supported Learning classes will be postponed until Thursday, 20th and Friday, 21st of January, or until further notice.

School Links Classes - Information from NESCol
NESCol buildings will be closed from 5pm on Friday, 17th of December 2021 until 8:30am on Monday, 10th of January 2022, and School College links classes will not run during this time. Pupils will have access to materials, via Blackboard for self-study as no registers will be taken. Pupils should contact their lecturer directly with any coursework queries.

Staff will be available online and will be able to answer queries and questions via Blackboard.

Monday, 20th of December 2021
Thursday, 6th of January 2022
Friday, 7th of January 2022

They also recognise the rapidly evolving guidance in relation to Coronavirus and the concern that has been communicated by the Scottish Government this week.

They plan to resume blended learning on Monday, 10th of January 2022, with a return to the on-campus activity that has been safely and successfully delivered during the session to date. This will be reviewed by the Leadership Team on the 6th of January, in line with the latest Scottish Government guidance and any change will be communicated through the usual channels.

Higher and Advanced Higher Parents' Evening
Booking opens at 7pm tonight for parents and carers of S5 and S6 pupils who are studying for Higher and/or Advanced Higher qualifications. It closes at midnight on Sunday.

https://parents-booking.co.uk/

The Higher and Advanced Higher Parents' Evening is on Wednesday, 10th of November, from 4:30pm until 7:05pm. Meetings are online rather than in-person.

Parents and carers have been sent an invitation with information on how to book, etc. This information Sway also has lots of useful tips and guides on attending the video meetings.

Any queries or issues getting logged in, please contact the Parents Booking Administrator - oldmachar@ab-ed.org

Shoebox Appeal 2021
The Creative Industries Class is organising this year's Shoebox Appeal, which aims to help disadvantaged families have what they need to keep healthy and well over the winter period and at Christmas.

You can drop off your items at your school door in the morning, or in the trolleys in the foyer at lunchtime.
Each House will have until the 28th of October to hand in their items for the boxes. Our aim is to fill 60 boxes.

Please see our post for more information.

Study Support from e-Sgiol
e-Sgiol are again offering study support in a wide range of subjects and at different levels - from National 4 through to Advanced Higher. To register for these free online tutorials, you need both your Student Candidate Number (SCN) and your Glow account details - to see the registration Form, you must be logged into your Glow account first, otherwise it will tell you that you don't have permission.

e-Sgiol Study Support
Glow Login
Microsoft Form - you must be signed in to Glow first to register using this Form.

If you have any problems at all registering/logging in, please get in touch with Mrs Anderson - details on the Whole School Classroom.