fbpx

Welcome to Abbey

We would like to welcome you to our Virtual Induction website for
Abbey Community College.
We are excited to welcome you to our school and we hope this page will give you an insight into what our school has to offer.
Click to view our Prospectus

Abbey News

Mrs Quinn

Meet the Principal of Abbey Community College

Mr Smyth

Meet the Deputy Principal – Pastoral Care & Raising Achievement

Mrs McNaghten

Meet the Head of Junior School & Designated Teacher for Safeguarding

Head of Year

Mr A. McCrory & Mrs L. Crymble

Why choose Abbey?

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions below are frequently asked by new Year 8 pupils and we hope we have answered any queries you may have had.  If you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to message the school for the attention of Mrs L. Crymble or Mr A. McCrory, the Heads of Year 8.

This Year 8 Virtual Induction Microsite, will be constantly updated throughout the summer with information on the New Start of Term in August/September.  Things are changing week by week and we will strive to give you all the information you need as soon as possible to start your new adventure with us.  So keep checking back with us.

We always try our best to make sure you are in a class with someone you are familiar with, however, you will not be in the same class all day.  Classes vary for different subjects and settings, so you will be seeing lots of familiar faces throughout your day.  With starting a new school you will also develop great friendships with people you have never met yet.

Our teachers are brilliant! (we would say that, wouldn’t we) … All teachers in Abbey Community College want to make sure you feel welcome and see that you settle in quickly and easily to our Abbey family. They are always available to help and support you with anything you may need.  You will see lots of different teachers in just one day and we have a variety of specialist teachers to provide extra special help should you require it.  Teachers in Abbey Community College want you to achieve your full potential and will encourage you to work hard and enjoy school.

Your form tutor is the teacher you will see every day, first thing in the morning at registration.  You will also see them again every day during the afternoon where you can check in with them and discuss any concerns you may have.  They will monitor your attendance, track your progress, help you with all queries and be the first person you should talk to or contact with any concerns or questions you have about school.

Yes you can, although when the weather is good we would encourage you to take time to enjoy some fresh air outside before returning to class.  Year 8 pupils are able to spend breaktime in the canteen or eating break on benches in our Assembly Hall.  Year 8 students are the first students in the school to access the facilities at break and lunch times as they are able to leave classes slightly earlier than other year groups.  There are also many clubs and societies that provide a welcomed change to the routine of school life at break and lunchtimes, so we encourage you to take a look at those.

There is a very wide range of extra-curricular clubs open to pupils in Abbey Community College and we are confident that there will be something that will be of interest to everyone. We encourage all pupils to get involved in something they are either already interested or involved in and/or to join a club that is completely new to them. Getting involved in clubs is a brilliant way to meet new friends, develop new skills and have fun outside the classroom.  New clubs are launched every year and these are widely advertised on our social media and website at the start of term.

There are many sporting teams within Abbey Community College including rugby, football, netball and basketball, plus many more.  We pride ourselves on our sporting achievements and are very keen to have new players become involved.  Throughout the school we have different sporting groups but also have mixed teams with students from different year groups.  You can discuss any sporting activities with the teachers in the PE department who are very helpful.

Homework is set to enable you to extend your learning and a wide range of tasks will be set across all subjects. You may find some homework tasks straightforward and very enjoyable however there may be some you will find more challenging. As long as you try your best and complete homework to the best of your ability, teachers will support you in using homework to progress your learning. We encourage you to take pride in the work you produce and completing homework to the best of your ability is a great way to develop self-discipline, research skills and will help you to develop good routines. You will have homework timetable to follow and a daily school planner to record your homework and success/rewards in as well.  Homework should be spread out over our Two-Week Timetable so that you do not get it all on one night.

In Abbey Community College we encourage pupils to use phones responsibly and to develop a mature attitude to using mobile phones in school. Phones should be set to silent when you enter the school in the morning.  There will be times when it is appropriate to use your phone as guided by your teacher however, phones should not be used in class without permission and they should never be used to film or record anything or anyone without permission. Pupils are allowed to use their phones during break and lunch times.  Parents should contact the main school number to ensure important messages are communicated to their child or their teachers.  If a parent has a query and wishes to speak with a member of staff this must be directed through the main school number, teachers will endeavour to return you call as soon as possible.  Teachers are not allowed to talk to anyone using a student’s phone.

Although we have a big building, it is easy to find your way around. You will quickly get used to your timetable and the rooms you have to go to.  All student timetables have the numbers of their classrooms clearly marked which makes it easy to find your way around. We operate a One-Way system around most of the school building to help with movement and the numbers in school. If you ever do get a little lost, you can ask any member of staff or older pupils/prefects to help you.  You will quickly settle into the routine.

Yes – the school library is very well resourced with a wide range of books, journals, magazines and newspapers. There is also internet access available and computers to use. Every week, one of your timetabled English lessons is normally delivered in the library and you will be involved in the Drop Everything and Read programme.  We also have a dedicated group of sixth form students who are reading mentors helping to support those younger students.  The Library is also available after school for individual work and completion of homework tasks this is supervised at all times so there is a member of staff available to help you if you are struggling with your homework.

If you feel unwell at any stage in the school day you must let a member of staff know. They will then advise you if you need to attend the Medical Room to be assessed by the school nurse. She will then make a decision, treat you appropriately and if needed, will contact your parent/guardian. If you feel unwell during break or lunchtime you can report to a Duty Teacher or member of staff.

If you feel worried or unhappy you should tell someone, your form tutor, class teacher, Head of Year. They will be able to help you and can direct you to other support if necessary.  We have our College Wellbeing Room for pupils to have a time-out session with a member of staff.  We also have a Prefect Mentor system in the College, where you get paired with an older Prefect for some time during your week, they can also be a good person to talk to about school worries.  We have a great Pastoral Care system in the College, so please never feel that you are alone, we have always got someone to help.

You are not allowed to leave the building during the school day unless you have permission from a parent/ guardian or teacher.  Only the Sixth Form are allowed to leave the building at their break and lunchtimes.

If you need to get out of school early you must bring a signed note from a parent/guardian and give this to your Form Tutor usually at the start of the day in your Registration Class. Your Form Tutor will sign it, record the time and reason on SIMS and give the letter back to you. When it gets to the time you are due to leave, show your signed letter to the class teacher you are with and they will release you from class. Leave school through the main reception and hand your letter to the receptionist. If you are returning to school after for example, an appointment, report back to reception to get marked back into the school.  If it is an emergency appointment, your parent/guardian can contact the school on its main number and we can get the message to the pupil.  Any parent that comes to the school to collect a pupil must report to the main reception.

You can speak with your form tutor who can get in touch with your parent/guardian.  The school will have all their current information and you do not have to worry about getting in touch with them yourself.  The staff at Abbey are very good at keeping in touch with your parents/guardians throughout the school year by sending letters and messages home to keep them up to date on any information such as school closures, school reports and events.

You should have your own school bag with all of your belongings.  In order to make it easier for you to organise your school day, and keep track of your homeworks, we provide every student with a school planner.  As well as this you should have your own equipment including pens, pencils etc.  Your class teachers will provide you with any books you may need for your classes.  You will also need a PE kit in order to complete Games and PE lessons.

Insight to Abbey

Visit Each Department