Year 8 Induction | Bloomfield Collegiate School

Welcome P7 Pupils,

I am delighted that you will be joining us at Bloomfield Collegiate School in September.

Under the current circumstances, it will not be possible to hold our normal Year 8 Induction afternoon in June. Instead we will use this page to provide you and your parents with as much information as possible about our Year 8 Induction process.

Over the next few weeks, we will be adding messages from our staff and pupils. Make sure to take a look – you might see some familiar faces!

Your parents/guardians will receive an information pack from school that includes a small booklet for you to complete and return to us. It is all about you! We look forward to reading about your interests and hobbies, when you start in August, we will know a little bit more about you.

I hope you have a lovely summer and look forward to meeting you all soon.

Mrs Barrett (Head of Year 8)

Please follow our Year 8 and School Twitter feeds for the most up to date information.

Starting a new school is scary and I felt the same last year.

I came to Bloomfield in September 2018 from Cavehill Primary School in north Belfast, and I was a little worried about not only going to a new school but also to a different part of the city.

I had no need to worry.

Mrs Hannah, my Form Teacher, was just the best. Not only is she a great Home Economics teacher, but she is also a great chocolatier. Her delicious treats of yummy chocolate were something we looked forward to every week in class. Mrs Hannah has been there for us every day of our first year. She is so helpful and supportive.

All the teachers at Bloomfield have gone out of their way to help, ensuring our first year has been excellent in every way.

You can look forward to the Ganaway residential where we all had loads of fun and took part in exciting activities such as climbing archery, caving and so much more.

You can try out for the Hockey team. I was selected for the B Team and my hockey teacher, Mrs Greer, was delighted and amazed when she watched me score my first goal. I felt part of team from the first whistle which also made me feel special. I really loved wearing my uniform going to the matches.

I have loved every second of my time at Bloomfield. I have made great friends and feel so lucky to be at the School.

You are never alone. Help and advice are always there for you should you need it. Just speak to your Head of Year, Mrs Barrett, who is really approachable and always listens.

I’ve enjoyed studying so much and all my teachers gave me so much attention and advice which has enabled me to pass all of my Year 8 exams!

One last thing: Bloomfield is a caring community and you will soon feel at home!

Emily McN (Now Year 9)

To help you settle in to school, we would like learn more about our new Year 8 pupils. Tell us about your interests and hobbies.

When will my daughter start school?

At present we continue to follow EA guidance in preparation for the new term. Once a start date and plan for the reopening of school to all pupils has been agreed it will be communicated to parents via email/text. Please ensure that we have your most up to date contact information and that our school email address is added to the Safe Senders List in your mail settings.

My daughter is the only pupil transferring from her primary school, how can I help her?

Each year we have several pupils in this same situation and please be reassured that this year is no different. Our induction program focuses on building and maintaining friendships through a range of small group activities. You can help your daughter by talking openly about the transition to secondary school, perhaps role play asking each other questions that will help her start a conversation with somebody new. Emily who spoke at last year’s Induction afternoon was the only pupil to transfer from her school, please make sure to read her speech above.

My daughter gets extra time and support in primary school, will she get that at Bloomfield?

Please ensure you complete and return the Educational Needs pages, section 4 in the Data Collection Booklet that you will have received in the post. This information will be passed to the SEN Coordinator, Mrs Waterworth who will then contact you if necessary.

My daughter has a medical condition that requires her to take medicine in school, what should I do?

If your daughter has a medical condition please ensure you complete section 3 of the Data Collection Booklet. These will then be passed to our school nurse who will then contact you if necessary.

What about eLearning?

The current year 8 pupils have adapted well to our online learning environment. In August all new Year 8 pupils will spend time in school with our ICT staff and their teachers, learning how to use our online platform before using it remotely if needed. Pupils will also be shown how they can communicate with their classmates and teachers when working remotely.

When school starts, who should I contact if my daughter needs help?

If your daughter is experiencing difficulty with a particular subject, please encourage her to ask her teacher for help. If this is not possible then please contact reception and leave a message for their teacher or the relevant Head of Department. They will then contact you to discuss your concern.

If it is a pastoral concern, please encourage your daughter to speak to her form teacher herself as often this leads to a faster and better resolution of the issue. If she feels she is unable to do this, then please contact reception to request a phone call from her form teacher.

If you are unable to contact reception during school hours, then please email your request to speak to a member of staff to our school office – info@bloomfield.belfast.ni.sch.uk It will then be forwarded to the relevant member of staff.

The following videos are available from our Year 8 Induction YouTube Playlist:

Bloomfield Collegiate School is situated in the center of Ballyhackamore, which is on the main route between Belfast City centre and Newtownards, so it is no surprise our pupils transfer from a wide range of primary schools. Watch our slideshow to spot your school and, perhaps, some familiar faces.