Job advert A Level Programme Manager

Transcription

1 Job advert A Level Programme Manager Context INTO is a partnership organisation working with some of the UK s leading universities in a unique initiative that improves their competitive position in international markets. In long-term joint ventures we deliver courses for international students that lead to undergraduate and postgraduate study. INTO invests in state-of-the-art facilities and in a global network that recruits students from many countries and cultures. INTO University of East Anglia, based on the University of East Anglia campus, is looking to recruit an A-level Programme Manager to lead on the planning, delivery and management of the Centre s Newton A Level Programme to further enhance an exceptional student offer developed by the current post holder. This elite programme caters for high ability international and UK students who are aiming to become tomorrow s leading medics, scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and economists and is unique within the UK as it is the only A Level course taught on a university campus which offers our students unrivalled access to UEA s academic and social facilities. Whilst we offer an extensive range of extra-curricular and enhancement activities including the CREST Award and EPQ, we are equally proud of our exceptional academic results and student experience. With 88% of our students achieving A*-A grades and 100% of our students achieving A*-C grades in 2016, our students most common set of results is routinely A*, A*, A*, A*. You will be joining a dedicated and talented team of colleagues and will play a key role in the present and future lives of high achieving students alongside the day to day running of the programme and our wider academic offer. Requirements You will have recent, relevant teaching and management experience and will be able to draw on this to further shape and enhance the programme. You will have a passion for teaching and learning and a track record of excellent teaching, leadership, collaboration and creativity. You will have the highest expectations of your students and colleagues and be able to create an outstanding learning environment. Experience of working with international students would be an advantage but is not essential but you must be ready for the challenges that highly motivated and driven students bring. We are looking for the post holder to: Be a highly successful A Level teacher of Science or Mathematics who can inspire both students and colleagues Be creative in delivering a rigorous academic curriculum underpinned by strong pastoral support Be able to provide (or be willing to undertake training to provide) first class guidance to students who are hoping to apply to leading universities (including Medical Schools and Oxbridge) and provide them with appropriate advice and assistance for example mock interviews, BMAT / UKAT training, placements and work experience.

2 Be able to create strong relations with colleagues, parents, educational agents, university colleagues and other stakeholders through effective communication Be willing to play an active part in the extra-curricular dimension of the Programme Be an effective promoter of the programme in market. Occasional overseas travel may be necessary. Lead and contribute to the wider life of the programme through a range of extra-curricular activities Have the highest ambitions for our students, the Centre and yourself Be creative, collaborative and resilient In return we will offer you: An exceptional opportunity to be a key colleague and member of the extended Senior Management Team within a unique educational environment Highly talented and motivated students who are ready to be academically inspired A happy and supportive working environment with high expectations and standards A team of highly qualified professional colleagues to collaborate with and learn from Access to continual professional development to further develop your skills and experience Salary Circa 39,000 Application Process If you feel you have the necessary skills, experience and interest for this post please complete the application form below (further details of the Newton A Level programme are also included) and return to Oliver Smith, HR Advisor, via ; oliver.smith@into.uk.com. For more information on the Newton A Level programme please visit If you would like to arrange an informal conversation or visit to our Centre prior to submitting an application, please contact Mr Jeremy Moyle, Academic Director, on j.moyle@uea.ac.uk. Closing date for applications is 14 th March 2017 at 5.00pm. Interviews are likely to be held week beginning 20 th March 2017 Safeguarding As part of our Safeguarding procedures, applicants are asked to note that: references will be followed up; all gaps in CVs must be explained satisfactorily; proof of identity and (where applicable) qualifications will be required; reference requests will ask specifically whether there is any reason that they should not be engaged in situations where they have responsibility for, or substantial access to, persons under 18; appropriate suitability checks will be required prior to confirmation of appointment. This role meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Serviced check before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. Page 2 of 3

3 INTO is an equal opportunities employer. INTO is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people, and child protection screening will apply. INTO Giving is the charitable arm of INTO University Partnerships and is committed to increasing access to education and improving the quality of education for disadvantaged young people around the world. INTO employees are encouraged to take an active role in INTO Giving. To find out more please visit Page 3 of 3

4 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Position Applying for: APPLICANT INFORMATION Last Name First Name Male/Female Street Address House Number City County Post Code Contact Number Date Available Address NI Number Are you a British Subject or national of any EU country YES NO If no, do you have the right to work in the UK and the necessary permissions YES NO CURRENT/MOST RECENT ROLE Employer Date Started Position Held Date Finished (if applicable) Salary and Benefits Notice Required Is this your sole employment YES NO MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED Employer Position Held Employer Reason for Leaving Position Held Employer Position Held Reason for Leaving Employer Position Held Employer Reason for Leaving Date Started Date Finished Date Started Date Finished Date Started Date Finished Date Started Date Finished Date Started

5 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Employer Position Held Employer Reason for Leaving Date Started Date Finished Date Started Education and Training Further/Higher Education: Qualification/grade: Secondary Education: Qualification/grade: Other relevant training, professional qualification or work related skills (for example languages, shorthand etc.)

6 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Are you undertaking any course of study at present? If so please give details Do you have membership of any professional bodies? If so please give details, including any offices held It is the Employers policy to verify the qualifications of all successful job applicants. Supporting Information Please give any details you feel are relevant in support of your application, including why you are interested in the post. Use additional sheets if necessary.

7 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Disabilities Do you require any special arrangements to be made for your interview due to a disability. YES NO If yes please give brief details of the effects of your disability on your day-to-day activities, and any other information that you feel would help us accommodate your needs during your interview and thus meet our obligations under the Equality Act Convictions Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence? If so, please give details of any unspent convictions. Spent convictions do not have to be declared, as the job is not one covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order [As this post is one covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 both spent and unspent convictions must be declared [although protected cautions and protected convictions do not need to be declared].]

8 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL References Please give the details of two referees, stating how long you have known them. (One should be your current or most recent employer.) References for shortlisted candidates will be taken up before interview unless you request otherwise. 1. Name: 2. Name: Address: Address: Telephone number: Telephone number: Occupation: Occupation: Time known: Time known: Can references be taken up prior to interview? Can references be taken up prior to interview? YES NO YES NO Do you require any special arrangements to be made for your interview due to a disability. YES NO Data protection

9 Employment Application STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Information from this application may be processed for purposes registered by the Employer under the Data Protection Act Individuals have, on written request [on payment of a fee] the right of access to personal data held about them. I hereby give my consent to [name of Employer] processing the data supplied in this application form for the purpose of recruitment and selection. Declaration I declare that the information given in this application is to the best of my knowledge complete and correct. I hereby give my consent to INTO UEA carrying out checks on my qualifications. Employee's signature Note: Any false, incomplete or misleading statements may lead to dismissal. DISCLAIMER AND SIGNATURE I certify that my answers are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. If this application leads to employment, I understand that false or misleading information in my application or interview may result in my release. Signature Date

10 NEWTON PROGRAMME 88% grades A* to A in 2016 We are pleased to announce another record-breaking year for our Newton students, with 100% of students achieving A* to C grades. 88% of all results were A* to A 100% of students achieved A* to C A* A* A* A* - most common set of results across all years A-levels on a university campus As an A-level programme on a top UK university campus, the Newton Programme offers so much more than a traditional A-level course. Our students have access to UEA facilities - including the library and Sportspark - as well as University clubs and societies. Newton students are also given a huge range of academic and cultural opportunities that are unique to the Newton Programme because of our location on a top university campus. It is these kinds of opportunities that have helped our current A-level students achieve places on the most competitive courses at top universities including UEA, Imperial College London, LSE, UCL and UK medical schools.

11 Table of A-level results 2016 Name Country Results Confirmed university and degree course Aurora Stephanie WIDAWATI Indonesia A* A* A* A Chemical Engineering University of Bath Chalisa Grace SUTTHIKUL Thailand A* A* A A CHANG Kai Yuan Malaysia A A A B Medicine University of East Anglia Actuarial Science London School of Economics CHOY Jin Wei Singapore A* A* A* A Deferred entry Georgy ANTONOV Russia A* A* A A HO Cailin Cheng Shan Malaysia A* A* A A Biochemistry University College London Medicine University of Exeter KE Donghuang China PR A B C Deferred entry LEE Ka Man Christy Hong Kong A* A B B Mariia AKULICH Russia A* A* A* A* Nikita DZYUBA Russia A* A* A* A Veterinary Science University of Queensland Medicine Newcastle University Dentistry The University of Manchester Nur Farah Binti Meor AZLAN Malaysia C C C Pharmacology University of Portsmouth Oghenetega UGBODUMA Nigeria A* A* A A Rachel Roshni PONNIAH Malaysia A* A A B Reanne LUIZ LEWUS Malaysia A* A* A* A Sanjeevan SRITHARAN Malaysia A* A* A* A* YANG Jianan China PR A* A* A* A YAU Longsun Eric Hong Kong A A A A Zhaslan SAMYRATOV Kazakhstan A* A* A ZOU Wenquan Eric China PR A* A* A A Medicine University of Leeds Medicine University of East Anglia Dentistry The University of Manchester Medicine Cardiff University Chemical Engineering The University of Manchester Physiotherapy Keele University Management Science University College London Computing Imperial College London

12 Enhancement activities on the Newton Programme Alongside the comprehensive academic preparation that our Newton students receive, we offer a range of enhancement activities that help our students to make the most of our location on a top UK university campus. What have Newton students done in ? Lectures and masterclasses from university academics. Entered regional and national competitions like the UK Senior Team Maths Challenge. Medical preparation programme, including suturing workshop with UEA students and hospital placement at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Visits to the John Innes Centre, part of the Norwich Research Park. Oxbridge preparation programme. Practice interviews and university admissions test preparation. Work experience placements. Undertaken Creativity in Engineering, Science and Technology projects and won Gold and Silver CrEST Awards. UEA chemistry and psychology lab sessions. Volunteering at local schools. The Newton Programme offers much more than just a good level of education. We have workshops with UEA academics, field trips, work experience for medical students, and I joined the UEA Karate and Volleyball teams. Mariia, Russia Achieved A* A* A* A* and will be progressing to Medicine at Newcastle University

13 Debbie Price, INTO UEA Centre Director It s wonderful that our Newton students have achieved such a fantastic set of A-level results, and it s made all the more special by the fact that these results come as we celebrate our tenth year of partnership with UEA. We re also very pleased to see our students going on to competitive courses at top universities, including those who will be going on to study Medicine and Dentistry in the UK. I d like to congratulate all our Newton students on their results, and thank their teachers and the staff who have worked closely with them over the last two years to help them realise their full potential. Bethan Gulliver, Newton A-level Programme Manager Congratulations to our Newton students We re immensely proud of every one of our students. Their results are testament to their hard work and dedication, and to the fantastic staff who have supported them throughout their A-level journey. We look forward to welcoming more students with the same kind of dedication and passion to our Newton A-level Programme on the UEA campus over the coming years. Newton A-levels video To see our wonderful students in action and to get a glimpse of life on the Newton Programme, you can watch our Newton A-levels video online: Youtube: Youku: Entry to the Newton Programme There are still places available for September 2016 and January Students are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. Scholarships are available for gifted and talented students with very strong grades. Please contact admissions at INTO UEA for further details: Tel: +44 (0) newton@uea.ac.uk

14 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 Hello and welcome to the December 2016 edition of Newton News We returned to classes in September after an extraordinary summer which saw the A-level results achieved by our Newton students reaching an even higher level than normal. 100% of students received A* to C grades, with 50% of results being A*. Our A2 students went on to study at medical schools and universities all over the UK, and it was very rewarding for the Newton staff to see all of our students progress so successfully. We were really pleased to see all of our AS students return in October, with all of them quickly settling into their A2 studies and the January starters to their AS examinations as well. Our new batch of AS students joined us from all over the world, including three local students. As always on the Newton Programme it has been a busy term with many highlights, including the British Maths Team Challenge, TED talks, charity bake sales, not to mention the visit from the Lord Lieutenant. I am very grateful to the students who have taken the time to write articles and hope you enjoy reading them. I hope that you all have a lovely holiday and a peaceful and successful Dr Bethan Gulliver - Newton A-level Programme Manager UEA Open Day Being based on the UEA campus, our students can easily attend a variety of events and learn more the courses that they are interested in studying at university. One such event is the UEA Open Day, when all the UEA schools of study give talks and put on demonstrations for potential students. We heard from Stefan Kong about his experience. I recently attended the UEA Open Day, and it was very helpful in showing me what information is taught on the courses I am interested in. There were talks on different subjects, which were quite informative. For example, the talk on Pharmacy really made clear the differences between Medicine and Pharmacy and which subject to choose. Besides the talks, there were some interesting stands showing some fun things that were also related to the subject. For example, in Medicine, we took soil samples to test for microorganisms that could act as antibiotics, while in the Chemistry demonstration we were taught how a 3D printer works and saw it creating an object in front of our eyes, an opportunity that I have never had before. It was a nice touch that really connected the university courses with the actual jobs that graduates could move on to. I thought that the timing of the events was well-structured, allowing me to attend all the activities that I was interested in without any conflicts. It was also spaced out enough to let me sit down with a drink in between demonstrations, which allowed me time to process what I had learned. I can confidently say that the UEA Open Day was well worth my time, and would certainly attract students to attend university here. Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

15 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 From AS to A2 For our A2 students, this is the first term following their transition from their AS year. Cindy tells us what she s been up to in the last few weeks. This is my A2 year now And a lot of interesting things have been going on. During the first two weeks, we were sprinting to get our UCAS applications done. I had loads of help from the teachers, with the application and mock interviews. I felt really grateful to my teachers, especially my personal tutor, Bethan. Honestly, she turned my personal statement from scrambled egg into a very polished piece of writing This October I finally got the chance to join the Maths Challenge, one of the things I have been really excited about since I joined the Newton Programme I entered the Senior Team Maths Challenge with three of my friends and we snatched the second place in Norwich. Two weeks after that I joined the Individual UKMT Maths Challenge along with all of the AS students. This exam is taken by students all across the UK and there are awards for topperforming students. I was so happy to get a Gold Award with a full score special thanks to Matt, who loved to randomly give me UKMT questions during maths class and qualify for BMO 1. I sat the paper just last week; it was a three-and-a-half-hour paper with six questions. They were challenging maths problems, and I struggled a bit to answer some questions but at the end I managed to do five of them. Hopefully I will qualify for BMO 2 and sit the paper next January I am also joining the Student Investor Challenge with the other Economics students right now. In this challenge, we are given virtual money to build portfolios and invest in the stock market. Although it is tricky to find discussion time that fits everybody's timetable, this is a great opportunity to practice decision-making, communication and teamwork skills. I have also had the chance to participate in a couple of Ziggurat Challenges, attend Contemporary Economic Issues Seminars every Monday, and join the INTO Green Impact committee. For our first Green Impact project, we are planning to do an audit on the sustainability of INTO building and make posters to raise environmental awareness among INTO students. This is indeed a nerve-wracking term as we wait for university offers and interviews coming out one after another. But nevertheless, I have had some of my best times studying, socialising, and developing myself here. As many of you will know, one of our former Newton students, Usman Buskaev, died as a result of a tragic accident this summer. We were all devastated; Usman was a wonderful young man and a very supportive friend. On Saturday 4 December, Newton teachers, A2 students and a number of former students gathered together with Usman s family to dedicate the newly refurbished study room to Usman. It was, as you would expect, a very sad occasion. But it was also a chance to remember Usman and to talk about his time with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with Markha and Usman s family. Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

16 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 Local students visit for Newton Programme Open Evening We opened our doors on the evening of Wednesday 5 October, as we welcomed interested students and their families to the centre to learn more about the Newton Programme. Our current students helped out by demonstrating science experiments and chatting with the students and their parents. Mo tells us a bit more about his experience, below. During the Open Evening here at INTO UEA, students came in from different schooling backgrounds such as homeschool and private schools all with the same aim of wanting to improve their quality of education. I took part in the biology demonstration class, and conversing with the potential students showed me that all of them were very impressed by our teachers and facilities, and appeared to be very excited by the program. They were also interested in the idea of being in an international environment, so as to learn more about different cultures. Overall, the Open Evening was an excellent opportunity for prospective local applicants to see the Newton Programme for themselves. Queen s Award presentation from the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk You may remember that, earlier this year, INTO UEA were awarded a Queen s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, in recognition of the work that we do with colleagues and students from all around the world. We were proud to host a visit from the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk in October, who came to formally present the Queen s Award and learn more about what we do. Our Newton students were honoured to be asked to demonstrate some practical science for the Lord Lieutenant during his visit to the centre, as Kerry explains, below. On Monday 17 October we welcomed the highly esteemed Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Richard Jewson, to the centre. He presented INTO UEA with the Queen s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, an honour which was announced in April. Before the awarding ceremony, the Newton students had the great honour of demonstrating some of the physics, chemistry, and biology practical work we learn in class. As a student of chemistry I introduced the nylon rope experiment to him. For us, as international students, we would never have thought that we would be given the pleasure of speaking to a representative of the Queen, but such opportunities are only possible through the commitment and hard work of the staff here at INTO. All in all, it was very special and proud day for all of us students here at INTO UEA. To watch a video of the Lord Lieutenant s visit, please visit: Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

17 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 INTO UEA TALKS Inspired by the popular educational TED Talks, our Newton students decided to set up their own series of lectures INTO UEA TALKS to motivate and education their peers and even INTO staff. For the first series of talks the students invited INTO UEA Academic Director, Jeremy Moyle, to take part. He writes below about the experience, with thoughts from some of the students who organised the event. After what was, for some, an early Saturday morning start, a large group of Newton students gathered in the INTO lecture theatre to be treated to an inaugural set of talks on a vast range of subjects. Expertly organised by Noelle, Yuen and Justin who even provided custard doughnuts the morning was a great forum for students to share an area of interest with their peers. The thought-provoking presentations ranged from motor sports to pattern recognition, the Syrian crisis to recycling plastics, via the mutual benefits of voluntary work. Not forgetting some messages from the Academic Director on successfully juggling a Newton work-life balance Noelle, who was one of the students who organised the talks, said, INTO UEA TALKS was conceived with the aim of promoting public speaking and active sharing between individuals. Recognising and appreciating the varied background and personal experiences each of us possess, as well as the potential of learning something new from each other, we reached out to both students and staff over the summer. The talks started with Jeremy speaking on time management, followed by Yuen giving a topical talk on the Syrian refugee crisis. Yuman then gave a talk on economics, and was followed by Bill speaking about his passion of motorsports. Cindy then stepped up to talk about pattern recognition and detection in mathematics, with Yvonne coming after her with a lecture on what happens to plastics after they are recycled. Finishing up the event was Noelle, who gave a talk entitled Who is Serving? Who is Learning?. After the event, she told us that most of the planning and sourcing for speakers was done over the summer holidays, hence communication and objective discussion were crucial. Additionally, this mini symposium had put our time management skills to the test; it was organised on a hectic week a few days before our AS examinations and in the midst of our UCAS applications. We are glad to say that INTO UEA TALKS was a success, largely owing to the efforts of the speakers, who shared brilliant insights on a vast variety of topics, and the support of an enthusiastic audience. Fellow organiser Justin added: We were elated that both staff and students were able to share their thoughts with us on many important issues, and even life advice We are certain that everyone left having broadened their knowledge. Yuen also added: We are delighted with the support and enthusiasm shown by both staff and students. Hopefully, it introduced the idea of sharing and learning from one another, as well as forming the stepping stones to future student-run events. Jeremy summed up the event by saying: We certainly all started the weekend having learnt something new, and our grateful thanks are due to the organisers and all participants who spoke with such eloquence, confidence and passion. We are looking forward to next years' event already Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

18 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 Ziggurat Challenge It s been a busy year for our students in the Ziggurat Challenge. They really have seized the chance to compete against fellow UEA students in a range of sports, as Theepan Pulivendhan explains. Ziggurats were a form of temple common to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians of ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest examples of the ziggurat date from the end of the third millennium BCE and the latest date from the 6th century BCE. Well, the Ziggurat Challenge is a sports programme that the INTO students participate weekly alongside the UEA students from various departments. Sports activities that we took part in this year include volleyball, lacrosse, zorb football, ultimate frisbee, archery and swimming. This challenge was something new to me. It wasn t something I was familiar with back in my home country. So this challenge intrigued me to have a go at it. Since the INTO students were initially total strangers to each other, the Ziggurat Challenge was a remarkable way in which many of the INTO students bonded and became the thickest of friends. The Ziggurat Challenge fostered amazing teamwork and excellent sportsmanship among the INTO students along with the other students from UEA. Although we didn t win many of the challenges, the friendship between the INTO students became ever so strong, which gave us determination to take part in future Ziggurat Challenges. Time management is a key factor that one has to manage well to succeed in life and the Ziggurat Challenge encourages students to polish their time management skills as they need to divide their time between studies, rest, volunteering as well as the Ziggurat Challenge itself. Also, it is without a doubt a good way to stay fit and become healthy. One of the best benefits of this programme is that INTO students were able to foster friendship with fellow INTO students and also other UEA students. A big bonus to me is that I managed to discover my hidden talent in ultimate frisbee We also fostered newfound passion in selected sports. I strongly recommend that any new student to UEA take part in this astounding programme, which provides nothing but good health, social skills and teamwork. We welcomed 23 new students to the Newton Programme in September. We asked new student Georgy to tell us about his first few months at INTO UEA. I am really enjoying the Newton Programme because despite its focus on academic excellence, we still have plenty of free time. I can do sports nearly every day, spend time with friends, and wander around the campus and the city of Norwich. However, the best perk of the Newton Programme is being part of a university, which gives me lots of opportunities for socialising through societies and sport clubs. I have already made quite a few friends in the cycling club and judo and jiu jitsu club, and I am really looking forward to meeting even more like-minded people in the future. Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

19 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 What is life like as a UK student on the Newton Programme? With two very successful Open Evenings under our belt, we were hopeful that some local students would join the Newton Programme in September. And we were not disappointed Three students from Norwich have joined us and have already contributed so much to the programme. Hannah, one of the local students, tells us what the experience has been like for her. Studying at into as a UK student has been an eye-opening and unique experience. This is because of the wide range of opportunities it has allowed me to explore. Personally, I feel that it has taught me to become more responsible and independent, as I have the same privileges of a university student. In addition, the majority of the students here are international. This has shown me a large variety of different nationalities and cultures, which has been a valuable opportunity. It has also given me the sense of importance to look after and welcome them to life in the UK. Having such small class sizes and an informal way of teaching is quite rare, and therefore it has been interesting to adjust to a different style of teaching and has allowed me to open up more as an individual. The extra support and willingness from the teachers at INTO has been very encouraging. Sports Activators Following the earlier article from Theepan about the Ziggurat Challenge, we asked Justin and Noelle to tell us about their role as Sports Activators. The Ziggurat Challenge is a weekly sports competition that provides us with the opportunity to experience a variety of sports ranging from wheelchair basketball, to rounders, and even bowling. Everyone is most welcome to take part prior experience or physical fitness, although helpful, are definitely not needed to have fun The Ziggurat Challenge allows us to make new friends and generally have an enjoyable time with our fellow students. Being a competition, it can get a little competitive sometimes but in the end it's all in good fun. Sports unites people and the Ziggurat Challenge is the epitome of this statement for we have certainly forged friendships, built bridges and made lasting memories. We heard of the Ziggurat Challenge in our AS year through our previous Sports Activators, Mariia and Tega, and have been actively participating since then. Inspired to play a bigger part in sports not just mere participation, but also by promoting sports to our fellow students we signed up to be Sports Activators. Having had the mantle of responsibility passed on to us, we were tasked with recruiting teams for the weekly challenges and encouraging our peers to take part in sporting activities. Thanks to the active participation and enthusiasm from members of staff and students, we have managed to send teams for all events thus far We are extremely grateful to the Newton students for showing us support by taking part in the numerous Ziggurat challenges. We hope this enthusiasm and love for sports will continue to grow over this academic year. Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)

20 NEWTON NEWS DECEMBER 2016 Life as a UEA student Former Newton student, Mellieha, has gone on to study Molecular Biology and Genetics at UEA. We asked her to write an article about her life at university for our current students, which we re happy to share with you here I really love my course, and we have an interesting mix of modules. We study applied biochemistry in Molecules, Genes and Cells, and the tree of life in Biodiversity. We have approximately 20 hours contact time per week, 6 hours of which are in the laboratory. My course shares lectures with students on other biology-related courses, which is a great way to meet people with similar interests. It feels strange at first to be in lectures with up to 200 people, especially after the small class sizes of the Newton Programme, but I found that I soon got used to it. We also have small group seminars for presentations and in the compulsory mathematics and chemistry modules, which are largely a recap of A-levels. These smaller groups are really useful for getting extra support and building your confidence in discussing science with other students. It s often said that university is all about independence. Certainly you have to take more responsibility for your own studies, but that doesn t mean that you can t get help if you need it. The lecturers in the School of Biology are very kind people, who will always make time to help you if you don t understand something and are always more than willing to give you detailed feedback on assignments. Here at UEA, the Student Support Service are incredibly helpful and will be able to assist in all manner of situations, from language support to mental health. All you have to do is ask. The practicals on my course are really interesting and diverse. We have been conducting an ongoing experiment since the beginning of term in which we transform E.coli using Green Fluorescent Protein. It s been a really interesting experience, actually performing the experiments that we learn about in lectures. As part of the Biodiversity module we conduct experiments on single-celled organisms, in which we examine the effect of temperature, ph and symbiotic algae on feeding. We do occasional fieldwork as well, such as searching for and documenting rare fungal species on the UEA grounds. I live in the newest accommodation on campus, Hickling House. I love my accommodation; my room is light, spacious and modern. The kitchens are huge as well I share a flat with eleven other people; a mixture of home and international students. We all get on really well, and it s great to be able to meet people on other courses and from other cultures. I feel that it really broadens your outlook on life when you talk to people who are doing different things in life. Naturally, communal living can take a bit of getting used to, but I ve found that everyone has been very inclusive and understanding of the fact the people have very different backgrounds and habits. I also find that the UEA is a much calmer campus to live on, compared to a city campus. People are friendlier and it s more peaceful. This is a real asset when you have a stressful course and need to take a quiet stroll to relax. Having said all that, UEA is by no means a boring place to live, and Norwich has plenty to offer if you know where to look. There are lot of myths about the wild party culture of student life, but the truth is that you really don t have to if you don t want to. My flatmates frequently have movie and pizza nights instead of going out Norwich has some wonderful places to visit. My favourite place for a cheap and fun night out is The Playhouse. It s a small, intimate theatre that hosts comedians and touring play companies for very reasonable prices. The UEA also has a club or society to suit everyone. I am part of the Biology Society, which hosts a stunning formal winter ball at the Cathedral, as well as plenty of fun socials, from meet and greets to screenings of David Attenborough documentaries. I am also part of the Video Game Society: a wonderfully fun and friendly society with regular tournaments, quizzes and chances to play new games and meet new people. It s very important to manage your workload, and joining a society is great way to keep on top of stress and meet a host of new friends. In conclusion, the jump to university from A-levels can seem really big, and there is no doubt it can be a scary process. However, UEA does its best to make that transition as easy as possible. I firmly believe you will have to look very hard indeed to find a more welcoming and supportive university and I thoroughly recommend it I hope that some of you will join us in the coming years. Follow us on Twitter (@intoueanewton) and Instagram (@intouea)