SIXTH FORM Summer 2013

SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED SIXTH FORM Summer 2013 FIND OUT WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR YOU at South Hunsley Sixth Form College KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Find out what s happening when MEET THE TEAM Here to help and support you >> More inside A DAY IN THE LIFE What is it like to be a sixth form student? >> More inside

SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED HEAD OF SIXTH Welcome to this special edition of our Sixth Form News Feed. In Year 10 you might think that deciding what to do after school is a long way off, but as you approach the end of your first GCSE year, now is the perfect time to plan ahead. Believe it or not, we are already preparing for your arrival at South Hunsley Sixth Form College in 2014! We thought that now is the perfect time to let you see what we are all about and who better to tell you than our own students. Ashleigh, Zak and Alice are the main features of this magazine. They will share with you their experiences of Sixth Form and give you a sneak peak into their daily life at South Hunsley. You will read about what they enjoy most about being in our Sixth Form College, the courses they study, their plans for the future and how South Hunsley Sixth Form is helping them get there. We hope they will make you see that you can be certain of a bright future with South Hunsley Sixth Form College. We hope you enjoy this issue. SUMMER ISSUE MAIN FEATURES MEET THE HUNSLEY TEAM ADVICE FROM MR JACOBS KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY A DAY IN THE LIFE DON T JUST DREAM OF A BRIGHT FUTURE Meet the team Find out who the key members of staff are at our Sixth Form College You have so much more freedom in our Sixth Form College. You will be independent and in charge of your own learning, but we still have a team of staff who will guide you on your journey to ensure you receive the appropriate support to make the best possible grades. You will have so much choice in our Sixth Form College. We have 40 courses for you to choose from, from traditional A Levels to BTEC courses and other vocational alternatives. Paul Jacobs is on hand to give you advice about what courses are best for you and what subjects will best suit your career goals. One of the great things about sixth form is you are not in taught lessons all day every day. One of the great things about sixth form is you are not in taught lessons all day every day. And thanks to Sarah Barley and El Miles, you will have more ways to spend your free time than you will know what to do with. You could gain additional qualifications such as an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which enables you to study a topic of your choice in more detail, or you might want to take on the Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) and gain leadership skills by working with local primary schools. You will also have the chance to take part in Personal Development activities which will help prepare you for university or employment. On top of all this, you might want to earn while you learn and work in one of the many student roles that are available to you in our Sixth Form College, such as a Lunchtime Supervisor or Lifeguard. Or there is also the option of exercising at South Hunsley Sports with your reduced student gym membership. Whatever it is you want to do, your Student Support Officers have all the information you need. Karen Moran and Allison Reynolds are available throughout the school day to help you with any problems or queries you may have. You will also be assigned a Tutor who will provide you with invaluable advice and guidance throughout your two years at sixth form, and give regular feedback on how you are progressing and the target grades you are working towards. You will have regular contact with them through tutor time every morning. One thing s for certain, you re joining us at a very exciting time. Advice from Mr Jacobs How to pick your Sixth Form courses In our Sixth Form College, Paul Jacobs is here to help you make the right choices and now is the time to start asking the right questions. We had a question and answer session with him to find out a bit more about studying in the Sixth Form and give you a starting point. With Year 11 just around the corner, you need to start deciding what subjects you are going to take at sixth form as soon as possible. You also need to know what courses complement each other and which ones will help you reach your desired career. Here s what Mr Jacobs had to say: What sixth form subjects should students take? It depends on each individual student. You will be studying these subjects for two years so it is important to consider the subjects you find interesting and enjoyable. I get asked a lot about how to get in to Medicine and A Levels in Chemistry and Biology are a must, along with other science based courses such as Maths. Health and Social Care, Sociology or Psychology are recommended in order to access Nursing courses and some universities will also ask for Biology or another science. Useful A Levels for a Business related degree or other similar courses such as Accountancy and Management are Business Studies, Economics and ICT. Or if being a Lawyer is your dream job then traditional essay based courses such as History and English Literature are most suitable. It really does depend on what you want to do as to what will be best for you. My best advice is to speak to me now and get a plan in place. Key dates for your diary The next steps of the South Hunsley Sixth Form application process Students from South Hunsley: Students from other schools: September Sixth Form Assembly October Student Ambassador tours of the Sixth Form College Introduction to online applications (PD Day) November Sixth Form Open Evening December New subject taster lessons January Careers and Sixth Form Evening February Deadline for Sixth Form College applications Progression interviews March Course Options Check Conditional offers made May Confirmation of course options July Parents meeting Induction lessons Student lead subject fayre Deadline for option changes prior to enrolment August Thursday 21st GCSE Results Day and Sixth Form Enrolment November Sixth Form Open Evening December New subject taster lessons January Careers and Sixth Form Evening February Deadline for Sixth Form College applications Sixth Form Interview March Course Options Check Conditional offers made What plans can students make now? There are a number of events that will take place between now and the start of Year 12 to help students with their move up to our Sixth Form. A list of key dates can be found below and the one to look out for is the Sixth Form Open Evening in November. On this night, teachers and sixth form students representing each course will be available to talk to on a one to one basis and will provide valuable information and advice on their subject. Where can students find more information? There is plenty of information online - useful websites I would recommend are: www.ucas.com www.unistats.com www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices.aspx www.university.which.co.uk/advice/ six-things-you-need-to-know-beforemaking-your-a-level-choices www.susanburkecareers.co.uk April External Applicants Information Evening May Confirmation of course options July Parents meeting External Applicants Orientation Morning Induction lessons Student lead subject fayre Deadline for option changes prior to enrolment August Thursday 21st GCSE Results Day and Sixth Form Enrolment If you would like to discuss your options or would like to arrange a tour of the Sixth Form please contact The Sixth Form sixthform@southhunsley.org.uk How can they contact you? If students have any queries at all, the best way to get me is by email: paul.jacobs@southhunsley.org.uk 02 03

SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED A day in the life of a sixth former Three Year 12 students share their Sixth Form experiences Alice Clark, Zak Bigley and Ashleigh Stephen sat down to have a chat about life in the Sixth Form to show you what it is really like to be a Sixth Form student. They share their thoughts on their lessons and teachers and the extra curricular activities and student support services that are also available to them. ALICE CLARK ZAK BIGLEY ASHLEIGH STEPHEN What made you choose to stay on at South Hunsley Sixth Form College? ASHLEIGH: I did look at other places but the thing that kept me from going elsewhere was the relationships I d already built with teachers. My Sixth Form Tutor has been a subject teacher of mine since Year 7 so she knows me really well and that is really useful when it comes to working on my reference and personal statement for university. I was also really comfortable in the environment I really felt that having a change would just be another pressure that I didn t need. ZAK: I agree. It just seemed right to continue on from Year 11 and stay on at South Hunsley until the end rather than looking somewhere else. What subjects are you currently studying? ALICE: Sociology, BTEC Sport and Health and Social Care. ASHLEIGH: English Literature, Government and Politics, History, Psychology and an Extended Project Qualification. ZAK: I m studying Drama, Media Studies, English Literature and ICT. What have you found to be the main differences between Sixth Form and School? ALICE: Sixth Form is more relaxed. You don t have full days, but even if you do it s with people you know and you re studying subjects that you want to study. ASHLEIGH: For me it s the independence. You ve got to be in charge of your own learning and use your free periods productively. It s quite challenging at first but you can also take enjoyment out of it and I think it makes you mature as a person with responsibility. ZAK: The teachers treat you differently, you have a lot more freedom and you re much more independent. And the food in the Sixth Form café is much nicer! What are the main differences between Sixth Form lessons and School lessons? ALICE: The lessons are more relaxed and there aren t as many students in a class. It s less formal and you can have a joke with your teacher; in Health and Social Care we have baking days when people bring in cakes. It s just more comfortable and the teachers treat you differently, maybe because you ve chosen to do their subject; you don t have to do it, it s your choice to be here. ZAK: I ve found that in the Sixth Form it s much more about you. The lessons feel more like you re getting guidance and they are definitely different to school teaching. You re expected to be more independent and it s left up to you to find out what you I think Sixth Form is more relaxed. You don t have full days, but even if you do it s with people you know and you re studying subjects that you want to study. need to do at home. Your teachers are more there for support and to guide you so you know what you need to do. ASHLEIGH: Definitely the biggest difference is being in charge of your own work and not having to be pushed. I think the A Level lessons are really good at maturing people; a lot of young people want to be classed as adults but unless you have the experience of something like A Levels you don t really realise how much independence you need to have. What is your favourite subject? ASHLEIGH: Government and Politics is my favourite because I d never studied it before and being able to study it now in such depth has been really interesting. ZAK: Drama. It s very practical based and gives you lots of freedom it s not just sitting down and writing, it s about getting up and doing things which makes it really fun and enjoyable. ALICE: I enjoy all my subjects really. Mrs Smith, my Sociology teacher, is the nicest teacher ever. She breaks everything down and explains it really well to us. For Health and Social Care I have Mrs Foster and Mrs Mulhaire who are so nice anyway and if you have any problems with anything, they will just talk through it all with you. And I chose BTEC Sport because it still allowed me to do the topics I wanted to in PE, but is more course work based and practical so it was more my kind of thing. What do you enjoy the most about being in the Sixth Form? ALICE: I like being more independent. The teachers give you responsibility for your own work, if you want to do the work, you ll pass. Obviously they will speak with you if you don t do it because they want you to succeed, but if you just knuckle down you ll be fine. ASHLEIGH: I enjoy studying my subjects the most. They re subjects I want to learn about and although A Levels can be challenging, by studying the subjects you want to study makes it more enjoyable. ZAK: What I enjoy is the freedom. In your free lessons you can go down to the LRC which really helps you to focus and get your work done, you re not limited to just working at home, there are facilities you can use here as well. I play for the U18 girl s football team. We got into the semi finals of the National Cup this year and as team captain, I had much more responsibility for the team this time and had to make sure everyone was available. Do you take part in any extra curricular activities? ALICE: I play for the U18 girl s football team. We got into the semi finals of the National Cup this year and as team captain, I had much more responsibility for the team this time and had to make sure everyone was available to play instead of the teachers doing it all. But there are loads of opportunities for you in the sixth form, and lots of little clubs you can join that students have set up on their own. If there are enough people and the funding is there, you can basically run any club you like. There has even been a ukulele club! There s the sporting side as well and there are so many sports for both boys and girls! ZAK: I am a student ambassador and I also work with PAVE (Print Audio Visual Experience) which is the production company for South Hunsley and allows us to do lots of really interesting things. Recently we have worked on posters to advertise the school production of Fame, and we also made a documentary on Fame which was shown at parents evenings and on each performance night. Sometimes we work outside of school as well and we have recently been approached by a solo artist who wants us to make a music video for him to help him get signed. Like Alice said, Definitely the biggest difference is being in charge of your own work and not having to be pushed all the time. I also went on the recent media trip to New York and Washington which was amazing! there is a wide range of clubs and activities you can get involved with and they can all help develop your skills better than just in the classroom. For example PAVE has really helped me with understanding media terminology and the use of equipment, which gives me a bit of an advantage in my Media lessons. I also went on the recent Media trip to New York and Washington which was amazing. It didn t seem like a school trip at all but more like a group of friends on holiday together. ASHLEIGH: I m part of the Eco group which enables me to get involved with the school and make a difference. I was really attracted to joining because I had never really been involved with school 04 05

SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED SOUTH HUNSLEY SIXTH FORM NEWS FEED issues before. Eco is quite a small group that deals with an important topic; protecting the environment. The group have made quite a big difference so far in raising funds for a greenhouse, and we re looking at introducing reusable cups in the sixth form café so it s great to actually see the changes taking place in the school. I ve also done an EPQ which has given me the chance to study an extra qualification. What are your plans for the future? ASHLEIGH: I want to be a Lawyer and Sixth Form has really helped me with this decision. I was sent information about an open day in London which I attended and found really interesting and helpful. ALICE: It might sound really strange because I m studying a sports course, but I actually want to be a midwife. After watching One Born Every Minute I just fell in love with midwifery and that s why I chose Health and Social Care. I hope to go to America to do some coaching, so it will be a good balance of the two things. ZAK: I would like to get into acting or directing. I will be going on to university to get a degree in either drama or film. What support have you received for your chosen career path? ZAK: All teachers support you, not just in University is also a strong option for me and there is a lot of support on offer from form tutors and subject teachers who help with your personal statement. We receive emails about apprenticeships and open days which provide us with a lot of different options. their subject but in anything. You decide what you want to do and they will be there to help and support you in your decision. Teachers have been advising me on where would be best for me to go to for the course I am interested in studying. ALICE: In Health and Social Care Mrs Mulhaire helped me understand more about midwifery and made sure it is what I want to do. As soon as I was certain she s been a great support; helping me organise open days and looking at the different courses available to me. ASHLEIGH: University is also a strong option for me and there is a lot of support on offer from form tutors and subject teachers who help with your personal statement. We receive emails about apprenticeships and open days which provide us with a lot of different options. Do you have any advice for Year 10 students? ALICE: You don t want to be lulled into the same false sense of security as All teachers support you, not just in their subject but in anything. You decide what you want to do and they will be there to help and support you in your decision. Teachers have been advising me on where would be best for me to go to for the course I am interested in studying. GCSEs when you start your A Levels. Don t think GCSEs were easy, I didn t need to revise ; they re hard but they re worth it in the end so don t get complacent. Dive in head first and put all your effort in straight away. It s a big transition from Year 11 into Year 12 you will have some time to settle in at the start of the year but then it s straight in to work and exam preparation. Don t underestimate how soon the hard work starts. ASHLEIGH: When choosing your A Levels make sure you pick subjects you re really passionate about. You study them in such depth so it really helps if you ve got an interest in that subject. ZAK: It s a big transition from Year 11 into Year 12 you will have some time to settle in at the start of the year but then it s straight in to work and exam preparation. Don t underestimate how soon the hard work starts. Don t just dream of a bright future Join a Sixth Form that will make you shine If you had any doubt about whether our Sixth Form College was right for you, hopefully the Department for Education s performance tables will change your mind! Every year the Department in London get together to look at how well schools and colleges across the country have done and they compare us against each other. This major piece of work helps you know how good we really are. You can find all the information at www.education.gov.uk/ schools/performance. We always perform well and you will always find South Hunsley Sixth Form College ranking high in these tables and 2012 was no different. Our average point score per exam entry was 208.5. This places our college second in the performance table for high A Level achievement across the whole of Hull and East Riding. This figure is really important as it represents the average A Level grade achieved by our students and means that on average, South Hunsley students leave our Sixth Form with A / B grades across their subjects. Knowing this now means that you can be certain to achieve excellent grades with us which will put you in the best position when progressing to either university or employment. Last year it meant that 83% of our students were placed at their first choice university and a quarter were accepted into Russell Group universities; universities that are committed to the highest levels of academic excellence. Paul Jacobs, Assistant Head teacher for the Sixth Form College, is delighted by this recognition: The average point score per exam entry indicator focuses on students academic study which makes this score the key marker for the final grades achieved in your courses. We encourage our students to concentrate their study in the Sixth Form to between 3 and 5 A Levels and it is this academic focus which allows so many of our students to reach their potential and access the most competitive Higher Education courses and high tariff universities. We always perform well and you will always find South Hunsley Sixth Form College ranking high in these tables and 2012 was no different. There are many ways of measuring sixth form performance, but the most significant indication for students is average point score per exam entry. However, you will Our average point score per exam entry was 208.5. This places our college second in the performance table for high A Level achievement across the whole of Hull and East Riding. often see the media and other sixth form providers reporting on average point score per student. This takes into consideration the number of courses studied as well as the grades which means the more courses a student takes, the higher the average score. Unfortunately this measure can under value the final grade achieved by our students in their A Level courses. When we decided to introduce sixth form pathways it was to encourage some students to focus on a smaller number of A Level courses as universities and employers focus on these grades. At the same time we also made sure students could access a large range of wider opportunities in their free time which though not always formally accredited, nevertheless are invaluable for gaining life experience and adding depth to university or job applications. 06 07

East Dale Road, Melton, North Ferriby, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU14 3HS www.southhunsley.org.uk sixthform@southhunsley.org.uk 01482 631208