SIXTH FORM NEWS

SIXTH FORM NEWS
FEBRUARY 2015
WELCOME to our Sixth Form News, a quick round up of events and information relevant to our Sixth Form students and
parents. We continue to try to reduce the amount of paper we use and prefer to send this out via email. If you have
received a paper copy via your son or daughter and are happy to receive it by email instead, please make sure we have
your current email address by contacting Mrs Bourn, on [email protected]
UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS - The deadline of 15th January for the majority of university applications was met with a final
flurry of activity from Upper Sixth and a handful of ex-students. Students should be maintaining close contact with their
Academic Tutors to let them know of offers received and decisions made. Absences for university interviews or applicant
open days will be authorised and should be notified to Form Tutors in advance.
STUDENT FINANCE - The Student Finance website www.gov.uk/student-finance is now open. U6 students had an
excellent presentation in January from a representative of Leicester University who gave information about loans and
grants available and the likely repayment amounts depending on future salary. He also gave tips and advice on budgeting
at university. The Student Loan Company also has a quick start guide to find out the different types of student finance
available from Student Finance England - including how to apply and repay - all in one central place.
http://slc-apps.co.uk/Quick-Start-Finance-Guide/Home.html
MOCK EXAMS – The week following Half Term will be a full week of mock exams for both Upper and Lower Sixth students.
During this week normal lessons will be suspended. Students are expected to be in school every day, doing revision
when not doing exams. Students were given a briefing by Mrs Bargh, Exams Officer – a copy of this is available on
the website under the 'Student' link and then 'Exams'. All exams will be held in the sports hall from now on and
modifications will be made to make the hall more suitable, including the laying of a temporary carpet and the installation
of computer screens to show exam time remaining. U6 mock exam results will be issued on Tuesday 10 March and L6
results on Friday 13 March.
AS RESITS – As U6 students were made aware, the deadline to enter for an AS resit was last week. It is still possible
to request to be entered for a resit but the exam boards have now doubled the costs.
LOWER SIXTH – PLANNING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS – A recent Form Period focused on planning for our L6 students.
We asked students to look at the time left in school before their mock exams and the summer exams and to plan their
revision, taking into account coursework deadlines, activities and commitments both in and out of school. The attached
plan of the weeks between February and May was offered to any students who might find it useful. Parents might also be
interested to see the timescale.
CAREERS - The Lower Sixth have a Careers lesson each fortnight throughout the year. They have already done work on
the labour market, employability qualities and skills, CV writing, Higher Education and other options at 18+ including
taking a Gap Year and apprenticeships; after learning about how to make university applications they will consider student
finance, the option to study abroad, university open days, the Open University and preparing for interviews. A vast range
of other Careers-related opportunities is available. Information is provided on notice boards, in nearly all Friday
assemblies and occasionally via tutors. Our expert provider of individual guidance, Tracy Tuck, also communicates
information about possibilities for students to us on a regular and frequent basis. Recent possibilities include:
* A Careers morning for those interested in Engineering Apprenticeships at Siemens
* A Careers in Sport event at the University of Lincoln
* Residential summer schools and shorter taster courses in a wide range of subjects at various universities
* Global volunteering during a gap year
* Medlink courses for prospective doctors, dentists and vets
* A Heritage Skills event in Lincoln.
Websites such as www.suttontrust.com has lists of universities offering free summer schools. The Sutton Trust deadline
for applications is 9 March. Students should not hesitate to approach Mr Priestley, Mr Randman, Mr Forster or Dr Aggett
to inquire further about these opportunities. Take the initiative and don’t miss the chance!
A REPORT FROM OUR SOCIAL COMMITTEE – We started the new year with an ‘Eighties’ party at Harpar’s bar in
Horncastle which went well and was enjoyed by the majority of the Sixth Form. We have many events planned
throughout the rest of the year, especially after the mocks when we’ll require much-needed stress relief! We have also
made progress with both Yearbook and U6 Ball which will be held on 2 July. This year we are going to the Lincoln Hotel on
Eastgate, Lincoln. We aim to have the Yearbook published before we leave in May.
NEXT STEPS FOR STUDY – As Step Two of this programme, 11 L6 students recently spent the day at Bishop Grosseteste
University experiencing a short lecture, seminars on time management, critical thinking and debating and taking a tour of
the campus to see facilities on offer in a university.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES - English Speaking Union travel grants – The ESU are offering financial assistance of up to £2,000
to young people who wish to do a project abroad after school. The support is directed primarily at young people working
in poorer parts of the world or who will be contributing to communities by working on projects such as the building of
classrooms. A poster has been up in the Sixth Form Centre for some weeks but if you think your son or daughter might
make use of a grant, please direct them to complete an application form, available at www.esu.org/lincolnshire.
Guidelines for applicants are also available there. Enquiries should be directed to [email protected] – the
closing date is 28 February 2015 with interviews being held in March. Two of our ex students were successful in receiving
grants last year and travelled to the Far East to look at the role of the midwife there.
SPORTS – Congratulations to L6 student Rebekah Ward who recently came second in Senior section of the
Lincolnshire Schools Cross Country Championships. The school's 1XI football team have continued their excellent
season in the Lincolnshire Schools and Colleges League. So far they have played 16 games, won 12, drawn 2 and lost
2. The team have 4 games remaining and still have a very good chance of winning the league.
YOUNG ENTERPRISE – We are pleased to include a
report from one of our L6 Young Enterprise
companies: MakeItTrend is our Young Enterprise
Company. Under the scheme we have to create and
run our own business, assigning people roles such as
Managing Director or Company Secretary. This gives
members of the company satisfaction as all
members are involved in decisions. To begin with we
had to think of a way to raise funds to pay for the
insurance and to buy anything that we required to
start the business; then, we had to think of a
product or a service to sell. Our company chose to make and sell personalised phone cases, as our main product, we
are also selling key rings and valentine roses which we will distribute on Friday 13th February.
We sell our items at break, but you can place an order through your child for school pickup. Why not get them a QEGS
key ring for only 50p or perhaps a personalised phone case?
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL – A reminder that during the winter months it is more important than ever to contact the school
if you know your son or daughter is going to be absent, particularly if they drive to school. Please ring the school before
9:30 each day of absence.
Sixth Form Diary Dates –
16-20 February – Half Term
23 February – Sixth Form mock exams start
5-7 March – A2 Geology Field Trip to East Yorkshire coast
10 March – U6 Mock exam results issued
11 March – U6 Stop the Clock Day
12 March – AS and A2 Music Recital 7pm
13 March – L6 Mock exam results issued
20-21 March – L6 Geography Field Trip to East Yorkshire
27 March – L6 Reports issued. End of Term
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries. [email protected] Mrs Bourn, Sixth Form Administrator
SIXTH FORM PLANNER - FEB TO JUNE 2015
February
March
April
Friday
May
1
Saturday
2
Sunday
1
1
3
Monday
2
2
4 Bank Holiday
Tuesday
3
3
5
Wednesday
4 L6 Bishop G Trip
4
1
6
Thursday
5 Chemistry Practical
5 U6 Geology Field Trip
2
7
Friday
6
6 U6 Geology Field Trip
3
8
Madrid Trip
Saturday
7 Madrid Trip
7 U6 Geology Field Trip
4
9
Sunday
8 Madrid Trip
8
5
10
Monday
9 Madrid Trip
9
6
11 External Exams Start
Tuesday
10
10 U6 Mock Results
7
12
Wednesday
11 Chemistry Theory paper
11 U6 Stop the Clock
8
13
Thursday
12
12 AS and A2 Music Recital, 7pm
9
14 Form Pd - p5
Friday
13 Form Pd - p3
13 L6 Mock Results
10
15
Saturday
14
14
11
16
Sunday
15
15
12
17
Monday
16 Half Term
16
13
18
Tuesday
17
17
14 Term starts
19
Wednesday
18
18 Biology EMPA
Form Pd - p1
15
20
Thursday
19
19 Biology EMPA
16
21
Friday
20
20 L6 Geography Trip
17
22
Saturday
21
21 L6 Geography Trip
18
23
Sunday
22
22
19
24
Monday
23 L6 & U6 Mock Exams
23
20
25 Half Term
Tuesday
24 L6 & U6 Mock Exams
24
21
26
Wednesday
25 L6 & U6 Mock Exams
25
22
27
Thursday
26 L6 & U6 Mock Exams
26 Form Pd - p4
23 Form Pd - p3
28
Friday
27 L6 & U6 Mock Exams
27 L6 Reports issued
24
29
Saturday
28
28
25
30
Sunday
29
26
31
Monday
30 Easter Break
27
Tuesday
31
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30