This week has been dominated by exams and I would like to thank all those students who have turned up for their exams on time and have conducted themselves maturely. There have been a couple of instances where students have been late and I would like to urge them to make sure they set their alarms, take an earlier bus and get to college at least half an hour before the start of their exam. All students can take advantage of the free breakfast which we are providing throughout the exam period therefore why not get to college at 8am and avoid the stress of rushing to your exams?
I would like to remind everyone that support is available from the team in college if exam stress is affecting your wellbeing. Please click here for some really useful advice on how to prepare for exams.
If you go to https://www.salisbury6c.ac.uk/students/exams-2/ you will find the S6C Exam Handbook and revision guide, along with all the information you need from the Joint Council for Qualifications. Please read everything carefully so that you are fully prepared for your exams.
Please click here for the 2023 A Level and AS Level exam timetable.
Please click here for the year 12 mock exams timetable which start on Monday 19 June.
I hope you all have a restful half term.
Regards
Ben
Image: Curation Project with Salisbury Museum
Football Academy Trials
Adam Jones – Director of Sport
If your child has applied for S6C next year, they may be interested in joining our Football Academy run by Bournemouth FC. This is a new initiative which is super exciting! Run by Bournemouth FC Academy coaches, students will have access to professional coaching three times a week. The first team will be competing in the EFL league, playing other colleges which are affiliated with professional football clubs.
Friday 09 June and 07 July at 6 – 7.30pm we are holding trials for any student who wants to be part of the Football Academy. There are 18 places available in the Bournemouth FC squad (first team).
If you are not selected from the trials, you can still impress the coaches in time and be promoted up to the first team. In addition there will still be an S6C team which will be run as part of the Football Academy, just not by Bournemouth FC.
Friday 09 June will be the first stage of the selection process for the first team squad. The trial will be held at the impressive new FA facility at Ringwood Community Hub. Please see flyer for full address. This is where we will play our home games.
Please register your interest with Head of Academy Ben Cooper, by sending him an email at ben.cooper@afcb.co.uk
It is imperative you attend the trials to secure a place in the Bournemouth FC S6C first team.
Any questions please direct them to myself, Adam Jones, Director of Sport at ajones@wyvernsteds.org
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 13 have finished the year by Looking Ahead, covering topics such as how to revise, living away from home, grief and bereavement, and how to access mental health support through their exams and beyond. They have had their last tutor session but we have reminded them that they must keep their notifications on until Results Day as we may need to get messages to them and will be sending important notices about how to get their results. We have also reminded them that pastoral support, careers support, and safeguarding, are all available to them for the remainder of the year.
Year 12 have been working on the Skills for Life part of their pathway – with sessions on personal finance, bank accounts/overdrafts etc, work experience planning and research. There will be a session on avoiding scams, followed by how to be a safe driver and passenger.
We have shared a lot of information with both year groups on how to manage stress – especially if it is caused by exam and study pressures. Pressure in itself can help productivity – but we all need to manage our stress levels to avoid this building into anxiety. If anyone is struggling, please do get in touch with us, as well as visiting the GP, as we can refer to a number of external agencies as well as offering guided self help support and sharing resources.
This week we have been celebrating the publication of a new collection of case studies and thought leadership pieces from experts around the world: Sixth Form Matters. Produced by the Sixth Form Colleges Association, the book highlights the importance of sixth form education and recognises and celebrates what an excellent sixth form education looks like. It is imperative that we consider the issues of today and tomorrow in order to provide the most useful mix of academic and vocational qualifications for our students and this book seeks to identify what that mix may need to be in the forthcoming years.
Here at S6C we are in the midst of exam season and I would like to remind everyone that support is available from the team in college if exam stress is affecting your wellbeing. Please click on this link for some really useful advice on how to prepare for exams: Preparing for Exams
This link is also excellent and focused on tips for coping with stress: Coping with Exam Stress
If you go tohttps://www.salisbury6c.ac.uk/students/exams-2/ you will find the S6C Exam Handbook and revision guide, along with all the information you need from the Joint Council for Qualifications. Please read everything carefully so that you are fully prepared for your exams.
In Life Skills, Year 13 have finished the year by Looking Ahead, covering topics such as how to revise, living away from home, grief and bereavement, and how to access mental health support through their exams and beyond. They will have their last tutor session this week but we have reminded them that they must keep their notifications on until Results Day as we may need to get messages to them and will be sending important notices about how to get their results. We have also reminded them that pastoral support, careers support, and safeguarding, are all available to them for the remainder of the year.
Year 12 have been working on the Skills for Life part of their pathway – with sessions on personal finance, bank accounts/overdrafts etc, work experience planning and research. There will be a session on avoiding scams next week, followed by how to be a safe driver and passenger.
We have shared a lot of information with both year groups on how to manage stress – especially if it is caused by exam and study pressures. Pressure in itself can help productivity – but we all need to manage our stress levels to avoid this building into anxiety. If anyone is struggling, please do get in touch with us, as well as visiting the GP, as we can refer to a number of external agencies as well as offering guided self help support and sharing resources.
Change Your Mind Team
Catherine Pennington – Mental Health Lead
This week the wonderful Change Your Mind Team has been providing support to students during Mental Health Awareness week.
Our aim is to raise awareness of the services we can all access if and when we need help. The team has been visible around college all week, interacting with students and encouraging people to ask for help and talk about the things that cause anxiety, which is the theme for this year.
The team will also be releasing tips on stress relievers that no one will notice you using, an interesting BBC radio 4 programme on ‘’Is Psychiatry working?’’ and lots of tips and ideas to look after your body and your mind.
In the run up to exam season, the college has been a hive of activity. Huddled groups of students can be spotted all round college, revising and chatting about what is next – university, apprenticeship, employment. There is an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement and for those moving from year 12 to year 13, a sense of maturing into their role of student and young adult.
If you go to https://www.salisbury6c.ac.uk/students/exams-2/ you will find the S6C Exam Handbook and revision guide, along with all the information you need from the Joint Council for Qualifications. Please read everything carefully so that you are fully prepared for your exams.
Pleaseclick here for the 2023 A Level and AS Level exam timetable. AS level exams start on Monday 15 May and A level exams on Wednesday 17 May.
Please click here for the year 12 mock exams timetable which start on Monday 19 June.
Regards
Ben
University Grants
Rosie Roberts – Careers Lead
This week, the College had a visit from Nicola Hillier, Grants Officer for Wiltshire Community Foundation, who answered questions from Year 13 students about grants and how to apply.
Wiltshire Community Foundation offers grants to young people in Wiltshire and Swindon who need support with the costs of studying an undergraduate degree at university. The One Degree More bursary is £1,600 for each year of the course to help with general living expenses, course costs, books and equipment.
Young people can apply for a university bursary if they:
• are under 24 years old
• have lived in Wiltshire or Swindon for at least 2 years
• parents or guardians receive 2 means-tested benefits (2 elements of Universal Credit)
• eligible for funding through Student Finance England
• studying for first undergraduate degree at a UK university or college
The wonderful Change Your Mind Team are getting ready for Mental Health Awareness week (15 to 21 May). The team have been preparing green ribbons and information cards to hand out to all of our students.
Our aim is to raise awareness of the services we can all access if and when we need help. The team will be visible around college interacting with students and encouraging people to ask for help and talk about the things that cause anxiety, which is the theme for this year.
Next week the team will be releasing tips on stress relievers that no one will notice you using, an interesting BBC radio 4 programme on ‘’Is Psychiatry working?’’ and lots of tips and ideas to look after your body and your mind.
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 12 Art and Photography students have been invited by Roche Court to interview artist Charlotte Verity and produce the final 60 minute podcast for the ‘Listen in at Roche Court’ series. The session this week introduced the concept to students and in a few weeks they will travel to Roche Court to interview Caroline and record their podcast. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to engage with contemporary practice and develop a range of communication, research and presentation skills.
What a fabulous Showcase evening our Year 13 Creative Media students hosted this week! I was delighted to see so many parents in attendance and the wide range of films from a single topic was hugely impressive. I hope that our students enjoyed showing us their work and I look forward to following their progress in their chosen fields.
Assessment update: Vocational technical qualification exams started today; Wednesday 10 May is the deadline for A level coursework submission; A level and AS level exams start on Wednesday 17 May.
Well done to everyone for their hard work so far, congratulations to those who have taken exams already and good luck to everyone in their forthcoming exams!
Please click here for the year 12 mock exams timetable which start on Monday 19 June. Always remember that support is available from the team in college if exam stress is affecting the wellbeing of our students.
I hope that you all enjoy the long weekend in celebration of the King’s Coronation and I look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 09 May.
Regards
Ben
Curation Project
Sally Tye – Faculty Lead (Humanities)
Students completed their Curation Project with Salisbury Museum this week by creating a very personal exhibition in the S6C foyer. A huge thanks to Alice from Salisbury Museum for the work she has done with these students and the many work experience placements that have also resulted from the project.
This new experience has improved and diversified my skill set, and overall it was a very enjoyable project that I was glad to be a part of!
India Bell
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 12 Art and Photography students have been invited by Roche Court to interview artist Charlotte Verity and produce the final 60 minute podcast for the ‘Listen in at Roche Court’ series. The session this week introduced the concept to students and in a few weeks they will travel to Roche Court to interview Caroline and record their podcast. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to engage with contemporary practice and develop a range of communication, research and presentation skills.
On Friday last week our History students were privy to the amazing opportunity to debate the motion ‘Heath’s government of 1970 to 1974 must be judged unsuccessful’ with Lord Hunt, Peter Batey, Neil Carmichael, Anthony Teasdale and Michael McManus, all of whom worked with Edward Heath. Our visitors were able to provide a remarkable insight into the government at the time, much of which cannot be experienced from reading textbooks and online articles. Thank you to our students, staff and of course our guests for putting together such a lively debate.
Our Year 13 Creative Media students are hosting an evening showcasing their final short films on Tuesday 02 May 2023 from 5.00pm to 6.30pm. Refreshments will be available – we’d love to see you there!
Please come along to see some of our gorgeous work screened in the Lecture Theatre!
Year 13 Creative Media Students
Two weeks into the summer term and we have already had year 12 vocational mocks and year 13 photography and fine art exams. Still to come are vocational technical qualification exams which start on Friday 05 May, Wednesday 10 May is the deadline for A level coursework submission and A level and AS level exams start on Wednesday 17 May.
Well done to everyone for their hard work so far, congratulations to those who have taken exams already and good luck to everyone in their forthcoming exams!
Dates for your diary include ‘cause for concern’ parents evenings on Wednesday 03 May and Thursday 04 May. These parents evenings are for all year 12 and year 13 students who have not met their targets or who are not working to appropriate standards. Parents will be contacted by teaching staff if they feel it is necessary. Please click here for the timetable for the year 12 mock exams which start on Monday 19 June. Always remember that support is available from the team in college if exam stress is affecting the wellbeing of our students.
Please note that S6C will be closed on Monday 01 May for the May Day Bank Holiday and Monday 08 May in celebration of the King’s Coronation. Enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend and I look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 02 May.
Regards
Ben
Edward Heath Debate
Sally Tye – Faculty Lead (Humanities)
On Friday last week History students were given the unique opportunity to experience ‘living history’ and debate the success of Sir Edward Heath as Prime Minister with those who knew and worked with him. This is a key coursework and exam question and provided students with an invaluable insight into the past. Pratheek Magenni commented: “The Edward Heath debate allowed me to understand the struggles which PM Heath had to deal with during his term in office and the various different hurdles he faced to help our country with schemes to benefit the future. Also the trustees provided me with knowledge that no textbook could provide, and showed a successful side of PM Heath which not many people understand or see, such as the various successes he had, for example the international relationships he promoted and Britain joining the EEC. Also thanks to this debate my opinion on PM Heath changed from believing he was a failure to believing he was a person who had some truly outstanding ideas such as helping the elderly and raising the education leaving age to 16. Unfortunately, due to the tough circumstances that PM Heath was under, he couldn’t see the success of these ideas flourish during his time in office. Thank you for such a great opportunity and the knowledge that I have gained is truly tremendous.” Special thanks go to Arundells for helping to organise the debate and huge thanks to our special guests Lord Hunt, Peter Batey, Neil Carmichael, Anthony Teasdale and Michael McManus for so generously giving up their time.
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 12 Art and Photography students have been invited by Roche Court to interview artist Charlotte Verity and produce the final 60 minute podcast for the ‘Listen in at Roche Court’ series. The session this week introduced the concept to students and in a few weeks they will travel to Roche Court to interview Caroline and record their podcast. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to engage with contemporary practice and develop a range of communication, research and presentation skills.
Psychology Club
Kirsty White – Faculty Lead (STEM)
Nick, Y13: In Psychology Club this week, our revision was focused around behaviourism. With Kirsty, we went back over classical and operant conditioning, looking at the differences between them and studies which we can use to evaluate them. In order to apply our knowledge, we were accompanied by Kirsty’s puppy, Paddy. Kirsty demonstrated the types of conditioning with Paddy. For example, we demonstrated classical conditioning by associating the sound of a clicker with giving him a treat. We taught Paddy how to give a paw by putting the action of giving paw with the word ‘paw’ and giving him a treat, this gave us a better understanding of operant conditioning as it involved giving him a reward for his behaviour (positive reinforcement).
Fundraising for Child Bereavement UK
Joanne Thompson – Data Manager
I did it! 26.2 miles of London streets last Sunday in the 2023 London Marathon! My time was 6:45:05 and it was hard but I had so much support from my family, friends and everyone at S6C. £55.30 was raised in the collection tin on Sunday which brings my current total to £2,728. Thank you to everyone for your messages of encouragement and congratulations, for donating to my fundraising efforts and for being there for me. I’ve entered the ballot for 2024 so watch this space!
The S6C summer term has begun! I hope you all had a restful Easter break in readiness for your vocational mocks, photography and fine art exams, vocational technical qualification exams, A level coursework deadlines and A level exams. This is an important term and it can feel overwhelming but there are teachers and support staff available to help whenever you need. The S6C year has been carefully planned to provide you with all the tools you need to succeed and I have every confidence that this term will see the results of all the hard work you have put into your studies.
On Wednesday this week our year 12 students visited the UCAS/Discovery event at Winchester University. I hope that they all found the day useful and spoke to all the universities and colleges in which they had an interest. I was delighted with how maturely everyone approached the day and I am really looking forward to helping them achieve their goals and aspirations over the forthcoming academic year.
Please note that S6C will be closed on Monday 01 May for the May Day Bank Holiday and Monday 08 May in celebration of the King’s Coronation.
Regards
Ben
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 13
I would like to wish the Photography and Art students the best of luck in their 15 hour exams that have taken place this week and will continue next week.
Year 12
Art and Photography students have been invited by Roche Court to interview artist Charlotte Verity and produce the final 60 minute podcast for the ‘Listen in at Roche Court’ series. The session this week introduced the concept to students and in a few weeks they will travel to Roche Court to interview Caroline and record their podcast. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to engage with contemporary practice and develop a range of communication, research and presentation skills.
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 12 are continuing with their pathway on Community and Values and Year 13 are still Looking Ahead to a more independent life. With these focus areas in mind, everyone has had a chance to think about the political spectrum, the values that define modern Britain and make it a safe place for all, about the nature and danger of radicalisation, and about LGBTQ+ history (which we celebrate in February, and throughout the rest of the year). Year 13 have also had a talk and discussion on online influence, and have been encouraged to choose their role models and online inspirations as. carefully as they would choose their friends. Year 12 have had additional support from their tutors in choosing a work experience placement which will really benefit them. Students have had a chance to feedback their thoughts and take home points on all these issues, and we are in dialogue with them as they shape their ideas. We encourage them to base their ideas on sound evidence alongside open mindedness, and to share them with sensitivity. We take opportunities to address any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or potentially unhelpful ideologies, in the course of our main sessions or with individuals. It is a real privilege to be working with a group of young people who are reflective and keen to learn, willing to stand up for what is right, and always looking out for each other’s welfare. Please do get in touch if you would like to talk with us about any of these issues or would like to know in more details what has been covered.
1:1s
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
Every term, every student should be seen by their tutor for a 20 minute Performance Review appointment for a chat about their attendance, progress, development of skills and experiences, online safety, personal development, citizenship, and wellbeing. Young people should remind their tutors if they are yet to be seen and must make themselves available at a time that works for their tutor. This is an amazing opportunity for us to get to know our young people and for them to feel seen and heard and supported. We can put a huge amount in place to help academically, personally, financially – and for emotional, physical and mental health – but only if we know. Please keep in touch with us – we really value direct communication with parents and carers and students.
If your financial circumstances have changed since joining S6C and you feel you may be eligible for a bursary, please complete the form in the attached link.
I have been raising money for Child Bereavement UK, in memory of the youngest member of my family who passed away last year. Over Easter I managed to arrange the free rental of a small pop-up shop in Warminster from which I sold donations from friends, family and S6C colleagues. So far I have raised £1,485.76 and I am hoping to raise more when I run the London Marathon this Sunday. All unsold items are now available in the S6C pop-up shop in the foyer, where staff and students are welcome to take what they need and donate what they can.
I’d like to thank everyone for their support and I’ll let you all know how I get on this Sunday!
The S6C spring term has ended with a flourish with our Healthy Relationships and Sexual Health Development Day. Thank you to everyone for approaching the day with maturity and helping to explore this important area of personal development and safety.
Last week we were visited by two representatives from Challenge Partners and after an intense couple of days I am thrilled to share some highlights from the resulting report:
The college’s values foster a welcoming, inclusive and purposeful culture;
the student union offers opportunity for leadership and these students are empowered to bring about change in the college – and they do;
High quality pastoral provision is diverse and assiduous in addressing students’ needs;
Students speak very positively about the induction process;
Google classroom is integral to college life and facilitates high levels of student engagement with their learning;
The life skills curriculum is well-planned, sequenced and adapted in the light of student feedback, local need and/or recent events and influences;
High quality careers education and guidance, with extensive opportunities to explore and experience careers, is led by a well-qualified careers advisor who has ensured that all of the Gatsby benchmarks have been met and all pathways are valued.
“One student spoke of how her work placement in the hospital has led to a future apprenticeship in health.”
Warm relationships abound at all levels;
Students…have a pride in their work and a readiness to learn;
Students are confident in speaking about their learning and they recall knowledge well.
“Students expressed appreciation of the Head of College’s support, the changes he has made and his humour.”
Such a positive outcome and one which I am sure you will all be delighted in sharing with me. As always, there are ways in which we can improve and next term we will be implementing the suggestions made in order to ensure a robust pedagogy and exceptional learning environment.
Over Easter, S6C will open during the second week of the holidays for some additional revision sessions in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science, History and Religious Studies. Please encourage your child to attend wherever possible. These sessions may make a huge difference to exam results and will help everyone to get the grades they need to achieve their goals.
I hope you all have a restful Easter break and I look forward to seeing everyone back at college on Monday 17 April for the start of the summer term.
Regards
Ben
JOIN US AT S6C This is an exciting time to be a part of Further Education and at S6C we are committed to providing the highest quality teaching to our dedicated and focused students. Our ethos is to provide a welcoming and friendly atmosphere in which to learn and for everyone to achieve their full potential. We are currently looking for highly motivated full and part time teachers in the following subjects: Physics – Law – Geography – Business Studies – Esports – History – Environmental Science
If you are not a qualified teacher but are looking to train we would be interested to hear from you as well. You would ideally have industry knowledge or a relevant degree. Our starting salary for an unqualified teacher is over £26,000.
If you would like to find out more please call 01722 597970 or email me directly at bhillier@s6c.mlp.college for an informal conversation.
Sport Trip to FTY Lab, Poole
Emma Thomapson – Teacher of Sport
On Monday some sports students spent the morning at the Football Gym. This is a hi tech football inspired gym where they took part in different tasks and fitness tests to analyse their performances. Students competed against each other in a 20 metre sprint, reaction tests, shooting drills, passing accuracy and hill sprints. The students all worked really hard throughout their session and had a great time.
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 13 Fine Art and Photography students have started their externally set assignment. They now have 13 weeks (including holidays) to complete a wide range of experiments and development of ideas that will lead towards their 15 hour exam. The dates are:
PHOTOGRAPHY
19 April, 20 April, 24 April
FINE ART
25 April, 26 April, 27 April
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 12 are continuing with their pathway on Community and Values and Year 13 are still Looking Ahead to a more independent life. With these focus areas in mind, everyone has had a chance to think about the political spectrum, the values that define modern Britain and make it a safe place for all, about the nature and danger of radicalisation, and about LGBTQ+ history (which we celebrate in February, and throughout the rest of the year). Year 13 have also had a talk and discussion on online influence, and have been encouraged to choose their role models and online inspirations as. carefully as they would choose their friends. Year 12 have had additional support from their tutors in choosing a work experience placement which will really benefit them. Students have had a chance to feedback their thoughts and take home points on all these issues, and we are in dialogue with them as they shape their ideas. We encourage them to base their ideas on sound evidence alongside open mindedness, and to share them with sensitivity. We take opportunities to address any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or potentially unhelpful ideologies, in the course of our main sessions or with individuals. It is a real privilege to be working with a group of young people who are reflective and keen to learn, willing to stand up for what is right, and always looking out for each other’s welfare. Please do get in touch if you would like to talk with us about any of these issues or would like to know in more details what has been covered.
1:1s
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
Every term, every student should be seen by their tutor for a 20 minute Performance Review appointment for a chat about their attendance, progress, development of skills and experiences, online safety, personal development, citizenship, and wellbeing. Young people should remind their tutors if they are yet to be seen and must make themselves available at a time that works for their tutor. This is an amazing opportunity for us to get to know our young people and for them to feel seen and heard and supported. We can put a huge amount in place to help academically, personally, financially – and for emotional, physical and mental health – but only if we know. Please keep in touch with us – we really value direct communication with parents and carers and students.
If your financial circumstances have changed since joining S6C and you feel you may be eligible for a bursary, please complete the form in the attached link.
This week we have been visited by two representatives from Challenge Partners, an education charity led by practitioners with a focus on quality assurance and sharing the collective wisdom in schools. It has been an intense and busy couple of days and I am delighted with how impressed our visitors were when meeting members of the S6C faculty and students. A large number of lessons were observed and although this puts pressure on our teaching staff, our observers were able to gain an insight into how inspiring and impressive our lessons are and how much work our teachers put into the college’s pedagogy. I am confident that we are doing a lot right and I look forward to sharing the outcomes of the scrutiny and working towards making improvements of real value to the college.
Next Wednesday 29 March we have our Healthy Relationships and Sexual Health Development Day.
This is compulsory for all students and they will be in college from 9am to 3pm exploring this important area of personal development and safety. The day is designed to be accessible, safe and inclusive and any parents or carers who would like additional information are invited to contact our Pastoral Lead, Rebecca Anderson. During the day everyone will explore the visiting Consent Tent, run by STARS Dorset, for activities and discussions with the specialist team; there will be a range of resources to explore; a talk from the Wiltshire Sexual Health clinic; and everyone will be able to choose three workshop sessions led by S6C staff. Please encourage your young person to remember their choices and to engage in this very important Development Day.
Over Easter, S6C will open during the second week of the holidays for some additional revision sessions in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Geography, History and Religious Studies. Please encourage your child to attend wherever possible. These sessions may make a huge difference to exam results and will help everyone to get the grades they need to achieve their goals.
Regards
Ben
JOIN US AT S6C This is an exciting time to be a part of Further Education and at S6C we are committed to providing the highest quality teaching to our dedicated and focused students. Our ethos is to provide a welcoming and friendly atmosphere in which to learn and for everyone to achieve their full potential. We are currently looking for highly motivated full and part time teachers in the following subjects: Physics – Law – Geography – Business Studies – Esports – History – Environmental Science
If you are not a qualified teacher but are looking to train we would be interested to hear from you as well. You would ideally have industry knowledge or a relevant degree. Our starting salary for an unqualified teacher is over £26,000.
If you would like to find out more please call 01722 597970 or email me directly at bhillier@s6c.mlp.college for an informal conversation.
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 13 Fine Art and Photography students have started their externally set assignment. They now have 13 weeks (including holidays) to complete a wide range of experiments and development of ideas that will lead towards their 15 hour exam. The dates are:
PHOTOGRAPHY
19 April, 20 April, 24 April
FINE ART
25 April, 26 April, 27 April
Visiting Speakers
Rosie Roberts – Careers Lead
In the last week, both Year 12 and Year 13 have met visiting speakers to help them with their next steps after College. On Wednesday 15 March, Paul Meades, Student Finance Adviser at the University of Portsmouth, came to speak to Year 13 about how to complete the Student Finance application to support their university studies. He gave a reminder of what support is available and then talked through how to apply and what information students will need to complete the form. The slides from the presentation have been uploaded to the Year 13 Careers Classroom and we would also like to share a copy with parents (please see below).
On Tuesday 21 March, Stuart Shimmin-Vincent, Schools Adviser for Wiltshire and Swindon for the Department for Work and Pensions, spoke to some Year 12s in a Study Skills lesson on Labour Market Information (LMI) – what is it and how can students use it to inform their careers planning. This talk will be shared with all classes in the coming weeks. We would also encourage parents and carers to access and use up-to-date information about the labour market, future study options and career paths to inform the support you give to your young person (please see below).
On Wednesday 22 March, Lucy McDonagh from the University of Winchester spoke to Year 12 about researching university choices in order to help them prepare for the upcoming UCAS Discovery event which all Year 12 students will be attending on Wednesday 19 April. The event is an opportunity for students to speak to universities and apprenticeship training providers from across the country and the talk this week gave students information on what to think about when deciding between courses and universities to help them ask questions at the event (please see below).
Last Friday Dr Guy Sutton, Director of Medical Biology Interactive, gave a one-day introductory tutorial in Neuroscience to some of our yr12 and yr13 students. The tutorial was incredibly detailed and interesting and covered basic brain anatomy, the effects on the brain of such things as smartphones, child abuse and drugs, methods for exploring the brain and the classification of mental disorder with a focus on schizophrenia. Dr Sutton posed the questions ‘Can we reverse the effects of deprivation?’ and ‘Is There a Criminal Brain?’ and the students witnessed a sheep brain dissection. A truly fascinating and enlightening day!
Meet the Animals
Lisa Rodway – STEM Technician
Last week our foyer was filled with an array of exotic animals! Those students who wanted to were able to hold snakes, a bearded dragon, tortoises and a tarantula. A wonderful opportunity to see such beautiful creatures up close!
Sponsored Football Kit – Foray Motor Group
Emma Thompson – Teacher of Sport
Foray Motor Group kindly offered to sponsor a new football and netball kit for the teams at S6C. Here is the football team wearing the new kit for their fixture against Marlborough College. Photos of the netball team coming soon!
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 12 are continuing with their pathway on Community and Values and Year 13 are still Looking Ahead to a more independent life. With these focus areas in mind, everyone has had a chance to think about the political spectrum, the values that define modern Britain and make it a safe place for all, about the nature and danger of radicalisation, and about LGBTQ+ history (which we celebrate in February, and throughout the rest of the year). Year 13 have also had a talk and discussion on online influence, and have been encouraged to choose their role models and online inspirations as. carefully as they would choose their friends. Year 12 have had additional support from their tutors in choosing a work experience placement which will really benefit them. Students have had a chance to feedback their thoughts and take home points on all these issues, and we are in dialogue with them as they shape their ideas. We encourage them to base their ideas on sound evidence alongside open mindedness, and to share them with sensitivity. We take opportunities to address any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or potentially unhelpful ideologies, in the course of our main sessions or with individuals. It is a real privilege to be working with a group of young people who are reflective and keen to learn, willing to stand up for what is right, and always looking out for each other’s welfare. Please do get in touch if you would like to talk with us about any of these issues or would like to know in more details what has been covered.
1:1s
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
Every term, every student should be seen by their tutor for a 20 minute Performance Review appointment for a chat about their attendance, progress, development of skills and experiences, online safety, personal development, citizenship, and wellbeing. Young people should remind their tutors if they are yet to be seen and must make themselves available at a time that works for their tutor. This is an amazing opportunity for us to get to know our young people and for them to feel seen and heard and supported. We can put a huge amount in place to help academically, personally, financially – and for emotional, physical and mental health – but only if we know. Please keep in touch with us – we really value direct communication with parents and carers and students.
If your financial circumstances have changed since joining S6C and you feel you may be eligible for a bursary, please complete the form in the attached link.
There is never a dull moment here at S6C and this week’s activities have perhaps been the most diverse since I joined in September.
On Monday our English Language and English Literature students travelled to London to visit the Treasures of the British Library exhibition; S6C Governor John Hawkins joined us for a learning walk and to meet with several members of staff; The Change Your Mind Team visited Harnham Junior School to lead a workshop on basic first aid; we have been celebrating British Science Week which at one point involved a foyer full of animals; our year 13 students were given advice on how to complete a student finance application for university by a visiting student financial advisor; the teaching and learning working group met for lunch; we recognised Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
All of the above is testament to how well S6C works as a community and how dedicated and committed everyone is to our students’ learning experience and I would like to thank our teaching staff, Governors, support staff and students for creating such a wonderful environment in which to study and work.
Looking ahead to next week we have Challenge Partners in college for two days. Challenge Partners is an education charity, led by practitioners, through which schools collaborate to improve each other and the education system as a whole, so all children benefit. This will be an intense couple of days for the S6C Senior Leadership Team and those members of staff who are involved and I look forward to sharing the outcomes.
If your financial circumstances have changed since joining S6C and you feel you may be eligible for a bursary, please complete the form in the attached link.
“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.”
If you would like to find out more about neurodiversity there are a range of resources and talks available to create better understanding and celebrate neurodiverse people: Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Fine Art and Photography
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 13 Fine Art and Photography students have started their externally set assignment. They now have 13 weeks (including holidays) to complete a wide range of experiments and development of ideas that will lead towards their 15 hour exam. The dates are:
PHOTOGRAPHY
19 April, 20 April, 24 April
FINE ART
25 April, 26 April, 27 April
Change Your Mind
Catherine Pennington – Mental Health Lead and Change Your Mind Programme Co-ordinator
Congratulations to the Change Your Mind team who delivered their first classroom workshop on Basic First Aid to a Year 6 class at Harnham Junior School this week. The 30 minute class included how to help with asthma, CPR, choking, sprains and cuts, when to call 999 and how to keep calm. There were 30 pupils who took part in a quiz at the end of the session and everyone received a Change Your Mind sticker. A certificate of participation will be awarded to the class on our next visit. Our students were professional and mature, compassionate and excellent role models and one student was so excited they announced “Yay the teenagers are here”. We are looking forward to delivering “Transition to Secondary School” very soon at Harnham.
Treasures of the British Library
Emma McAndrew – Teacher of English
Our English Language and English Literature students had a fabulous day on their trip to the British Library. They were all a credit to the college, really engaging with the workshops and totally in awe of the Treasures of Literature on display in the exhibition. These included incredible artefacts such as the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, detailing his marvellous inventions, and the laboratory notes of Marilyn Monk and Cathy Holding, pioneers of genetic diagnosis; handwritten manuscripts from the Brontë sisters, Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath, and Andrea Levy’s working drafts for Small Island and The Long Song; the desk where Jane Austen penned her novels, original writings from Charles Dickens and Shakespeare’s First Folio; a letter from writer, composer and anti-slavery campaigner Charles Ignatius Sancho; sacred texts from around the globe, including a Baha’i sacred text, a tablet written by the Bab in the form of a five-pointed star and a Hindu manuscript written on a palm leaf; Florence Nightingale’s original Diagram of the Causes of Mortality in the Army in the East. An amazing day!
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 12 are continuing with their pathway on Community and Values and Year 13 are still Looking Ahead to a more independent life. With these focus areas in mind, everyone has had a chance to think about the political spectrum, the values that define modern Britain and make it a safe place for all, about the nature and danger of radicalisation, and about LGBTQ+ history (which we celebrate in February, and throughout the rest of the year). Year 13 have also had a talk and discussion on online influence, and have been encouraged to choose their role models and online inspirations as. carefully as they would choose their friends. Year 12 have had additional support from their tutors in choosing a work experience placement which will really benefit them. Students have had a chance to feedback their thoughts and take home points on all these issues, and we are in dialogue with them as they shape their ideas. We encourage them to base their ideas on sound evidence alongside open mindedness, and to share them with sensitivity. We take opportunities to address any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or potentially unhelpful ideologies, in the course of our main sessions or with individuals. It is a real privilege to be working with a group of young people who are reflective and keen to learn, willing to stand up for what is right, and always looking out for each other’s welfare. Please do get in touch if you would like to talk with us about any of these issues or would like to know in more details what has been covered.
1:1s
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
Every term, every student should be seen by their tutor for a 20 minute Performance Review appointment for a chat about their attendance, progress, development of skills and experiences, online safety, personal development, citizenship, and wellbeing. Young people should remind their tutors if they are yet to be seen and must make themselves available at a time that works for their tutor. This is an amazing opportunity for us to get to know our young people and for them to feel seen and heard and supported. We can put a huge amount in place to help academically, personally, financially – and for emotional, physical and mental health – but only if we know. Please keep in touch with us – we really value direct communication with parents and carers and students.
We were in a celebratory mood at S6C last week, made even more memorable by the light sprinkling of snow mid week!
On Wednesday 08 March we celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme Embrace Equity.
Students and staff gathered in the Lecture Theatre to celebrate, reflect, discuss and challenge – more on this from Rebecca below.
S6C Book Day on Thursday 09 March was tremendous fun, with staff and students dressing as characters from the wonderful world of fiction. There were also literature related activities throughout the day and students submitted photos of themselves reading in an ‘unusual place’. Congratulations to Chris Papp, Teacher of Chemistry, who won the award for Best Costume for his unique portrayal of Frankenstein’s Monster (far right of picture)
It was great to see some parents at our coffee morning on Friday 10 March. Thank you to those who were able to come and speak with me and for those who would like to come into S6C, there will be more opportunities next term.
We also welcomed John Glen MP to S6C on Friday. John toured the college and took time to meet our Business students for a lively discussion. I spoke with him about our priorities and what we would like to do if we had the necessary funding and I very much felt that John was listening so watch this space!
If your financial circumstances have changed since joining S6C and you feel you may be eligible for a bursary, please complete the form in the attached link.
“Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.”
If you would like to find out more about neurodiversity there are a range of resources and talks available each day to create better understanding and celebrate neurodiverse people. This link shows the calendar of events available next week.
There is a free talk for parents and carers on neurodiversity on Tuesday 14th March from 18.30 – 20.00. You can register for free using the link below.
Sophie Bellars – Teacher of Fine Art and Photography
Year 13 Fine Art and Photography students have started their externally set assignment. They now have 13 weeks (including holidays) to complete a wide range of experiments and development of ideas that will lead towards their 15 hour exam. The dates are:
PHOTOGRAPHY
19 April, 20 April, 24 April
FINE ART
25 April, 26 April, 27 April
Sport – First Aid
Emma Thompson – Teacher of Sport
11 sport students completed their Emergency First Aid at Work certificate last week. Students took part in a six hour course learning how to treat shock, dealing with choking, bleeding, administering CPR and putting people into the recovery position. All of the students had a great attitude during the day and passed their assessment to achieve their certificate.
Well done everyone!
International Women’s Day
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
The whole college celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday, as a reminder that every person is included in creating a more equal world. The global theme for the year was Embrace Equity – a reminder that fairness and equality can only be achieved by remembering that those who have traditionally suffered from inequality are now starting from different places, with different needs, which need to be taken into account. Students were encouraged to celebrate inspiring women in their lives, reflect on the influence they can have on global equality, and talk about a range of issues including the representation of women in the media or gaming, challenging persisting stereotypes of job roles and skills, the impact of rigidly gendered language and toys, toxic masculinity, and a test of our knowledge of female leaders in their fields. The lecture theatre was a mass of animated chat, glitter pens, and balloons, and we were very proud of the maturity and engagement from our wonderful students.
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills, Year 12 are continuing with their pathway on Community and Values and Year 13 are still Looking Ahead to a more independent life. With these focus areas in mind, everyone has had a chance to think about the political spectrum, the values that define modern Britain and make it a safe place for all, about the nature and danger of radicalisation, and about LGBTQ+ history (which we celebrate in February, and throughout the rest of the year). Year 13 have also had a talk and discussion on online influence, and have been encouraged to choose their role models and online inspirations as. carefully as they would choose their friends. Year 12 have had additional support from their tutors in choosing a work experience placement which will really benefit them. Students have had a chance to feedback their thoughts and take home points on all these issues, and we are in dialogue with them as they shape their ideas. We encourage them to base their ideas on sound evidence alongside open mindedness, and to share them with sensitivity. We take opportunities to address any misconceptions, misunderstandings, or potentially unhelpful ideologies, in the course of our main sessions or with individuals. It is a real privilege to be working with a group of young people who are reflective and keen to learn, willing to stand up for what is right, and always looking out for each other’s welfare. Please do get in touch if you would like to talk with us about any of these issues or would like to know in more details what has been covered.
1:1s
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
Every term, every student should be seen by their tutor for a 20 minute Performance Review appointment for a chat about their attendance, progress, development of skills and experiences, online safety, personal development, citizenship, and wellbeing. Young people should remind their tutors if they are yet to be seen and must make themselves available at a time that works for their tutor. This is an amazing opportunity for us to get to know our young people and for them to feel seen and heard and supported. We can put a huge amount in place to help academically, personally, financially – and for emotional, physical and mental health – but only if we know. Please keep in touch with us – we really value direct communication with parents and carers and students.
