Friday 21th January 2022
Dear Parents/ Carers,
You will have seen my note earlier this week regarding the changes to face mask wearing around the college. Students have been very mature and continue to make their own choices as to if they wish to wear masks in lessons, and these decisions have been respected by all members of our college community. We hope that rates remain stable within the local area and we will be responsive to the guidance provided to us by Public Health England, if a temporary reintroduction is required.
Last week I asked for your support to protect student’s breadth of course choices as Applied General courses are at risk of being discontinued. At the time the number of signatures was approaching 70,000 signatures and this has now grown as momentum has built to 92,000 this morning. The petition closes Sunday. I would like to thank you for getting behind the campaign. You can share your support –#ProtectStudentChoice campaign.
I was delighted to welcome the MLP Director of Education, Nicola Bull to the college on Thursday this week. We had the opportunity to walk the college and see some really great learning happening. We saw really strong questioning in classes and students having to think deeply. Students were able to clearly explain what their learning focus was and how the tasks linked to prior learning.
Also, today we have had our Chair of Governors, Sharon McKinley in for a visit with me so we were able to go through our college termly priorities. We look forward to welcoming the rest of the governing body in for their termly visits over the next couple of weeks.
Wishing you a restful weekend.
Best Wishes
Louise
Life Skills
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
In Life Skills over the last few weeks we have been looking at the importance of exercise for physical and mental wellbeing – and having a go together at an exercise routine to use as a study break and revision boost (as recommended by University College London).
This week we shared resources to help us, or those we know, when we are grieving – research suggests that we support positive wellbeing if we spend some time thinking about grief throughout our lives. As this was a sensitive topic, students were told about the session in advance and I was so pleased to be able to let them know that I had every confidence in their kindness and maturity. Students have access to the materials and resources in the Information Classroom and I am sure they’d be happy to show these to family and friends.
UCAS
Rebecca Anderson – Pastoral Lead
The UCAS application window is about to close and we are so excited for students who have already received aspirational offers – and wish those waiting for decisions and interviews all the best. This is also part of the main application window for Apprenticeships and we are ready and able to support students in finding and applying for positions. I have been running drop in sessions and students can also request a meeting with our external professional careers advisor.
Creative Media
Rich Eno – Creative Faculty Lead
Creative Media Practice students have been approached by the Ox Row Inn in Salisbury to run some social media campaigns for them. They were so impressed with what our students did with Maul’s Wine & Cheese Bar that they wanted to get in on the action! Finley Reid and Penny Baker will be working with the Salisbury business over the next few weeks. Faculty Lead Richard Eno said, ‘It’s really great that our students are getting so much professional experience whilst they are studying, it means that S6C students have an advantage for when they progress to university and employment.’
Ex Creative Media and Software Design and Development student, Jordan Markham came to see us today and gave us an update on what he’s been doing since he left S6C last year. Jordan is a freelance graphic designer and did us a massive favour by designing our logo for the Esports course, the Salisbury Spitfires! Here’s a pic of Jordan showing off his designs which we had turned into t-shirts. Jordan has been non-stop busy with clients since leaving S6C such as QinetiQ, the security and defence contractors. If you or someone you know is looking for some graphic design then pop Jordan an email at JordanCMarkham@outlook.com with your pitch and he’ll give you a quote for what he can deliver.
Esports
Nathan David – Teacher of Esports
When you think of Esports you might think of students sitting at computers but our BTEC Esports students are currently studying a Health, Wellbeing & Fitness for Esports Players unit. Course Leader Nathan David says, ‘There is so much evidence and theory supporting the notion that when esports gamers take care of their physical and mental wellbeing they perform much better than the opponents who don’t. I’m taking the whole class for an intense workout!’
Charity Work
Steve Price – Teacher of Business
Dan Hassen-Zhada a S6C student raises over £320 for Cancer Research by having a new trim!
As part of his commitment to helping others Dan shaved his head in aid of Cancer Research. Virtually all of us during our lifetime will be touched by cancer, Dan is committed to helping families stay strong and keep fighting. We are very proud of Dan and would like to support him on reaching his next fundraising target of £400. Please do donate using his Cancer Research Fundraising page: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/daniels-giving-page-932
