Friday 11th February 2022
Dear Parents/ Carers
On Monday and Tuesday we undertook an External Quality Review (EQR) of the College’s Technical subjects. This review was requested by the college as part of our quality assurance process and to validate the good work we are doing and exploring how we can further enhance our curriculum and the experience for all our students. This sits alongside our very successful validation of Behaviour and Attitudes in October.
The 3 reviewers were; Rob Savory – Director of Teaching and Quality or The Sixth Form College, Farnborough, Simon Wright – Director of Sixth Form, Strode’s College (part of The Windsor Forest Colleges Group), and Ali Foss – former Principal at Queen Mary College. The review included observing 23 Technical lessons, meetings with students, teachers and leaders in the college.
The key findings include:
- We offer a broad technical curriculum (as impressive as that of a college with 3000 students), which is student centred and where curriculum provision is effective.
- Students are confident in terms of engagement because they feel safe,secure and supported. They saw students happy to take risks in the classroom, without fear.
- Staff actively monitor and provide feedback during the lessons.
- The embedded use of ‘Google classroom’ was a key strength, students across all VTQ subjects felt they were well supported.
- Students felt well prepared for their January examinations.
- There was a lot of evidence of employment based learning.
- Students were skilled in the use of work based vocational techniques.
- Classrooms were disciplined and skillfully managed, with care and compassion at the centre of what we do. Behaviour expectations are observed well by the students.
- Relationships are strong.
- Employability skills are embedded across the courses.
- Career pathways were visible, with some outstanding practice, British Values are embedded as well as mental health.
Areas of consideration for college leaders are:
- A review of how students manage student workload across mixed programmes with A Levels
- To consider the impact of January examinations and how we manage and support retakes.
- How do we continue to drive the new Attendance strategy launched in January?
- Tutoring needs to be consistent for all learners – and a relaunch of this is already planned to take place next term to provide a strong experience for everyone.
- Clear and specific guidance about what is expected of students in Independent Study across some subjects.
We are really proud of the culture at S6C and have worked hard to further develop work related skills and business contacts that connect to our curriculum. It is clear that our young people are growing and developing a wide range of employability skills as they emerge as young adults.
Since the release on Tuesday of the examination guidance for topics and themes that will be included in the summer papers, staff have been reviewing this and sharing this information with students. This is mainly for Year 13 students but also includes GCSE resit Maths and English and Core Maths for Year 12. A formalised document to highlight this information will be shared in subject Google Classrooms early next week. The initial feedback from staff is that there are varied approaches across subjects; some subjects have a significant amount of topics omitted and in other subjects there are strands removed with few overall topics changed. What is important is that the picture will be national, so students will have the same experience as others from all centres across the country. All examination entries have been made and statements of entry are now being distributed to tutors for students to check and sign.
Immediately after half term, Year 13 and GCSE Maths students will sit mock examination papers. The timetable has now been formalised and will be shared with students and parents separately.
I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Best Wishes
Louise
Paying
Kathryn Clarkson – Business Manager
Apple pay is now available as a new way for parents and students to pay for trips and equipment.
Please see the instructions below for paying via this method.
SchoolMoney ApplePay Instructions
If you have any queries please contact office@s6c.mlp.college
International Day of Women and Girls in Science – 11th February
Kirsty White – Faculty Lead for STEM
Today S6C and S6C STEM celebrate International Women and Girls in Science Day. Here is a quote from Mary Gannon our Teacher of Biology and Applied Science;
“About age 10 I was given a very inexpensive and unassuming book called simply “Marie Curie”. It was in a plain red cover and had few pictures. Those it did have were poorly printed and in black and white on poor quality paper. Nonetheless that little book changed my world. Contained within its pages was the story of an extraordinary woman. The first woman to win two Nobel Prizes for science and a mother of daughters, Irene and Eve, who were extraordinary too. In 1903, Marie Curie made history when she won the Nobel Prize in physics with her husband, Pierre, and with physicist Henri Becquerel for their work on radioactivity, making her the first woman to receive the honour. The second Nobel Prize she took home in 1911 was even more historic: With that win in the chemistry category, she became the first person to win the award twice. She still remains the only person to ever receive Nobel Prizes for two different sciences. Her story of overcoming adversity was inspiring, her thirst for knowledge and how she overcame the societal barriers of the time to get a university standard education and pursue a love of science appealed to my sense of drama and insatiable curiosity about the world around me. Marie Curie still stands out as one of the most influential and inspirational women in history and her contribution to science outstanding.”
Sports
Luke Muchmore – Teacher of Sports
In year 13, sport students have started a new unit based upon Kinesiology & Biomechanics! In layman’s terms, movement analysis and the physics of sport. Students have been very engaged, covering topics such as planes, axis, levers and moments! As this unit progresses between now and Easter we will be looking at more complex concepts such as kinanthropometry, linear and angular kinematics and kinetics!
Two weeks ago, year 12 sports students completed their first filmed practical assessment in singles badminton. This week saw the boys travel to 5 Rivers Leisure Centre to complete a team sports assessment in Futsal. This is an adapted version of football that takes place indoors and originated in Uruguay in the 1930s.
LBGTQ+
Kirsty White – Faculty Lead for STEM and LGBTQ+ Society Lead
The LGBTQ+ society is raising money for Mindout, a mental health charity for the LGBTQ+ community. Next Wednesday (16th February) is a day where they are encouraging all staff and students to dress in bright colours/clothes that demonstrate support and bring a pound to donate as part of LGBTQ+ history month
Yoga Club
Hanna Njimgye Tekumafor – PA to Head of College and Yoga Teacher
This week in Yoga we explored Gratitude; building up self confidence and self worth and feeling thankful for who we are and what we have. Remembering that gratitude comes from within. Students worked on improving their Warrior asana sequence, as well as flowing through sun salutations. Students really embraced and connected with this week’s theme.
Baking Club
Dr Sally Tye – Faculty Lead for Humanities and Lead for Baking Club
This week Baking club made cheese and onion pasties, here is Sophie Marshall’s delicious results.
A Valentine’s Day Challenge
Joe Francis, CEO of Brillder, who spoke at the Sixth Form College’s Winter Conference in January, has designed a Valentine’s challenge. Joe has sent us this new challenge with Valentine’s Day in mind. It is aimed at sixth form college students (but staff or parents may enjoy too!):
This clickable PDF produced by Brillder contains six bricks for Valentine Doubles which students can pair up to play. The URL links are embedded in the brick covers.
