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Sixth Form Bulletin

14th Oct 2024

Year 12 Bulletin 

Morning all,

There are some more opportunities this week, particularly ones involving the Sutton Trust and Social Mobility programmes as well as some from Bath University. Have a look and remember the more super/extra curriculars you have, the better informed and prepared you’ll feel for whatever the future holds. 

 

Weekly 

 

Shoutouts:

 

The following pupil had three positive incidents in one day - well done!

 

  • Willem F (AK)

  • Sophie H (AK)

  • Abrar N (AK)

  • Hiba R (AK)

  • James M (MEV)


 

Quote of the week:

 

"Choose to be optimistic, it feels better"

Dali Lama

 

Opportunities/Events

 

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR

Tuesday 12 November 10:10 – 10:55am. Interested in Sociology/Education: The Role Of The Father – How Does Father Involvement Make A Difference In Children’s Education? With Dr Mark Pulsford From University of Warwick. Register here

Interested in creating a VR or AR experience for free? If you're aged 16-25 and free on the 1st of November in Cardiff, get hands-on with creating an immersive project and meeting XR experts. REGISTER TODAY: : https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2024/create-xr-day

UEA offer a comprehensive programme of online taster lectures, open to all

Taster days are a great way to see if you like a subject and it can help with your UCAS application next year. Register here

For those interested in a career in Medicine, the Widening Access to Medicine Mentoring Scheme (WAMMS)  now has a monthly newsletter, full of tips and advice for aspiring medics. Please subscribe via the following link: Sign up here

 

For those exploring a potential new career, gaining work experience is crucial for a deeper understanding, enabling informed decisions. Medic Mentor offers a FREE Virtual Work Experience in a new specialty each month to provide students who express an interest in medicine or dentistry with valuable insights.

 

This programme is presented by Birmingham Universities Hospitals Trust in collaboration with Medic Mentor and Dental Mentor. Participation is free and open to any UK student aged 14 and above who has attended one of our FREE virtual Get Into Conferences!

 

Our upcoming Get Into Medicine conferences are:

- Saturday 26th October from 9:30am - 3:30pm

- Sunday 27th October from 9:30am - 3:30pm

Register here: https://airtable.com/appgXnyzN5ZD9Iwk6/shry7MZYtt3MGPjvO

 

Our upcoming Get Into Dentistry conference is:

- Sunday 10th November from 9:30am - 3:30pm

Register here: https://airtable.com/appgXnyzN5ZD9Iwk6/shrBuiR7SBAcC19kE

 

There’s a fantastic opportunity with the organisation tutor2u who are offering a new Free Online Course for all Sixth Form students. The course includes a mix of videos, engaging activities and resource downloads and covers:

  • An overview of the options for students beyond their time in sixth form

  • Finding out more – suggested research links

  • Advice on how to make strong applications to higher education institutions

  • How to complete an effective personal statement

  • Specialist higher education applications (including Oxbridge, medicine etc)

  • All about apprenticeships

  • Gap years

  • Student finances – a practical guide

Use the link here to register: Studentshttps://ondemand.tutor2u.net/students/beyond-sixth-form-skills-booster

Applications for the Social Mobility Foundation’s free Aspiring Professionals Programme 2025 cohort are now open. 

Aspiring Professionals Programme (APP)

The APP supports high achieving Year 12 students from low income backgrounds across the UK to access top universities and careers. We offer support through our four pillars:

1.    Mentoring by a professional

2.    Tailored skills sessions and career workshops

3.    University application support and guidance

4.    Internships with top employers

How students receive our four pillars of support is dependent on where they live. Please see below for further details of the programmes we offer.

Apply by 12 noon, Friday 13th December 2024 by completing the application form.

 

Application form and resources

 

Click the links below to access information and resources.

Watch this video to hear from SMF students

Complete the Application Form here. 

 

Speakers for Schools has a range of work experience opportunities, just be aware some are aimed at students in England - especially the Healthcare ones which relate to NHS England. Use the link here to see whether there’s anything relevant to you. 

Gresham College has a series of lectures by different Professors; October’s lectures include: 

 

 

  

Universities

 

 

General advice

 

Discover Uni is a government-funded facility which has data on nearly every university and their courses. You can find the entry data of students who joined a degree course and the percentage of those students who entered with particular grades - if you have the same grades then your chances are higher than if you have lower grades.try the website here: Discover Uni

Many universities have got upcoming Open Days so make sure you have a look at the places you think you may want to study at. I’ve just put the links for our most popular destinations’ Open Days below as well as the Open Days calendar. 

To make sure you understand the grades you might need for courses you’re interested in and confirm entry requirements please use the following website: https://www.whatuni.com/ Ask your LC to look at courses with you if you’re not sure whether you might need specific subjects/grades for a course you are considering.

Bath University has some upcoming opportunities;

 

Virtual Open Day - Thursday 31 October. During this live, online event, students will be able to:

  • get information on applying to Bath and ask our expert staff questions

  • find out about work placements, studying abroad, and other opportunities to improve employability

  • speak to current students from all over the world about student life at Bath

  • find out about our accommodation and get questions answered

  • join live Q&A sessions with staff and students from different subjects

To book a place go to: https://www.bath.ac.uk/forms/undergraduate-virtual-open-day/

Pharmacy webinar – Tuesday 29 October 2024

Learn more about their highly-ranked MPharm Pharmacy course. Find out about their two course locations, at the University of Bath and University of Plymouth, as well as the wide variety of pharmacy roles in the community pharmacy sector, hospitals, or emerging roles in general practice.

Attendees will be able to put their questions to a panel of staff and students.

Register for the webinar: https://www.bath.ac.uk/forms/mpharm-pharmacy-webinar-registration-form/

Reading University has some upcoming on campus Taster Days:

 
  • Psychology: Tuesday 29th October

The sessions will be run by their academics and will cover a range of topics such as “The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis” with a focus on the relationship between physical health and nutrition on cognitive function.

 

  • Accounting: Wednesday 30th October

Discover how these courses are taught at Reading through enjoying sample sessions and hearing directly from staff. The Taster Day also offers the exclusive opportunity to meet senior leaders at PwC, the UK's leading professional services organisation, and hear about our shared Flying Start Degree Programme.

 

  • Architecture: Wednesday 30th October

Experience a typical architecture studio through hands-on design and model making exercises. You will take part in a workshop dedicated to visualising space and structure and lectures will cover the role of the sketchbook and the preparation of the architecture portfolio.

 

To sign up for the above, please follow the booking links found on their website.

 

They offer Travel Bursaries that prospective students may apply for to cover the entire cost of travel.

You have to fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

  1. First generation to study at undergraduate level

  2. Living  in an identified postcode area which has low progression into HE (POLAR quintiles 1 or 2).

  3. Living in a postcode area which is identified as being an area of social deprivation (WIMD Quintile 1 or 2 – see here).  

  4. Has a disability.

  5. Is care-experienced or estranged (Care experienced & estranged students support page definitions). 

Cardiff University have a few different opportunities coming up:

 

  • An Open Day coming up on the 19th October, use the link here to register.

 

  • Their Pathways to Law and Pathways to Engineering programme for which applications are opening soon. These programmes are run at Cardiff University in partnership with the Sutton Trust, a charity championing social mobility.  Since launching in 2020, they have welcomed over 150 students to the programme. 

 

What exactly is Pathways? 

Participants on the pathways programmes have the opportunity to: 

  • Complete work experience with a local or national company – think barristers chambers and leading engineering firms 

  • Visit campus and take part in exclusive academic workshops with academics from Cardiff University 

  • Attend a National Conference residential during the school holidays 

  • Access Sutton Trust Online – a fantastic online resource with tailored webinars and events 

  • Meet current university students and hear the real story 

  • Meet like-minded peers and make friends 

  • So much more – all for free! 

What do participants gain? 

  • A network of university staff, industry professionals and peers. 

  • Experiences for CV, personal statements and interviews 

  • Any participant that completes one of the Pathways programmes will be eligible for a contextual offer. Find out more here

  • Information and guidance on applying to and attending university 

  • Skill development 

  • There is no cost to participants to take part in the programme.

Who can apply? 

Students must:

  • Be in Year 12

  • Attend a state school

Live within a 90-minute commute to Cardiff University.  

Applications are now open; participants can apply here. Applications will close on Monday 4th November. They also look at a range of other criteria and generally, the more criteria a participant meets, the more likely they are to get a place. You can find out more here

 

  • Cardiff University’s Step-Up Programme. Applications are now open for year 12 students. 

They have 20 spaces available on the programme for eligible year 12 students

  

About the Programme  

Step Up is a free, academic programme supporting year 12 college and sixth form students from under-represented backgrounds who are considering Higher Education. The programme helps eligible students build the skills and confidence in order to thrive in Higher Education.   

Students will attend weekly academic masterclasses in a chosen subject, giving them the opportunity to experience university life and learning in a safe and welcoming environment.  

  

Programme Details  

Six weeks of Masterclasses will be led by academic tutors on Cardiff University Campus. Masterclasses will be held weekly from 5-7pm beginning in February 2025.  

  

Students can choose one of the following areas of study:  

- Healthcare Sciences 

- Humanities 

- Law, Politics and Social Sciences 

- Medicine  

- Dentistry  

- Language, Literature and Communication   

-Business and Economics 

- Science, Technology and Maths   

 

Benefits  

Benefits of the scheme include and contextual offers (subject to good attendance and commitment to the programme), invites to Open Day drop ins, support with personal statements and the application process.  

Learn more about the eligibility criteria and apply for the programme using this form.   

 

Cambridge University

Here are some super curricular opportunities from Cambrideg; they are for all students, not just prospective Cambridge applicants.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Cardiff Metropolitan

They have an Open Day coming up on the 9th November, use the link here to register. 

Swansea University

They have Open Days coming up on the 19th October and the 9th November, use the link here to register.

Nottingham University 

Ambition Nottingham Programme (Apply now) 

Ambition Nottingham is a free two-year scheme for all Year 12 students from anywhere in the UK. The programme offers support and guidance to students through a variety of online sessions. Nottingham also offers the opportunity to attend their Open Days as a VIP with extra activities and support. In addition to this advice and guidance, some participants who meet additional criteria could also be eligible for additional benefits should they apply to the University of Nottingham, such as an enhanced contextual offer. Applications are open until 1st December 2024.

You might also want to check out the advice given on the ‘Better uni choices’ site which has some helpful tips on how to get the best out of attending Open Days. 

Aspire is a collection of free careers, university and further education resources. It is designed to give state-educated students the tools and knowledge they need to make more informed decisions about their future. Their ‘guide’ is a free resource, full of information and guidance, designed to inform you and help you navigate the range of careers and further education out there. Access the online version of the Guide, alongside other resources, on the Aspire website

 

Apprenticeships/Degree Apprenticeships


 

Please sign up for Uptree here and then check out all the opportunities they have: https://schools.uptree.co/opportunities/  and also the different events they have on offer https://schools.uptree.co/events/ 

Network 75 

PwC has more information for potential accountants, business management or technology students interested in degree apprenticeships with them. Use the link  here to find out more

 

Support

For those of you feeling anxious or struggling with the adjustment to 6th Form, as always, we are always available to help. If you feel you need more support here are some useful links:

There are also some useful techniques here for those experiencing feelings of anxiety:

 

 Remember it  is important that you keep an eye on your emails and our Twitter feed (@stcyres6th). I send out links and tweets regularly so there is a lot of information available, you just need to access it and let me know if there are any problems with you doing that. 

As always, if there are any issues get in touch; we’re here to support you.

Take care,

Ms Jones 

St Cyres School, Sully Road, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, CF64 2XP

02920 708708