18th September 2023
Year 13 bulletin
Morning all,
Just a short bulletin this week as we’re still at the start of term - but as the term goes on there will be more events and opportunities coming up.
Great to see so many of you last week; you seemed to have settled back in quickly which is great. A few people have been to see me about UCAS and university options - it’s good that you’re thinking carefully about options. If you’re not planning on going to university then please let me know asap so I can make sure I can put the right support in place to help you plan for the future.
Shoutout to the following pupils, who all got a Praise Postcard last week; brilliant start to the new academic year!
Nathan (EDA)
Tess (GDO)
Laila (ECO)
Samuel T (ECO)
Weekly
- ‘Ted Talk’ What happens in your brain when you pay attention?
- ‘BBC Ideas’ What's the point of pain
A few general announcements:
Staff have put together a range of support material so you can build in some of the super-curricular activities or get ahead with understanding key topics. Use the link here: Independent Study activities
UCAS
Please make sure you have completed the Education section of the UCAS application; add your GCSE and AS results and then add the three A Levels you are studying, putting ‘pending’ as the grade and also add Advanced WBQ. Any problems let me know. Even if you do not think you’ll be going to university, please complete this as it’s always an option for you then.
Please also see the latest guidance from UCAS regarding ChatGPT:
'Generating (and then copying, pasting and submitting) all or a large part of your personal statement from an AI tool such as ChatGPT, and presenting it as your own words, could be considered cheating by universities and colleges and could affect your chances of an offer.' UCAS has provided three tips on how students might use AI:
- 'You could use ChatGPT to give you ideas about topics that are relevant to your chosen subject..'
- 'You may want to ask ChatGPT to suggest ways of structuring your personal statement.'
- 'ChatGPT can be used to check your personal statement draft for readability'
Remember that UCAS uses similarity detection software
'If UCAS anti-plagiarism software detects elements of a personal statement that are similar to others, the universities or colleges it is intended for will be notified.'
Opportunities/Events
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There’s a fantastic opportunity with the organisation tutor2u who are offering a Free Online Course for all Sixth Form students. The course includes a mix of videos, engaging activities and resource downloads and covers:
Use the link here to register: Studentshttps://ondemand.tutor2u.net/students/beyond-sixth-form-skills-booster |
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Student Volunteers needed for: The Forget-me-not Chorus The ‘Forget-me-not Chorus’ involves community sessions for people living with and alongside dementia in Penarth. It’s a great opportunity to support a good cause and add to your extracurricular activities, especially if you are considering any type of healthcare route in the future. Their Cardiff South & Vale sessions run on Thursday evenings, 6:30pm-8:30pm at Elfed Avenue Church, Penarth CF64 3LX. If you want to find out more use the link here and please come and see me if you’re interested. |
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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, |
Universities
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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. Here’s the best place to check dates for Open Days: https://www.opendays.com/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 about things. |
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UWE Bristol Open Days this autumn:
Saturday 14 October, Saturday 4 November and Saturday 18 November are your chance to explore the university and get a real feel for what it’s like to study there. Subject-specific talks and tasters, sessions on accommodation, fees and funding and the application process, are all part of the Open Day: book your place here.
If you can't visit in person, they have virtual tours. They offer a warm welcome from current students and bring their campuses to life. |
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Cardiff Met have a series of Open Days and Campus tours available: |
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Swansea University: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/open-days/ |
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Cardiff Uni: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/open-days-visit |
Work Experience
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Please sign up for Uptree here if you didn’t do so last year. And then check out all the opportunities they have: https://schools.uptree.co/opportunities/ |
Apprenticeships/Degree Apprenticeships
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Uptree also has lots of information and events relating to Apprenticeships so again, sign up and check them out: https://schools.uptree.co/events/ |
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The company 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 about the UCAS process or anything else, 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:
- Breathing techniques to calm anxiety Visit now
- Yoga for Anxiety Visit now
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