Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we head into the half-term break, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary circumstances we have faced this term and the many wonderful achievements of our Sixth Form community.
While our students and staff have been settling into the new Bateman Street site, they have also had to adapt to the restrictions put in place as a result of Covid. Year group bubbles, split lunches, the wearing of masks, the use of hand sanitisers and cleansing wipes, social distancing, new seating plans and one-way systems to name but a few. Alongside these measures, we have run our first ever virtual introduction to the year events for parents and we are now preparing for our virtual parents’ evenings. Not one of us could have foreseen that such measures would be necessary this time last year, but it is a testament to the resilience, kindness and determination of the whole Sixth Form community that we have been able to adapt to this ‘new normal’ and continue to provide a rich and varied educational experience.
The Student President Team members have made a great impact this term, working for and on behalf of the whole Sixth Form to represent their views, advocate for change and help organise new student-led clubs and initiatives. It is a pleasure to work with the team each week and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their creativity, passion and commitment. I would also like to thank them in advance for offering to decorate the soon-to-arrive Christmas trees! Thank you also to all of our students who have come forward to set up new clubs - whether virtual or in person. We encourage all of our sixth formers to take full advantage of life at the Sixth Form, including our extensive range of academic support, extension and clubs on offer, and we are always open to new ideas and suggestions.
Our Drama students have been busy over the past few weeks rehearsing for the killer-plant-from-outer-space Faustian-inspired musical, Little Shop of Horrors. Personally, it is one of my favourite musicals (certainly in my top three!) and I wish them every success with the show. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of some of our sixth formers who have been heavily involved in the Remembrance Assembly preparations scheduled to be shown in November. Thank you to Anisa B, Anna G, Tobias F and Ella S who have been working hard and contributing to the assembly for the past few weeks.
This has been a busy term for Year 13, especially as they finalise their UCAS applications, and I would like to thank Dr Curry and the guidance team for all the support and guidance they have provided this term. Alongside helping our students finalise their UCAS applications, the guidance team have run a successful series of events for Year 12 and Year 13 this term surrounding competencies for careers and university applications, including an assembly on ‘What admissions tutors are looking for’, an introduction to MOOCS, tutorials and an off-timetable workshop using Unifrog to identify competencies specific to certain careers (and thus what needs developing).
We were also delighted to welcome Dr Adrian Boyle, consultant emergency physician at Addenbrookes Hospital, to talk to Senior School and Sixth Form students about communication skills and how they impact our effectiveness at school and work regardless of our future ambitions or the career direction we choose. On this occasion, with social distancing in place we used technology to run a simultaneous and interactive session that included Year 11, 12 and 13 all in their separate ‘bubbles’.
On a separate note, over lockdown many of us tried our hand at new hobbies, or spent more time on existing ones. In the spirit of creativity, the school created a Baking Enrichment (which is headed by Dr Kirk), and has recently produced a cookbook! Named “Quarantine Cuisine”, all funds will go to the NHS to help support the amazing and crucial service the NHS has provided for all of us over the past six months. We hope you will be able to purchase a copy to support this fantastic initiative. Instructions on how to purchase a copy are detailed below.
So, whether you are looking forward to a (socially-distanced) Halloween, some experimental cooking, or a well-earned break, I would like to wish all of our students, parents and staff a healthy and restful half term.
Best wishes
Mr Pinkus
Head of Sixth Form
