SIXTH FORM
In recent weeks the Sixth Form focus has very much been on preparation for the A level and BTEC exams. The students did a really good job of finding their focus and could be seen to be following bespoke revision programmes. The tutor team worked hard to develop new resources to support the students in their preparations and we were delighted to receive so many good luck messages from parents. The students deserve to be successful and we await the results with anticipation. The majority of students have secured offers from either higher or further educational establishments or employers, with university offers for subjects as diverse as Computer Science, Criminology, Civil Engineering, History, Primary Education, Television Production and Law.
As we did last year, the Year 13s will celebrate their graduation from the school with a suitably posh meal and presentation evening at Cumberwell. After this we have the small matter of Results Day, before we say ‘goodbye’. A level Results Day is 15 August, when Year 13 results will be available from 9am. Please note that this does not include results of any GCSE re-sits, which will be released on 22 August. A number of senior members of staff will be on hand to support students in decisions to be made based on results.
Earlier in the year we were designated as a hub school for the ‘Speakers For Schools’ charity which helps to provide a wide variety of outside speakers for state schools to help enrich and inspire the students. Our most recent guest speaker was the highly engaging Phil Jordan, Sainsbury’s Group Chief Information Officer. His talk focused on lessons he has drawn from his own career, working both in Britain and abroad, and in the challenges and opportunities technological developments are creating in the contemporary working world. Phil’s current role puts him in charge of all the computer technology in Sainsbury’s, from the beeping at the checkout to online ordering and the logistical planning which keeps the stores across the country full of products. We learned that at any time the UK has only 3 days-worth of food in the country (!) and therefore the importance of getting supply chains to run smoothly is paramount. His was a message of hope and excitement, coupled with the understanding that we are all going to have to be well educated to prosper in the future, as unskilled jobs will be increasingly replaced by robots and employers will be looking for not just computer-savvy employees, but also employees who are creative problem solvers.
www.matravers.wilts.sch.uk
A theme has emerged with our outside speakers regarding the need to be highly qualified in the future. In the Spring, we welcomed back our friend and colleague from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Richard Wiltshire who gave a talk on ‘Careers in 2025’. He pointed out many of the areas of growth in the economy all of which require highly skilled individuals. To support our students in Year 12 with their decision making about the future, we visited the UCAS Convention at the University of Winchester which allows all students to have conversations with representatives from universities across the UK, as well as employers, experts in apprenticeships and the armed services. Such events have a very real impact on many students who start to discover the pathways they will choose to follow the future.
Work Experience Week for Year 12s is imminent, with the majority of students finding suitable placements. One student used his initiative to secure an impressive placement with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the organisation tasked with maintaining the many cemeteries of Commonwealth service men and women across the world. He is hoping to build an Extended Project based upon the work he completes during the week which will focus on aspects of the Normandy campaign during the Second World War. Other placements include local primary schools, businesses, the National Trust and even Gatwick Airport (air-side; i.e. on the tarmac!). If you personally would like to offer a placement in the future, or if you know of somebody who
might, please contact me at the school. It can be a hugely valuable experience for the students helping them to develop skills and attributes which are necessary for access to university courses and apprenticeships.
I would like to take this opportunity to also thank the Year 12 students themselves, who have given generously of their time throughout the year to support younger students in the school, and in the wider community. For months, many Year 12s have been working as ‘Reading Buddies’ to younger students who need support with their reading; they have acted as personal mentors, helped support teachers in lessons, led assemblies to lower year groups, and supported in the recent Year 6 Induction Days. They really are brilliant young people and we are very proud of them.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
