Reflecting on the Autumn Term and some of the events and achievements of our students makes me extremely proud and excited to see what they can do next.
The vibrancy of the Sixth Form community and the energy, drive and infectious enthusiasm of the students make Sixth Form at King Edward’s a wonderful place to study and work.
The Autumn Term itself is intense in Sixth Form; we delight in welcoming our new Year 12 students and working with them in areas such as attainment, progress and personal development and guidance. For those Year 13 students who wish to pursue a Higher Education route there are the trials and tribulations of the UCAS process to work through. You can see the volume of applications that the team process in another article – this is no mean feat and we are now eagerly awaiting to hear about all of the offers students receive.
We have been working on our website and prospectus during the Autumn Term and we are delighted with the results. A huge thank you must go to the students, as it has been their feedback and willingness to support their Sixth Form that has made these projects so successful. We have also branched out into the world of Social Media; having Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. This is to keep students, past, present and future, parents and supporters of Sixth Form up to date with the many wonderful activities we’re engaged in.
Highlights in terms of events have been the NEW Leaders Conference we attended in association with Newcastle High School for Girls, University Taster Days and there have been various visits to Centre for Life, Newcastle Quayside and the theatre to name a few. More visits are planned for later on in the year too! There have been numerous musical events our Sixth Form have been involved in and that is always a pleasure to see and hear. Of course we have to mention our Post 16 Information Evening where we get to showcase our Sixth Form, or what is more appropriate to say is our students proudly showcase their Sixth Form and ask you to join them.
The Enrichment and Personal Development Programme continues to go from strength to strength. Students in Year 12 have had expert input on a range of health and wellbeing topics, as well as career and progression related information. Often there are two or three sessions students can attend on a Wednesday afternoon to enhance their Post 16 experience.
While the Autumn Term has been a whirlwind, we can look back and appreciate each and every accomplishment of our students. While our Sixth Form may be inclusive and wide ranging, the breadth of exclusive opportunities our students enjoy furthers their ambition and aspiration, at the core is relationships. We build our Sixth Form community together with our students and for our students.
We have lots to look forward to in the weeks ahead. No doubt there will be challenges but we can work through them together. The new furniture for the Mindfulness Den has been ordered and the coffee machine talks are ongoing. There will be the excitement of Senior Student elections in the first week after the holidays, we wish all of the new Senior Student candidates the best of luck.
I’m signing off feeling inspired.
Leanne Johnston
Assistant Headteacher
