Recent Events
Sixth formers wore yellow this October to show support for Young Minds, raising money for the charity and drawing attention to its vital work.
At a time when wellbeing is more important than ever, students showed solidarity with young people, helping them know that they are not alone if they are struggling, and that there are people they can talk to – both in school and with the assistance of outside charities and agencies.
Billericay School 6th Form - Next Steps for Years 11, 12 and 13
Year 11 into 12
We are looking forward to welcoming our new Year 12 students in September. An Induction Day held on 1 July gave all applicants, both from our own school and external applicants from other local schools, the opportunity to sample lessons in their 6th form option subjects, as well as meet new friends and start on summer tasks in preparation for their new courses of study.
Earlier in the term year 11 students applying to our 6th form were given the opportunity to enjoy coffee and cakes with current year 12 students, whilst asking questions about 6th form life from a student perspective. Questions ranged over a variety of topics including dress code, subject choices and social events. The opportunity to meet with current students was appreciated by all who came, making them feel confident about their more formal start in September.
Year 12
Two Next Steps Days were held in the Summer term for Year 12 students, the first looking at the option of university including the various factors to consider when embarking on applications. This was combined with a visit to the UCAS Exhibition at Essex University where students could attend seminars and discuss questions about potential courses with representatives from a wide range of universities. The second day presented the option of the Apprenticeship route, with a variety of outside speakers including degree apprenticeship trainees sharing their experience and offering support.
(Above)Degree Apprenticeship trainees offering tips to students
Earlier in the term groups of students had various opportunities to ask questions of visiting outside speakers about differing occupations including primary teaching, the police and finance and insurance.
(Above) Rosalind and Nigel discuss careers in teaching and the police
(Above) Discover Risk Event Students learn about calculating risk in the finance world
Our key message to students is to have an open mind at this stage, learning all they can about the differing pathways open to them post 18, so that in turn they can make a well informed decision that suits their individual circumstances best.
Year 13
Finally it has been farewell to our year 13 students who are now embarking on a variety of pathways including university, apprenticeships, employment and a gap year. Once examinations had finished, a celebratory evening was held at Greenwoods, Stock where staff and students enjoyed a Midsummer Madness’ themed Year 13 prom, complete with Venetian masks, a Victorian sweet trolley and a DJ set that had everyone dancing the night away…
Good bye and Good Luck with your examination results Year 13!
Sixth Form Volunteers Host Children from Ukraine, June 2019
A group of children from Ukraine visited Billericay School where they were treated to a day of fun activities organised and led by sixth form students. The children, whose home town lies just 60 miles outside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, were on a month long visit arranged by the Billericay Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline. The first session of sporting games and activities was greatly enjoyed by all. Further activities followed, including artwork, face painting and biscuit decorating. Lunch was kindly provided by the kitchen staff, bringing big smiles to the faces of our guests. The afternoon ended with students and children exchanging warm farewells.
Having learnt about the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and its effects on the local population, sixth form students commented on how much they had valued the experience, not only in leading the activities but also in communicating with the children and learning more about another culture, understanding that we share a common humanity that transcends borders.
Sophie Howard, year 12 said: ‘I have never done anything like this before and I really learnt a lot about the rewards of giving something back. It was a great day’
6th Form Visiting Speakers: John Baron and Tim Allan
The role of politics in national and international affairs is never far from the news, and the importance of participating in the democratic process is a key message for our students. As part of our 6th Form speaker programme we have been very pleased to welcome John Baron, our local MP (Con) as well as Tim Allan, former press secretary to Tony Blair.
Students enjoyed a lively Q&A session with John Baron, raising questions about a wide range of contemporary issues including the wisdom of foreign military intervention, the need for more environmental protection, the effect of funding shortfalls in the NHS, and of course – Brexit.
‘Hearing from Tim Allan was extremely insightful, I really enjoyed being able to interact with such an accomplished and significant figure in both politics and PR; the session definitely opened my eyes to a possible new career path.’
(Emily Baldwin year 12)
Both speakers developed students’ understanding of often complex political issues. As such our 6th form students benefitted greatly, and we all appreciate the time taken from the speakers’ busy daily schedules to visit our school.
6th Form Board Breaking 2019
Recently a number of students took the opportunity to work on motivation and goal setting during a session in which a variety of useful techniques were introduced by an external trainer. The event culminated in the chance to put theory into practice as students ‘broke a board’….
Many students commented on how much they had gained from such visualisation techniques ahead of the exam period.
July 2019 A level Art students – a very talented and highly motivated class.
Farewell to all our Year 13 students who have been a credit to our school, and whose futures are clearly very promising
January 2019
Students at Billericay School Sixth Form felt incredibly fortunate to have had wildlife camerawoman Sophie Darlington give a very engaging talk about her fascinating work. Whether discussing filming big cats on the BBC series Dynasties, or relating how she had to battle ferocious winds and snow storms in the Antarctic as part of her job, Sophie captivated her 6th form audience. Not only was it hugely entertaining, but inspiring and motivating too. Her talk demonstrated how she had shown perseverance in her career, and students also learnt of the importance of networking and utilising contacts. Perhaps her most important message was to do what you love and don’t give up, because there is always a way to achieve your goals.
Sophie Darlington’s visit was arranged by Speakers for Schools. https://www.speakers4schools.org/
Goodbye Year 13 July 2018
This term Year 13 students have been studying hard for their final exams. Now exam season is over, they are looking forward to the next step in their lives as university, apprenticeships and careers beckon…
Students bid farewell to Billericay School – to fellow students and staff – at their Leavers Assembly and later that day, at the Leavers Prom at Stockbrook, Billericay.
We wish you the very best in the future Year 13
Jack Petchey Award – Joint 6th Form Winners – Gemma Harvey and Lily King
Two 6th form students have jointly received the Jack Petchey Award. At a time when much is said about the importance of resilience in young people, Gemma has shown remarkable perseverance during her time in the 6th form, and Lily has proved a consistent support. Recognising the invaluable role of the medical provision in school, the girls nominated their monies to fund First Aid lessons for Year 7 students.
Board Breaking
In April a number of students took the opportunity to work on motivation and goal setting during a session in which a variety of useful techniques were introduced by an external trainer. The event culminated in the chance to put theory into practice as students ‘broke a board’….
Many students commented on how much they had gained from such visualisation techniques ahead of the exam period.
2018 Parliament Trip 
A group of year 12 students visited Parliament earlier this term, courtesy of Unite. They were able to question a group of MPs about issues including youth engagement and local democracy. Two of the students were given the opportunity to have tickets for PMQs that day. Their accounts of the experience follow. The day was rounded off with a photo of the group in Parliament Square in front of the newly unveiled statue of the Suffragist, Millicent Fawcett.
On Wednesday the 25th of April, I got the opportunity to go to Prime Ministers Questions thanks to Unite. The experience was incredible, being able to see what happens in the House of Commons in real life and seeing the MPs, Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Theresa May come through the door was so surreal. The questions being asked covered the topics of Windrush, devolution and immigration. Being able to see how they debated and discussed these issues was so interesting and informative. It was great to see our MP, John Baron, ask a question and to see how he represents our constituency in Billericay. Overall it was a fantastic experience as a politics student which I’m so grateful to have had. Without Unite I wouldn’t have been able to do this!
Annabel Carr Year 12
Sixth Form Volunteers Host Children from Ukraine
June 2018 
A group of children from Ukraine was treated to a day of fun activities organised and led by sixth form students. The children were on a month long visit arranged by the Billericay Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline. The first session of sporting games and activities was greatly enjoyed by all. The next session included mask making, hand printing and a treasure hunt outside. Lunch followed, kindly provided by the kitchen staff. After lunch, cake decorating and arts and crafts were just some of the activities prepared by students that brought big smiles to the faces of our guests. The afternoon ended with students and children exchanging warm goodbyes.
Having learnt about the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and its effects on the local population, sixth form students commented on how much they had valued the experience, not only in leading the activities but also in communicating with the children and learning more about another culture, understanding that we share a common humanity that transcends borders.
Thanks for contributing to the day’s success are also due to the PE and Art departments, as well as to the Rotary Club of Billericay for kindly making a donation to the event.
Students Face painting.
Daniel Twine – International Fencing Referee in Wratislava Spring 2018
This being my first international competition of any kind in any role, it was quite an experience. I now know what to expect of the atmosphere, workload, and challenges involved when refereeing an international event. This is a good step for me in terms of developing my refereeing career, which I certainly now hope to take very far.
I have visited foreign cities very few times and the opportunity was very enriching for me. Learning about the history of Wroclaw’s gnomes and seeing Polish architecture was valuable in giving me an appreciation of Poland.
As a result of this trip, I now am good friends with several England Fencing and affiliate coaches and referees who will remain valuable people in my life. They have taught me useful things for my future, including where and how to get the best opportunities in refereeing as well as in higher education. One of the most useful connections has been with Mike Selig, who has mentored me as a referee in the months leading up to the event, developing my refereeing ability, and given me a pathway to further develop it.
After this trip, I can definitely say that I want to do it again. I have also discovered that I may enjoy time studying or working in another country as I found that I love the change in atmosphere and surroundings. On top of this, after socialising with coaches on the trip and seeing the community of coaches in the UK, I am now considering a possible side career of low level coaching when I am older. All these things I would still be much less sure of, or not even have really considered had I not gone on this trip.
During this trip I was entrusted with responsibilities, and claimed a title, international referee, of which I am very proud. I feel incredibly privileged and lucky to have been invited on this trip and extremely pleased that I went. I am now ready to snap up every opportunity I get.
Daniel Twine Year 12
Year 12 Students Visit to Auschwitz
In April, 4 students from the 6th form visited Auschwitz, Poland. The visit was organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust. Below Karis Tobin-Hansen reflects upon her experiences of the day. The visit to Poland was a very emotional but eye-opening experience for me. The introduction seminar could not even begin to prepare me for what was coming when we visited the individual sites.The seminar before the visit helped me to think deeply about the Holocaust, and it helped me understand that the Holocaust as an event is not as clear-cut as it has been made out to be; also there is so much more to the event than what we are told. There are so many unanswered questions that we will probably never know the answer to. Before attending the seminar I thought that the impacts were vaguely the same across Europe. From hearing a first-hand experience from a Holocaust survivor in school, I presumed that another Holocaust survivor at the seminar would have similar stories. However, they were completely different and I realised that each individual had unique experiences, no two being the same.
The visit to Poland itself made stories and information from history books become reality. Although I had previously spoken to friends about Auschwitz, about the shoes being stacked behind glass for example, nothing could have prepared me for the flood of emotions that came from within the pictures, stories and belongings. I felt that the visit to the Auschwitz Memorial Museum created the connection and the emotion to help people understand a snippet of what the victims experienced. I feel as if the showcases of hair, suitcases, pots and pans, shoes and the Book of Names were the most shocking view for me –this part of the visit is what has stuck with me the most from Auschwitz The Book of Names helped me realise how many people were murdered. Auschwitz-Birkenau has been kept to give people a visual representation to try to imagine the conditions and what they went through. The cattle cart showed me the space that large numbers of people were forced into with no water, food or fresh air.
The final seminar allowed me to open up about the way I had been feeling, especially with finding a personal connection through my family. Our group decided to give a presentation about our visit to our year group. We gave facts and figures, our experiences of the visit and a timeline of the Holocaust. We also included some detail of individuals we found and who we thought were significant in telling their stories – this helped people understand the way we did about the victims being just ordinary people following a religion. It also helped explain that it wasn’t just the Jews who were victims but there were others too.
After giving our presentation, I feel as if people understood more about the Holocaust. Someone in our group is making an art piece to express her thoughts and feelings about her experience of her visit to Auschwitz. The art project will be a reminder of the people who perished in the Holocaust, helping people to understand how lucky we are to be living in the time we are in now.
Washington Trip
In Autumn half term 2017 a group of year 13 History and Politics students accompanied by Miss Frappell and Mrs Smith visited Washington. Highlights of the trip included visits to the Capitol building, The National Museum of African-American History and Culture and the Lincoln Memorial, near where Martin Luther King made his ‘I have a dream’ speech.
‘This was both eye-opening and a brilliant support to our studies, but we also had a lot of fun in experiencing American culture. We thank our teachers so much for taking time to organise and accompany us on the trip’.
Phoebe Herman, year 13.
‘I Can Only Tell You What My Eyes See’
Just before Christmas a number of Year 13 students visited the Giles Duley exhibition in London, ‘I Can Only Tell You What My Eyes See,’ which documented the Middle Eastern refugee crisis. This was deeply emotional, as it included the artwork of young Syrian refugees, documenting their experiences. It also included the photography of Duley, who aimed to reveal the ‘other’ side of the crisis which the mainstream media often does not portray, achieving this through the medium of personal stories captured in photographs. We had the privilege of speaking to Giles, who gave us an insight into his experiences as a humanitarian photographer. Alicia Brown Year 13
ROADSTER 2017
Our annual Autumn Roadster Event equips students with knowledge and skills of lifelong value. Awareness of issues surrounding driving and personal safety are amongst the key themes of the day. A carousel of activities including vehicle maintenance, listening to safety advice from professionals and administering CPR proved popular with students who appreciated this addition to their regular curriculum.
Vijay Patel Shares the Secrets of his Success with Sixth Form
Vijay Patel, a highly successful international businessman who runs a pharmaceutical business from Basildon, visited our 6th formers earlier this term to give the benefit of his wisdom and experience to students. Vijay’s insights into entrepreneurship and the sharing of his life journey from humble beginnings to becoming a major player in the global pharmaceutical industry were much appreciated by the audience.
Vijay Patel’s talk was very good. He gave some very useful advice that I hadn’t really thought of before and It has really motivated me to think more and plan for my future.
He was really different from some of the other speakers we have listened to - he told us about his life story and his career path, making us realise we could achieve something like that too. It was especially fascinating to learn how Vijay started off in life and how his success grew. Overall the talk was very accessible and contained parts that could prove useful for everyone present.
Year 12 student
Lessons from Auschwitz
Sixth form students who visited Auschwitz: Louise Tribe, Alicia Brown, Ciaran Vere and Katie Giddings share their experience with peers.
During the summer term, four student representatives from the Sixth Form engaged in an insightful programme presented by the Holocaust Educational Trust, which included a poignant one-day visit to Auschwitz in Poland. The students visited both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps during their visit, engaging in the history of the Holocaust through the powerful atmosphere that remains there. Additionally, the students met Zigi Shipper, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, whose testimony enriched the students’ compassion immensely. On their return, the students shared their experience in a presentation to the Sixth Form, with the ambition to promote awareness about the Holocaust.
Chemis-tree
The A Level Chemistry class of 12CCH made a festive Chemis-tree in approach to the festive holiday period. We used a range of chemicals to construct our tree, including potassium permanganate, potassium dichromate, and nickel nitrate, as well as a selection of different indicators such as, phenolphthalein, methyl orange, and universal indicator to show the different colours. An example of one of our colourful ‘baubles’ is a aqueous solution of potassium bromide with a lead iodide precipitate, which we made by reacting lead bromide and potassium iodide. This gave a bright yellow precipitate that we hung on our tree.
Happy Holidays from the Atoms Family
(Jake Benstead, Tom Betts, Jack Bleach, Ryan Chandler, Josh Douibi, Millie Eldridge, Keely Harris, Freddy Heppell, Jake Hillion, Alex Hughes, and Niamh Shelley…And Mr Bashford).
Maths Fantastic @ Billericay 6th Form
Staff and some of the students from 2016 cohort and where they are heading to
Back row L to R: Mr Jonathan Pead (Lead Practitioner in Mathematics), Jemima Morgan (A in Maths and B in Further Maths; Maths with computer Science at Cardiff University), David Jackson (A*s in both Maths and Further Maths; Mechanical Engineering at Warwick University), William Hemsley (A in Maths and B in Further Maths; Maths at Surrey University), Matthew Gilchrist (A*s in both Maths and Further Maths; Physics at Bath University).
Front row L to R: Miss Alderson (KS5 Coordinator till summer 2016), Dr Priya Pavan (Deputy Head of 6th Form), Kieran Hewitt (B in Maths and C in Further Maths; Maths and Statistics at Reading University), Mr Abbotts (Head of Mathematics Faculty)
With 7 A*s in A level Mathematics and 2 A*s in A Level Further Mathematics, students at the Billericay School in South Essex have performed very well in the summer 2016 exam series. Of course, this isn’t the 1st year with great results, A Level Maths students have performed consistently well over the past several years. The comprehensive school was awarded Maths and Computing specialism in 2003 which converted to an Academy in 2011.
Mr Jonathan Pead, a Lead Practitioner in Mathematics at the Billericay School, says ‘we have a great team of Maths teachers who provide excellent support to our students to achieve their best as well as deliver a plethora of enrichment activities to enhance their mathematical experiences’. Many of the recent school leavers have gone on to read Mathematics at institutions like Warwick, Bath, Reading, Loughborough and Surrey Universities.
One such enrichment activity on offer this year is the Royal Institution Mathematics Masterclasses organised by Dr Priya Pavan, Deputy Head of 6th form. The Royal Institution, famous for its CHRISTMAS LECTURES, is a charitable organisation which oversees many extracurricular activities led by top experts from academia and industry for keen and talented young people in mathematics, engineering and computer science all around the UK.
Dr Pavan set up the Essex 6th Form Royal Institution Mathematics Masterclass series for year 12 students which sees 27 bright young mathematicians from different schools in south Essex attend the Saturday morning sessions at Billericay School. ‘I am really pleased. This is not just for our students; we have students from St Martin’s School, Appleton School, The Sandon School, Tendring College and King Edwards Grammar School. It’s a fantastic opportunity. I hope students from many other schools will take part in years to come’ says the Imperial College London alumni, who volunteers her time for numerous STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related enrichment activities within the school and Essex County.
1st Saturday of this series saw Prof Alan Davies leading a session on ‘approximations of pi’ followed by the Royal Institution’s own Samantha Durbin delivering a session on mathematical modelling. On the 3rd weekend, former intelligence analyst Lucy Jordan, now a Maths teacher at the Billericay School, introduced the students to writing codes using RSA – an encryption algorithm widely used for secure data transmission.
Prof Alan Davies explaining Viete’s formula for approximation of pi
The following week’s session was a particularly special one as the presenter Thomas Prince is an ex-pupil of the Billericay School. Tom left school in summer 2008 after achieving 6 A grades at A Level and headed to Trinity College, Cambridge where he graduated as a Master of Mathematics with Distinction. Tom has just recently completed his PhD in Algebraic Geometry at Imperial College London.
Dr Prince talking about geometrical shapes
A week later, Naomi Steadman from TFL led a session on Network Modelling, where they looked at traffic flow and designing the junction near Bounds Green tube station. Last of the sessions was on Financial Risk Aversion and was delivered by Jon Payne, whose teaching career is just starting the Billericay School. Dr Pavan, who put together the programme, is grateful to all the presenters for volunteering their Saturday morning to enthuse youngsters to study Maths at higher level. She is also indebted to some of her ex-students who have come into talk to the participants about their experiences of Maths at University.
While mathematics is a popular subject at A Level amongst students, many of them don’t choose to study Maths at university. Maths, Physics and Design and Technology are some of the key secondary subjects facing severe graduate teacher shortages. So it is great to see the Billericay School, what used to be a ‘grant maintained secondary modern’ in its not so distant past, with its ability to pool resources from staff and ex-students alike, to provide ‘grammar school type’ enrichment to its current cohorts!
Please contact Dr Priya Pavan if you like your school to take part in the 6th Form RI Masterclasses in Essex for either Mathematics (Autumn 2017) or Computer Science(Spring 2017).
Students presenting their 'forest fire' models
Students concentrating on a Saturday morning
Students trading wholesale gas as part of Financial Aversion lecture
About the Ri
The Royal Institution’s (Ri) purpose is to harness science for the maximum benefit of society. Home to eminent scientists such as Michael Faraday, Humphry Davy and Kathleen Lonsdale, its discoveries have helped to shape the modern world. Just as importantly these scientists recognised the importance of sharing their work with the wider public.
Today it continues its mission as a registered charity providing science education and heritage activities for people of all ages and backgrounds across the UK and around the world. These activities include the world-famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES; public talks from the world's greatest thinkers in its historic lecture theatre; a national programme of Ri Masterclasses for young people in mathematics, engineering and computer science; hands-on science workshops in its L'Oréal Young Scientist Centre; animations and films from its award-winning Ri Channel and the preservation of its scientific legacy through the Faraday Museum and archival collections.
Sixth Form Student Visit to Auschwitz
Sam, Heather, Bertie and Alex
In April this year, 4 Year 12 students from the Billericay School were selected to visit Auschwitz in Poland as part of a project organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust. Samantha Redhead, Heather Wiles, Bertie Morley and Alex Maas learnt first hand about a dark and painful period in history. The students will share their experiences and reflections with the rest of their year group later this term.
To me Birkenau was the true shock; the size, the desolation, the disturbing efficiency of the design – the complete industrialisation of genocide.
The displays transformed horrific stories to the harsh reality; rooms full of human hair, luggage, the fingernail scratches left on the walls... A child’s shoe, laced with fabric flowers, against a backdrop of 43,000 others.
There’s a presence around Auschwitz. Entire families disintegrated. Executed. Wiped out, as if they never existed. The unimaginable pain, loss and despair they suffered. All in hatred and in the name of profit. That leaves a stain, one you can feel.
The 3 main Auschwitz camps are estimated to have been responsible for 1.5 million deaths. Yet attempting to quantify the inconceivable is submitting to the attempt at reducing these individuals to nothing, to a mere number. The visit concluded with a memorial showing the images of thousands involved; what stood out was not the immense loss of life but the culture which existed beforehand, and continues today. It is this individuality that truly matters; each person lived before the tragedy, and they should be remembered as people, not victims. This celebration of Jewish culture and the process of rehumanising the Holocaust is not just an act of remembrance, but more importantly an act of defiance.
Alex Maas, year 12
Cheap and Healthy Eats - Cooking Tips for University
Many of our year 13 students are headed for university at the end of the summer, leaving home for the first time. Acquiring life skills are an all important part of their preparation for this big step in their lives, and so we approached the Food Technology department at school to see if they could help students with some of these…
Ms Mutsure volunteered to plan and organise a session in which sixth formers could learn about shopping on a budget and preparing healthy and nutritious meals. This culminated in students producing a delicious and attractive stir fry which took a short time to create, but left plenty to spare with extra portions for another time.
The group was very appreciative of this opportunity to practise their skills and think about balancing time, cost and nutritional value when preparing meals on a daily basis at university. Not only that, but students also said how much they had enjoyed the session, and that they now looked forward to this aspect of life away from home with increased confidence. Thank you to the Food Technology department for offering this opportunity.
Ms Fiona Smith
Head of 6th Form
Arsenal's David Dein Visits the Sixth Form
Daniel Brock, Emily Drake, Katie Staines, Tom Smith, Ben Smart and Daniel Wolfendale
David Dein visited our 6th form earlier this term, joking at the start that he was wary, knowing he was on West Ham territory! He soon had the audience fully engaged as he proved a friendly and accomplished speaker.
We leant how David joined the Arsenal Board in 1983 and was made Vice-Chairman in the same year. He rose to Vice-Chairman of the Football Association and served on numerous UEFA and FIFA Committees. During David’s reign, the Club won a total of 18 trophies! These days David spends much of his time speaking in schools and prisons as well as businesses – and we were very pleased to take up the opportunity offered by the Speakers for Schools Programme to hear David speak at our school.
David’s speech was very inspirational as he explained how his career had developed from his early life, and how he went on to help Arsenal sign key players as well as introduce new technology to the game. He went on to describe his career at the club from 1983 to 2007. He held a 16.6% share in the club and told us how he has dealt with some of the biggest names in football. David spoke of the value of education, and gave an example of the value of him learning French from an early age which helped him speak to new players, making them feel welcome.
As students we found David’s visit inspiring because it showed that if you work hard enough towards what you believe in, you can achieve and succeed in life. David gave some examples of obstacles he faced which presented difficulties for him, but he overcame these through pure determination and dedication. From this everyone can learn and take on board his work ethic towards achieving their own goals. It was a great session – a very good speaker with an important message for us all.
Freddie Tunbridge, Daniel Bailey, and Andzelika Daujoutaite
Career Crowd
Career Crowd delivered a morning session to sixth form students interested in finding out more about the variety of options post 18, including apprenticeships and emplyment. A packed hall saw studentsparticipate in a fully interactive session, culminating in lively student presentations.
Anglia Roadshow
Sixth Form students benefitted from the Anglia Roadshow bus whose staff informwd year 12 students about Higher Education options, whilst also giving tailored help to year 13 students writing their personal statements for university applications.
"The Anglia Roadshow bus really helped me as I want to apply to an American University and wasn't exactly sure how or what the options would be. I was given advice on how to apply and where I could get financial help. They also gave me information about completing a study year abroad in America whilst attending university in the UK. All this really helped me with the choices I am making." (Ellie Cook (Year 13) applying to study in the USA).
Visit from Imperial College, London
The term so far has been a busy one for our sixth formers, packed with activities and events designed to help prepare our students for life after leaving school.
University applicants have been helped by practice interviews delivered by Jane Marshall from Imperial College, London.
"My application to UCL and Cambridge will definitely involve interviews for a place on the course. The mock interview with Jane was extremely helpful, giving me an insight into the types of questions I could be asked. These are usually subject-based, requiring you to think outside the box, for example "why is a city like a cell?" In order to aid my interview skills further, I have also had tutorial-style discussions with chemistry teachers and other students on topics beyond the typical A level syllabus to extend my knowledge further."
Lizzie Hawkins (Year 13) applying to UCL and Cambridge
Roadster
All Year 12 students were invited to Roadster, a day organised by Essex Highways and staffed by a range of professionals including the police and fire brigade. The students received valuable lessons including driver and passenger safety as well as drink and drug awareness. Some students were even able to have their first driving lesson on the school tennis courts.
