Department Newsletter
Welcome
Greetings from Wakefield College’s Sixth Form!
My name is Karen Ralphs and I am thrilled to welcome you to read our departmental newsletter, an exciting new publication designed to keep you informed and engaged with the latest developments at our amazing Sixth Form.
As the Head of Sixth Form, I am delighted to introduce you to our amazing community, where we are dedicated to nurturing your academic and personal growth.
The Sixth Form Department and its tutors are always committed to enhancing the student experience outside of the classroom.
In this newsletter, you can find out what our current and former students have been up to over the past year –from career activities to college trips, enrichment and student stories.
Each cohort we welcome to the College consistently demonstrates academic excellence and enthusiasm to learn. We are very proud of our class of 2024 who achieved amazing results in their A Levels this summer – read about their successes inside.
It is important to us that you feel at home at the Sixth Form, so we have a support system open to all of our students.
This includes our Student Wellbeing Officers, a Student Experience Team, counselling services and more.
Karen Ralphs Head of
Sixth Form & Science
Social Sciences’ Career Days
HMP Wakefield
Each year, HMP Wakefield, the local prison, is invited to talk to our Criminology, Law, Sociology, Psychology and Public Services students. Students are asked to sign-up to the event if they are interested and the invite is extended to all Sixth Form students – it has sold out the past two years!
The Governor and Officer from the prison speak to the students about what it’s like to work at the local prison. The officers bring in equipment they carry on a daily basis, such as pepper spray and handcuffs and explain how they are used in the workforce.
They also talk to the students about the purpose of prisons, the role they play in our society and how they help to reform people.
At the end, there is a Q&A session where the students can ask the visitors questions to learn more about the infamous prison.
University of Huddersfield
After previously visiting the campus, the students are now welcoming lecturers from the University of Huddersfield to Wakefield College.
The visiting lecturers will run a series of seminars for the students on a range of topics covering what it’s like to study at the University, crime and deviance, investigations into serious crime and the role and impact of media in society. The students will rotate around the seminars to get a taste for each topic.
These taster sessions will provide the students with an idea of how learning is structured at university as well as the tying into what they’re currently learning at college.
It is a fantastic opportunity for those considering university as it sets the scene of how teaching is delivered at degree-level.
Students will also have a chance to ask the lecturers what university is like day-to-day, what subjects they recommend for certain courses and what student support options are available.
Leeds Trip with West Yorkshire Police
Later this term, students will visit a Leeds university with West Yorkshire Police. This trip consists of a range of workshops on investigating serious crime for Psychology and Sociology students.
It is run by the local police force who aim to educate the students on what it is like working for West Yorkshire Police and how they operate large-scale investigations in the area.
The West Yorkshire Police encourage the participation of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) and working-class students to ensure these learners are receiving equitable opportunities in their education.
Autumn I 2024
A Level Destinations
Subjects and Grades:
Chemistry (A*), Biology (A*) and Maths (A*)
Destination:
Medicine at the University of East Anglia
I’ve always wanted to be a Surgeon from a young age as my mum works in the healthcare sector and I really look up to her. The teachers at College are great and treat you like adults and peers, they really showed they care about us. My biggest takeaway from College was becoming more independent, it made me enjoy it more.
Subjects and Grades:
English Language (B), Sociology (B) and Media Studies (B)
Destination:
English Language and Linguistics at the University of York
I enjoyed spending time with friends at College. My favourite subject was Media Studies because it was creative and fun and I really liked my tutor. At Sixth Form, I’ve learnt how to write and structure my essays which will be really useful when I go onto study at university.
Mentoring for Excellence Programme
At Wakefield College, we have a Mentoring for Excellence programme which is a scheme that supports students with their applications and portfolios for Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group Universities.
The mentoring sessions provide the students with additional and personalised support and has supported the College’s highest achieving students to progress to their chosen prestigious universities.
Destination:
History and English at the University of Oxford
In my mentoring sessions, I had mock interviews, monthly check-ins and support from the Director of Finance with my application. All of this was invaluable, and I was offered a place to study History and English at the University of Oxford.
Lillianna
James
Ella
Wakefield College Welcomes Professor
Chris Lintott from University of Oxford for an Inspiring Lecture
Our Science students were thrilled to welcome Professor Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford to Wakefield College.
During his engaging presentation, Professor Lintott introduced the audience to the extraordinary world of the Zooniverse, the largest and most popular people-powered research platform.
The key message he delivered was that anyone with an interest in astronomy can play a pivotal role in groundbreaking research, from sorting through galaxies to exploring the Martian surface, or even contributing to the discovery of a new planet.
One of the highlights of the talk was the discussion about the most mysterious star in the Milky Way, a discovery made possible
through the Zooniverse project. This star, which has baffled astronomers and sparked the imagination of many, is just one example of the fascinating discoveries made through this unique platform.
Professor Lintott’s visit to Wakefield College was not just a lecture, but a celebration of collaborative science and an invitation to our students and community to become active participants in the quest to understand our universe.
Wakefield College Students Explore the Frontiers of Science at CERN
A group of students from Wakefield College recently embarked on a fascinating educational journey to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known for housing the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
At CERN, located near Geneva, students had the unique opportunity to delve into the mysteries of modern physics, the universe and cosmos. They explored how CERN scientists are pushing the boundaries of human knowledge to answer fundamental questions such as the origins of the universe.
The students were particularly intrigued by the discovery of the Higgs boson, a particle that has been crucial in understanding the fundamental building blocks of matter. This groundbreaking discovery, a milestone
in the field of particle physics, was made possible through CERN’s state-of-the-art experimental setups.
Duncan Agnew, a Physics Lecturer at Wakefield College, highlighted the impact of the trip, stating: “The students had a fantastic experience beyond the classroom; getting
a feel for the scale, scope and possibilities that CERN offers, from potential careers to scientific discoveries and applications. They have left with a greater understanding of multidisciplinary collaborations, global scientific endeavours and experimental outcomes.”
Sixth Form Guide
Have you seen our Sixth Form Guide? It’s packed with information about our courses, our Mentoring for Excellence programme, enrichment opportunities and lots of student stories. You can read and download it through the QR code!
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