Headlines By James Saunders 17th May 2019
Thanks to
A brilliant time with The Brilliant Club
A few weeks ago I mentioned that our C9 and C10 learners had completed ‘The Brilliant Club’. This week I had the pleasure of accompanying them for their graduation trip to Selwyn College at the University of Cambridge. The learners entered the college through an archway that opened up into an oasis of calm. As the learners strolled round the immaculate grounds I am sure it all felt a bit, well, “Harry Potterish”. They even got to eat in the hall just like in Hogwarts. Around the hall were portraits of famous alumni. It felt like a world of privilege and advantage. However, that could not be further from the truth. The work of The Brilliant Club is all about increasing access to and participation in the best universities in the country so they do not become the preserve of the elite, but a reflection of the diverse society we live in. No more so was this more present than in the keynote speech the learners listened to. Many of them commented on how moving it was to hear about the life changing effect education can have on society. The learners spent the day learning about the steps they need to take to get to university. They learnt about facilitating subjects - a group of A Levels that are recommended by Russell Group universities. Subjects like English, Maths, Science, Languages and Humanities form the facilitating subjects. It was clear that to reach a top university learners must do well in their core subjects at GCSE. After a tour of the College buildings they received their certificates. Congratulations to Jude Battersby and Luke Evans who both received a 1st and to Louise Ball, Will Ferguson, Holly Ginn, Maxine-Emily Harvey, Charlie Mullenger, Freddie North, Roxie Orrow, Harry Ratcliffe, Eloise Rigby and Felix Wilson, who all received a 2:1 for their dissertations. These were marked using university criteria and were pitched well beyond what is expected at GCSE which makes their accomplishments even more impressive: an outstanding achievement for every one of them. The Brilliant Club has been such a success that we will most definitely be providing this opportunity again next year. Keep an eye out for the next launch assembly this summer.
Hannah Byrne and Maya Robson, Lead Learners, for meeting with visitors today to tour our school.
Independent Study "Independent Study is not an optional extra, but an essential part of a good education". -1999 White Paper, Excellence in Schools In response to feedback from learners, families and teachers we have been working on our policy for Independent Study so that expectations and requirements are clear. Over the rest of the term we will be looking to ensure consistency with the new policy ready for September. Below is an extract from this new policy: Aims Independent Study enables learners to:
Consolidate, apply and extend work covered in learning sessions or prepare for new learning activities. Access resources beyond the classroom. Develop research skills. Have an opportunity for independent work. Demonstrate progress and understanding. To enhance their study skills e.g. planning, time management and self-discipline. To take ownership and responsibility for learning. Engage parental cooperation and support. Create channels for home/school dialogue.
Communication of Independent Study ALL Independent Study should be communicated to learners via Google Classroom and, where appropriate, feedback will be given using Google Classroom. Not all Independent Study will require the use of Google Classroom, however there is an expectation that this is consistently used to communicate it. Independent Study should be labelled as 'Independent Study' in the post heading with a due date and time set. Parents will receive a weekly summary of all work set in Google Classroom. (Contd...)