Sixth Form Bulletin
Issue#9: Jan 2018
Reminders …. Key Dates 24th February
JCB India Trip – Year12’s leave
26th February
Term Starts
28th February
Early Close
1st March
Bosch Rexroth / London Eye Trip (2 days)
6th March
Early Close (KS4 Parents’ Evening)
7th March
Zurich Trip – Year13 Business
8th March
Bosch Rexroth / London Eye Trip (2 days)
13th March
Early Close (KS4 Parents Evening)
15th March
Duke of Edinburgh practice (5 days)
19th March
KS5 Mock Exams (5 days)
28th March
KS5 Reports issued (Y12 Full report, Yr13 Interim)
29th March
Last Day of Term
Message from Mr Stanmore…… The one thing that comes to mind that really sets our leavers above the competition when applying for their next steps beyond The JCB Academy is: Making the most of every opportunity Be that developing work-based skills in the EPQ course, securing great work experience placements, volunteering for the Engineering Education Scheme, serving as a member of the School Council, representing The Academy at open days, participating in fund raising activities, these undoubtedly help our most successful learners secure their next steps. Feedback from employers clarifies that a C.V. and covering letter that demonstrates flexibility, resilience, commitment and a positive can-do attitude will impress much more than academic achievements alone. There have been a significant number of opportunities for Year12 so far this year. How many opportunities have you missed that will set you apart from the competition? Many congratulations to the numerous Year13’s that have been offered university places, Advanced, Higher and Degree Apprenticeships so far!
P.Stanmore CEng. MIMechE Director of Sixth Form
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Contents 3
Celebrating Progress
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PSHE – Careers Guidance – Work Experience
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EPQ Celebration Event
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Lessons from Auschwitz
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Praise from HRH Duke of York
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PSHE – Careers Guidance – Next Steps
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PSHE – Careers Guidance – Employability Skills
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Safer Roads!
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Book Review – Eat That Frog
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Engineering News – Harley Davidson
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Business News – Gender Pay Gap
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Midlands Air Ambulance
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Celebrating Progress January 2018
There are many learners in Sixth Form who are making exceptional progress and, each term, we celebrate those learners making at least average progress (compared to learners at similar starting points studying the same subjects nationally). There are currently eighty learners making at least average progress and after drawing names at random, the following prizes were awarded: Hetty Garner-Hale
ÂŁ15 Amazon Voucher
Tom Chatburn
ÂŁ20 Amazon Voucher
Liam Hopwell
Jam2 Bluetooth Speaker
Lawrence Penman
Imuto Powerbank
Aaron Keeling
Bluetooth Speaker & Alarm
Josh Roberts
Amazon Firestick TV 4k Ultra HD
Isabel Fitzgerald
Supercar Driving Experience
Olivia Pearch
Wanhao 3D printer
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OVERALL PROGRESS MEASURE • Based on GCSE results as a starting point, each learner is expected to make a minimum amount of progress from their starting point, which can be different in each subject and is based on average progress of all UK learners. • Provides varying MEGs between learners and across subjects. • At each interim report, EGCUP grades are converted into numerical data and compared to MEGs. • To consider overall performance for each learner, we add up all of the MEGs and all of the EGCUPs and compare the two to create a percentage.
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PSHE Careers Guidance : Year12 Work Experience Delivered by Miss Norcup, January 2018
Why do Work Experience? “A good quality work experience placement will definitely make you stand out from the crowd! The things I experienced at Bentley and JLR were used on my CV and made it look like I had substantial experience and gave me something to talk about at my interviews for higher apprenticeships.” (Current Year13). It is an Academy expectation that all Year12 learners participate in work experience It gives you a chance to experience typical working conditions You can meet and talk with employees and ask them about their jobs It will help you see links between the subjects you are studying at The JCB Academy, and the skills you will need in working life It will help you find out more about your own skills and interests It will help you to decide whether a certain career is for you or not You will be out on your own, and it will give you responsibility. You will need to be punctual, independent and helpful to others The main objective of work experience is to gain skills, knowledge and experience of the working day, as well as developing your understanding of employer expectations such as getting to work on time, making a useful contribution to their team and being enthusiastic about the work you have been asked to carry out Some students may feel they have already gained experience of the workplace through part-time employment or Saturday jobs. If this is your experience, then we hope that you will use your work
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experience placement as an opportunity to try a different working environment and learn something new. Miss Norcup would like to remind you that work experience occurs during the summer term. The dates cover the last two weeks of the summer term:
Monday 9th – Friday 13th July Monday 16th – Friday 20th July Parent consent forms were been distributed to Year12 learners on the 6th Feb and spares are available from outside the Sixth Form Office or the Student Support Office. Work Experience Consent Forms should be returned to Miss Norcup no later than 29th April 2018 Learners will need to complete and have carers sign both a green and yellow form (one for each of the two weeks). Completed forms should be left with Miss Norcup in the Student Support Office. Miss Norcup will be visiting tutor sessions after half term but if you have any questions, please see Mrs Norcup or email her on r.norcup@jcbacademy.com
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Extended Project Qualification Celebration Event: 9th February
Over forty Year13 learners have been working on their EPQ project over the past twelve months, developing research, analytical, academic writing, project management, planning and evaluation skills. The qualification is worth the equivalent to half an A-Level (more UCAS points than an AS level). Much more than that though, the qualification is an outstanding way of demonstrating both academic and employability skills that are fully transferrable to the world of work and university projects. At the end of the project, learners submit a portfolio of work and participate in a celebration event, where they showcase the skills they’ve developed throughout their journey. Wide ranging projects included themes relating to Optometry, Cyber Crime, Psychology in Marketing, F1 Developments, Optimum Bike Frame design, Bentley Marketing Strategies, Effects of Brexit and Pablo Escabar. This year’s Celebration Event took place on the 9th February and many thanks go to parents and Governors that supported the event, with special thanks to Harry Clarke (JCB Higher Apprentice), who judged “Best Communicated Project” at the event: the winner being Nathan Eady who presented his project about a 3D virtual model of an ideal car showroom.
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Lessons from Auschwitz Project Holocaust Educational Trust
Lessons from Auschwitz is an educational program consisting of two seminars and a trip to Poland to visit two concentration camps. The JCB Academy was contacted to take part in this educational visit from which George and I were selected The Academy. The first seminar in Birmingham focussed on the Jewish community’s life prior holocaust. There were 200 students from other schools and we discussed different Jewish populations of Europe, Nazi methods of dehumanisation of this race and listened to a survivors first hand testimony of life before and during the Second World War. It became clear that the fascist movement and persecution against Jewish people started long before the holocaust. To which point does a bystander become a perpetrator? Susan Pollack is a Hungarian Jew that survived the Auschwitz genocide. She spoke of the persecution of her race throughout her life even before Hitler’s tyranny. Lack of justification was such a shock to this horrendous crime. Susan managed to continue with her life and now age 87, has an MBE and a degree in psychology. She regularly visits schools across the UK to share her horrific experience. Susan was a very inspirational woman; she thanked us all for our compassion on this project and wished us luck with our visit. On the 13th of February, we flew to Poland in the early morning not really knowing what to expect from this experience. Poland greeted us with a biting cold weather, which coincidently reflected the atmosphere for most people. I took the opportunity to go on this trip to experience a fraction of what happened during the infamous Final Solution, to the Jewish Question - mass murder of innocent people. The camps themselves were indescribable and atmospheric; Auschwitz One was very personal and covered in victim portraits. The first camp was smaller in size but contained remnants of lost families. The scale of Auschwitz Two (known as Auschwitcz Birkenau was shocking. The freezing temperature and snow-covered ground emphasised the conditions the prisoners had to live in. Although we went to view scenes of atrocious war crimes, I feel very fortunate to have seen it for
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myself and firmly believe this is an experience that many people should be exposed to. It made me reflect about the friends, family and opportunities I have. We are so fortunate and to think of the six million that died and their potential offspring and the opportunities they will never have. Although a very tiring and emotional day, it was truly an experience I shall never never forget. The horror of Auschwitz should never be repeated and yet similar atrocities continue in the modern world. I will continue to tell family and friends about my experience for years. Survivors like Susan that have gone through traumatic experiences that most people cannot even start to imagine. There was no justice for these people and that is why communities need to be educated to help with prevention. This experience has not only made me more knowledgeable but also made me more appreciative. I am very thankful for being given this opportunity.
Molly Greswolde, Year12
The sign to greet! “Work makes you free�
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An exhibition of shoes and walking aids removed from some of the 6 million Jews murdered (most were sent back to Germany during the war)
Thousands of pictures on display of those that suffered at the hands of the brutal SS.
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Praise from HRH the Duke of York Extract from Uttoxeter Advertiser
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PSHE Careers Guidance : Year12 Next Steps Delivered by Dr Sillitoe, January 2018
Each year, in order to keep options open, all learners are encouraged to apply for both Apprenticeship places and University. The application process is similar in many ways; both require a personal statement, where learners showcase their skills and qualities that make them suitable for the place they are applying for. Whilst covering both options, it was clear that Dr Sillitoe’s main message related to academic progress. Both prospective employers and university admissions teams are looking for academic progress. Historically, those successful in securing the very competitive higher and degree apprenticeships are the students that have made excellent progress during Sixth Form. Learners on vocational courses have usually achieved Distinctions and those on A-Level courses need to have achieved grade As and Bs. Clearly for those intent on going direct to university, it’s fair to say that the higher your predicted grades, the greater the choice of course and university. It’s important to recognise that UCAS and apprenticeship places depend on the EGCUP grades. Whilst an individual may well have target grades of D*D* in Engineering and B in Maths, it is the EGCUP grades that your offers will be based upon. Lower EGCUP grades will mean that access to certain courses and apprenticeships will be limited. This is why it is vital that students work hard to achieve the best possible outcome in Y12, not just Y13. Likewise, the ‘Yr12-13 Gateway’ means that access to Y13 is not a formality – it’s based predominantly on Year12 progress.
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Apprenticeship levels clarified: There are four levels of Apprenticeship you could apply for depending on your skills and qualifications: Apprenticeship type:
Studying:
Intermediate
Level2 qualifications equivalent to 5 GCSEs
Advanced
Level3 qualifications equivalent to 2 A-levels
Higher
Level4 qualifications such as a foundation or full degree
Degree
Level6 qualifications such as a full degree (part time)
Apprenticeships from Advanced upwards needs GCSE English & Maths A*-C or Level 9-4 Often, the Advanced Apprenticeships require five GCSEs at level 4 or above
Typical entry requirements for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships: Rolls Royce Engineering
3 A*-C in Maths and Physics, Chemistry or Engineering plus one other subject or an Level 3 Extended BTEC (or combination)
Rolls Royce Commercial
3 A*-C A-Levels
Jaguar LandRover
120 UCAS points gained from three A-Levels, one of which must be a grade B in a numerical or business related subject
JCB Engineering Higher
3 A levels at grade C and above, including Maths & a relevant scientific / technical subject or BTEC equivalent (including the Further Maths module)
JCB Manager Degree
2 A levels at grade C and above
Aston Martin Eng’rg Higher 2 A-Levels at Grade C or BTEC equivalent National Grid Higher
2 A-Levels A*-C or BTEC equivalent
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PSHE Careers Guidance : Year12 Employability Skills Delivered by Miss Buchanan, January 2018
It’s a competitive market when you’re searching for jobs and in addition to academic qualifications, employers are increasingly looking as much as employability skills. In fact, often it’s more about the skills you have! As you search for your apprenticeship, job or university place, you will be competing against candidates with similar or maybe even better qualifications and it is your employability skills that will set you apart and give you that competitive advantage that will land you the job. The skills you learn at The JCB Academy during lessons and the wider curriculum may include: Teamwork
Business and Customer Awareness
Problem Solving and Creativity
Planning and Project Management
Communication and Literacy
IT Skills
Positive attitude
Valuing diversity and difference
Commitment
Project work
Research and evaluative skills
Presentation an communication skills
Feedback from employers suggests that the best CV’s and letters of application are those that include the applicant’s employability skills, particularly where they use examples to evidence how they know they have those skills. 15
Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnerships A number of Sixth Form learners have had car accidents over the past few weeks and it’s perhaps a good time to reflect on two key messages delivered in December by Kevin Wilcox of Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership. Risk taking behaviours Speeding – the reasons, effects and consequences Does risky driving behaviour increase young drivers’ risk of crashing? While inexperience is considered the primary reason why young drivers are over-represented in road crashes, intentional and unintentional risk taking also plays a role. Driving risks found to be more common among young drivers include: excessive speeding, speeding for the thrill or simply driving too fast for the conditions; driving too close to the vehicle they are following; using a mobile phone while driving (including text messaging); violating traffic rules; and driving at night. In addition, carrying multiple passengers, especially peer-aged passengers, presents a greater risk for young drivers compared to adult experienced drivers.
Source : www.youngdriverfactbase.com There is clear evidence to suggest that high risk driving amongst new or young drivers is dramatically increased when carrying passengers of a similar age. In addition to this, rural roads are often much more sinuous and narrow in nature, with blind bends, dips and other distractions. Motorways have a higher level of design standards in comparison with other roads, and with grade separation and barriers between carriageways, have a lower risk of head-on or junction collisions. Please be a responsible driver!
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BOOK SUMMARY – STOP PROCRASTINATING EAT THAT FROG, Brian Tracy (ISBN 9781576754221) Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worse things that is going to happen to you all day long. Your “frog” is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don’t do something about it. If You Have To Eat Two Frogs, Eat The Ugliest One First This is another way of saying that if you have two important tasks before you, start with the biggest, hardest, and most important task first. Discipline yourself to begin immediately and then to persist until the task is complete before you go on to something else. If You Have To Eat A Live Frog At All, It Doesn’t Pay To Sit And Look At It For Very Long The key to reaching high levels of performance and productivity is to develop the lifelong habit of tackling your major task first thing each morning. You must develop the routine of “eating your frog” before you do anything else and without taking too much time to think about it.
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Take Action Immediately Successful, effective people are those who launch directly into their major tasks and then discipline themselves to work steadily and singlemindedly until those tasks are complete. “Failure to execute” is one of the biggest problems in organisations today. Many people confuse activity with accomplishment. They talk continually, hold endless meetings, and make wonderful plans, but in the final analysis, no one does the job and gets the results required. Develop A Positive Addiction You can actually develop a “positive addiction” to endorphins and to the feeling of enhanced clarity, confidence, and competence that they trigger. When you develop this addiction, you will, at an unconscious level, begin to organize your life in such a way that you are continually starting and completing ever more important tasks and projects. You will actually become addicted, in a very positive sense, to success and contribution. No Shortcuts Practice is the key to mastering any skill. Fortunately, your mind is like a muscle. It grows stronger and more capable with use. With practice, you can learn any behaviour or develop any habit that you consider either desirable or necessary. Action Exercise What is your “frog?” What is the one task that you despise doing each day? Once you have chosen your “frog” make it a habit to wake up every morning and do that task first
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ENGINEERING NEWS Harley Davidson want to become the Tesla of motorbikes Last year was a rough year for Harley-Davidson with a 6.7% drop in worldwide sales. The company is planning to tackle this slump with the creation of an electric Harley. Like other large motorbike manufacturers, Harley-Davidson is dealing with the fact that its main buyers keep getting older. With younger buyers appearing disinterested in buying a motorbike. The company, however, is striking back by aggressively chasing younger riders. Key to this is the creation of a new electric market which it believes will appeal to new riders.
The company plans to have its first electric Harley available to buy in the next 18 months. While the company has been vocal in intention to bring a new electric motorbike to market, it has failed to show what the bike might look like and, importantly, how much it will cost. 19
The company has previously chased EV tech with its Project Livewire. The Livewire was a proof of concept demonstrator which sported a small 7kWh battery. Reception to it was tepid, and its most notable claim to fame ended up being its use as Scarlett Johannsen bike of choice in Avengers Age of Ultron. The Next Tesla?
The EV motorcycle market is in its infancy today, but we believe premium Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles will help drive excitement and participation in the sport globally. As we expand our EV capabilities and commitment, we get even more excited about the role electric motorcycles will play in growing our business.Matt Levatich, H-D President and CEO Harley Davidson aim would be to become the ‘Tesla’ of electric motorbikes. It has a significant advantage in comparison to Tesla’s startup phase. Harley has an already well-established brand with solid engineering credentials, and it can use the existing network of charging stations already created to service electric cars. Key to the success of the project will be if it can create a new electric image for itself and its products without burning bridges with its existing customer base. Its step into electric is a microcosm of the automotive industry as a whole, and the development of the electric Harley Davidson will be fascinating to watch. This article was provided by Born To Engineer, a fantastic engineering website with lots of information to keep you up to date with the latest news and technology. @born2engineer
www.borntoengineer.com/stem-news 20
Business News: Gender Pay Gap : America’s Answer BBC News
As countries around the world grapple with the gender pay gap, some places in America have come up with a new way to tackle the problem. Their solution? Bar employers from asking job applicants what they currently earn, so new salary offers are not based on the previous figure. Laws are already on the books in a handful of jurisdictions, including California, Massachusetts, New York City and Puerto Rico. Similar measures are under consideration in more than 20 other states, as well as at the national level. The aim is to stop a hiring practice that critics say perpetuates the pay gap, since women often start out with lower salaries. "What these bans are doing is ensuring that employers pay employees for the job they have to do," says Kate Nielson, state policy manager for the American Association for University Women, which supports the new laws. "There is a real attraction to this kind of policy because it is proactive." 21
The US has officially banned unequal pay for equal work since 1963, but what counts as equal can be controversial, as highlighted by recent rows in the UK at the BBC and Tesco. And unlike the UK - which now requires large companies to report publicly on pay by gender - the Trump administration recently suspended a rule that would compel firms to report similar data to the government. People who campaigned for the law in Massachusetts - which became the first place in the US to approve such a rule in 2016 said they think the idea has caught on because it is simple and does not punish firms retroactively. "Instead of taking the traditional approach... we wanted to actually create new standards to make sure that employers and businesses were being proactive," says Sasha Goodfriend, president of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Organization for Women. "It sometimes needs to be redefined in a new way to reignite an age-old conversation."
Gender gap On average, women in the US earn about 80% of the amount paid to men - roughly comparable to the UK, according to government statistics. For black and Hispanic women, the gap is even wider. Some of the difference is due to factors like occupation or parttime work. Yet even after allowing for this, women just one year out of college earned about 7% less than men, a gap that widens over time, according to research by the American Association for University Women. 22
The Midlands Air Ambulance Beneficiaries from Rag Week
Many thanks to Miss Buchanan and members of the School Council that helped make our very first Rag Week such a success. Your hard work in planning helped raise ÂŁ352.50 and the chosen recipients were the Midlands Air Ambulance.
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