#LongRoadLife Applicant Newsletter - February Edition

FEBRUARY EDITION: VOL. 2

#LongRoadLife LONG ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE APPLICANT NEWSLETTER

SUPPORTING YOU - FROM APPLICANT TO STUDENT ADMISSIONS UPDATE Hello, from Long Road!

PREPARING FOR YOUR This months applicant newsletter is focused on supporting you as an applicant and as a student!

ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING

We'll be outlining everything you need to know about our Virtual Advice and Guidance Meetings; the equipment you need, what

MEET SCHOLAR

to expect and lots of hints and tips on how to best prepare for

STUDENT LUCY

your meeting with us. We're also looking at the support we can offer you once you join us as a student!

You'll be meeting another of our Scholars' and hearing all about

STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES

our fantastic English and Humanities department.

ENGLISH, HISTORY & We hope you enjoy the February edition of #LongRoadLife.

HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT

Talk to you soon!

Long Road

WE'RE HERE TO HELP

ADMISSIONS TEAM UPDATE

Our friendly Admissions Team are here to support and guide you through every stage of your Long Road application.

If you have any questions, please get in touch!

Heidi Hauser Director of Admissions

I HAVE A FEBRUARY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING

Admissions Officer

01223 63 1125

can be thrilling and a little

Thank you to everyone who has

daunting; so we hope that the

booked their Virtual Advice and

advice in this newsletter will

Guidance meeting for the 10th or

support you in preparing for your

11th February!

meeting.

meeting you and your

I WAS UNABLE TO BOOK A FEBRUARY MEETING

Parent/Carers. To ensure that we

If you were unable to book a slot,

can have a meaningful

please do not worry. We are

conversation about your

holding additional Virtual Advice

individual goals and ambitions we

and Guidance Meetings on

require all meetings to take place

Monday 7th March 2022.

We are really looking forward to

with Julianna Sosnowska

We understand that this stage

cameras and microphones

on.

We will send out more detailed communication, after this first

All of our staff are equally highly trained and experienced team members able to discuss your post-16 options in detail.

round of meetings have taken place, directly to any applicants that are affected.

If you have any questions or admissions@longroad.ac.uk

On the day, it is important to log

worries please email us on

on to the system at least 15

admissions@longroad.ac.uk

minutes in advance of your meeting to make sure that you

Best wishes,

are ready when it begins

Long Road Admissions Team

YOUR APPLICATION TIMELINE Your application timeline will help you keep track of where you are in the admissions process and keep you informed of what happens next.

Look for the arrow location to see where we are in the process!

OCTOBER 2021

SPRING & SUMMER 2022

Applications Open

Guidance Meetings & Conditional Offer Discuss your options with an experienced member of staff. You'll receive a formal offer via your Long Road Online Services account shortly after your Guidance Meeting.

JANUARY 2022 Applications Close.

Applications made after the deadline may be placed on a waiting list

7 & 8 JULY 2022 Welcome Days & Summer Work Spend the day as a Long Road student; try out your subjects & get a taste of Long

25 AUGUST 2022 GCSE Results Day

Road life. Summer work will be available online & must be completed for your first lesson at college.

Good luck! We're keeping our fingers crossed for you

LATE AUGUST 2022 New Student Enrolment Welcome to the Long Road family!

EARLY SEPTEMBER 2022 Start of Academic Year 2022/2023 Time to start your Long Road life!

YOU MAY BE ASKED QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO:

PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING

Why have you chosen this course?

Do you have any career aims or future plans?

What are your hobbies and interests?

What are your subject

Applying for Sixth Form

know us – to get a feel of

College is some serious

what Long Road is like and to

business, but there’s no need

ask any questions you might

to be nervous. By inviting you

have about college life.

to an Advice & Guidance Meeting we can give you the

Still a bit nervous? Don’t

best possible support on

worry, that’s completely

choosing your college, your

normal. To help make the

courses and your future

process as stress-free as

career paths!

possible we’ve put together

strengths/likes and weaknesses/dislikes?

this guide so you know what The most important thing to remember is to

just be

Are there any

yourself .

personal issues or

catch you out or ask you trick

difficulties that may affect your studies?

prepare.

We aren’t trying to

questions, we just want to get to know

to expect and how to

you .

By getting to

WHAT TO EXPECT – GETTING CAMERA READY! Our friendly staff are really

know you as an individual we

excited to meet you and want to

can give you tailored advice

engage with you as much as

about the college and the

possible, so please make sure you

courses you want to study. It

turn your camera and microphone

is also your chance to get to

on.

PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING To give you a high-quality virtual experience we need to be able to see and hear you;

VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING PREPARATION CHECK LIST:

KEY INFO All communication with Long Road will be via your My Long Road account.

Please ensure you check your emails (including spam folders) regularly.

this means we can have a meaningful discussion about

Allow yourself plenty of

your aims and ambitions.

time to set up your device.

Make sure you have

For all meetings you must take

enough battery power, you

some time to consider your

have no scheduled

behaviour, for example, you

updates and that your

must dress appropriately so

camera and microphone

you feel comfortable,

are working.

confident and professional.

Consider your background;

Virtual meetings are no

you may wish to remove

different.

personal items or put away that pile of washing!

To make things easier for you

Background noise can be

we have listed some

extremely distracting for

additional considerations for

you and the interviewer.

virtual meetings that you may

Find a quiet, well-lit room

wish to think about.

to attend your meeting so the interviewer can see and hear you clearly.

Don't forget to update us with any contact detail changes in order to continue to receive important information regarding your application.

SETTING UP YOUR IT EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED: A device with a microphone

PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING

and speaker / headphones.

A compatible up-to-date web browser: iPhone/iPad = Safari or

Note: there is a known issue joining video calls using iOS 14.2. Please upgrade any iOS 14.2 devices to iOS 14.3, or use a different device Chrome.

Android = Chrome or Firefox Windows = Chrome,

WHAT HAPPENS DURING MY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING?

Are there any personal issues or difficulties that may affect your studies?

Our Advice & Guidance Meetings are informal discussions, lasting 20-30

You may be given information on:

minutes, between you and a

Entry requirements for your

member of our experienced

chosen courses

staff; parents/carers are

Information on your chosen

encouraged to attend with

courses

you if possible.

College expectations of behaviour and attendance

You may be asked questions similar to:

Our student support service Our student enrichment

Why have you chosen this

activities

Firefox or Microsoft

course?

The Long Road Scholars’

Edge

Do you have any career

Award.

Mac = Safari, Chrome or

aims or future plans?

Firefox

What are your hobbies and

Linux = Chrome or

interests?

Firefox

What are your subject strengths/likes and weaknesses/dislikes?

PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING

SETTING UP YOUR IT EQUIPMENT WE RECOMMEND: Using a smartphone for video calls. If you don't have

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING?

During the summer term, information about Long Road,

a smartphone with a frontfacing camera, use of

including your enrolment

laptop or computer with a

Your interviewer will update

interview date/time, will be

webcam.

your MyLongRoad account

emailed to you.

with your chosen courses and conditional offer. You will be sent an email about an update to your MyLongRoad

Using a headset (or

All communication with Long Road will be via your MyLongRoad account.

account; this update will detail your conditional offer.

Please ensure you check your

Once you have received this

emails (including spam

email you need to log into

folders) regularly and update

MyLongRoad to accept the

us with any contact detail

offer.

changes in order to receive important information

Remember you can accept and hold a number of offers from different post-16 providers until you receive your GCSE results in August.

regarding your application.

earphones with a microphone) to reduce echo.

LUCY Secondary School:

MEET SCHOLAR STUDENT, LUCY

Stratton Upper School

Year 1 Student

Studying: French A Level Media A Level Photography A Level

Progression Goals:

I chose to study at Long Road as

speaking country (through Long

even though the Open Evening

Road or on my own) as it would

was online due to COVID, the

help a lot with my French A-Level

college seemed to have a really

and would be a great experience

warm and welcoming

for me.

environment. Long Road offered French as an A-Level whereas my

My favourite thing about Long

secondary school did not, also,

Road so far is the people. I have

everybody was very friendly and

made so many friends and

these were all important factors

everybody is really kind and

for me.

approachable. I also like how independent you have to be at

Gap year, then University

Click here to apply for the Long Road Scholars Award today!

I chose to apply for the Scholars'

Long Road as it was a big change

Award because it’s a great

from secondary school, but I have

opportunity to share my views

enjoyed this new challenge.

and contribute to the college. I was not expecting to be chosen

I would encourage Year 11s to

but I am very grateful that I have

apply to Long Road as it is a

been, and it gave me a great

great opportunity to become

sense of achievement so I would

more independent, find new

encourage all Year 11s to apply. I

interests and meet new people.

plan on spending my money on a trip to France or a French

YOU'LL RECEIVE: Ongoing individual

STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES

and personal support on how to achieve at college and get the most out of your time with us.

Help creating your own personal

We know that moving from school

and succeed in your academic

to college is a big change: a new

and career goals.

campus, new faces and a new level of independence. To make

Ongoing individual support from

sure you feel at home you will be

your Progress Coach means they

assigned a Progress Coach, a

will continuously oversee your

dedicated member of staff who

academic progress, updating you

will help and support you as you

and your family on your

settle into Long Road life.

achievements.

Working together with you and

Using this information, you and

your family from the moment you

your Progress Coach will work

join our Long Road community

together to create your own

they will ensure a smooth

learning plan so you can identify

transition to college life. Your

your strengths and clearly see

Progress Coach will be on hand

what you need to achieve and

to guide you, helping you to stay

monitor your own academic

on target and reach your goals.

performance.

progression plan, with advice on careers, apprenticeships and university pathways.

Working closely with you and your teachers they will help you to plan and achieve your next steps, supporting you as you aim high

STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES

YOU'LL RECEIVE: Support with time management and study techniques.

Your Progress Coach will be your

For parents, your child's Progress

main point of contact throughout

Coach is also your key point of

your time at college. You will

contact for the college. If you

attend group tutorials which will

ever have any worries, questions

cover a range of different topics

or queries you can give them a

across the year; from helping you

call or an email to discuss this

to settle into college to helping to

and arrange a meeting if

prepare for your next steps and

necessary.

everything in between.

Although your child gains some As well as tutorials, your Progress

extra independence above what

Coach will schedule regular 1-to-1

they are used to at school, we still

meetings to discuss your

keep you regularly updated. You

academic progress and wellbeing

will receive weekly attendance

with you and put action plans in

reports from us and the Progress

place to make sure you stay on

Coach will be in touch with you to

the path to success. You can also

let you know about any concerns

book additional meetings with

we have, but also of any

your Progress Coach, or drop in

outstanding achievements - that's

and see them, at any point during

that part of the job we really

the college day if you feel you

enjoy!

would benefit from talking to them.

Guidance on building your own learning plan so you can see what you need to achieve and how to monitor your progress and performance.

FRENCH A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total students currently on course: 22

FRENCH A LEVEL You will being your studies by

Students who recently completed

looking at aspects of French-

their course are currently studying

speaking society including current

Language, Culture and

trends; artistic culture in the

Communication at Warwick

French-speaking world and study

University, History, Literature and

one feature film.

Culture at Brighton, and French

Current average class size:

and Linguistics at York University.

You will then explore current

including positive features of a

SOPHIE Year 2 Student

diverse society; how criminals are

"I came to Long Road to study in

treated; aspects of political life

a new and different environment

such as teenagers right to vote

and took French because I would

and immigration, and study one

like to have the opportunity to

literary work.

work in a French-speaking

issues in French-speaking society

11

Exam Board: AQA

country.

Assessment: 100% Exam

You will undertake an individual oral research project on a subject

I love the variety and details of

or a key question which is of

the topics we cover."

interest to them and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken.

ENGLISH LITERATURE A LEVEL You will start your studies by focusing on the literary genre of The Supernatural; learning to

ALEX BENTLEY Long Road Class of 2020 University of Liverpool

ENGLISH LITERATURE A LEVEL: KEY INFO

identify and comment on writers' uses and effects of language,

Alex joined Long Road from

form and structure to link this to

Comberton Village College in

relevant aspects of context. The

2018 and went on to achieve a

books we currently study are:

fantastic set of results with A's in

Dracula (Bram Stoker), The Little

English Literature and History as

Stranger (Sarah Waters), A

well as an A* in Sociology!

Streetcar Named Desire (Tennessee Williams), Poems of

Alex is now studying BA English

the Decade (Forward poetry

Literature at the University of

anthology 2001-2010).

Liverpool.

You will study as Shakespeare

"The best thing about studying at

play, considering the genre of

Long Road was the capacity

dramatic tragedy. You will also

given to study in your own unique

have the opportunity to choose

way and not to be judged for

two texts from any genre to write

that, but instead encouraged."

Total students currently on course: 92

Current average class size: 15

Exam Board: Edexcel

Assessment:

a comparative essay. The books we currently study are: Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare), either The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale (Chaucer) or Selected Poems of Christina Rossetti.

20% Coursework 80% Exam

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total number of current students: 152

ENGLISH STUDENTS VISIT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Students from both our English

Engagement, encouraged

courses accompanied staff to an

students to make the most out of

insightful and entertaining visit at

engagement with employers,

Cambridge University Press last

including insights into future

year.

Apprenticeship opportunities at Cambridge University Press.

Current average class size: 19

The morning trip was actionpacked, with a tour of their site

Our students found the day

(including a fascinating look at

interesting and engaging, with a

their in-house museum!), plus a

number commenting upon how it

short Masterclass on how to

really felt that it helped them to

create an excellent CV.

think about their next steps after

Exam Board: Eduqas

Assessment: 20% Coursework 80% Exam

college. Meanwhile, two students There was also a carousel of

actually arranged to return, one

employees who each met with

to experience a mock interview,

our students to give them a quick

whilst another is now very keen on

insight into the different

applying for a future

departments they work in, as well

apprenticeship for the company.

as their career journey within CUP. Finally, a talk by Heidi Mulvey, Head of Community

RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS A LEVEL Religion (Buddhism): you will

as utilitarianism and natural law,

examine Buddhist teachings and

the meaning and purpose of

beliefs; different schools of

ethical language, and topics in

Buddhism such as Theravada,

applied ethics such as sexual

Mahayana, Zen and Triratna;

ethics, animal rights, nuclear

Buddhist values and ethics; key

deterrence and medical ethics.

RELGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS A LEVEL KEY INFO: Total students currently on course: 47

figures in modern and ancient Buddhism, important texts and Buddhist practices.

CHARLOTTE (YEAR 2 STUDENT) "Ethics was my favourite subject

Current average class size:

at GCSE and the A-Level course

Philosophy of religion: you will

has not let me down. Really

consider arguments for the

interesting course and a

existence of God; the problems

worthwhile qualification to aim

of evil and suffering; the nature

toward."

15

Exam Board: Eduqas

and influence of religious experience; philosophical analysis

CHRISTINA (YEAR 2 STUDENT)

of religious language; beliefs

“I’m interested in people and

about life after death;

society, and the Ethics part of the

psychological and atheistic view

course sounded interesting.

of religion as well as debates

Buddhism was new and different

between religion and science.

to anything I’d done before. The course makes you look at things in

Ethics: You will study religious

a different way and be more

and secular ethical theories such

considerate of other viewpoints.”

Assessment: 100% Exam

HISTORY A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total students currently on

HISTORY A LEVEL All students will begin the course by studying the events of the

course: 200

Current average class size: 18

Exam Board: AQA

Assessment: 20% Coursework 80% Exam

English Civil War; focusing on King

JASMINE HUNT Long Road Class of 2017 University of Glasgow

James I and King Charles I between 1603 - 1649. In Year 2

"I wanted to study my A levels in a

this will be recapped and

place which specialised in the

followed by the study of

final years of your school

Cromwell's Republic and the

education. I wanted to go to a

restoration of the monarchy,

place where people were going

focusing on the time period

because they wanted to get

1649-1702.

something out of it, rather than just continuing education for the

Students have the option to study

sake of it. At Long Road, the

either the Russian Revolution

environment was always very

1917-1929; exploring Stalin's rise to

welcoming and the fact that we

power, or The Weimar Republic

called teachers by their first

1918-19333; exploring the rise of

names felt like a barrier had been

Nazi Germany.

taken down in order to enable clearer communication.

Your studies will end with a

Long Road allowed me to explore

coursework assessment on the

my interests without external

struggle for black civil rights in

interferences. I felt that it was the

American 1865-1968.

perfect environment to ground myself and become more comfortable within myself, academically and personally."

SPANISH A LEVEL Modern Languages provide

You will also undertake an

enjoyable and useful lifelong

individual oral research project

skills. Whether used at work or for

on a subject or a key question

leisure purposes, they open up

which is of interest to them and

new avenues of communication

which relates to a country or

and encourage a broader cultural

countries where Spanish is

understanding.

spoken.

speaking skills, you will have

RUBEN Year 2 Student

regular access to interactive

"I wanted to study a foreign

online resources and regular

language because it’s a good

To improve your listening and

opportunities for speaking

subject to have on your CV. It’s

practice. Almost all teaching will

an invaluable skill, and Spanish is

be in Spanish.

spoken in many countries. The

SPANISH A LEVEL KEY INFO: Total students currently on course: 29

Current average class size: 14

Exam Board: AQA

small class-size means that You will study aspects of Hispanic society including current trends; artistic culture in the Hispanic world and study one feature film. You will explore current issues in Hispanic society including immigration; racism; aspects of political life such as monarchies and dictatorships, and study one literary work.

everyone gets on well.”

Assessment: 100% Exam

FEBRUARY EDITION: VOL. 2

#LongRoadLife LONG ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE APPLICANT NEWSLETTER

help@longroad.ac.uk 01223 63 1125

www.longroad.ac.uk

Long Road Sixth Form College @LR6FC @lr6fc Long Road Sixth Form College