Sixth Form Experience
Posted: 25th November 2020
Year 11 came into school on Thursday ready to sample what life will be like for them when they return next September as fully fledged St Catherine’s Sixth Formers. Following a talk from PC Simon, our friendly police liaison officer, that reminded them of the dangers and consequences of taking illegal drugs, the girls took part in a series of A Level taster lessons. This was an opportunity for them to gain a flavour of what Sixth Form lessons can be like, but also a chance to sample one of the fabled Private Study ‘free’ Periods in the Sixth Form Common Room.
In the middle of the day, the girls had a talk (via Zoom) from Audrey Tambudzai who spoke to them about the lies that we tell ourselves and how, if we are not careful, we can allow external influences to dictate who we are and what we become.
On Friday the girls listened to a talk from the University of Sussex that outlined some of the key aspects of university life and some of the things to keep in mind when choosing a degree course. We were also able to call upon some of our alumnae to share their experiences of university life and it was great for Year 11 to be able to see girls they had known speaking about the subject. I then introduced the girls to our new careers and university admissions platform: Unifrog. The girls enjoyed taking the personality quiz and then following this up with a careers library treasure hunt that helped them to familiarise themselves with the platform. The day was rounded off with the chance to quiz a panel of current Sixth Formers about what life was like in the Sixth Form here at St Catherine’s, followed by a liturgy and afternoon tea.
The aim of these two days was to get Year 11 thinking about their A Level, degree and career options and to add some context to their decisions and studies over the coming months by highlighting both what life is like as a Sixth Former, but also how interconnected these decisions can be. The important thing for Year 11 is to ensure they are talking about these decisions and making informed choices that reflect their interests, talents and ambitions.
