A Fond Farewell to a Fantastic Bunch!
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A World of challenge, inspiration and achievement. A Fond Farewell to a Fantastic Bunch! With the passing on of yet an- -the Gifted and Talented Acad- students in finding the best path other Year 13 cohort it is always emy, sporting bursaries and for them and equipping them time to take stock and review other forms of support for stu- with the skills to seize the op- the achievements and the dents aiming to achieve both portunities that their hard work growth of the Sixth Form here within and outside the school. brings them. at Highcliffe over recent years. There can be no doubt that this Academically results continue to On the careers side just in the has been the most successful 12 improve year on year both in last 12 months there have been months for 16+ provision at the average points per student and careers mornings, future path- school: per examination. This year in ways days, visits to Higher Edu- -the improvement in academic the January round of examina- cation conferences, targeted performance and range of sub- tions over 60 students were work experience (both in the UK ject choice offered, awarded special certificates for and abroad), the Connexions – the continuing growth in the achieving marks of over 90% in interviews programme and size of the student body with its their AS/A2 examination papers. mock interviews. ever widening appeal to en- trants new to the school at Key This feeds Stage 5, through to -the continuing development of greater op- university and careers support portunities -the ballooning of the social and for the stu- enrichment programmes, dents when -the involvement of the Sixth they move Form students supporting oth- on and the ers throughout and beyond the school makes school sure that all -a more confident student necessary voice helping to set the direc- support is in tion for Highcliffe, place to aid “I believe in using what you have, instead of mourning for that which you do not. In thirty years time, I want to be able to look back at my youth and know that I used my talents fully: that I wasted nothing” A former Highcliffe Sixth Former Volume 9 Issue 5, July 2010 For those going through the uni- at times organise a range of mu- and Italy the Sixth Form have versity application process there sical and drama events. Others always been at the forefront. has been one-to-one support have been able to extend their given throughout the process. knowledge by being able to As a team we continue to look For those study sub- at how we can improve the ex- undertaking jects for perience for students in the the process sheer en- Sixth Form whether that be via of Oxbridge joyment, the support and activities given applications whether a above or even by such a simple consider- language thing as support with transport, able extra via the Twi- books and suchlike. support has light Lan- been given guages pro- We are proud of what we have - visits to gramme so far achieved in partnership confer- (Japanese, with the students, particularly in ences at Latin, Man- the cohort that we must now the Emir- darin, and bid farewell to with real expec- ates Stadium, a residential trip conversational European lan- tation of another record- to Oxford and Cambridge (the guages), Astronomy, Classical breaking year of examination current Year 12 cohort have Civilisation also proving popular. results for the Highcliffe Sixth been on this trip in the last Form. week), help with preparation for This year group in particular has the full range of admissions really grabbed the social side of We hope you enjoy looking in- tests. Additionally subject men- life, throwing themselves with side at just some of the activi- tors offering one-to-one sup- gusto into the activities offered ties and achievements of the port and detailed mock inter- by the Sixth Form and individual group this year. For the Year 13 views. This has proved success- subject areas. students we hope that you have ful in a number of cases as the enjoyed your experience in the school builds a strong Oxbridge Whether it be activity trips to Sixth Form and look back on it, tradition and former students Calshot/Rockley Park, social and and us with fondness in the way are being pulled in to give cur- charity events, ski/ that we will you. rent students the benefit of snowboarding in America, ex- their experience. change programmes and visit Mrs Karanja & the opportunities in India, Japan, Sixth Form LeadershipTeam Life at Highcliffe for the Sixth France, Poland, Spain, Prague Form students is about more than their main academic study. This year’s students have been able to pursue a range of other interests through the enrich- ment programme. In the physi- cal area this is via the develop- ment of a sporting interest via the Water Sports Academy, bringing that into the commu- nity as part of the Dance and Sports Community Leaders Award programmes or simply partaking in organised sporting activities. Creative types have been able to not only take part in but also Supporting Oxbridge Aspirants In a previous issue we have Way back in April 2009 we went to brought you the news of the suc- the Thomas Hardye School in Dor- Earlier this year we went on a trip cessful university applications and chester for an Oxbridge conference. to the United Emirates Stadium, actual experiences of past stu- Representatives from both Oxford this event was considerably bigger dents, not least of which be- and as a result we had a lot ing that of Emma Fisher (who more freedom, there were a has promised to send us an variety of sessions from gen- update of her first year of eral application sessions to medical school at Oxford individual subject sessions and University as soon as she gets from these we could pick and those pesky end of year ex- choose so as to get the most ams out of the way.) out of the day. The day was very useful and we all left Lon- As the Sixth Form team we don filled to the eyeballs with have been using the feedback information. we have been getting from past students to improve the The last trip out for Oxbridge support we can give to cur- applicants is, at the time of rent students embarking writing, yet to come. We are upon the application process. The and Cambridge and in many ways it travelling up to Oxford, Staying at report below from a Year 12 stu- was the first taster of the ordeal we Keble College, Visiting the Oxford dent shows this in action. were in for. Before going we had no open day and then travelling to idea of all the little added extras Cambridge, staying at Churchill ‘Applying to Oxbridge is a shock- that you have to do to apply to the college and visiting the Cambridge ingly daunting task. Everything is Oxbridge colleges. This first trip open day. This trip should be infor- different, different closing dates, was in many ways very useful for mative as well as a fun trip out. different requirements, different that exact reason; it gave us an After that its “Let the Personal exams the list goes on. Thankfully idea of what we were in for, so Statement tweaking begin”. however we have had support, ad- that, when the time came it didn’t vice and trips along the way. catch us completely unaware. Report by Steven Hutt’ Developing an Oxbridge Tradition Exceptional news recently in is that two of the Year 13 cohort have been successful in their Oxbridge applications. Ryan Flanagan will be reading Mathematics at Balliol College Oxford. Beth Waters will be reading English at New College Oxford. Well done to both of them, as well as the staff who supported them both with their applications and with their subject studies. Year 13 Leavers’ Book Quotes: How was it for you? ‘My time at Highcliffe was simply some of the best years of my life, and the thought of continuing without it makes me really, really sad.’ ‘Highcliffe Sixth Form has been amazing…the trips have made it a phenomenal experience. I would like to thank all the teachers for their support over the last two years.’ ‘Over these two years Highcliffe Sixth Form has given me everything I could have wanted from an educational establishment. I have travelled across continents to Chennai and Prague, I have experienced the world’s greatest universities, I have been challenged to my limit in lessons, debate club and meeting some of the best people in the world.’ ‘If Sixth Form has taught me anything, it has taught me that working hard has a pay-off.’ ‘I must say I have really enjoyed my time at Highcliffe Sixth Form, great bunch of people and the support given to me was really helpful.’ ‘My two years at Highcliffe Sixth Form have been intense, tiring and stressful. But would I do it again? In a flash! I learnt so much, outside the classroom as well as in. I’ve learnt just how difficult A-Levels are, but that they, like pretty much anything in life can be conquered with good friends beside you.’ ‘I’ve come to realize how lucky we are to be given opportunities like those Highcliffe offers and that you have to seize those opportunities with both hands before they pass you by.’ ‘I will always look back at my time here at Highcliffe and smile…’ ‘I am very grateful to Highcliffe for all the opportunities and experiences.