Sixth Form Newsletter 19th March 2018

Head of Sixth Form’s Welcome

This week we hosted the very first INA Careers Fair. Students were able to hear from speakers from a wide range of careers and practise their networking skills. A huge thank you to all of our guests and Ms Beled for organising such a fantastic event. On Thursday we are hosting a Student Finance talk for students, parents and carers with guest speakers from the University of Hertfordshire. We look forward to seeing you all there!

This week we will be emailing all parents a link to our parent questionnaire. This is in a survey monkey format and should Key Dates be quite quick and simple to complete online. Please could I ask that parents complete one per parent (not one per child). If, however, you have a child 22nd March - Finance Information Evening in the secondary and child in the primary, please do complete one of each (6pm-7pm) as the two questionnaires are different in places. We very much appreciate rd you taking the time to give us feedback; it is invaluable to us in ensuring 23 March - Year 12 Geography Field Trip that we keep abreast of your views and experiences and respond to your 26th March - Year 7 Progress Meetings reflections on what we could do better. If you have any problems accessing (school finishes at 1:15pm for Year 12 students) the questionnaire, or require a printed version, please contact Sam Jones via [email protected]. Surveys are to be completed 29th March - End of Term by Monday 26th March 2018. 16th April - Summer Term Begins

18th April - UCAS With best wishes,

Sugra Alibhai Vice Principal and Head of Sixth Form

Redbridge Evolving Youth Leadership Project Written by Amir, Year 12

For the past six months, I was privileged to be part of the Redbridge Evolving Youth leadership project. To be involved in this programme, I had to submit an application and undertake an interview. The aim of the project is to teach life skills and to contribute to the community through volunteering.

We met weekly and had lectures and debates on the current issues relevant to today’s society such as the rise of terrorist groups and the development of political parties in the UK.

During the February Half-term, I attended a three-day residential at Warwick University. We had the opportunity to listen to guest speakers and participate in debates on subjects such and politics, terrorism, law, and history. Sports activities were also available and on one night we had a formal dinner.

To conclude the programme, we had a presentation evening on the 8th March at City Hall in London. It was a great event where we listened to our project leaders talk about the enthusiasm and commitment shown on the programmes. Finally, Keith Prince, London Assembly member in City Hall, presented us with our certificates.

Overall this programme was a fantastic opportunity to meet new friends, gain independence by going to Warwick for 3 days, and also knowledge on community outreach. I will continue to look out for opportunities to serve Redbridge and am now on a register to be informed of potential activities: I look forward to using what I have learnt to the benefit of my community in the future. Finance Information Evening 22nd March 2018 6pm-7pm

On Thursday 22nd March, INA will be hosting a Finance Information Evening for all Year 12 Parents. The meeting aims to inform parents of financial processes that will affect students as they progress into Higher Education.

The Univeristy of Hertfordshire will be attending the evening as our guest speaker. As well as talking about specific opportunities relevant to the university, they will be address some of the following topics:

• Tuition loans and Maintenance loans and when these are received

• When to start applying for the loans

• Deadlines to apply for the loans

• Examples of amounts students can receive

• Examples of what students pay back once in work

• Bursaries and scholarships at University of Hertfordshire

• Websites to visit and apply through My Education Journey... Q&A with Ms Chamberlain, Finance & Resources Director

Q: Which A levels did you study and why? A: I didn’t do A levels– I did a BTEC National Diploma in Business Studies at College. When I was at school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do but it was appealing to do something vocational at that point in my life.

Q: So after college, what did you do? A: I got a job with the local authority and went on to a day release course to complete a BTEC Higher National Certificate in Public Administration. That took two years. Soon after that, I decided to do an Open University Professional Certificate in Management, which took about a year – working full-time throughout.

Overall, I worked for different Local Authorities for about 15 years, and I have now been in schools for about 15 years.

Q: How did that move into schools come about? A: From early on, I worked in the education sector with the Local Authorities – liaising a lot with schools, so I thought it might be nice to move into a school environment. I became one of the first School Business Managers in Waltham Forest.

Soon after I started, the Government launched the new School Business Management qualifications and they funded the studies for this. So, first I did a Certificate in School Business Management and I went on to do the Diploma after that.

Later, the opportunity came up to do a degree in School Business Management at Manchester Metropolitan which I then completed (with 1st class honours) in 2010.

Q: Was it strange being a student when you were older and had a child to look after? A: No, because most of the people I was studying with were also mature students, and had been working in school business for a while.

Q: Could you still get involved in the social side of university life? A: We had a satellite cohort that met in Northampton. We had residentials there – with lectures say over two days – but most of it was self-study. There were no exams but we had assessed assignments and then a 10,000 word dissertation. So, no, the social side of uni life wasn’t the same as if we were full-time, but we still made great friends through our course. Your whole mind-set is different when you come into a degree course later in life, so it was nice to have fellow-students who shared that attitude.

Q: What was the best thing about doing that course at that university? A: It was so relevant to my work and I did so much better than I would have done at 18.

Q: Is there a decision you made that you are particularly happy about in retrospect? A: I definitely think that the decision to continue studying has been the right one. I chose to have ambition and do what I needed to do in order to fulfil it. When you really love what you are studying it makes a difference to how you view your studies – you don’t find doing the work a chore. Also, doing a professional qualification later in life is great because it’s all relevant to your everyday work.

Q: What would you want the INA Sixth Form students to take away from your experience? A: From doing my dissertation, I would say: don’t get overwhelmed when faced with major tasks. You just need to plan properly; break a task down into chunks; and tackle it logically. And from my over-all experience of life-long learning, I would want them to know that it’s never too late to make a choice in your life that is going to help you fulfil your dreams. Year 12 Careers Fair 13th March 2018

Organised by Ms Beled, the first INA Sixth Form Careers Fair took place on Tuesday 13th March as part of the Speakers Programme. The afternoon began with each of the participating guests giving us a short introduction to their work and the path that led them there, sometimes with brief points about the aspects of their jobs they regard as attractive and also the drawbacks; as well as some misconceptions around their jobs. The guests were:

Sharif Darwish – Doctor (New York) • Graduated from UCL and worked in the NHS in the UK before moving to New York to specialise in trauma surgery.

Myth to dispel: You will automatically be rich just because you’re a doctor. Not true. Pros: Varied and very rewarding work. Life-long learning. Cons: Very long and anti-social hours – working nights and holidays. Challenging work which demands a lot of sacrifices.

Sibel Beled – Associate Lawyer at Pinsent Masons • Works for one of the biggest law firms in the EMEA region. • Studied Law at Kings College London • Pinsent Masons – a full service international law firm with offices across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia

Myth to dispel: You have to have a Law degree to work as a lawyer. Not true, 50% of people working in Law have an undergraduate degree in a non-Law subject. Pros: You’re always learning. It’s stimulating work, with no two days the same. You get to work on high-value projects. Cons: Very hard work and long hours.

Asif Farhad – Senior Associate at PWC • Works for one of the Big 4 accountancy firms • Studied Economics at Queen Mary University of London • Began in auditing but found this uninteresting so switched to valuations.

Myth to dispel: You have to have a degree in Accountancy to work as an accounting. Not true – you can have done a degree in almost any subject. Pros: Flexible hours. No two days are the same. Interesting projects. Cons: The exams to qualify you as a chartered accountant are extremely challenging. Accountants work long hours and, in a big company like PWC, can be anonymous.

Lamia Hafiz – Advertising and Partnerships Executive • Works in Marketing and Advertising, worked for The Walt Disney Company and was re-employed there after a break. • Did a sandwich course at university which she strongly recommends as work experience is becoming increasingly essential when applying for jobs.

Kaya Ismail - Founder of Wordify, a Content Marketing Agency • Left university 3 months into an Architecture course because he realised it wasn’t for him. • A business owner based in London, works from home with clients from all over the world • Writes blogs, white papers and website content specific to business software Key advice: Kaya started businesses that failed but he learnt from each project and now uses what he has learnt to be successful. Being an entrepreneur is hard work, but working for yourself can be very satisfying.

Ahmad Zein – Contract Administrator at Thames Tideway • Degree in Business Economics. • Began work in a bank but then switched to construction. • Previously worked for Mace – an international consultancy and construction company • Now works as a Contracts Administrator, managing Thames Tideway’s contracts (i.e. procuring services, monitoring performance and resolving disputes). • Currently working on a £1bn project to clean the Thames and ensure it is not polluted by sewage in the future. Pros: Flexible working hours and (potentially) short days. Sarah Ksiyer – Software Engineer at FICO • A software developer keen to get more women in the field. • Studied Mathematics and Computing – chose joint honours degree because she couldn’t decide between the two and wanted variety with challenge. • Now works for FICO – an American finance company that were the creators of credit scoring.

Manny Sa’adu – Financial Services Contractor at Momenta Operations and Managing Director/Co-Founder at Elite Sports Agency • Studied Law with Human Geography, worked in finance and then started his own company. • Football has always been a big part of his life – he followed his passion by playing, coaching and now representing players. • Currently manages his own sports management company, working with young, talented football players and other athletes from the UK and around the world. Key advice: Find something you are passionate about and pursue it.

For the second part of the event, the speakers and students went into the Common Room where the students were able to talk to the speakers in small groups. It was terrific to see the students so engaged and enthusiastic. We are massively grateful to all the guests who took time out of their work-schedules to talk to us and share their knowledge and experience.

A huge thank you and well done to Ms Beled for putting together such an interesting, useful and well-organised event! Sixth Form Transition Day

Tuesday 3rd July

All Sixth Form applicants are expected to attend the INA Sixth Form Transition Day on Tuesday 3rd July.

We have organised a series of taster lessons, ice breakers and information sessions for students. We hope that the transition day will provide you with ample information and preparation for joining the INA Sixth Form.

Isaac Newton Academy, 1 Cricklefield Place, Ilford, IG1 1FY The next University-wide Open Days for undergraduates will be held on Wednesday 27 June, Thursday 28 June and Friday 14 September. Students, parents and teachers are invited to spend a whole day in Oxford, attending events, talking to staff and students and getting answers to any questions which remain after examining prospectuses and websites. Click here for more information.

Building and Dwelling: ethics for the city

Tuesday 20 March 2018 6:30pm to 8:00pm Hosted by the LSE Cities

To celebrate the launch of his new book, Richard Sennett, Professor of Sociology at LSE draws on his intimate engagement with city life to form a bold and original vision for the future of cities.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket or pre-registration required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

Click here for more details.

The electricity of life 7.00pm to 8.30pm, Wednesday 21 March

Electricity plays a vital role in our bodies, from neurons in our brain to nerves in our feet. But how does our body create electricity, how was it discovered and what clues can our understanding of electricity give us to help cure disease? Join Phil Ball and an expert panel for an electrifying evening of discussion.

Concession £10 Ri Members £7

Click here for further information. Radical Arab Nationalism and Political Islam 21 March 2018, 6-7:30 PM

A lecture focusing on the two political ideologies that are both twins and rivals: Radical Arab Nationalism and Islamism. Radical Arab Nationalism was triumphant since it took over in the 1950’s and 1960’s in Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Syria, Yemen and Libya, until it was weakened by the June 1967 military defeat and more importantly by its incapacity to develop the economy. The bloody conflict in Algeria (1992-2000), the fall of Mubarak in Egypt, the collapse of Kadhafi’s Libyan régime and the more recent destruction of Syria, illustrate the blatant failure of régimes which had promised economic modernisation and social emancipation. Why did the Arab populist régimes, despite the popular support they enjoyed in the 1950’s and 1960’s, fail to develop the Arab countries as they promised? Will Political Islam do better if it takes over the State? Click here to find out more.

Changing tastes: the effects of eating out 21 March 2018 6-8pm

This talk examines the effects of increases over recent decades in the habit of eating out. I explore how eating out has been affected by, but also how it mediates, the impact of major social, cultural and economic changes. The focus is on the forces of globalisation, commodification and aestheticisation and their counter tendencies. I illustrate the talk with detailed evidence from a re-study of eating out in three English cities. In 1995 a survey and some interviews were conducted. These were repeated in 2015, allowing for systematic assessment of change over a 20 year period. By examining how eating out in restaurants and the homes of family and friends has changed – how manners, menus, companionship and mobility have evolved – I assess the overall impact of fundamental cultural and structural shifts on taste and the practice of eating. The talk will also address issues of method and of explanation of taste. Click here to find out more.

The Great Economists: how their ideas can help us today Monday 09 April 2018 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Linda Yueh will discuss her new book that helps us to think about the biggest economic challenges of our time by drawing on the ideas of the great economists whose thinking has already changed the world.

Linda Yueh (@lindayueh) is a Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University, Adjunct Professor of Economics at London Business School, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE IDEAS

Read more here. ‘Design and implementation of de novo biosynthetic cascades’ 28 March 2018, 4-5pm

The combination of sequential biocatalytic reactions in non-natural synthetic cascades is a rapidly de- veloping field and leads to the generation of complex valuable chemicals from simple precursors. As the toolbox of available biocatalysts continues to expand, so do the options for biocatalytic retrosynthesis of a target molecule, leading to new routes employing enzymatic transformations. The implementation of such cascade reactions requires careful consideration, particularly with respect to whether the pathway is constructed in vitro or in vivo. This lecture will showcase three successful de novo cascades and discuss the relative merits of in vitro, in vivoor hybrid approaches to building biocatalytic cascades and analytical challenges. Biocatalysts were obtained either directly from genomic libraries, or by re-design of enzyme activity to suit requires substrate specificity and selectivity. Click here for more details.

Your Universe UCL Festival of Astronomy and Particle Physics

Your Universe is an annual festival of astronomy and particle physics, aimed at school children and the general public. It is held every year in March and open to all who are interested.

Schedule • Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd daytime: Pre-booked Primary school groups (morning) and Secondary school groups (afternoon). • Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd evenings: Lectures and telescope observing (weather permitting) for the general public. • Saturday 24th: Exhibition 14:00-17:00 for schools and the general public, plus a lecture in the evening (18:00) and telescope observing (weather permitting)

Click here for more information.

Intimidation of candidates and others in public life 21 March 2018 - 18:00-19:30

In December the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) published its report on intimidation of parliamentary candidates and others in public life. Lord Bew, the chairman, and Jane Ramsey of CSPL will talk about the Committee’s recommendations, which are directed to government, social media companies, political parties, the police, broadcast and print media, as well as to MPs and candidates themselves. Sofia Collignon Delmar (Royal Holloway, University of London) from the Parliamentary Candidates UK team will talk about the impact on candidates, and potential candidates. The seminar will be chaired by Jennifer Hudson of the Constitution Unit, and leader of PCUK. Click here for more information. Yr 12 Oxford Physics Masterclass 14th April 2018 The Oxford Physics Masterclass is an event aimed at encouraging students to study Physics at university. The day aims to develop each student’s confidence and problem solving skills within physics by tackling a range of examples from idealised problems through to real-world situations. Students will be guided through the problem solving process, and will solve a range of unusual problems with help and guidance. More information about the event here: http://www2. physics.ox.ac.uk/events/2018/04/14/oxford-physics-masterclass

Yr 11/12, Oxford Materials Science Taster Days, Department of Materials, Oxford University 17th April 2018, The 2018 Oxford Materials Science Taster Days are now open for applications. These will run on 13th, 14th March and 17th April and are aimed at Yr11 and 12 students who are interested in physical sciences and/or would like to find out more about Materials Science at Oxford. Students need to be studying or intending to study maths and physics at A level (or equivalent). If you have any questions please contact the organiser at [email protected]. Further details and an application form can be found here.

Mathematical Institute, Department of Statistics & Department of Computer Science Open Days 2018 21st April and 28th April 2018 Bookings are now open for the Mathematical Institute Open Days on Saturday 21st and 28th April 2018. This is a fantastic opportunity for prospective applicants to see the Andrew Wiles Building, experience lectures by our academics, and chat to current undergraduates. Students can choose to spend the whole day at the Mathematical Institute (21st or 28th April) or the morning at the Mathematical Institute and the afternoon with the Department of Statistics (21st April). On the 28th April there will be an opportunity to attend a talk on Computer Science and Maths. A series of talks for parents run in the afternoon about finance and pastoral support. After the event colleges will be open to visitors. Booking is required and places are filling up fast, so to book a place and find out more about the programmes running on the two days visit www.maths.ox.ac.uk/open-days.

Yr 11-13, PROMYS Europe, Wadham College Oxford 15th July - 25th August 2018 PROMYS Europe is a partnership of PROMYS, Wadham College and the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford, and the Clay Mathematics Institute. It is a programme designed to encourage mathematically ambitious secondary school students to explore the creative world of mathematics. Competitively selected pre-university students from around Europe gather at Wadham College, Oxford for six weeks of rigorous mathematical activity. £1350 for six weeks accommodation, meals and tuition. Partial or full financial aid is available for those who need it. Closing Date for first-year student applications 18th March. www.promys-europe.org

Wadham College Open Days 2018 27th - 28th June 2018 and 14th September 2018 Wadham College looks forward to welcoming all prospective undergraduates to the University Open Days, which in 2018 will be held on Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th June, and Friday 14th September. On Open Days, all colleges and most departments open their doors to welcome those thinking of applying to Oxford. For more information visit: https://www.wadham.ox.ac.uk/students/open-days

Yr 12, Lumina Summer School, Harrow School 2nd - 4th July 2018 The Lumina Summer School is open to Year 12 pupils based in London, and aims to increase their awareness of the procedures and requirements involved in making an application to Oxford or Cambridge, as well as giving them exposure to subject material beyond the A level syllabus. This free three-day program involves talks from Oxbridge graduates, practice interviews and specialist course masterclasses. For more information or to register, email info@ luminacourse.org.uk

Yr 12 Higgs Hunter Research Project and Conference 25th and 26th June 2018 Students are invited to explore interesting collisions from the LHC’s ATLAS experiment, and in June there is a conference to present their findings at Oxford. There are 20 spaces available at the event and places will be allocated based upon their poster submission of their work analysing Higgs Hunter data, and a teacher reference. More information about the project can be found here: http://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/about-us/outreach/schools/higgs-hunter-analysis. Yr 10-12, The Oxford Scientist Schools Writing Competition

Deadline 27th April 2018 Calling all budding science writers in UK schools!

Are you currently a school, sixth form or college student in the UK in Year 10, Year 11 or Year 12 (or equivalent)? Are you fascinated by science and want to communicate it to those around you? Would you like to see your work published in the next issue of The Oxford Scientist AND win a £50 Amazon voucher?

If you answered YES to all of the above, then all you need to do is write a 700-word article about a “scientific discovery” of your choice by 27th April 2018. There are no right or wrong topic choices, so your article could discuss anything from early scientific discoveries such as Darwin’s theory of evolution, to more recent scientific discoveries such as the observation of gravitational waves.

Once you have written your article, you can upload it on our website at www.oxsci.org/schools/ Articles must be submitted by 27th April 2018. Articles will be judged by our panel of experts, and the winning article will be published in the next issue of The Oxford Scientist. The winning entrant will also receive a £50 Amazon voucher, sponsored by Oxford Sparks. The runners-up will have their articles featured on our website. If you have any questions about the competition, please email [email protected] .

Power of Podcasts! Many universities have their public lectures available online to access for free. These podcasts are a great way to learn more about a subject that you are interested in or to find out where your passions may lie.

Two examples are:

Ms Joy, our SFSC Supervisor, will be able to help with suggestions of where to look if you are interested in a specific field. It is highly recommend that you have an iTunes account as most universities offer access via iTunes U. Happy listening!

The Taster Course Programme provides Year 12 sixth form students with a taste of what life at a university in London is like. Through your chosen taster course you will experience the different teaching methods used by university academics and gain an insight into the additional facilities available, whilst meeting students from across the UK.

All our taster courses are free to attend and you can choose a course from a variety of subjects taking place at the numerous participating universities. Courses range from voice and drama, to medicine and nursing, to computing and business. Click here for more details. Industrial Cadets: Workplace experiences that develop employability skills in young people

A national industry-led accreditation designed to enhance workplace experiences for your people.

Each employer works with both the Industrial Cadets team and a flexible framework to decide how to deliver a structured programme of activities, including; site visits, presentations and talks, hands-on team tasks, workshops and project work. Once the activity has been successfully completed, young people taking part will then graduate as Industrial Cadets, becoming part of a national accreditation network.

Young people have the opportunity to get a unique insight into industry with Industrial Cadets. Skills and knowledge are built and enhanced whilst being mentored by industry role models.

Register here.

The Royal Institution hosts talks, short courses and workshops on different aspects of science. The talks/lectures can be quite costly to attend but you could become an RI member, which would give you huge discounts.

You can join as a ‘Young RI member’ for £29, if you are under 17, (it goes up to £39 for 18 – 25 year olds), membership benefits include: • Reduced price tickets for Ri talks • discounts on selected education workshops • welcome pack with experiments to try at home • bespoke emails packed with experiments to try at home • exclusive member offers throughout the year • 10% discount in the Ri Café • What’s on guide delivered straight to your door three times a year.

http://www.rigb.org/globals/join-support/become-an-ri-member

Kings college London offer a range of free evening lectures and on campus programmes for 6th form students to attend, independently.

For more information about these events, please click here.