Aspire Achieve Giving and receiving inspirational lessons From the Headteacher for curious minds Dear Parents Will.i.am gives computer coding advice and primary school takes lesson from student I hope that all parents are as excited as I am to leaders read about our award for great examination results. Why coding matters Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo SSAT, the Schools, Students and Teachers brought coding to life for Network, recently undertook its annual in- computing and ICT depth analysis of official Department for students in a BBC live Education data on all state-funded schools in lesson. England and identified Highdown School and Will.i.am's coding mentor Sixth Form Centre’s success. The school has Lilly Kam explained some qualified for an SSAT Educational Outcomes key coding concepts; Award by being in the top 20% of non-selective Muki Kulhan, The Executive Digital Producer of The Voice, schools nationally for high average grades revealed the secrets behind the new Voice app, and code achieved by students. master Dr Sam Aaron showed how he could digitally remaster the closing music. Will.i.am, who started out with coding, The school has been invited to receive their explained how coding and digital creativity will become award at a regional celebration ceremony increasingly important in the future. During the Q&A session, hosted by SSAT at Holland Park School in remote viewers learnt how coders can earn £400 – 500 a day! London on 12 May. Collaborative learning Sue Williamson, Chief Executive of SSAT said: Highdown recognises the importance of developing leadership ‘Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre should and teamwork skills and instilling students with a sense of be congratulated for their exceptional community responsibility. Education in global citizenship is achievement. They have proved themselves to also vital: to instil respect for diversity and an understanding be leading the field in improving GCSE of different cultures. outcomes for their students. There is so much good practice that this school could share, and I hope they will join us at the celebration evening for the chance to network and share strategies with award-winning schools. These results are testament to the commitment and hard work of the students, teachers and leadership team at Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre, and show what can be achieved when skilled teachers have high expectations and ambition for every young person. I am proud that this Members of the student leadership council presented how school is a member of the SSAT network’. Chinese myths influence customs and festivals to Emmer Green Primary School. The Year 5 students had fun with an We are working hard with the examination art related project and the council demonstrated how the groups to make sure that 2015 achievement is theme is extended at Highdown with further cultural research equally great! and pottery making. The younger children received a Rachel Cave certificate and personalised feedback from Year 8 students. Sixth Form news Discovering sociology cultural understanding, research, communication, interpersonal, analytical and leadership skills. Sociology Do mobile phones make our lives more or less stressful? trains you to answer the ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ How do societies control love and marriage? Does the questions about human societies giving students a media contribute to ageism? strong intellectual background for careers in the professions or business. There are many employment Sociology investigates these types of questions and tries opportunities including marketing, administration, to make sense of human social behaviour. It explores health and welfare services, education, journalism, what makes people act the way they do, how groups of public relations, the police and research. people and societies are organised and how this affects each of us. The subject matter is diverse, fascinating and Finding out more relevant to everyday life ranging from key concepts such Whether you are a curious people watcher or are as power, gender, ethnicity and culture to topical issues thinking about studying sociology at A-level, open your such as the family, beliefs, education and crime. mind to the subject at www.britsoc.co.uk . Marketable skills ‘Studying sociology has helped me personally to By analysing and interpreting social life, sociology have the confidence to structure and write a strong develops qualities highly desirable to employers: a cross- academic essay, as well as to think critically.’ Emily Maybanks Sixth Former June 2012 The UCAS website has practical On 18 March 2015, Year 12 students attended the advice and timely information annual Thames Valley Higher Education Convention at for parents to help their son or Rivermead. This brought together 150 higher education daughter through the institutions and professional organisations together application process including a under one roof. It made a perfect opportunity to talk newsletter, interactive with uni representatives and hear first hand some great information tool and parent tips and advice in seminars- covering everything from blogs. www.ucas.com finance to student life. Careers guidance Insurance industry pledges to double skills, teamwork and an ability to work on their own the number of apprentices by 2018 initiative. How do we expect you to demonstrate these Steve White, CEO of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association skills? Tell us what your interests are and why you think you are suited to a role in insurance. Some basic Comment research about the sector and organisation goes a long Gavin Rennie Head of Corporate Responsibility, Prudential way here. Employing over 300,000 people, the insurance sector To find out about you as an individual we would invite makes a vital contribution to the UK economy offering you to an assessment centre. You will undergo group roles and opportunities across a wide range of exercises and a competence based interview. You business functions and specialisms. So how do you shouldn’t be scared of these, we try to make it fun and get into the industry? the best advice is to be yourself. An apprenticeship scheme is a great career choice for The real secret to success for competence based school leavers as it provides structured workplace interviews is to get involved in a variety of activities learning and a professional qualification whilst earning. and be able to tell us your stories when we ask you. Hard work and commitment are a must. You need to tell us what you have done rather than what you think you would do in any certain situation. There are a variety of careers including information For example, tell me about a time you worked as a part technology, customer services, marketing, retail and of a team. What was your role, what were you trying sales, communications and human resources. to achieve, what was the outcome? Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem. What was the What we look for in an applicant problem, what did you do, what was the hardest thing With a minimum of 5 GCSEs including Maths and to resolve? Think about these type of questions and English, we are looking for people who can have some real examples ready for interview. demonstrate good communication and organisational Find out more at www.pru.co.uk/careers/apprenticeship Staff spotlight Because of this, and important to pass this on to for science by making because I think education next generations, and I often reference to the latest is very important for our give talks to Highdown research where ever he children and for the whole Physics Students. can, for instance using society, I felt I should do stem cells in 3D printing to my bit to help the school build bones. Arrtu Rajantie in their fantastic work. Parent Governor A biology graduate, Rob As a member of the I enjoy the inside view to spent a year as a teaching Teaching and Learning school education I get as a assistant to gained Committee and one of governor, and in return I invaluable insight into two Curriculum Link hope that I can provide a Rob McConnell teaching. governors, I focus on useful perspective PGCE trainee ensuring the school through my own Studying towards a Post delivers a broad experience of working in Trainee teacher Rob Graduate Certificate in curriculum in line with higher education. McConnell is proving a hit Education (PGCE), Rob’s national priorities and with the students and knows time is split between local needs. I am Professor of he’s made the right decision practical teaching at Theoretical Physics at to go into teaching. When Highdown and training at Originally from Finland, I Imperial College London, asked ‘How does that work Oxford University. have been living in the UK where my research is in sir?’, Rob is encouraged to since 1998 and in Reading particle physics and have stirred curiosity with a Rob is thriving off since 2005. I have three cosmology. Rather than fun experiment. ‘Concepts Highdown’s lively children, the youngest of practical applications, its can be abstract, so it’s good community, phenomenal whom has only just main impact is better to bring in practicality to support and training from started primary school, so understanding of the ground ideas’. staff, and great bunch of I will have children at Universe and our place in students. Highdown for many years. Rob shares his enthusiasm it. I think is it very Literacy Students and staff celebrated World Book Day with oodles of activities across the week. The Year 9 Book Group shared favourite reads with all teachers and were joined by 6th formers at the Writing for Teenagers Conference at Leighton Park. Library fines and profits from book sales boosted international and Berkshire charities. The DO NOT READ THIS campaign challenged us to consider how impossible it is to not read, how ubiquitous literacy is in our everyday lives and raise awareness of world illiteracy.