The Kimberley School Newsletter October 2014 | Page 5
orm News
The 6th Form Subject
Mentoring Scheme
Another initiative to help Year 12
students to settle in, came from
an idea the current Year 13s had
of setting up a subject mentoring
scheme. Year 13 students have
been volunteering to meet with
Year 12 students, who take the
same subjects as them, so that
they can offer them advice on how
to be successful academically.
After-school events with subject
mentors meeting Year 12 students
(donuts and drinks provided!) have
been an opportunity for the two
year groups to mingle, as well as
for support to be offered and for
links to be established.
UCAS
The UCAS process is back in
action and three of our Year
13 students have already sent
their university applications out:
Laura Radford has applied to
study Ballet, Charlotte Watson to
study Psychology and Jen Brown
Biomedical Sciences. They’ve
worked hard on their applications
and we wish them the very best of
luck in gaining offers! 59 applications went off to universities last
year so, with 3 gone so far this
year we still have a way to go, but
at least a start has been made!
Meanwhile, students are continuing to attend Friday night UCAS
help sessions to work on perfecting their personal statements before submitting their applications.
Apprenticeships
A programme of opportunities is
also being offered to students who
want to apply for further training
and education instead of university.
So far, the students have received
a number of well-informed visitors.
Apprenticeship website ‘Future Talent’ representative, Gareth Mellor
was one. Another was ‘Ideas 4
Careers’ representative, Michelle
Powell, who explored a number
of career routes including apprenticeships, non-traditional routes
into university, entrepreneurial
options, volunteering and gap
years. Sam Artingstoll, an old
student of ours who left to take up
an apprenticeship with Boots, came
in last week to talk about the Boots
apprenticeship schemes. It’s a very
exciting time as our students begin
to research and explore their
options.
Other Visitors to School
Each Tuesday during Tutor Time,
we invite organisations to share
their knowledge and expertise
on subjects which we think are
informative
and
sometimes
essential for young people to be
aware of. This term some students
in the Sixth Form have already
been involved in Road Safety
Workshops, as well as hearing
from Helena Lings, a local
driving instructor, talking about
‘driver awareness’. On a different
topic, Kevin Bales from the Anthony
Nolan Trust has talked to Year 12
about Blood and Organ donation.
A past student, Matthew Dawkins,
who is studying to become a
barrister, came in to to talk to Year
13 students interested in studying
Law at university, about his
experience after leaving The
Kimberley School and studying
at law school. We have also had
student liaison representatives
from The University of Nottingham
visit and deliver supportive presentations to Year 13 regarding
writing personal statements for
UCAS applications, as well as
talking to Year 12 students about
the study skills necessary for
success at A level and beyond.
Open Evenings: Year
5/6 and Sixth Form
In the midst of all their hard work,
Sixth Form students have supported two of the biggest events in the
school calendar and we are very
grateful for this and very proud
of them too. Some studen