Welcome Back

Welcome back from work experience and from half term.  Upwards and onwards.  Clear the decks for coursework deadlines, so that you never, ever miss a class taking time to complete coursework.  Always, always meet the draftwork deadline so that you benefit from the marker's comments.  Think ahead to dates for orals, practicals, performances, exhibitions etc. and plan your work to meet the requirements of your own subjects.  The timetable for written examinations will be published on the website soon.

Year 14 Inspiration and Dark Days

Year 14 are armed with their mock results and are getting their personal action plans into gear. At this time of year your progress towards your dream may seem very long drawn out. Pace yourself. Investment in thorough and unhurried work at this stage will get the best value out of a bit of panic nearer the exams. This is also the time to take stock of your commitments outside your academic work. Definitely don't cut off your friends, give up the social life and the part time job, but make good decisions with your long term aim in view. Pull back on your hours of part time work if you don't want to stop completely. Think of the next few months as a failsafe investment. If you put in the work now, you will really look forward to mid June - it's not that far away - when you will be free of pressure, happily chilling out on holiday with your best work under your belt. If the prospect of the next few months fills you with panic, DON'T. Come and talk - all the usual suspects will have you as their top priority between now and June. Don't be afraid to ask for a piece of our time.

A Good Experience

Lots more work experience on the horizon. Some are heading off to Spain, and lots of interesting destinations more locally. A few have taken the decision to go at Easter when they can get themselves a more worthwhile placement. The main thing is to pace yourself and make sure that between now and May/June you organise yourself the right mix of academic work towards great grades, a worthwhile work experience, and some rest and relaxation. Aim high, and do the best for yourself.

French Inspiration

Terrific reports have come back about the students performance on their work experience in France. Leah, who went with them, could hear the accents sharpen up noticeably. She also found all the students a pleasure to travel with, full of enthusiasm and eagerness to make the most of the trip. Have a look at the French blog if you want to read more about how they got on.

Urgent bebo.MySpace check

There have been recent warnings in the press that both universities and employers now check the bebo/MySpace etc. sites of applicants, and have covered the stories of prospective students or employees who have been rejected on the basis of material on their site. When you were young, you probably thought social networking sites were private, and you probably thought that a bit of shock was just normal. It is essential that you check not only your current sites, but any that you had in the past where you may have put something daft which could be taken as offensive. During the years you have been growing up, the law has become progressively stronger in terms of projection for people bullied or humiliated online. Be particularly careful of stuff on your site which may have been meant as a spoof. You won't have a chance to explain if you simply aren't offered a place or offered a job. Take the chance for a spring clean.

New Careers Magazine

Have a look at the new careers magazine on this link http://www.videomags.net/magazines/xcel42 and visit the website http://www.xcel.uk.net/ Both offer access to articles on a wide range of courses, universities and careers.

Open Day Volunteers

Some of you have already volunteered to take part in Open Day within your subject department, and we are very grateful. Beautifully turned out sixth form students are the very best advert for our school and we appreciate your contribution. If anyone not already involved in work in a department, and would be willing to do prefect duty guiding the P7s and parents, please see Ellen McVea. The date is Saturday 31st January and the requirements would be your presence from 1.30pm-4.00pm and perfect uniform. The wages are tea and buns! volunteers to help with display would also be very welcome on the Friday afternoon - wages, the price of your lunch!