Weekly Words from Mrs Rogers

Every week the Bulletin newsletter is sent home from the School Office highlighting important forthcoming dates and events, along with a round-up by Mrs Rogers and the team about the week gone by. Read below recent messages from the Head's desk.

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Archive

Head of Sixth Form Lent 11
Published 29/03/19, by Kim Hall
When you are absorbed in the work you are doing, time moves quickly and this term has certainly flown by, both for our focused students and dedicated teaching team. I'm not sure Usain Bolt could have kept pace! Looking back there is significant evidence of Year 12 and Year 13 aiming high, many achieving top grades in their mock exam series. Year 12s are beginning to identify university courses and apprenticeship opportunities which suit their interests, talents and skills while Year 13s have been confirming their firm and insurance university places and targeting apprenticeship and employment openings.

The term is also punctuated with proof of increased self-belief as students impressed at Young Enterprise Trade Fairs, rowing in several Head of the River events, winning triathlons, performing in music concerts and the football 1^st XI reaching the final of the SOCS Super 8 league pictured here. Our local charity, The Alexander Devine Children's Hospice and our global charity, the Gambia Project, have also been well supported, as have several PTA events at which students volunteered to help.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 10
Published 22/03/19, by Kim Hall
On Monday, watching the Sixth Form charity netball match, I enjoyed one of my proudest moments as Head of Sixth Form. The boys’ team did not disappoint! After much bravado and confident pre match discussion about the rules of the game and the court positions, they donned the 1st VII netball dresses in true fancy dress style and began limbering up, ready for action. The girls opted for a multi football club and country kit, sporting the shirts of Italy, Chelsea and Manchester United (no agents present on transfer business). They spoke with knowledge and enthusiasm about how to play their own game and prevent the boys from making the most of their clear height advantage.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 9
Published 15/03/19, by Kim Hall
This week, much like every other week, I am brimming with pride at the diversity and quality of student activity inside and outside the classroom. On Monday our musicians and singers gave stunning performances at our annual evening concert, including stand out renditions of pieces on flute, piano, guitar, saxophone, voice and a variety of electric instruments too.

Our Gambia adventurers met on Tuesday to discuss the itinerary and fundraising options for their exciting trip to work on art and sport based activities as well as other ideas to support the literacy and numeracy programmes there. On Wednesday our sports men and women were scattered on pitches and courts county wide, competing in fiercely contested fixtures. The Year 12 students enjoyed the Higher Education Exhibition at Brunel University on Thursday, speaking to admissions tutors about the grades needed for the courses they are interested in and armed with prospectuses and a record number of freebies returned with increased motivation to succeed in their studies. And to round the week off we invited Helen Cole, our Careers Consultant, to talk to students about the alternatives to university which include a myriad of apprenticeships at all levels including degree courses. Our days are always full of interesting and useful opportunities which give the students every chance to develop their personal qualities, transferable skills and optimise their future options.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 8
Published 08/03/19, by Kim Hall
National Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week conveniently coincide and allow for added focus as we look to empower students choosing their next steps. In both Year 12 and Year 13, students are looking at the alternative routes to a degree and other level 3 & 4 qualifications which they can pursue at the end of Sixth Form. University remains the popular destination for most of our students but as the quality and number of apprenticeships improves, they are recognising the value and sense of considering this option seriously. To celebrate these initiatives we have welcomed both Charlotte Smith from Investment 2020 and also ASK Apprenticeships to meet our students and highlight the exciting 'earn while you learn' opportunities in the workplace. We have also tasked students with adding their future plans to a 'Careers Wall' which includes creative, sports based and science oriented jobs. This week the DfE have announced the introduction of a leaderboard to recognise and promote outstanding apprenticeship employers, which will only encourage employers to improve their offer further.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 7
Published 01/03/19, by Kim Hall
The students who went on the Art and Psychology trip to Berlin were a credit to themselves and Claires Court. Here they are in front of the Brandenburg gate. The staff who led the trip commented on the engaging and interesting company the Year 12s and Year 13s proved to be and although the teachers (and probably students!) certainly needed to catch up on some sleep on their return they all thoroughly enjoyed the experience, including the East Side Gallery, an open-air gallery consisting of a series of murals painted directly on a 1316m long remnant of the Berlin Wall, located near the centre of Berlin. To the north of the city lies the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where more than 100,000 Jews, communists, intellectuals, gypsies and homosexuals were killed by Nazis between 1936 and 1945. The students were able to witness the buildings which have been preserved in their original form and more importantly achieve a better understanding of social influence and conformity.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 6
Published 14/02/19, by Kim Hall
Dr Gunther von Hagens’ renowned exhibition of real human bodies has sparked curiosity and awe around the world for many years and boasts over 47 million visitors globally. This week our PE students attended this remarkable exhibition to 'journey through the human body and discover the magic and mysteries that lie underneath the skin.' They experienced a unique, exciting and interactive journey through the human body, which has been described by many as ‘emotional’, ‘extraordinary’ and even ‘life-changing’. The exhibition’s goal is to create an educational experience for visitors to explore and witness the human body first hand. Our students were enthralled by this in-depth exploration of the human body; Body Worlds presented anatomy in a way they had never experienced through conventional textbooks, educational tools and lessons. This trip illustrates the invaluable opportunities our students are given in the Sixth Form, opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding by learning outside the classroom. The skills students learn in our enrichment programme are designed to support their studies and well-being, as well as helping to prepare them for an independent life beyond school.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 5
Published 08/02/19, by Kim Hall
With mock exams now in sharp focus our students have been reminded of the importance of planning and executing their revision schedules. In Year 13 the students have tangible goals, and good results will increase not just the secure knowledge required to succeed but will also build their self-confidence, critical to making the exam experience positive and less stressful. It has been a real pleasure to spend time talking with individual students, encouraging them towards their dreams and aspirations, guiding them in their use of effective learning and revision strategies and motivating them to take a pride in every aspect of their studies and every aspect of their lives.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 4
Published 01/02/19, by Olivia James
While many students up and down the country face disruption to their studies due to adverse weather, we are safe in the knowledge that Claires Court Sixth Form can continue with their work remotely.

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 3
Published 25/01/19, by Kim Hall
Despite the snow day on Wednesday our Sixth Form students retained their focus on their studies, checking in on Google Classroom and continuing working towards various deadlines. They also enjoyed the sudden and extreme weather conditions as the photographs shared demonstrated!

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 2
Published 18/01/19, by Kim Hall
"If you are not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative." Woody Allen's wise words underpinned the focus of our Sixth Form assembly today. With Year 12 and Year 13 students receiving their reports this weekend I explained the importance of thoughtful reflection on the aspects of their studies which are going well as well as those which need attention. Their subject teachers have identified areas of work which can be improved on and given specific strategies which can be used to lift results. I encouraged students to embrace the feedback and use it to build mastery and ultimately, success; the comments might indicate failure in some aspects of learning but these are balanced with tangible suggestions to resolve the issue. Bouncing back from disappointment by taking relevant action will build the resilience necessary to navigate the challenges of modern society. After all, "I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." (Carl Gustav Jung)

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Head of Sixth Form Lent 1
Published 11/01/19, by Kim Hall
'If this was to be the best year of your life, what would have to happen?' I put this question to our students today with the intention of empowering them with the knowledge that they themselves can achieve their goals by thinking big, believing in their abilities and encouraging others as well as aiming to be their best selves in every aspect of their lives.

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Head of Sixth Form Autumn 13
Published 14/12/18, by Kim Hall
There have been lots of exciting things happening in Sixth Form this week. Some very kind students gave up their Sunday morning lie in to help the Maidenhead Lions with the hamper packing. You may also have seen our very knowledgeable students on the 6pm ITV news in the week giving their opinions on Brexit. They were very impressive and we were extremely proud of them.

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