Dear Parents and Guardians

I hope you have had a safe and healthy week as we move slowly towards the ‘half term’ break next Friday.

Dear Parents and guardians

I hope you are well and a huge thank you to all of you who have contacted me this week with feedback on your experiences of becoming a temporary support teacher while juggling so many other plates at the same time. Feedback is how we can continue to improve and develop our academic and wellbeing programme. We are sharing a short questionnaire which we ask you to complete here  - we value your opinions and this will help us in our thinking to deliver the best educational experience possible.

What a difference a few days and a microscopic virus has made to our lives. And what a heartwarming outpouring of gratitude to the NHS we witnessed at 8pm last night. Our world, our society, our communities are changing and evolving, something for which the human race has an aptitude. Our own Claires Court community has certainly become closer and even more supportive.

Year 13 students now have their mock exam results back which gives them a clearer picture of how to identify the firm and insurance degree course choices they should be making. It is an exciting time for them as they narrow down the original selection of five courses to just two. It also serves to focus their attention on topics, concepts, theories and the technical aspects of answering questions smartly. Many students have already secured accommodation and should now be turning their thoughts to arranging finance. You will note in this week's bulletin a number of links to Student Finance England, the Quick Start Finance Guide, Student Loans - A Guide, Student Finance - How You're Paid and the Martyn Lewis website which contains lots of useful information. Each of these publications offers step by step guidance on how to complete and submit the application.

In simple terms, students apply online for finance and complete this process before Friday 22 May 2020 to ensure the loan is secured. Last year, a total of 800,000 loans were taken with more than 250,000 applications submitted in the first month alone.  

Derek Ross, Student Loan Company Executive Director of Operations, said: “The launch of the application service is one of the biggest dates in the student finance calendar. It means that students can get on with the important job of getting their student finances sorted. The application takes 30 minutes to complete online and for most students the process will be straightforward. However, we know that some individuals require extra support and our team of expert staff are ready to help them.”

Here are some ‘top tips’ to help students with different circumstances get their student finances sorted in plenty of time for the new academic year.

• Apply early to get finances in place before the beginning of the course.  

• Keep contact details up-to-date, including any changes to your email address.

• Have important documents to hand.

Students will also need their National Insurance Number and passport details to hand before starting their application as they will be asked for this information when they apply.

Having their final course choices made, accommodation arranged and student finance in place will leave students free to focus fully on plugging gaps in their knowledge and to practise answering questions under timed conditions. I trust you find the links and information provided here helpful.

This week has taken its toll on our students! Ed, Anna, Harry, Kayla and Simon, pictured here, have taken 32 exams, totalling more than 62 hours between them! Mock exams are an important indicator of how well they can apply their knowledge and understanding to unseen questions and they also highlight where there are 'gaps' and misunderstandings too. Practising time management and honing exam technique are equally useful. Despite the significant number of papers the Year 12 and Year 13 students have maintained a positive attitude and growth mindset throughout. 

What has impressed me most is the support they have extended to one another, a kind word, a smile, maybe a bag of giant chocolate buttons! The sense of community we enjoy in the Sixth Form becomes of paramount importance when our students are under pressure, revising for exams which are a trial run for the real thing. Staff too have encouraged, nurtured and amused them between papers, reminding them that effective preparation is key to success and also that knowing they have done their best is essential.

Today, like every other day in the Sixth Form, has been jam packed with activity and opportunity. Anouska and Josh, pictured here, attended the PTA AGM with me, to say a huge 'thank you' to our PTA for all the support they give us throughout the year. Amongst their contributions are the 'Aim High' awards which enhances our celebration of Year 12 during the summer term, the funding of the photo booth at the Sixth Form Ball as well as the donation of farewell gifts to our Year 13 students at their leavers event. 

Maud Millar, CEO and Co-Founder of the 'getadapt' smart phone free app which enables students to create comprehensive, specification based revision plans on their mobiles in minutes, spoke to the students about the app in assembly. With mocks and summer exams on the horizon, it will be an invaluable tool for all to use. Technology can be incredibly helpful.