Year 12

The whole of Year 12 took part in the annual Business Enterprise Skills Training Day, or BEST Day, developing soft skills through workshops and small assignments all linked to the world of business. The keynote address was given by Fiona Gibson, Managing Director at Accenture: she focused on transferring the skills learned throughout the BEST Day into a real-world setting as well as the skills that all entrepreneurs need in order to succeed. A marketing task with Nadia Rae, entrepreneur and baker, asked the girls to design and market their own afternoon tea package. The groups created and pitched a new and innovative idea for a sleeping bag to Independent Career Coach Stephanie Foster. They heard from Jonathan Bailey, a Student Recruitment Officer at the University of Nottingham, on the subject of presentation and communication skills. Finally, a session run by Bolton School staff tasked the teams to evaluate business ideas for university students, choose their best three and present them. The innovative ideas and creative strategies that the Year 12 students came up with throughout the day impressed both our guest speakers and members of staff. Many Sixth Formers enjoy the monthly Historical Association (Bolton Branch) lectures hosted by the School, and Year 12 volunteers have provided reviews for the branch website. Here is an excerpt by Tilly Rodriguez on Britain’s response to the American Civil War:

“With regards to the question of why the British government didn’t intervene [in the American Civil War], the situation in Britain at the start of the war must be considered. They had large piles of raw and finished cotton and the over production of cotton would have led Britain into a depression anyway. Furthermore, the effects of the ‘cotton famine’ [caused by depressed imports of American raw cotton to Britain during the early 1860s] were uneven over Lancashire, for example Preston and Blackburn suffered more than anywhere else, and it did not spread to most of the UK, therefore pressure wasn’t on the government to intervene. Mill owners weren’t overly affected and due to the social hierarchy at that time it would have been their responsibility to ask the government to intervene. But they had savings and believed they could help their employees by teaching them to read or write. Cotton could also be sourced from elsewhere such as India. India also aided the UK by donating money to organisations committed to welfare and relief of those struggling with the consequences of the cotton famine.”

Psychology Project

Psychology students in Years 12 and 13 attended an insightful talk from Wendy Rydzkowski, an educational and child psychologist. She talked to the girls and boys about her job, including funny stories and experiences which reflected the joy and excitement she gets from her work. The group was also invited to take part in some research and a resource project, and Year 12 jumped at the opportunity: “Recently, a group of Lower Sixth Psychology students participated in a resource project being pitched to a publishing house by Wendy Rydzkowski to develop autistic teenagers’ understanding of social situations. Mrs Rydzkowski had talked to us about the difficulties faced by teenagers with autism trying to form romantic relationships as they have no understanding of socially acceptable responses in any given situation. The idea that we came up with was that of a ‘first date’ and we discussed possible ‘mistakes’ one could make. A few problems expressed were: eating food which is not on your own plate, playing on your phone for prolonged periods of time, holding hands at inappropriate times or without reciprocation, and giving someone an extravagant gift upon meeting for the first time. Within each scenario two reactions were suggested – one positive and one negative. This allows the teenagers to understand how to read nonverbal communication via facial and bodily expressions; this was so the teenagers would be able to develop their understanding of how their behaviour could be construed by other people. Furthermore, it would allow discussion about the appropriate way to respond once they recognised the reaction again and how they would either maintain the positive reaction or try to change their behaviour in light of a negative reaction.” Year 12 Psychology students

Parliament Visit

The Year 12 Government and Politics groups visited the Westminster parliament; as well as a guided tour of both chambers, pupils took part in an interactive session on the legislative process.