6 minute read
The Sixth Form Team and Alumni
"During my time at sixth form I studied Biology, Spanish and Geography, with part of the reason being I r eally enjoyed them at GCSE but also because I wanted to apply to the Police Force.
I have rec ently been accepted onto an apprenticeship with Warwickshire Police force and I believe all the skills and knowledge learnt in those subjects will help to aid me in this role. As an officer I will be interacting with people from different backgrounds and cultures to my own and while studying Spanish we covered issu es that peopl e from minority backgrounds may face. Studying Geography was another us eful subject as it helped to develop this skills required to write a project for my EPQ.
I was also a student leader when I was at sixth form. This helped with my application as it showed I had experience of working in a team. It also demonstrated to me the importance of being a good role model, which is an ess ential quality need ed for being a memb er of the police force.
Millie Smed ley – Studyin g English and Drama at Birmin gham City University
"As a student of Caludon Castle secondary school, I chose to stay on and attend the sixth form, and I am so glad I did. A higher level of independence is offered to students, whilst also making sure support is in place should we need it. The sixth form team are welcoming and caring, always there for educational and personal needs, and usually have an answer for any questions. I studied English Literature and Language, History and Drama, all of which offered fantastic teaching, a supportive yet challenging learning environment and help whenever needed. I was also given opportunities outside of the classroom to further my skill set and give me a higher chance of getting into university. When applying to university, I was given endless help from multiple perspectives and felt very clear on how to be successful in my applications, which was a massive stress relief from such a daunting process. With the guidance and support given from the sixth form team and teachers, I am now studying English and Drama at Birmingham City University. Caludon Castle Sixth Form is an environment that gives students the chance to be independent and prepare for their future, and giving the support that each student needs. "
"Having been at Caludon through my whole time at secondary school, I thought there wouldn’t be much change when moving into sixth form- I was very wrong! You really are treated as a young adult and given much more responsibility while still having as much support from staff as you need. The teachers genuinely care for their subjects as well as our progress and general wellbeing. I felt that I could go to many of my teachers or members of sixth form for advice or even a breather when having any issue, be it academic or personal. This was made even more clear through the pandemic.
Thinking about university is incredibly daunting at first, the application process is long and seemingly complicated, but we were provided with the means to navigate our way through it very smoothly. Having things like the enrichment scheme and work experience week in year 12 way before applying relieved a lot of pressure closer to the time and gives you time to figure out what it is you may want to do. I am very grateful for all the help, advice and support given to me over my time at Caludon. Thanks to it all, I now study ‘Natural Sciences’ at the University of Cambridge which once seemed like an impossibility!"
Johnetta Okyere – Studying Pharmacy at the University of Birmingham
"My time in Caludon sixth form was enjoyable and insightful. It wasn’t always completely smooth sailing but all the support I rec eived over the years has helped me to get where I a m today. I would say that sixth form has built a great foundation for me as I am now at university. I have b een prepar ed for a higher level of ind epend ent learning which is now expected of me at university, whilst my knowledge and skills from A Levels are being further developed. Many opportunities were made available during sixth form such as a week of work experience. Being able to do work exp erience of my choice tremendously help ed me when writing my personal statement and allowed me to demonstrate passion and dedication for my chosen course. I also gained many transferrable skills that is needed for my degree. In addition, I had the opportunity to be part of the student l eadership team, allowing me to work alongside other students and teachers. I was able to improve my communication skills and gain skills that have benefitted me post sixth form. Overall, Caludon sixth form was such a lovely and safe environment and d efinitely made me more independ ent in my academic journey. I ha ve rec eived a wealth of knowledge that will be applied through my journey at university and beyond.
Georgia Cousins – Studying Medicine at the University of Leeds
"I studied Biology, Ch emistry and Maths at A Level, which helped me to massively improve my problem sol ving skills and general scientific knowledge, which have helped me so far in my degree in Medicine. Caludon allowed me to push myself above and beyond what I thought I was capable of, and also supported me with my university application.
Connor Moore – Studying Journalism at the University of Stirling
"I joined Caludon castle in year 7 and remained there for the rest of my secondary school experience, so when I applied for the sixth form, I thought I had a good idea of what my Sixth Form experience would be like. But the enthusiasm that the staff present for their subjects and the involvement they had with us as students made me realise quickly that I would enjoy those next two years far more than I ever thought. From the moment sixth form started, the sixth form team and all the office staff made the common area feel incredibly welcoming and made it clear that they would help us in whatever ways they could. I can say confidently that, without the support, I received from all them and my tutor Miss James, I wouldn’t be sat where I am now. There was never a task too challenging for them to help me with from small things like reminding me about deadlines and punctuality; to larger problems such as supporting me as I changed my mind about what I wanted to study at university halfway through year 13. The encouragement that the team provide cannot be underestimated."
