From the Sixth Form

FROM THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

DIXIT

9th October 2020

The leadership team met this week to focus on developing some of the new ideas and invited a group of prefects along to take part in the discussion. Harry led the meeting and brought along the cake this week.

The focus at the start of the meeting was Nations Day which was started last year by Mr Hardee and Mrs Stokes who both had previously worked internationally and wanted to highlight the diversity across the College. The student leadership team has created a specific team to support both members of staff with the planning and design of the day which will take place on Friday November 27th. Last year the whole school embraced the celebration of Nations Day and this year there will be lots of new additions to make this a truly inclusive day.

All of the student leadership teams have now taken a lead with the different committees and societies and planning is taking place for future events and activities.

The African and Caribbean society have been very active in raising awareness across the school for Black History Month and the assemblies have been very informative in raising discussion.

The school has recently carried out a student survey and Mr McCarey will be discussing the outcome with Harry and Azeezah in a live event the week after half term.

Prefects James Ward and Hannah Trueman have been selected to build environmental and sustainable links with Eton College and are now a part of the Berkshire Schools Eco Network.

FROM THE SIXTH FORM

DIXIT

9th October 2020

Psychology in Action at Holyport

Year 13 Psychologists have had their ‘research hats’ on this week, designing and carrying out their own unique piece of psychological research!

As part of their A Level Psychology, students have chosen a topic from the specification and put their knowledge of research methods into practice. Students were asked to undertake a research report that includes their own ‘primary research’ on a topic they have studied.

There are a broad range of areas covered, including how we process faces and processing in the short-term memory, all the way through to factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships, and if attractiveness can affect our political stance!

I can assure you though that students were fully briefed in terms of ethical guidelines and fully considered ethics as part of their procedures (after explaining “send them to welfare” was not an appropriate way to overcome psychological harm!).

It has been a fantastic week in the department with a buzz of excitement, the students have really enjoyed getting a taste of true psychological investigation and I have been really impressed with their ingenuity and focus, as well as their powers of persuasion! As such I would like to send my thanks to those of you have been willing participants (not that Mr Bicknell took much convincing) – I do hope they didn’t cause you any form of discomfort or stress, or that the research did.

They have just about collected all their data, and once analysed, they will be presenting their research and findings to an independent judging panel at the end of next week – so watch this space…findings will be revealed next week!