#LongRoadLife

JULY EDITION: VOL. 7

LONG ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE APPLICANT NEWSLETTER

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER

Hello, from Long Road!

This is our final edition of #LongRoadLife! As the academic year comes to a close, we just want to say how much we are looking forward to meeting you in September. Until then, we hope you have a wonderful summer relaxing and enjoying time with family and friends.

While this is our last #LongRoadLife newsletter of the year, we will be continuing to send you lots of important information over the summer about the next steps before joining us as a student - so keep checking those emails!

Best wishes, Long Road

ADMISSIONS UPDATE

ICELAND TRIP 2024

3 DAYS OF DESIGN FESTIVAL, DENMARK

LONG ROAD STUDENTS VISIT WESTMINSTER

DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD

WINNERS OF THE FXP FESTIVAL 2024!

ADMISSIONS TEAM UPDATE

SUMMER WORK 2024

There are just a few months to go until you join us as a Long Road student and we hope you are as excited as we are!

One of the most important activities to help prepare you for your studies as a Long Road student is completing the summer work tasks – click here to gets started.

Summer work is set for all A Level, Level 3 Applied courses, and Level 4 Foundation Art and Design. There is no summer work for Level 2 Diplomas or GCSE courses.

These activities aren’t here to trip you up or catch you out, they’re designed to give you an extra taste of what you will be learning during your time at Long Road and we hope you have fun completing them!

If you have any questions, you can contact your Course Team Leader; you will find their contact details at the top of the Summer Work page. All Summer Work should be completed and ready to hand in during your first lesson at Long Road.

PRE-ENROLMENT CHECKS

There are a few things you can do now in preparation for September Enrolment:

Submitting a photo for your college ID

Completing Step 3: Medical Information of the Personal Details From

The above, as well as checking your address and other contact details are up-to-date, can be done via the Personal Details Form on your Admissions+ account.

YOUR APPLICATION TIMELINE

Your application timeline will help you keep track of where you are in the admissions process and keep you informed of what happens next. Look for the arrow location to see where we are in the process!

OCTOBER 2023

Applications Open

JANUARY 2024

Applications Close. Applications made after the deadline may be placed on a waiting list

22 AUGUST 2024

GCSE Results Day

Good luck! We're keeping our fingers crossed for you

28 - 30 AUGUST 2024

Virtual New Student Enrolment

Welcome to the Long Road family!

SPRING

& SUMMER 2024

Virtual Guidance Meetings & Conditional Offer

Discuss your options with an experienced member of staff. You'll receive a formal offer via your Admissions+ account shortly after your Virtual Guidance Meeting.

4 & 5 JULY 2024

Auditions, Welcome Days & Summer Work

Spend the day as a Long Road student; try out your subjects & get a taste of Long Road life. Summer work will be available online & must be completed for your first lesson at college. Auditions for Performing Arts subjects will also be held during Welcome Days

9 SEPTEMBER 2024

Start of Academic Year

2024/2025

Time to start your Long Road life!

4 & 5 SEPTEMBER 2024

On-campus New Student Orientation

Gunnuhver hot springs and the Reykjanes lighthouse and its stunning surroundings, before driving to our accomodation for the trip, a guest-house with a view of the mighty Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

Day 2 was a very busy one - our waterproofs were fully tested with the number of waterfalls we visited! We started off with a quick visit to the excellent Lava Centre museum, where we learnt

then onwards to the epic Sólheimajökull glacier, one of the fastest melting glaciers in Iceland. For our last activity of the day, we stopped at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where we were able to walk around behind the waterfall, which was incredible (and soggy!) As a final bonus, we walked a short way to a 'secret' spot, hidden within a cave, Gljúfrabúi waterfall. It was then back to our accommodation for a well-earned rest.

ICELAND TRIP 2024

On our 3rd day, we began with a relaxing dip in the hot springs, much needed after a busy schedule! Then it was off to another waterfall, Gulfoss, a 2tiered falls and one of the largest in Iceland. Then we headed to the Geysir, which erupts every 7ish minutes, and has given its name to geysers across the world. Then, on to an ice cream farm, where we had a taste of Icelandic ice cream in the company of the lovely ladies who produced it! Finally, our last stop of the day was the epic Þingvellir National Park, a valley crossed by rifts as tectonic plates pull apart and the site of the world's first parliamentary meeting. It was then back to our accommodation for the evening, where we discovered an unexpected visitor – a chicken had wandered into our rooms!

It was then time for our final full day in Iceland, which we started off with a trip to The Lava Tunnel, an underground 'lava tube' feature carved by a huge injection of lava flowing into the sea around 5000 years ago. We got to see the amazing different rock and ice formations within the cave, as well as experience total darkness when the lights were switched off! It was then on to Reykjavik for some sightseeing and tourist shopping before our final evening at the guest-house, which also coincided with the Summer Solstice, which meant that we had 21 hours of daylight (and even then it never got fully dark) - an amazing experience for us!

And that concludes our Iceland trip - a fantastic time for everyone involved!

ADVENTURES AHEAD IN 2025

Well done to our students, who were an asset to the college, remaining smiley and engaged despite some early mornings and soggy conditions. Stay tuned for another amazing Geography + Environmental Science trip next year!

DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE

This experience at the FXP Festival not only showcases our students' talents but also provides them with invaluable insights into the game development process, preparing them for potential futures in games industry.

WINNERS OF THE FXP FESTIVAL 2 YEARS RUNNING!

On Monday, July 8th, 2024, a group of Long Road students from the Games Development Society participated in the FXP Festival at Cambridge Regional College. For the second consecutive year, our students won the Best Further Education category. This year's festival theme, "Minecraft with Story," challenged participants to blend the game's iconic blockbuilding mechanics with compelling narrative elements.

students mapping out game progression flows and defining core gameplay loops that balanced mechanics with storytelling elements.

The festival's structure mirrored a professional game development cycle, compressed into a single day. It began with conceptualisation, where students developed game design concepts within the "Minecraft with Story" theme, creating mood boards and initial sketches. The design phase followed, with

This led to the production phase where students used pen and paper to represent game worlds and story elements, created a final mood board for the game concept, and developed screen mock-ups that showcased the unique narrative focus. The day concluded with a testing and pitching phase, where students presented their ideas to judges, emphasising how their games fulfilled the "Minecraft with Story" brief and incorporating feedback on both gameplay and narrative aspects.

WINNERS OF THE FXP FESTIVAL 2 YEARS RUNNING!

Aiden Weston, Course Team Leader for IT Applied Level 3 said:

“Games Development has always been popular in our Level 3 Computing course, but time for practical work is limited. To address this, I started the Games Development society in September 2022, giving students extra time to create games and build team skills for events like the FXP Festival.

Last year, in a virtual format, our students won the FE category for best game. This year's return to a physical event was even better, allowing students to meet industry professionals and peers from other colleges face-to-face. These experiences go beyond the classroom. Students get to interact with game developers

who judge their work, receive industry guidance, and network with peers. It's invaluable for those eyeing a career in game development.

Winning for the second year in a row was incredibly rewarding. It shows our students' dedication and the success of our Games Development society. We're already looking forward to FXP 2025, excited about the new opportunities as the festival grows. Seeing its positive impact on their skills, confidence, and career aspirations is very positive.

The goal moving forward is to involve the briefs and types of tasks given at these events into the games development course.

The experience has benefited students in several ways. Students must work together and collaborate on a projectlearning important life skills. They also have the chance to observe peers their age from other institutions and get a taste for potential competitors or colleagues they may encounter in the future. Finally, students get to observe what it's like to be given a design from a real games developer and then have that developer judge and feedback on their ideas.

Martyn Fairbrother Burton Teacher of Media

WELCOME DAY

MOCK ELECTION

If you attended our Welcome Days then you will have had the chance to take part in our Mock Election!

The results are in...

LONG ROAD STUDENTS VISIT

WESTMINSTER

MOCK ELECTION WINNER

= Labour - 37% votes

Green Party - 23% votes

Lib Dems - 16% votes

Reform UK - 14% votes

Conservatives - 9% votes

On Monday 1 July, a group of Long Road students were lucky enough to visit Westminster Hall in attendance of the Citizens UK General Election Assembly. It was an insightful day for all and added to all the election excitement! Year 2 student Lorenzo Reserva reports...

After Prime-Minister Rishi Sunak called the General Election, a non-partisan grassroots pressure group known as Citizens UK coordinated a gathering of 18 of its chapters across England and Wales at the Methodist Centre in Westminster- it aims to promote uniting issues that concern British Civic society from educational institutions to religious organisations. The meeting was an opportunity to hear how delegates from the three main political parties projected to hold

large shares of seats in Parliament would resonate with the manifesto of Citizens UK which included local devolution and the living wage. In attendance was Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner MP, Conservative candidate for Richmond Park Sara Gezdari, and Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Newby.

As part of the Cambridge Chapter delegation, nine of us Long Road politics students, both first and second year, were in attendance along with students from other colleges such as Hills Roads and other individuals like Tim Hall. The event consisted of several performances from Latin American Dancers to a choir from a Catholic School singing about importance of the Living Wage; there were also testimonies from

LONG ROAD STUDENTS VISIT

WESTMINSTER

individuals such as people who have resided in the UK for several years without citizenship to students struggling with a lack of mental health counselling in their schools.

The involvement of Party delegates barred all audience members from bringing any political messaging, banners and from heckling any politicianinstead they were encouraged to clap for any reference and endorsement of Citizens UK agenda pledges throughout their 8- minute oral memorandum. The aim of this was to build accountability and a relationship with not only the future government but with backbenchers who could influence policy. Aside from this, they also reminded all eligible voters to bring ID and turn out to

polling stations across the UK.

Overall, it was a very insightful experience and shows a more appropriate and constructive side of politics: one abstract from sleaze, drama or dogmatic partisanship and the organisation as a whole embodies core democracy when different aspects of a disagreeing and diverse society can come together to solve issues instead of resorting to conflict.

DID YOU KNOW?

You can register to vote from aged 16 if you are living in England or Northern Ireland. Getting registered is super quick and easy, it usually takes about 5 minutes.

You only need to register once, or if you change your name / address / nationality.

To get registered click here!

festival feeling truly inspired and looking forward to translate their experiences into their design work.

across the globe, showcasing the latest innovations in furniture, lighting, architecture and interior design. The festival's theme, "Sustainable Futures," emphasised the growing importance of eco-friendly practices in design. Many exhibitors presented products made from recycled materials or designed for circular economy principles. This will not only feed directly into the students’ A-Level work but is something that will hopefully inspire them for years to come.

students visited the Danish Architecture Centre, the Design Museum, the Rouse Tower and Freetown Christiania and covered a huge portion of the city on foot.

It was an amazing trip and one that we hope to repeat next year!

DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD

I’m delighted to let you know that we will soon be recruiting from our incoming Year 12 cohort for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) here at Long Road Sixth Form College.

WHY DO DOFE?

Doing DofE is a brilliant way for you to discover just how much you are capable of. It gives you the chance to explore new things, make new friends, follow your passions, learn new skills, make a difference in our community, and embark on exciting adventures! It is non-competitive and a powerful way for every young person to develop their selfconfidence, whatever their background, interests, and abilities.

HOW IT WORKS:

To achieve the Gold Award, you complete four sections – Physical, Skills, Volunteering and Expedition – plus, undertake a Residential trip together as a cohort. You choose what you would like to do for the first three sections, and we will provide all the guidance and support you need. The Expedition involves spending four days and three nights camping in wild countryside, and again, we’ll make sure you are fully prepared for your challenging and memorable trip.

DofE is a great way to engage in holistic personal development and maximise your sixth form experience. We are excited to meet you and find out what you can do, and what we can do together!

To express your potential interest and be kept informed of our next recruitment presentation to find out more, please email our Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator, Kelcy Davenport: kdavenport@longroad.ac.uk by 30th August 2024

Meanwhile, for more information visit www.dofe.org

STUDENT RAINE FEATURED IN SFCA ART EXHIBITION 2024

Congratulations to Raine Gent on having their artwork 'Flying High' being featured in the SFCA Art Exhibition 2024, Living the Dream.

This year, the next generation of talented young artists reflect on the people, events and places that have brought joy and delight to their lives. What makes us feel like we are Living the Dream? What does Living the Dream feel like?

There are people we meet, things we do and places we go, that make our hearts sing, whether a gentle melody or a full choral crescendo. They can be obviously delightful or surprisingly ordinary. But they have a particular significance and an importance, fleeting or long-lasting, in our lives.

Students’ work might depict actual people, events and places, or it might represent a more abstract expression of how it feels to be Living the Dream.

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the arts and advance their place in the curriculum, and their importance in our lives. It is also a time to recognise excellence in sixth form colleges and the talent, creativity and sensitivity of the students. It is imperative that we keep the arts in education secure and flourishing. If young people are to make a truly valuable contribution to society, even if they are to be successful scientists, engineers, doctors and technicians, they need to develop their creative skills, their artistic sensitivities and their ability to communicate and interact with others.

CAREERS

E-MAGAZINE

Sixth form colleges represent a vital supply pipeline of the professional artists of the future, and this is their platform to stimulate our thinking about the wonders of the world we live in, to remind us of why the arts matter, to showcase their skills, and to convey their views and feelings.

Click here to check it out!