FEBRUARY EDITION: VOL. 2
#LongRoadLife LONG ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE APPLICANT NEWSLETTER
SUPPORTING YOU - FROM APPLICANT TO STUDENT ADMISSIONS UPDATE Hello, from Long Road!
PREPARING FOR YOUR This months applicant newsletter is focused on supporting you as an applicant and as a student!
ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING
We'll be outlining everything you need to know about our Virtual Advice and Guidance Meetings; the equipment you need, what
MEET SCHOLAR
to expect and lots of hints and tips on how to best prepare for
STUDENT LUCY
your meeting with us. We're also looking at the support we can offer you once you join us as a student!
You'll be meeting another of our Scholars' and hearing all about
STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES
our fantastic English and Humanities department.
ENGLISH, HISTORY & We hope you enjoy the February edition of #LongRoadLife.
HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT
Talk to you soon! Long Road
WE'RE HERE TO HELP
ADMISSIONS TEAM UPDATE
Our friendly Admissions Team are here to support and guide you through every stage of your Long Road application.
If you have any questions, please get in touch!
Heidi Hauser Director of Admissions
I HAVE A FEBRUARY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING
Admissions Officer
01223 63 1125
can be thrilling and a little
Thank you to everyone who has
daunting; so we hope that the
booked their Virtual Advice and
advice in this newsletter will
Guidance meeting for the 10th or
support you in preparing for your
11th February!
meeting.
meeting you and your
I WAS UNABLE TO BOOK A FEBRUARY MEETING
Parent/Carers. To ensure that we
If you were unable to book a slot,
can have a meaningful
please do not worry. We are
conversation about your
holding additional Virtual Advice
individual goals and ambitions we
and Guidance Meetings on
require all meetings to take place
Monday 7th March 2022.
We are really looking forward to
with Julianna Sosnowska
We understand that this stage
cameras and microphones
on.
We will send out more detailed communication, after this first
All of our staff are equally highly trained and experienced team members able to discuss your post-16 options in detail.
round of meetings have taken place, directly to any applicants that are affected.
If you have any questions or admissions@longroad.ac.uk
On the day, it is important to log
worries please email us on
on to the system at least 15
admissions@longroad.ac.uk
minutes in advance of your meeting to make sure that you
Best wishes,
are ready when it begins
Long Road Admissions Team
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 2021
SPRING & SUMMER 2022
Applications Open
Guidance Meetings & Conditional Offer Discuss your options with an experienced member of staff. You'll receive a formal offer via your Long Road Online Services account shortly after your Guidance Meeting.
JANUARY 2022 Applications Close. Applications made after the deadline may be placed on a waiting list
7 & 8 JULY 2022 Welcome Days & Summer Work Spend the day as a Long Road student; try out your subjects & get a taste of Long
25 AUGUST 2022 GCSE Results Day
Road life. Summer work will be available online & must be completed for your first lesson at college.
Good luck! We're keeping our fingers crossed for you
LATE AUGUST 2022 New Student Enrolment Welcome to the Long Road family!
EARLY SEPTEMBER 2022 Start of Academic Year 2022/2023 Time to start your Long Road life!
YOU MAY BE ASKED QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO:
PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING
Why have you chosen this course? Do you have any career aims or future plans? What are your hobbies and interests? What are your subject
Applying for Sixth Form
know us – to get a feel of
College is some serious
what Long Road is like and to
business, but there’s no need
ask any questions you might
to be nervous. By inviting you
have about college life.
to an Advice & Guidance Meeting we can give you the
Still a bit nervous? Don’t
best possible support on
worry, that’s completely
choosing your college, your
normal. To help make the
courses and your future
process as stress-free as
career paths!
possible we’ve put together
strengths/likes and weaknesses/dislikes?
this guide so you know what The most important thing to remember is to
just be
Are there any
yourself .
personal issues or
catch you out or ask you trick
difficulties that may affect your studies?
prepare.
We aren’t trying to
questions, we just want to get to know
to expect and how to
you .
By getting to
WHAT TO EXPECT – GETTING CAMERA READY! Our friendly staff are really
know you as an individual we
excited to meet you and want to
can give you tailored advice
engage with you as much as
about the college and the
possible, so please make sure you
courses you want to study. It
turn your camera and microphone
is also your chance to get to
on.
PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING To give you a high-quality virtual experience we need to be able to see and hear you;
VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING PREPARATION CHECK LIST:
KEY INFO All communication with Long Road will be via your My Long Road account.
Please ensure you check your emails (including spam folders) regularly.
this means we can have a meaningful discussion about
Allow yourself plenty of
your aims and ambitions.
time to set up your device. Make sure you have
For all meetings you must take
enough battery power, you
some time to consider your
have no scheduled
behaviour, for example, you
updates and that your
must dress appropriately so
camera and microphone
you feel comfortable,
are working.
confident and professional.
Consider your background;
Virtual meetings are no
you may wish to remove
different.
personal items or put away that pile of washing!
To make things easier for you
Background noise can be
we have listed some
extremely distracting for
additional considerations for
you and the interviewer.
virtual meetings that you may
Find a quiet, well-lit room
wish to think about.
to attend your meeting so the interviewer can see and hear you clearly.
Don't forget to update us with any contact detail changes in order to continue to receive important information regarding your application.
SETTING UP YOUR IT EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED: A device with a microphone
PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING
and speaker / headphones.
A compatible up-to-date web browser: iPhone/iPad = Safari or
Note: there is a known issue joining video calls using iOS 14.2. Please upgrade any iOS 14.2 devices to iOS 14.3, or use a different device Chrome.
Android = Chrome or Firefox Windows = Chrome,
WHAT HAPPENS DURING MY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING?
Are there any personal issues or difficulties that may affect your studies?
Our Advice & Guidance Meetings are informal discussions, lasting 20-30
You may be given information on:
minutes, between you and a
Entry requirements for your
member of our experienced
chosen courses
staff; parents/carers are
Information on your chosen
encouraged to attend with
courses
you if possible.
College expectations of behaviour and attendance
You may be asked questions similar to:
Our student support service Our student enrichment
Why have you chosen this
activities
Firefox or Microsoft
course?
The Long Road Scholars’
Edge
Do you have any career
Award.
Mac = Safari, Chrome or
aims or future plans?
Firefox
What are your hobbies and
Linux = Chrome or
interests?
Firefox
What are your subject strengths/likes and weaknesses/dislikes?
PREPARING FOR YOUR VIRTUAL ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING
SETTING UP YOUR IT EQUIPMENT WE RECOMMEND: Using a smartphone for video calls. If you don't have
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY ADVICE & GUIDANCE MEETING?
During the summer term, information about Long Road,
a smartphone with a frontfacing camera, use of
including your enrolment
laptop or computer with a
Your interviewer will update
interview date/time, will be
webcam.
your MyLongRoad account
emailed to you.
with your chosen courses and conditional offer. You will be sent an email about an update to your MyLongRoad
Using a headset (or
All communication with Long Road will be via your MyLongRoad account.
account; this update will detail your conditional offer.
Please ensure you check your
Once you have received this
emails (including spam
email you need to log into
folders) regularly and update
MyLongRoad to accept the
us with any contact detail
offer.
changes in order to receive important information
Remember you can accept and hold a number of offers from different post-16 providers until you receive your GCSE results in August.
regarding your application.
earphones with a microphone) to reduce echo.
LUCY Secondary School:
MEET SCHOLAR STUDENT, LUCY
Stratton Upper School
Year 1 Student
Studying: French A Level Media A Level Photography A Level
Progression Goals:
I chose to study at Long Road as
speaking country (through Long
even though the Open Evening
Road or on my own) as it would
was online due to COVID, the
help a lot with my French A-Level
college seemed to have a really
and would be a great experience
warm and welcoming
for me.
environment. Long Road offered French as an A-Level whereas my
My favourite thing about Long
secondary school did not, also,
Road so far is the people. I have
everybody was very friendly and
made so many friends and
these were all important factors
everybody is really kind and
for me.
approachable. I also like how independent you have to be at
Gap year, then University
Click here to apply for the Long Road Scholars Award today!
I chose to apply for the Scholars'
Long Road as it was a big change
Award because it’s a great
from secondary school, but I have
opportunity to share my views
enjoyed this new challenge.
and contribute to the college. I was not expecting to be chosen
I would encourage Year 11s to
but I am very grateful that I have
apply to Long Road as it is a
been, and it gave me a great
great opportunity to become
sense of achievement so I would
more independent, find new
encourage all Year 11s to apply. I
interests and meet new people.
plan on spending my money on a trip to France or a French
YOU'LL RECEIVE: Ongoing individual
STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES
and personal support on how to achieve at college and get the most out of your time with us.
Help creating your own personal
We know that moving from school
and succeed in your academic
to college is a big change: a new
and career goals.
campus, new faces and a new level of independence. To make
Ongoing individual support from
sure you feel at home you will be
your Progress Coach means they
assigned a Progress Coach, a
will continuously oversee your
dedicated member of staff who
academic progress, updating you
will help and support you as you
and your family on your
settle into Long Road life.
achievements.
Working together with you and
Using this information, you and
your family from the moment you
your Progress Coach will work
join our Long Road community
together to create your own
they will ensure a smooth
learning plan so you can identify
transition to college life. Your
your strengths and clearly see
Progress Coach will be on hand
what you need to achieve and
to guide you, helping you to stay
monitor your own academic
on target and reach your goals.
performance.
progression plan, with advice on careers, apprenticeships and university pathways.
Working closely with you and your teachers they will help you to plan and achieve your next steps, supporting you as you aim high
STUDENT SUPPORT: PROGRESS COACHES
YOU'LL RECEIVE: Support with time management and study techniques.
Your Progress Coach will be your
For parents, your child's Progress
main point of contact throughout
Coach is also your key point of
your time at college. You will
contact for the college. If you
attend group tutorials which will
ever have any worries, questions
cover a range of different topics
or queries you can give them a
across the year; from helping you
call or an email to discuss this
to settle into college to helping to
and arrange a meeting if
prepare for your next steps and
necessary.
everything in between. Although your child gains some As well as tutorials, your Progress
extra independence above what
Coach will schedule regular 1-to-1
they are used to at school, we still
meetings to discuss your
keep you regularly updated. You
academic progress and wellbeing
will receive weekly attendance
with you and put action plans in
reports from us and the Progress
place to make sure you stay on
Coach will be in touch with you to
the path to success. You can also
let you know about any concerns
book additional meetings with
we have, but also of any
your Progress Coach, or drop in
outstanding achievements - that's
and see them, at any point during
that part of the job we really
the college day if you feel you
enjoy!
would benefit from talking to them.
Guidance on building your own learning plan so you can see what you need to achieve and how to monitor your progress and performance.
FRENCH A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total students currently on course: 22
FRENCH A LEVEL You will being your studies by
Students who recently completed
looking at aspects of French-
their course are currently studying
speaking society including current
Language, Culture and
trends; artistic culture in the
Communication at Warwick
French-speaking world and study
University, History, Literature and
one feature film.
Culture at Brighton, and French
Current average class size:
and Linguistics at York University. You will then explore current
including positive features of a
SOPHIE Year 2 Student
diverse society; how criminals are
"I came to Long Road to study in
treated; aspects of political life
a new and different environment
such as teenagers right to vote
and took French because I would
and immigration, and study one
like to have the opportunity to
literary work.
work in a French-speaking
issues in French-speaking society
11
Exam Board: AQA
country.
Assessment: 100% Exam
You will undertake an individual oral research project on a subject
I love the variety and details of
or a key question which is of
the topics we cover."
interest to them and which relates to a country or countries where French is spoken.
ENGLISH LITERATURE A LEVEL You will start your studies by focusing on the literary genre of The Supernatural; learning to
ALEX BENTLEY Long Road Class of 2020 University of Liverpool
ENGLISH LITERATURE A LEVEL: KEY INFO
identify and comment on writers' uses and effects of language,
Alex joined Long Road from
form and structure to link this to
Comberton Village College in
relevant aspects of context. The
2018 and went on to achieve a
books we currently study are:
fantastic set of results with A's in
Dracula (Bram Stoker), The Little
English Literature and History as
Stranger (Sarah Waters), A
well as an A* in Sociology!
Streetcar Named Desire (Tennessee Williams), Poems of
Alex is now studying BA English
the Decade (Forward poetry
Literature at the University of
anthology 2001-2010).
Liverpool.
You will study as Shakespeare
"The best thing about studying at
play, considering the genre of
Long Road was the capacity
dramatic tragedy. You will also
given to study in your own unique
have the opportunity to choose
way and not to be judged for
two texts from any genre to write
that, but instead encouraged."
Total students currently on course: 92
Current average class size: 15
Exam Board: Edexcel
Assessment:
a comparative essay. The books we currently study are: Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare), either The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale (Chaucer) or Selected Poems of Christina Rossetti.
20% Coursework 80% Exam
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total number of current students: 152
ENGLISH STUDENTS VISIT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Students from both our English
Engagement, encouraged
courses accompanied staff to an
students to make the most out of
insightful and entertaining visit at
engagement with employers,
Cambridge University Press last
including insights into future
year.
Apprenticeship opportunities at Cambridge University Press.
Current average class size: 19
The morning trip was actionpacked, with a tour of their site
Our students found the day
(including a fascinating look at
interesting and engaging, with a
their in-house museum!), plus a
number commenting upon how it
short Masterclass on how to
really felt that it helped them to
create an excellent CV.
think about their next steps after
Exam Board: Eduqas
Assessment: 20% Coursework 80% Exam
college. Meanwhile, two students There was also a carousel of
actually arranged to return, one
employees who each met with
to experience a mock interview,
our students to give them a quick
whilst another is now very keen on
insight into the different
applying for a future
departments they work in, as well
apprenticeship for the company.
as their career journey within CUP. Finally, a talk by Heidi Mulvey, Head of Community
RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS A LEVEL Religion (Buddhism): you will
as utilitarianism and natural law,
examine Buddhist teachings and
the meaning and purpose of
beliefs; different schools of
ethical language, and topics in
Buddhism such as Theravada,
applied ethics such as sexual
Mahayana, Zen and Triratna;
ethics, animal rights, nuclear
Buddhist values and ethics; key
deterrence and medical ethics.
RELGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS A LEVEL KEY INFO: Total students currently on course: 47
figures in modern and ancient Buddhism, important texts and Buddhist practices.
CHARLOTTE (YEAR 2 STUDENT) "Ethics was my favourite subject
Current average class size:
at GCSE and the A-Level course
Philosophy of religion: you will
has not let me down. Really
consider arguments for the
interesting course and a
existence of God; the problems
worthwhile qualification to aim
of evil and suffering; the nature
toward."
15
Exam Board: Eduqas
and influence of religious experience; philosophical analysis
CHRISTINA (YEAR 2 STUDENT)
of religious language; beliefs
“I’m interested in people and
about life after death;
society, and the Ethics part of the
psychological and atheistic view
course sounded interesting.
of religion as well as debates
Buddhism was new and different
between religion and science.
to anything I’d done before. The course makes you look at things in
Ethics: You will study religious
a different way and be more
and secular ethical theories such
considerate of other viewpoints.”
Assessment: 100% Exam
HISTORY A LEVEL: KEY INFO Total students currently on
HISTORY A LEVEL All students will begin the course by studying the events of the
course: 200
Current average class size: 18
Exam Board: AQA
Assessment: 20% Coursework 80% Exam
English Civil War; focusing on King
JASMINE HUNT Long Road Class of 2017 University of Glasgow
James I and King Charles I between 1603 - 1649. In Year 2
"I wanted to study my A levels in a
this will be recapped and
place which specialised in the
followed by the study of
final years of your school
Cromwell's Republic and the
education. I wanted to go to a
restoration of the monarchy,
place where people were going
focusing on the time period
because they wanted to get
1649-1702.
something out of it, rather than just continuing education for the
Students have the option to study
sake of it. At Long Road, the
either the Russian Revolution
environment was always very
1917-1929; exploring Stalin's rise to
welcoming and the fact that we
power, or The Weimar Republic
called teachers by their first
1918-19333; exploring the rise of
names felt like a barrier had been
Nazi Germany.
taken down in order to enable clearer communication.
Your studies will end with a
Long Road allowed me to explore
coursework assessment on the
my interests without external
struggle for black civil rights in
interferences. I felt that it was the
American 1865-1968.
perfect environment to ground myself and become more comfortable within myself, academically and personally."
SPANISH A LEVEL Modern Languages provide
You will also undertake an
enjoyable and useful lifelong
individual oral research project
skills. Whether used at work or for
on a subject or a key question
leisure purposes, they open up
which is of interest to them and
new avenues of communication
which relates to a country or
and encourage a broader cultural
countries where Spanish is
understanding.
spoken.
speaking skills, you will have
RUBEN Year 2 Student
regular access to interactive
"I wanted to study a foreign
online resources and regular
language because it’s a good
To improve your listening and
opportunities for speaking
subject to have on your CV. It’s
practice. Almost all teaching will
an invaluable skill, and Spanish is
be in Spanish.
spoken in many countries. The
SPANISH A LEVEL KEY INFO: Total students currently on course: 29
Current average class size: 14
Exam Board: AQA
small class-size means that You will study aspects of Hispanic society including current trends; artistic culture in the Hispanic world and study one feature film. You will explore current issues in Hispanic society including immigration; racism; aspects of political life such as monarchies and dictatorships, and study one literary work.
everyone gets on well.”
Assessment: 100% Exam
FEBRUARY EDITION: VOL. 2
#LongRoadLife LONG ROAD SIXTH FORM COLLEGE APPLICANT NEWSLETTER
help@longroad.ac.uk 01223 63 1125
www.longroad.ac.uk
Long Road Sixth Form College @LR6FC @lr6fc Long Road Sixth Form College