#LONGROADLIFE Long Road Sixth Form College Applicant Newsletter
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EXPLORE YOUR MIND... Hello, from Long Road!
Today we're exploring the mind with our A Level and Level Psychology courses! We'll be telling you all about their trip to Poland early last year as well as the
Long Road Sixth Form
difference in studying Applied Psychology and A Level Psychology.
College Keeping positive is something that has proved difficult for many people
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recently, but Psychology student Michaela is here to share her research into how to stay positive in your day to day life!
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enquiries@longroad.ac.uk
01223 631100
Remember to keep up-to-date with everything Long Road on our social media.
Keep smiling! Long Road x
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LONG ROAD LIVE
WE'RE HERE TO HELP
Applicant Virtual Welcome
Our friendly Admissions
We are so disappointed that we are
You can even explore our campus by
unable to welcome you onto our
taking our virtual tour - click here to
campus this week following the
view it now!
final lockdown restrictions until 19th
LONG ROAD LIVE VIRTUAL EVENT
July. We know this was disheartening
Our student ambassadors were
news for many of you, however, this
delighted to meet you all at our
won’t stop us from giving you the best
Road Live virtual event yesterday
possible virtual welcome that we can
afternoon. You asked us some really
Long Road Live!
Long
great questions and we hope that you felt our students gave you some really
We have created a
Long Road Live
page on our website which contains all
and guide you through every stage of your Long
government’s announcement not to lift
with
Team are here to support
Road application.
If you have any questions, please get in touch!
Heidi Hauser Director of Admissions
great, insightful answers - we certainly think they did! Tom Hammond
the virtual resources and information that you need to find out more about
If you missed our virtual event then
life as a Long Road student. On this
don't panic! You can watch it now by
page are links to videos where you can
clicking here to head to our
hear from our teachers, find out about
Live webpage
Admissions Officer
Long Road 01223 63 1125
your courses, learn about the additional support we can offer you and get prepared for your first day at Long Road with our 2021 summer work.
admissions@longroad.ac.uk
KEY MESSAGES TO APPLICANTS
SUMMER WORK 2021 GETTING READY FOR COLLEGE
Check your emails
One of the most important activities to
you will find their contact details at the
regularly for
help prepare you for your studies as a
bottom of the Summer Work page. All
Long Road student is completing the
Summer Work should be completed
summer work tasks for each of your A
and ready to hand in during your first
Level, Level 3 Applied and Level 4
lesson at Long Road.
communication from our Admissions Team
Summer work is now
subjects.
available to download These activities aren’t here to trip you
from our website! Click here to get started.
All summer work explanation videos are
Our teachers cannot wait to meet you
up or catch you out, they’re designed
all, in fact, they are so enthusiastic to
to give you an extra taste of what you
start working with you that some of
will be learning during your time at
them have created “Summer Work
Long Road and we hope you have fun
Explanation Videos” to introduce
completing them!
now live on our YouTube channel -
themselves and help get you started on
don't forget to
their summer task activities. You can
subscribe!
view these videos, after half-term, by
All of our summer work is now LIVE on
clicking here to visit our YouTube
our website! Click here to get started
Channel – don’t forget to subscribe!
You can also watch all of our summer
If you have any questions before joining us in September please email
admissions@longroad .ac.uk
work explanation videos over on our If you do find that you have some
YouTube channel... don't forget to
questions then please don’t hesitate in
subscribe!
contacting your Course Team Leader,
Life offers you so many doors, it is up to you which to open and which one to close. #MONDAYMOTIVATION
DAISY, LONG ROAD SCHOLAR MEET OUR LONG ROAD SCHOLAR AWARD STUDENTS Name: Daisy Year Group: 1 Secondary School: Chesterton Community College Studies: Biology, Politics, Psychology Progression Goals: Clinical Psychologist I chose to study at Long Road because
I would definitely encourage Year 11s to
liked the courses offered at the
apply for Long Road because it is a
college, particularly the A Level Biology
brilliant place to learn more about
course. I felt that Long Road had a
topics that really interest you, to
welcoming environment where I could
explore your favourite subjects in more
flourish.
detail and to become an independent
LONG ROAD SCHOLARS' AWARD Do you feel inspired after meeting our Scholar today?
Why not click here and meet the rest of our Long Road Scholar
learner.
Award team!
I chose to apply for the Scholars Award because it is an impressive
My favourite thing about Long Road so
achievement and will enhance my
far has been being able to study
personal statement. At the moment I
independently and dictate my own
am saving the scholarship money while I
work schedule more than I could at
decide how best to spend it.
secondary school.
If you are thinking of applying for the Scholars Award – go for it! It is a great opportunity.
"I found the recent trip to Poland very interesting and eye-opening. I found Schindler’s museum to be very useful in my studies and it showed me reasons to why an event like the holocaust was ever able to happen and how the general public was controlled through fear."
PSYCHOLOGY A Level
Psychology is the scientific study of the
On day 1 we visited the market in
human mind and behaviour. This
Krakow; had lunch in the old town; had
popular subject combines fascinating
some free time to go shopping and
content with a scientific approach to
explore the city; went for dinner and a
investigation. Psychologists study a
folk show.
range of influences from early childhood experiences and
Day 2 was our trip to Auschwitz and
socialisation to biological factors such
Birkenau; we had a tour guide
as genes, hormones and brain
throughout and this really brought
structure.
home the scale of the atrocities that occurred there. This was then followed
Last year, our Psychology students went
by a 3-hour salt mine tour that had a
on an exciting residential trip to
depth of 327 metres, that extends via
Poland. This trip was aimed to
horizontal passages and chambers for
increase, enlighten, and give insight
over 287 kilometres (178 miles). We
into our social influence topic that we
went for dinner at the Hard Rock café
study in psychology. This has direct links
which was a well-needed pick up for
with social psychology where we look
us all ad time to reflect.
at how we can explain why the Nazis followed Hitler’s orders and apply
On Day 3, we had a walking tour of
knowledge of conformity to real-life
Krakow’s Jewish District and met a
examples.
holocaust survivor.
APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY Level 3 Extended Certificate Psychology can be defined as the
However, their method of assessment is
scientific study of mind and behaviour.
different. Unlike A-level, the National Extended Certificate allows
The National Extended Certificate in
students to complete modules and sit
Applied Psychology course offers you
assessments as they go rather than
the opportunity to engage in this
doing 100% examined assessment at
scientific process through studying the
the end of 2 years.
various theories of human behaviour and conducting a research project that
Furthermore, the National Extended
requires you to collect and analyse
Certificate offers coursework whereas
data.
A-level does not.
How does Level 3 Applied Psychology differ from A Level Psychology?
Both courses try to explain human behaviour and cover similar content. Both are basically science subjects and both require learning a lot of terms to understand theories.
"I find looking at case studies and analysing them fascinating. The way in which an idea is explained engages me, and I want to learn more. Different areas of Psychology are looked at in depth. Right from the start I found that I had absorbed a lot of information. “
“Michaela has certainly demonstrated enthusiasm and passion for psychology during her time at Long Road. She has an extensive knowledge beyond the A level specification and would often share that wisdom with the rest of the class." Katie Hodson Psychology Teacher
THE BIG P-WORD An article by Long Road Alumni, Michaela Today I shall be telling you all about
The happiness I find myself improving
the big P-word…Positivity. With
every day and getting the most joy out
techniques and advice on ways to
of is Eudaimonic well-being which is a
improve your positivity during difficult
very broad term used by most positive
times such as this lockdown, but also
psychologists when referring to
during your academic studies and your
happiness that’s gained from: meaning,
day to day life.
purpose, gratitude etc. How is this relevant? I hear your internal
Positivity is more complex than you
monologue asking, well as clinical
would think and happiness isn’t a
Psychologist DR Paul Wong once said
simple word that you make it out to be.
“A life without purpose is like a ship
Happiness can be broken up into 2
without a rudder, you need it for
different categories: Hedonic and
stability and steering”. Ask yourself
Eudaimonic. Now Hedonic is referred
questions such as “what do I want to
to the happiness you receive from
be remembered for?”, “am I living a life
pleasure in the moment. For example,
that makes me happy?”, “in the future,
buying something online or in a shop
if I look back on my life will I be
makes you feel happy in the moment,
happy?”. If the answers to the last two
however sadly the effects don’t last
are no, then maybe look at small
very long, and you would find yourself
changes in your life to add meaning
having to buy something again in order
and purpose to it.
to feel that kind of happiness again.
THE BIG P-WORD An article by Long Road Alumni, Michaela A way you could improve your
week. Now I know waking up at 7am
Try it out yourself! If you can’t think of
positivity within your job is to view it
on a Saturday morning doesn’t sound
any then I shall give you some ideas
as a “calling” as daft as that may
very fun, but once you’ve made it a
of what I am grateful for:
sound. Try it with the job you currently
habit (which can only take 3 weeks)
1. being alive
do, whether that be working in
you could find yourself feeling more
2. having food on my table
hospitality, retail as a carer etc. View
positive and inclined to do so.
3. not living in a war zone
your job as the people you meet and
4. having the right to speak out
the skills you learn are a “calling” and
So back to earlier where I mentioned
loud
that your job will help you better your
gratitude. Why is that relevant? I hear
5. being able to share my ideas
future self rather than money is just
your inner monologue asking. Well
with you.
money.
personally I have found that it plays a big role in my day to day life, and I
When you first start making your life
Purpose and meaning will also help
want to share my secrets to my
more positive it can be really difficult,
with your academic years. By giving
positive mindset with you. When I’m
because our brains are wired to
whatever course you are/will be
trying to think positive when I have
detect when something is wrong and
doing purpose or meaning will give
been feeling low I decide to try and
to put emphasis on this to protect
you the motivation you will need to
use CBT on myself to change the way
you (it relates to the cave man times/
carry on when “the going gets tough”.
I view a difficult time In my life, which
evolution where we had to be alert
For your academic studies I also
is where gratitude comes to surface.
and to put emphasis on the bad
found that routine helped a lot,
I look at the situation I am in, be it:
otherwise a woolly mammoth
following the same routine on the
stress, anger or sadness and I make a
probably would’ve eaten us). So don’t
weekends as you may during the
list of the things I am grateful for.
be hard on yourself if it doesn’t
THE BIG P-WORD
An article by Long Road Alumni, Michaela happen overnight, just be more
is so incredibly powerful, more
comfortable to you. Then take deep
aware of the good when difficult
powerful than you, trying to control it
breaths in (slowly) filling your tummy as
times come around, as “where there
and captivate it just simply doesn’t
well as your lungs then focus on that
is good there is bad and where there
work, but changing the way you think
breathing of yours, drawing all your
is bad there is good”.
does work (it does take a long time
attention to it, you could also focus on
however so don’t be hard on yourself).
background noises.
isn’t as daunting as it may sound.
Mastering meditation is also very
By being steady with your breathe it
Meditation helps improve your
difficult and will not happen overnight,
relaxes you, and when a thoughts pops
positivity through mindfulness, being
so again don’t be hard on yourself.
into your mind, acknowledge it but
aware of your thoughts but not trying
Remember Thubten the monk I was
don’t explore that thought, if you feel
to control them. As the Tibetan Monk
telling you about? It took him 4 years
your mind is drifting bring your
Thubten says “meditation is like when
with no help to try and master
attention back to your breathing. Like I
you’re stood at the bus stop, except
meditation and make it a routine.
said guys to have that level of focus
You could also try meditation, which
you are watching the buses go by but
just doesn’t happen over night and
you’re not getting on them. Those
Don’t worry it won’t take you that long!
there’s millions of ways to meditate
buses are your thought”. Being a
As I am going to give you a little head
that can be found through our good
Psychology student myself and have
start. Find somewhere quiet or with
old friend google.
been dedicating my life to it as well
background noise where you will not
as the rest of my life will be
be disturbed, you can either lay down,
Now I couldn’t write this article during
dedicated to it, I found that the mind
sit up etc, whatever feels the most
a time like this without mentioning the
THE BIG P-WORD An article by Long Road Alumni, Michaela dreaded word lockdown. It’s a difficult
have enough time to look after our
time for all of us right now whether
minds. For so long you have sad
you’re working or not, not knowing if
sleepless nights, rough nights etc and
we should stay inside, go out or cycle
you have accumulated a sleep debt to
there, missing our families, friends etc
yourself, now is the time of all times to
however that doesn’t mean we can’t
be able to pay off that debt. Maybe try
be positive. Think about it ladies and
eating healthy, doing some exercise,
gents, when will be ever have this
practice mindfulness meditation as
amazing opportunity to have this
well as all of the other ways to improve
amount of time off again? With work,
that positive mindset of yours that you
your studies etc and for those still
will create, because we all know we
working and studying when will you
now have some time to do this and get
ever have the chance to do it at home?
the ball rolling.
With very minimal contact! The answer is probably never again, so lets use our
So as you now see, difficult times arise
time wisely.
in your day to day living and especially during this lockdown but there are
When struggling with difficult times, be
many ways to keep a positive mindset
it grief, your own mental health or
and to improve it. I hope this helped
whatever else is on your plate, we tend
many of you with ideas of what to do.
to ignore it due to our busy work lives,
Bye for now! Stay safe, stay positive,
or we simply feel as if we just don’t
go for your walks or don’t or cycle to it!
"Michaela's kind nature and willingness to help others will make her an excellent psychology student when she goes onto study at Lincoln University.” Katie Hodson Psychology Teacher
JUNE 2021: EDITION 12
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R O A D
01223 631100
enquiries@longroad.ac.uk
www.longroad.ac.uk
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