Term 1 Whats happening at Wellsway Sixth 2015?

Welcome to the first Sixth Form newsletter of the year!

This is just a quick way of keeping you up to date with events in the Sixth Form over the coming year – it doesn’t cover everything but it gives you a flavour of what has been going on!

Introducing TheI hope Wellsway you have had a great start to the new academic year!

Multi Academy Trust Mr Bray Director of Sixth Form

The Officer/Ambassador Team 2015

‌.to over 120 sixth form students who volunteered to help out, guide and welcome our guests on Wednesday 14th October.

Apply for our Sixth Form Online now through the sixth form part of our website

Please apply by 27th November 2015 so we can take into account your subject choices when creating our Options grids

Year 12 went to Somerset for our annual Leadership Training Day. It was, as ever, immense!

The sun was shining as the students (and staff) got stuck into a series of events that tested planning, teamwork, patience, skill, creativity, problem solving and more!

A packed week where we created and ran……  A Careers Fair with employers / apprenticeship providers in a wide variety of areas  Meetings with ex-students for a chat about the future (Uni, employment, apprenticeships)

 Team building events on the field  A visit to Bath Uni for all of Year 12  Leadership Training in Somerset

 Support with writing UCAS applications, personal statements, CVs and letters of application whilst researching courses

 Support for applying to competitive courses

Year 12 and 13 compete in inter-year tutor teams for this prestigious competition. There is one large event each term with many more smaller events (worth half the points) throughout the year.

This years winners were:

12/13 REV! You made Mr Evans very, very happy!

A great 1st day event to kick off the term and help everyone get to know each other!

Congratulations to the Events Team for organising the 6th Form Icebreaker Party at Second Bridge over the October half term break!

Year 12 and 13 compete in inter-year tutor teams for this prestigious competition, in events throughout the year.

Compered by Dan, Jack, Alice and Abi it was a tightly and fiercely fought contest with our new tutors wanting to make an impact this year. In the end it came down to just a couple of points, but the results were…………

Position

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

Tutor Team

Points

GHT NLN JTN WSW JCN DBC JCL

14 12 10 8 6 4 2

These are incredibly difficult schemes to get on to, over 2000 applicants for limited places!

They provide students with amazing opportunity to experience life at the Universities of Bristol and Bath, gaining access to their academic expertise and facilities. Participation shows a commitment to study that will stand students in good stead when they apply to university through UCAS.

Faith Joe Becky Nick Ellie

Tom Marcus Holly Harriett Camilla

ELEVATE

PUSH

Time Management

Choosing a university National Careers Service

Sam Ellis Getting into Oxbridge

Ann Millard Careers

CAMBRIDGE UNI – 2 day residential CERN – Physics PARIS – Art BERLIN – Languages EURODISNEY - Business CORNWALL – Geography WESTON S-M – Biology BATH UNIVERISTY – Philosophy and Belief WORDSWORTH EVENT – English LONDON MUSEUM FOR TECHNOLOGY – DT CHELTENHAM and BRISTOL - Drama Destination to be decided - Wellsway Challenge And much more…….

Well done to the Action Community Team and all involved for money raised for charity so far!

Great effort!

Also……

MacMillan Cake Sale - £70

Children In Need Concert next week!

The First Team have put a lot of effort into training sessions this year. In every training session on a Tuesday evening they have been fully focused and fully in tune to the requirements of what I have been asking them to do.

They have had two fixtures this season so far. Losing one and winning the other.

If they continue to show the same commitment over the forthcoming months I am sure we will have a very productive league season when it starts in February 2016.

Mr Foley

Wellsway v Backwell – Won 29 - 7 Wellsway v John Cabot – Won 24 - 14 Wellsway v St Gregory's – Won 46 – 5

Languages Department We are excited to be off to Berlin in February with years 12 and 13! On the last trip, we visited many of Berlins amazing sights including the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate and of course, we sampled some very tasty German food. It is an amazing opportunity to practice German and to learn more about the history of Germany. Don’t forget your toothbrush‌!

Year 13 Geography Trip to the Eden Project

Year 13 Geography Trip to the Eden Project

During the day we visited the Tropical Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes and had a talk about what biodiversity is, why we should value it and we can do to protect our vulnerable ecosystems.

We also enjoyed some ice skating

Year 13 Geography students were visited by Specialist Advisor for Sexual Health and Education on The Millennium Development Goals and Madagascar, Lizzie Henden. Lizzie has recently returned from a year-long visit to Madagascar where she worked for a voluntary organisation, Azafady, focusing on Public Health.

During the session the group benefited from first-hand experience of projects in Fort Dauphin and how successful these had been at improving the lives of people and their environment. The group were also able to learn about volunteering opportunities and further education and career development.

There is a saying that "field trips cause rain" and sure enough, 20 minutes after starting our field work on Weston-Super-Mare's rocky shore at Birnbeck pier, the heavens opened, forcing us to spend 3/4 hour in the nearby cafe, drying out and warming up with tea, hot chocolate and cakes! Nobody seemed to mind too much, least of all the proprietors - possibly their busiest morning of the season!

Fortunately we had been able to collect enough data to do some meaningful analysis.

Don't complain Sarah at least it's not raining!

I'm sure it's sea spurge, Steve!

Mapping the slippery seaweed at Birnbeck pier

The afternoon was spent on Berrow sand dunes & local nature reserve, investigating the process of ecological succession. We used interrupted belt transects over the fore dunes (lots of marram grass and sea lyme grass) and the dune pasture, carpeted with a large diversity of lime-tolerant plants, including bird's foot trefoil, restharrow, eyebright, lady's bedstraw, sedum and evening primrose, to name just a few; all thriving, thanks to the pioneering work done by marram grass, etc. on the fore dunes! Luckily the rain had stopped by now, so everyone had dried out by the time we got back on the coach for the journey back!

Mr Sage, Mrs Hazell, Miss Beceriga, Miss Brownlie.

Transects on the dune pasture

Ben - thoughtful pose!

Biology / Geography field trip 2015 - done!

We’re looking forward to a composition workshop with composer Richard Barnard.

He has written music for Welsh National Opera, BBC Singers and Opera North.

He co-founded and ran the acclaimed Elektrostatic project at the Colston Hall and Arnolfini.

We’re sure he’ll inspire our composers!

Our 6th form musicians are getting ready to lead a variety of ensembles, including a brass consort and a string ensemble.

For more news on 6th form music activities, follow us on

@wellswaymusic

• Yr 12 Food students visited Marshfield Bakery • Yr12 and 13 Technology students visit London Science and Design Museums • Yr 12 Heath and Social Care students have been volunteering at 324 Play group this term • Everyday First Aid course and defibrillator training on 16th November – Open to all 6th form • Health and Social care visit to Glenside Hospital Museum of mental health is planned for later in the year.

Book Club Every Tues lunchtime

30th September 2015

Coming Up… Wordsworth Workshop run by a representative of the Wordsworth Trust Students will study a range of Wordsworth’s poems as well as being given an insight into Romanticism Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum is the only place in the world where his personal belongings and handwritten documents can be seen in the place that inspired his greatest work.

‘it becomes astoundingly clear that this production owes as much to the creative team behind the scenes as it does to the stellar performances from every single member of the cast: complex, ingenious and super-stylish, almost cinematic in its elegance, but skilfully remaining faithful to the core foundations of the incomparable power of contemporary theatre at its stunning best.’ (Bath Life Magazine)

Wellsway Results – Year 13 2015

National average

% Grade A*-A

29%

25%

% Grade A*-B

61%

52%

% Grade A*-C

85%

77%

% Grade A*-E

99%

98%

All BTEC/OCR Nationals – rated top 25% nationally Retention rate in top 20% nationally

A Sixth Form for all……..

4 A*-C incl. English or Maths Last year……

70 %

30%

went on to University

went on to Higher Apprenticeships / employment

50 % went on to Russell Group or top 10 institutions

100% Got a Uni place

Work experience Rotork RUH Bristol Magistrates ITV Universities Newspapers Schools

Did you know…… …..every student who entered 6th form without GCSE English or Maths at C grade…. …got it in Year 12.

The Officer/Ambassador Team 2015

Online, through the sixth form part of our website Please apply by 27th November 2015 so we can take into account your subject choices when creating our Options grids

@wellswaysixth

26th Nov Year 12 Parents Evening

10th December Challenge Cup – Sixth Form Pantomime

16th December Year 13 leavers Awards & Reunion Evening

17th December Celebration Assembly

18th December Early Closure for Christmas holidays