Half Term 5 is a time where we see our values of GROW come to life the most. It’s a busy term tinged with excitement, some nerves and a little sadness at the ‘last’ milestones: last lesson, last tutorial, last form time, and of course the imminent goodbyes and new chapters as our Year 13s count down to their Level 3 examinations. Seeing how they’ve prepared, we know they are walking into these exams with every assurance of achieving every opportunity for their personal excellence. We wish them every success!

 

It is an equally pivotal time for the growth of our Year 12s as they start their ‘Step Up’ journey, which is in three parts. 

 

Firstly our brilliant Enrichment team have put together Careers and Destinations  sessions; from a UCAS launch, financial literacy for post-BG6 life, university speakers on Degree Apprenticeships and alternative pathways to brilliant careers to, a virtual inspirational talk with a COO on FTSE’s Top 100 Women to Watch list. 

 

Secondly, learners are finalising their Transformation work experience fortnight plans with placements already secured with ARUP, pharmacies, a range of childcare settings, Dewsbury Library, an opticians, Batley Food Bank and Leeds Teaching Hospital - to name a few. We are immensely grateful to the businesses taking our students under their wing and it’s really humbling to see the civic and social action spirit in the hearts of our women of the future.

 

Lastly, and most importantly, we know just how much stronger we are together, and have finalised our ‘Step Up to Year 13’ evening on Thursday 13 June. Here parents/carers can join us, along with their children, in sessions on what academic and pastoral care looks like in Year 13, supporting with UCAS, student finance avenues with the University of York, and the different options with Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships and our highly successful Aspire to Educate course. 

 

To sum up the theme of this week’s blog, it really is the power of community. While it definitely takes a village to raise a child, I’ll leave you with the following thought from Mother Teresa: I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot. Together we can do great things.