We welcomed our Sixth Formers back from the summer break with an insightful and enlightening three-day programme, as part of our Sixth Form Induction Programme.
We welcomed our Sixth Formers back from the summer break with an insightful and enlightening three-day programme, as part of our Sixth Form Induction Programme.
From 12-14th September we invited guest speakers, all of whom are experts in their field, to share their knowledge and advice. Students participated in a range of activities and workshops.
A number of the talks are highlighted below:
Teach Positive
Lisa Stone runs a well-being training enterprise, Teach Positive, aimed at promoting the basic scientific theories behind achieving positive mental health and happiness, and how we can apply them to our lives.
Students gained a huge amount from the talk, with Miles Morton saying,
“The presentation involved us all coming to see that feeling strong emotions, whether they are happy or sad, can be a good thing and we must not deny ourselves these emotions but recognise them and accept them, followed by us taking the time to investigate them.
Harrowing statistics, for example, the standard student in the UK who is suffering with mental health problems is not taken seriously by 70% of their friends, signified to our year how important it is that we are sensitive about issues regarding mental health.
Not only did Lisa help us to realise how big of a problem poor mental health can be but also the importance of being in touch with our emotions.”
Sixth Form student, Edward Oulton, spoke about what an important issue mental health and wellbeing is and discussed what he had taken away from Lisa’s talk,
“The talk by Lisa Stone was fantastic. It took a set list of topics about mental health issues (a very serious and stigmatised topic) and discussed them in front of 50 16-17 year olds in a blunt and open minded way. This in itself allowed the students to understand that these topics were not something to speak about in hushed tones, but rather a real problem within the culture of social media and modern life.
The way Lisa created an enjoyable experience inside a safe and educational environment was extremely beneficial as a student and a participant in a society that has yet to grasp the severity of the young person’s mental health epidemic.”
Kevin Wong OB
Kevin’s talk was delivered in two parts, the first of which was very relevant to the Upper Sixth, being about university application and life. Kevin spoke about his experiences at Birkenhead School and how, after leaving in 2014 and going to study at Cambridge University, he had wanted to speak with the Sixth Form following his graduation.
The talk, entitled ‘Lava to Lab’, began firstly with Kevin discussing how to begin choosing a university – based on the lifestyle and location offered by each setting.
Seán Carpenter, Deputy Head of School and Upper Sixth Form student, found the talk very beneficial and enjoyed Kevin’s approach and delivery,
“His personal touch when talking about university life made the section entertaining, humorous and informative. Another key piece of information offered was that your original course choice can be converted (the example given was a student who began university as a computer scientist before becoming a mathematician and finally graduating with a Biology degree!)
The second section of the lecture was linked to the title and detailed Kevin’s academic path through university and how his interest in Earth Sciences grew and his research specialty regarding the mantle and hot spots leading to the anomalous positions of volcanoes. The passionate and informative representation of his work and of revolutionary models (such as the modelling of the Himalayas as a liquid) offered expert insight into an unknown area for many of the Sixth Form. The talk ended with a look to Kevin’s future trip to visit the East African Rift.”
Wirral Chamber of Commerce
Wirral Young Chamber is part of a nationally recognised programme delivered by over 30 British Chambers. Kate Eugeni, who leads the Wirral programme, is also Chair of the British Chamber’s Education Board and the current Young Chamber Fellow, supporting the programme nationally. With over 600 members of Wirral Chamber of Commerce, Kate and her team always have the appropriate expert to call upon to bridge the gap between education and employment.
This year, the programme focussed on Leadership, Interviews and Personal Brand.
Sixth Form student David Coyne spoke about the Wirral Chamber of Commerce workshops and how he found the advice and tips given extremely beneficial,
“To begin with we had a talk by Alex on personal branding and how our online image that we present to the world may affect us; how to control that image and first impressions, eventually using it for good.
Following this was a lecture by Warren Ward, the Wirral’s youngest councillor to date. He spoke on how his determination has allowed him to reach success at such a young age. He spoke at length about his campaign concerning the New Ferry Explosion and how he leads a company trying to reverse its effects.
Finally, was a workshop on interview technique given by Kate. This was well-received and the information given was useful. She taught us how to answer the quirky and clichéd questions that interviewers seem determined to ask.
Overall, the morning was a success we were given essential skills for navigating the world of work; whilst also being crucial for attaining a good university, apprenticeship, or job. It was very valuable and important for us to have been taught such skills.”
Head of Sixth Form, Ms Smeaton, spoke of the expectations of our Sixth Form students and how this three-day programme had helped equip them with the necessary skills,
“Students are afforded more independence in Sixth Form and, with that, an expectation to take greater responsibility for their academic progress. In addition, as the oldest members of the student body, they can look forward to increased opportunities to develop and demonstrate their leadership skills. In the Sixth Form, they become role models for our younger students and ambassadors for the School. Our Induction Programme is, therefore, designed to introduce them to these opportunities, as well as prepare them for the various challenges that lie ahead in the Sixth Form and beyond.”
We’d like to thank all of the speakers who took the time to come and speak with our students about the skills needed to get the most out of the futures they have ahead of them.