2nd December 2024
Year 13 bulletin
Morning all,
There are some opportunities for apprenticeships as well as a few university focused ones that might be worth a look.
The mock examination period will run from January 9th to January 20th and it’s important that you begin to consolidate your learning and begin the revision process now. If you need any support please come and see me.
Weekly
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‘Ted Talk’ What will humans look like in 100 years?
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‘BBC Ideas’ How to solve the plastic problem
Quote of the week:
“We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”
John Dewey, philosopher
Key dates and deadline:
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The Maths Department runs a support session every Wednesday for A Level Maths and GCSE resit support every single Monday.
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Chemistry runs their support sessions on Mondays 2:40 - 3:30 pm
UCAS
44 people have now submitted their UCAS applications, 38 have offers, 6 people have responses from all their choices and there are several interviews lined up; places will become fewer and fewer so if you intend to apply it would be wise to do it soon.
Lots of you still need to complete the Education section of the UCAS application;
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add your GCSE (August 2023) and AS results (August 2024)
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Then add the three A Levels you are studying, puttingAugust 2025 as the date and ‘pending’ as the grade
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Add Advanced Skills Challenge with the date August 2025 and again put pending as the grade.
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You should be sending your Personal statement to your LC now and looking carefully at your potential choices. Any problems let me know. Even if you do not think you’ll be going to university, please complete this as it’s always an option for you then.
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Have a look at the virtual work experiences UCAS has on offer
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It might also be worth checking out these sites which have resources to support you in making better university decisions:
Bursaries/Scholarships
Tynybedw Law Bursary - King's College London Law School is offering The Tynybedw Law Bursary to a selected Welsh student who begins an undergraduate Law degree at King's College London in September 2025. Applications for this bursary are open now to learners in Wales who are in Year 13 and are currently making applications to study Law at university. The cash bursary is worth £8,000 in the first and second years of the recipient's degree, and £9,000 in their final year.
The ‘Blackbullion’ App tries to ensure students have the best experience when searching and applying to scholarships. If you want scholarship updates for now, you can sign up to their Scholarships Newsletter. There are no costs associated with ANY aspect of the process - it's all completely free https://www.blackbullion.com/register
Those of you applying to Russell Group universities may be eligible for a bursary if you check as well as Swansea having some academic excellence bursaries available. I’ve included some of the universities here that I know people have applied to in the past. It’s always worth checking/applying - the worst that can happen is that you don’t get anything - doesn’t hurt to try! There are lots available which are focused on household income, STEM (women especially) and engineering. See me if you need any help applying for these.
Upcoming Opportunities/Events
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UEA offer a comprehensive programme of online taster lectures, open to all Taster days are a great way to see if you like a subject and it can help with your personal statement. Register here |
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Aspire is a collection of free careers, university and further education resources. It is designed to give state-educated students the tools and knowledge they need to make more informed decisions about their future. Their ‘guide’ is a free resource, full of information and guidance, designed to inform you and help you navigate the range of careers and further education out there. Access the online version of the Guide, alongside other resources, on the Aspire website |
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Please sign up for Uptree here and then check out all the opportunities they have: https://schools.uptree.co/opportunities/ |
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Speakers for Schools has a range of work experience opportunities, just be aware some are aimed at students in England - especially the Healthcare ones which relate to NHS England. Use the link here to see whether there’s anything relevant to you. |
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Gresham College has a series of lectures by different Professors; December’s lectures include:
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Universities
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Bangor University has information about their Bangor University Entrance Scholarships for 2025 entry, worth up to £3,000.
The application form and examples of past papers can be downloaded from their website. The closing date for application forms is Friday, 31st January 2025 and the Scholarship examination will be held on Wednesday, 12th February 2025. Funding is also available through many of the Coleg Cymraeg scholarships if students study part of their courses in Welsh. All the relevant information can be found on their website www.colegcymraeg.ac.uk/scholarships. |
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King's College, London Tynybedw Law Bursary - King's College London Law School is offering The Tynybedw Law Bursary to a selected Welsh student who begins an undergraduate Law degree at King's College London in September 2025. Applications for this bursary are open now to learners in Wales who are in Year 13 and are currently making applications to study Law at university. The cash bursary is worth £8,000 in the first and second years of the recipient's degree, and £9,000 in their final year. |
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USW has Open Days coming up. Book here. They also have other opportunities such as Guaranteed Mock Interviews for Nursing and Midwifery:
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Newcastle University Could you get a lower offer from them? Applications are now open for their supported entry routes: PARTNERS: for Year 13 students PARTNERS has helped over 9,000 students study with Newcastle. If you are eligible to join the programme you could receive a conditional offer that’s typically up to three grades lower than normal entry requirements. You’ll also take part in an Academic Summer School to prepare you for university study and be supported throughout your journey to Newcastle. Find out more and apply here. |
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Bath University Apply with Bath 2024 - Applications Open
Apply with Bath is a free, flexible online programme for Year 13 students who are thinking of applying to Bath. Apply with Bath provides support with applying to university and includes the opportunity to hear from current Bath students as well as help with your UCAS application, including 1:1 personal statement support sessions. It will provide you with a wealth of resources and support on relevant topics such as personal statements, accommodation, student finance and student life. The flexible nature of this programme means you can choose the parts which are most useful. Who is eligible? Apply with Bath is aimed at academically-able Year 13 students who meet their Widening Participation criteria and are planning to apply to study at the University of Bath from 2025. To be considered for a place you will need to:
Find out more and apply here |
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UCL UCL Study Prep (Access now) UCL Study Prep helps students in Year 13 to prepare for university. This course is free and open to all students in Year 13, regardless of where you go to school or college or which universities you have applied to study at. |
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Swansea University They have a Spotlight on Egyptology and Ancient History session ‘From Ancient Coffins to Egyptian Oddities’ - it’s there At their Open Days, their Egyptology and Ancient History team of Classicists, offer a dedicated handling session after each subject talk, and will introduce you to a variety of ancient, historical specimens sourced from the Egypt Centre. It's a great way for students to learn about the degree programme, whilst gaining a quick and engaging introduction to ancient Egyptian history, society and culture. |
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Bristol UWE also has upcoming Open Days. Book here. |
Apprenticeships/Degree Apprenticeships
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Those of you interested in apprenticeship, could sign up for the Apprenticeship Vacancies newsletter designed to make it easier for students to find out about relevant apprenticeship opportunities. Sign up to this new free mailing list and they’ll keep you updated with a variety of roles from a wide range of brilliant apprenticeship employers.Sign up here |
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Apprentice - Water Civil Engineering / Cardiff (Autumn 2025 starts) | AECOM |
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HIGHER APPRENTICESHIPS Programme: BrightStart Higher Apprenticeship Cardiff: Start September 2025
Quality Risk & Security Services Brightstart Programme: BrightStart Higher Apprenticeship,vCardiff: Start September 2025
Programme: BrightStart Higher Apprenticeship, Cardiff: September 2025 |
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BAE SYSTEMS - GLASCOED - APPRENTICESHIPS 2025 NOW OPEN – closing date currently 28th Feb – Early application is advisable as may close early. BAE SYSTEMS, GLASCOED – APPRENTICESHIPS Advanced Apprentice Electrical Maintenance Technician Advanced Apprentice Business Administration Advanced Apprentice Quality Technician Advanced Apprentice Non-Destructive Examination Advanced Apprentice Safety, Health and Environment Advanced Apprentice Civil Engineering Technical Advanced Apprentice Mechanical Maintenance Technician Higher Apprentice Procurement and Supply Higher Apprentice Project Management and Control Degree Apprentice Design Engineering Degree Apprentice Ordnance Munitions and Explosives Engineering
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NATIONAL GRID APPRENTICESHIPS – TO START SEPT 2025 – EARLY APPLICATION ADVISABLE
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Information from Careers Wales: https://careerswales.gov.wales/apprenticeships/employers-who-offer-apprenticeships
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Network 75 is a combined work placement and part-time study route to a degree allowing students to Work, Earn and Learn. Read more about it here. |
Support
For those of you feeling anxious about the return to school, as always, we are always available to help. If you feel you need more support here are some useful links:
There are also some useful techniques here for those experiencing feelings of anxiety:
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Breathing techniques to calm anxiety Visit now
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Yoga for Anxiety Visit now
Remember it is important that you keep an eye on your emails and our Twitter feed (@stcyres6th). I send out links and tweets regularly so there is a lot of information available, you just need to access it and let me know if there are any problems with you doing that.
As always, if there are any issues, get in touch; we’re here to support you.
Take care,
Ms Jones