Morning all,

Hope you’ve all had a good weekend. All those applying to university have now submitted their applications which is great and well ahead of the deadline! Those of you who have offers please check your emails for ‘Offer Holders’ Days’ which are designed to help you decide which offers to firm and put as insurance. Let me know if you need to chat about your choices and making the decisions about which to firm up and which to put as your insurance.

Weekly 

• ‘Ted Talk’ Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad
• ‘BBC Ideas’ Is technology addiction a myth?

UCAS

• 60 of you have applied to university
• 18 (30%) of you have all your offers
• 2 of you have made your choices and firmed up your offers
• There is no rush to firm up your choices; you have until the 9th June; take time to visit campuses, speak to current students and generally do your research before making your choices.
• Also, once the application deadline is gone, you may well find that universities will sometimes revise their offers and lower the grades or offer incentives such as first choice with accommodation or bursaries. Let me know if you need to chat about your decisions.
• Your main focus should be on the insurance choice - if you do not get the grades for your firm choice you need to ensure your insurance choice is somewhere you’re ahhpy to go. 

Academic support and key deadlines

History coursework

Final Deadline - 10 February

Chemistry

Support sessions are running on Fridays between 8:00 - 8:30am and 2:45 — 3:45pm every week; see Mrs Rowlands for details.

Criminology/Sociology

Support sessions after school on Mondays in I13; see Miss Toozer for details. 

English/Media

Catch up sessions after school on a Monday, but can be more flexible if given notice. They also have an 'A Level Litcast' podcast for A Level on Spotify/iTunes.

English Lit NEA deadlines: 

• 27th February: Full first draft

Geography

Homework tasks/additional reading are on Google Classroom/ Class Charts. 

Pop and see Miss Tomley for support; she has most time on a Tuesday. 

Maths

Support sessions after school on Wednesdays; see Mr Jones for details

Bursaries

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. 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. 

• Cardiff Bursaries
• Cardiff Scholarships
• Nottingham - medicine, engineering, social science
• Bristol Bursaries
• Birmingham 
• Swansea - academic excellence bursaries
• BANGOR MERIT AND ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS

 

• Choosing a university can be difficult; here’s an article which tries to look at the various criteria you might apply. Which uk Uni to choose? 

 

Opportunities/Events

 

Mr Morris is arranging a trip for 2 Year 13 pupils to attend a day-visit to Auschwitz Concentration Camp. 

 

The trip comprises of 4 elements; 

1. Orientation Seminar - to learn about pre-war Jewish life, hear a Holocaust survivor's testimony and prepare for the visit to Poland. This will be on a weekend afternoon, and will be in Cardiff.
2. One-day Visit to Poland - focusing on a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial. This will include return flights from and to Cardiff Airport.
3. Follow-up Seminar - reflecting on the visit and its lessons and encouraging participants to plan their "Next Steps" Project.
4. "Next Steps" Project - in which participants pass on to their peers and communities the lessons they have learned.

All parts are compulsory. The trip is heavily subsidised and will cost £59. 

Should you wish to attend, please see Mr Morris this week

 

 

For those of you not planning on Higher Education there is an “Apprenticeships Work” Careers Fair at City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff on Thursday 9th March 2023 from 10am to 2:30pm To register please complete the short form in the link  here.

The list of employers exhibiting is growing and there will be information on apprenticeships on arrival, 60+ exhibitors with apprenticeships at all levels (foundation to degree), sector specific workshops taking place in break-out rooms throughout the day and apprenticeship discussion panels.There will be a ‘Youth Event’ for 16-124 year olds, on the 10^th Feb 2023 at 2pm at the MEMO Barry. Please see attached flyer for details. It will be a great opportunity for you to talk to various organisations, about courses, employment, apprenticeships etc, if you are unsure what to do when leaving school.

 

The National School & College Leavers Show – Wales is taking place at the ICC, Wales in Newport on Monday 6 & Tuesday 7 March 2023. The show is designed for students to discover more about post-school opportunities across the region. Exhibitors include Admiral, BBC, Burtons Biscuit Company, Bluestone Park Resort, Cardiff University, DAF Trucks, Gwent Police, Met Office, Newport City Council, PwC, Fire & Rescue Service, Transport for Wales plus many more. Check the details here. Could you let me know if you are interested - if there are enough pupils keen to go then I’ll organise transport. 

 

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. 

 

Gresham College has a series of lectures by different Professors; January’s lectures include: Professor Chris Whitty discussing the causes of Coronary Heart Disease and advances in reducing its effects; Professor Joanna Bourke discussing the cultural history of Breast Cancer, 'one of the most dreaded diseases for women'; Medical Law professor Professor Imogen Goold looking at whether it would be right to make Vaccination mandatory; and Professor Sarah Hart will explore Lottery-Winning Maths. The UK Government has just approved a coal mine for the first time in decades, after 190 countries agreed to phase down coal power in COP26, making Professor Myles Allan’s lecture on the Ocean Physics Behind Net Zero, particularly well-timed. For other lectures which are at undergraduate level use the link here.

 

 

 

Universities

 

The key focus for most of you now will be on deciding on your firm and insurance choice. Attend Open Days, go to Offer Holders Days and generally do your research.

Here’s a helpful guide to the things you might be worrying about and some tips on how to get  University Ready. 

 

Many universities have got upcoming Open Days so make sure you have a look at the places you think you may want to study at. I’ve just put the links for our most popular destinations’ Open Days below as well as the Open Days calendar. 

 

USW have a range of opportunities coming up, please check their website for information. 

 

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,

 

Apprenticeships/Degree Apprenticeships

 

Sony has an Apprenticeship Programme with a SEPT 2023 START  - Apprenticeship Programme (sonypencoed.co.uk) They are offering opportunities in the following areas of focus:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Software & Electronic Engineering

 

APPLICATION CRITERIA:

The minimum of 5 GCSEs, including a B or above in Mathematics, and Cs or above in Science and English.

Other relevant subjects such as Business Studies, Design & Technology, Information Technology or Engineering would be an advantage.

For individuals with higher qualifications, make sure to list all relevant knowledge in your CV and cover letter. Submission deadline: 31st January 2023

 

Balfour Beatty Rail Apprenticeships has a Quantity Surveying apprenticeship available. Use the link here.

Atkins has Apprenticeship Opportunities coming up:

• Level 4 Apprenticeship: South West and Wales - Apprenticeship Programme 2023 - Level 4 Apprenticeship Civil Engineer – Cardiff or Swansea 
• Level 4 Apprenticeship: South West and Wales - Apprenticeship Programme 2023 - Level 4 Apprenticeship Civil Engineer – Cardiff or Swansea
• Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
• South West and Wales - Apprenticeship Programme 2023 - Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship Swansea – Civil Engineering

Entry requirements: To apply, you’ll need: 2 A-Levels. The closing date is 22nd February 2023. More information here. 

Renishaw has a great opportunity for those looking for apprenticeships at all levels in STEM based subjects.  The talks will also discuss possible work experience opportunities. Here’s the link: Renishaw 

Pathway CTM, a London-based careers advice service, is running online weekly drop-in sessions focused on apprenticeships. Register here. 

Amey PLC  is a leading infrastructure services and engineering company who have a range of opportunities available:

Amey: Degree Apprenticeships (office.com)

 

Earn while you learn, gain recognised qualifications, and excel in your career (amey.co.uk) Higher level Apprenticeship Programme; you may need up to 3 A-Levels (or equivalent) at Grades A*-C to apply for the Higher Apprenticeship Programmes

Network 75 offers a range of apprenticeship opportunities as well; use the link here: Network 75 

GE Aviation Engineering Apprentice, Wales 

The GE Wales Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship is a three-year programme that provides all the skills an individual would need to kickstart their career in aerospace.

 

GE Aviation Business Apprentice, Wales 

Run in partnership with Coleg y Cymoedd, it’s an opportunity to join a well-established, global aviation company that prides itself on offering career opportunities for talented individuals.

PwC has more information for potential accountants, business management or technology students interested in degree apprenticeships with them. Use the link  here to find out more

Support

 

For those of you who may feel you need support, as always we are always available to help. If you feel you need more support there are some useful support site links listed:

 

• Young Minds
• Mental Health Wales
• Mind 
• TogetherAll
• Papyrus

There are also some useful techniques here for those experiencing feelings of anxiety:

• Breathing techniques to calm anxiety Visit now 
• 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