This story is sponsored by Harrogate Grammar School.
Open days are crucial in helping students to determine their futures, according to the Director of a top Harrogate school’s Sixth Form.
Ben Twitchin, from Harrogate Grammar School, said the events allow prospective students the chance to make informed decisions.
He has offered his tips on what to ask and look out for at the open days.
He said:
“This is the first-time students have a really free choice in what they study, and this decision will help to determine their future.
“In order to do this in the most informed manner, it is really important they engage in open events. This is the best way for students to develop an understanding of the culture of a sixth form, and to find out crucial information about courses and facilities on offer. This helps to support them in making the right decision about their next steps.”
Whether you are a parent, carer or a student applying to Sixth Form there are several ways you can make the most of open events.
Mr Twitchin’s top tips on how to do this are:
- Do your research
Before attending open events, do your research and make a list of any questions you have, as well as a list of priorities that you are looking for in a Sixth Form. This will be useful if you talk with staff about your course and being prepared will help to ensure you make the most of the open event.
It is important that you are confident in your school choice. We are delighted to have been awarded an ‘outstanding’ judgement across all aspects of the school from Ofsted in March 2022, which reflects our consistently excellent academic provision over a number of years.
- Don’t be afraid to move
This year The Sixth Form at Harrogate Grammar School welcomed over 120 students who had previously attended different schools.
It is really common that students join us in the Sixth Form, they add to the vibrancy and diversity of the school. The Sixth Form provides a fresh start for all of our students, and students quickly feel settled within our community.
Transport doesn’t have to be a barrier either. The Sixth Form at Harrogate Grammar School is well serviced by public bus services and also offers bespoke bus services to help students travel to and from the school from the surrounding area.
- Check the results
When considering your post-16 options look for consistently excellent results rather than just one year. Harrogate Grammar School has achieved record breaking exam success with an average of 60 peer of A Level grades being A*- B over nine consecutive years.
- Look at the subjects on offer
As noted, Sixth Form is the first-time students have a true choice in what they are studying so it is important to look at the range on offer.
My three pieces of advice for future students are :
- Select a subject that you genuinely really enjoy.
- Select a subject that you are also good at because then you can make significant progress and develop at the higher level of study expected at A Level.”
- Make sure you select a subject that allows you to progress after Sixth Form to the next stage in your life.
- Look beyond the subjects
It is also important to consider what other opportunities a Sixth Form offers to help students develop and prepare for the next stage of their lives.
Are there active, student-led societies, leadership opportunities and a wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer?
No matter where your passion lies, whether it be in sport, art, drama, music or the academic side of school life, there is always something extra to take part in at Harrogate Grammar School.
- Think about progression
What happens after Sixth Form is crucial, so check that there is a clear route to university, further education or apprenticeships. Find out if successful alumni visit to inspire current students and whether there is an active work-experience programme.
A key thing to also look out for is whether the Sixth Form has a Quality in Careers Standard Award, which recognises excellence in careers education, information and guidance. The Sixth Form at Harrogate Grammar School has this careers award and encourages excellence for all its students across 38 subjects, taught in first-class facilities.
- Look for strong pastoral and academic support
The step from GCSEs to A-Levels can sometimes be challenging. It is important to find out how students are supported in developing the strong independent study skills that are crucial to success in the Sixth Form.
A strong pastoral team and a clear commitment to student wellbeing are also essential elements to look out for when selecting your destination of study, especially for students who have had a disrupted school experience over the last two years.
Head student Harriet Winspear said:
“At Harrogate Grammar School, the staff really help to create a nurturing environment not only academically, but they also have a real care for the pastoral wellbeing of students and provide great guidance.”
Harrogate Grammar School holds the Carnegie School Mental Health Award, and the Sixth Form has an experienced and specialised team of staff in place to support students throughout their Sixth Form journey.
Harrogate Grammar School’s Sixth Form Open Evening is taking place on Thursday, November 17.
It will give potential students, parents and carers the opportunity to visit this ‘outstanding’ school, hear about the wide range of courses on offer from subject specialists, get an insight into the thriving culture, meet the students and experience the first-class facilities.
There will be two identical talks which will take place at 6.30pm and 7.20pm throughout both evenings from the Headteacher Neil Renton and Director of Sixth Form Ben Twitchin. The evenings are due to finish at 8.30pm.
To find out more information about the Sixth Form Open Evening on Thursday, November 17 call 01423 535235 or email hgs.sixthform@hgs.rklt.co.uk
An invitation to Barnard Castle School – educational excellence with ‘happiness at its heart’
This article is sponsored by Barnard Castle School.
As a parent, choosing the right school for your child can be one of the most challenging and important decisions you will make.
It is also a major milestone for your child, therefore their happiness is paramount.
Tony Jackson, headmaster at Barnard Castle School, recognises this and has moved to reassure parents that “enormous emphasis” has been placed on ensuring every pupil feels a sense of belonging at the school.
He said:
“Only then will they come close to maximising their potential.”
His comments come ahead of a series of open mornings being held at the co-educational independent day and boarding school in County Durham, which has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.
The events, which are being held in February and March, are aimed at giving parents and pupils an opportunity to get a feel for the school, inspect the facilities and chat with peers and staff.
Mr Jackson, who has been headmaster at the school, known affectionately as ‘Barney’, since 2018, said:
“It is important your child flourishes whilst at school, which are the most important and formative years of their lives.
“At Barney, our students exceed their academic potential as a result of inspiring teaching, delivered in an easy, open and respectful environment at the heart of which are the caring relationships that exist between the teachers and students.”
Mr Jackson said the school’s recent achievements are a result of the teachers and wider ancillary staff, who spend every day “inspiring, supporting and guiding” pupils.
He said:
“Barney has always possessed a wonderful environment, with happy children and staff at its heart.
“Whilst we are extremely proud of what our students achieve academically, we also recognise the vital importance of preparing the next generation for an ever-changing and increasingly competitive and global marketplace.
“We expect our pupils to work as hard as they can, and do as well as they can.
“However, we tell them that academic success will only open a door; it is what they do when they walk through that door that counts.”
The school has a history that stretches back to the 19th century.
The headteacher said that as a result of this ethos, the school prides itself on its co-curricular activities.
He added:
“It is in these environments that most life lessons are learned. We want our young people to problem-solve, work in a team, demonstrate leadership and have emotional intelligence.
“Resilience and humility must also be at the very heart of our young people. All these attributes are delivered most effectively through extra-curricular activities.
“Be it missing out on a part in a play, or performing on stage, or standing with teammates to defend a goal or a try line; winning and losing.
“All these experiences help develop in our children the attributes they will need, and the more exposure they can get, the better, which is why our activity programme is so varied.”
Beyond the more traditional spheres of music, drama and sport, Barnard Castle School currently offers more than 100 activities to students, which include a bespoke ‘Mind, Body and Soul’ programme for Year 7 and 8s.
Mr Jackson said:
“We often find that a number of our pupils create and lead their own activities as well, demonstrating leadership and innovation.
“We want Barnardians to be the types of people who light up a room when they enter it. This requires confidence, resilience and compassion, all built up over a period of time, and in a variety of ways, both within and beyond the classroom. No leader can achieve anything major without the influence of the staff who make it happen. This is especially the case in our school.
“We tell our parents that our collective role, as parents and teachers, is to arm our children with the tools with which to clear the path ahead of them, not to clear the path for them. This means we have to allow them to fail at times, in a supportive environment.
“If we do that together, we are doing our best to prepare our young people for the challenges ahead.”
Situated on the outskirts of historic market town of Barnard Castle, an extensive transport service is operated from across the North East and North Yorkshire to the school.
Full or flexible boarding options in the school’s friendly, welcoming boarding houses are also provided.
To find out more about what makes education at Barnard Castle School so special, contact a member of the admissions team on 01833 696030 or email admissions@barneyschool.org.uk
- A Prep School open morning is taking place on Saturday, March 19 from 9.30am until 11.30am.
- Senior School open mornings – by appointment only – are being held on Saturday, February 26 and Saturday, March 19.
- Following the success of the school’s recent, oversubscribed Sixth Form information evening, Barnard Castle is delighted to offer personal, private visits for prospective Sixth Form students and their families.
This article is sponsored by Cundall Manor School.
It is ranked in the top nine per cent of independent schools in the UK and is situated in an idyllic part of rural North Yorkshire.
Now, prospective families are being invited to explore Cundall Manor School as it opens its doors for two special events in February and March.
The open days will take place at the “friendly, supportive and caring” school, which offers provision for boys and girls from the age of two to 16.
The first will be held on the morning of Saturday, February 5, followed by another on Saturday, March 26.
Amanda Kirby, who has been the headteacher at the school for almost 10 years, said:
“We hold open days to invite prospective parents to the school with the opportunity to see the school facilities and to get a feel of the Cundall experience. It allows them to meet the pupils ask them questions but also talk to the teachers as well.”
Mrs Kirby said the events provided an opportunity for the school to get a feel for who the prospective families are and in return parents and children are able to inspect the facilities and chat with pupils and staff.
She said:
“Parents can get an insight into our school culture, the curriculum and the type of pupils we produce. It also allows parents to meet our fantastic senior leadership team and they can establish a relationship.”
In terms of what the school has to offer, including state-of-the-art facilities, Mrs Kirby said Cundall Manor is “proof that the world of Enid Blyton can be at one with the 21st century”.
She added:
“Seeing is believing. Rather than driving success we promote success on an individual basis. We are not afraid to push pupils out of their comfort zone, cultivating a ‘yes’ mentality which prepares children to embrace the world and to think and act independently and without inhibitions.
“We possess excellent grass pitches for rugby, football and cricket. We have a 4G astro turf that is used for hockey, netball, football and tennis. We also possess a 20-metre, four-lane swimming pool.
Located in a magnificent 28-acre site in the Vale of York, between Ripon and Thirsk, Cundall Manor School mainly attracts pupils from a 20-mile radius, including the Harrogate district.
Mrs Kirby said:
“We attract pupils from a Harrogate as we have an extensive bus routes and one of the routes goes through the town centre.”
The open days will see parents greeted by some of the school’s prefects, before being accompanied to a welcome tent.
They will then be taken on a tour of the whole school by a prefect and will be invited to ask questions about the school and life from a pupil perspective.
Mrs Kirby said:
“During their tour of school, they will visit our Wild Wood, this will showcase some of the extracurricular activities we offer such as axe throwing, fire building and much more.
“They will then go onto our school field, which is a magnificent 26-acre field containing rugby, football and cricket pitches.
“We also have a new 4G astro turf, which allows us to mainly play hockey, but we also use it for netball and tennis.”
At the end of the tour, parents will be taken back to the tent where they will have the opportunity to speak with Mrs Kirby and her deputies. They will also have the opportunity to talk to the school’s new headteacher, Christopher James-Roll, who starts at the school in September.
Mrs Kirby added:
“Open days give prospective parents the opportunity to see Cundall in ‘full-flow’. We are not just the sum of our stunning surroundings, enriching curriculum, and extra-curricular opportunities. Parents say they can tangibly feel the friendly and purposeful atmosphere when they meet our pupils and staff. It is always wonderful to see everyone engaged in learning activities.
“Pupils lead our tours, giving prospective families a real insight into what it is like to be a pupil at Cundall Manor School. Some of these pupils have been here since they were in nursery and have many wonderful anecdotes of their time at school.
“Chatting over refreshments after the tours allows prospective families to meet with our head, head of admissions and deputies, affording parents a relaxed environment to ask any questions as they arise.
“Families leave feeling they’ve had a snap-shot into life at Cundall Manor School, ready to make informed decisions about the next steps to joining our family community.”
To register for one of the school’s open days click here to fill out a contact form or call 01423 360200.