Hello, my name is Daisy Wainwright and I am in Year 10. With exams finished and GCSEs a year away, this week has been like no other. Year 10 have had a ‘taster week’ giving an insight into life as a sixth former. What seemed like a lifetime away is now only a year away and this week has offered a brilliant opportunity to explore all aspects of Queens Sixth Form.
So… the dress code! The look we need is smart business wear. This can include smart tailored skirts, trousers or dresses and a jacket. I began to understand through the week why this was important. Learning about the extensive careers and academic enrichment programmes made me aware that we would frequently be meeting with a wide range of professionals. It is important to look sophisticated and send a message that you could be an asset in any environment. Also, we should be an inspiration to the younger years. On Monday morning, I headed back upstairs after my mum said “not that skirt Daisy!” However, I think I am beginning to get the hang of it now.
Tuesday morning started with assembly and Mrs Larder’s announcement that Queen is coming to Queen’s - the annual school production will be ‘We Will Rock You.’ Such is the diversity of Queen’s that every interest and talent from musicians to scene painters to performers is catered for.
On Tuesday afternoon, I had an English language ‘taster’ with Mr Wilson, who is also Head of Sixth Form. It was unexpected and fantastic, involving actually learning about the meaning of the language as both a medium of communication and a topic in its own right, rather than anything we had ever done before. It proved to be so much fun and Mr Wilson was so engaging. It was interesting in the Mandarin taster when Ms Whittam said how English and Mandarin worked well together at A-level (the Mandarin taster was a personal favourite of mine). This is why this time is so important, as it truly informs you about the subjects and what will work for the individual. I also really loved hearing about the types of Homeric poetry that we can study for Latin A-level, and I have heard from many people that the classics A-level course is particularly interesting.
On Tuesday evening, parents and pupils were invited to the Q Elevate programme launch. The brand new Sixth Form academic enrichment and bespoke future skills programme. The four areas of the programme are: Q Lead, Q Global, Q Enrich and Q Scholar. It was extremely helpful to hear from key staff about careers, and life beyond Queens, and to share the information with parents.
On Wednesday, Mr O’Meara and Mrs McKeirnan took a group of Year 10s to Oxford University for an academic visit. It was fantastic to meet Hattie, a former Queen’s pupil who spoke about her experiences and answered any questions. Fast forward to Thursday, we had another day filled with sixth form taster lessons. The only problem with the week was that every subject I attended, I wanted to do. At the Spanish taster we learnt that the syllabus would include everything from Hispanic culture and customs to the current state of Spain’s economy, the A-level syllabus provided a comprehensive journey around Spain. Maths with Mr Godfrey and Mr Magill was brilliant. They are a formidable double act who managed to make maths fun. Equally, History gave an exciting insight into democracy and dictatorships. A highlight was Biology, where we learnt how to dissect a pigs kidney and made iron tablets in the chemistry lab.
My friend Felicity and I spent our lunchtime in Pret A Manger discussing the day so far. She had particularly enjoyed Psychology and Business Studies, which are brand new subjects for us, available to take as A-level.
During the week, we were able to use the Sixth Form common room. The common room is located above the library and a place where the sixth form girls use in their study periods and at lunchtime. It has sofas, chairs, a small kitchen and has a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. It gives students the option to buy or bring in their own food to eat with friends, rather than the multi-years frenzy, dealt with military precision in the school dining room. It is through doing these things during the taster week that you truly understand the difference between school and sixth form. You are becoming more self-managed: it is a bridge between school and university, and as with everything at Queen’s, it is managed perfectly. The transition between Lower School and Senior School was seamless and soon, we will begin our last journey in our Queen’s life. Although I do not want it to end, I am excited for new experiences and this week has confirmed how amazing sixth form will be.
With a relatively small sixth form it is clear to see how we will be treated as individuals with the teachers so aware of our own strengths and talents. The ability to work with teachers as a partnership and having a clear plan of our individual goals and how to achieve them.
The taster week has been absolutely fantastic, covering every aspect of sixth form life. I feel I will leave ‘world ready’ with the abilities and values that are the ethos of Queen’s. A huge thank you to all the teachers for their support and kindness this week.