Sixth Form Guide - Intellectual And Cultural Opportunities
Membership of the Sixth Form opens all kinds of windows to invigorating intellectual and cultural opportunities. Some will be of the informal variety, such as the meeting of minds in the Sixth Form Centre and Orchard Centre. The Seminar programme will provide important general education in areas such as politics, health, the arts, social problems and moral dilemmas. You might also participate in a Model United Nations conference, Young Enterprise and have the opportunity to engage in a number of group exercises, including the making of a video. You should endeavour to broaden your horizons by attending some of the many theatre trips on offer, while there are often subject-related visits to countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Greece and the U.S.A. in the Easter and Summer holidays. There are obligatory holiday field courses for boys studying Geography and Biology, and it is expected that all those studying Modern Languages will spend a substantial part of at least one holiday in a foreign country. The Modern Languages Department will be pleased to give advice on, and in some cases arrange, individual exchanges, home-stays and study visits abroad: these should be seen as an essential part of A Level preparation.
The most important section on your university application form is the Personal Statement, where you have an opportunity to explain your passion for your chosen degree subject, as well as giving details of your interests and extra-curricular achievements. Boys who have participated in a wide range of intellectual and cultural activities, and who can show evidence of individual initiative, are at a significant advantage, especially now that the competition for places at the more popular universities is so intense. You will also be a much more interesting candidate at interview, and you should take advantage of the mock interviews that are arranged by individual departments in your Upper Sixth year. Interview training by an outside company specialising in these skills is also organised by the Universities and Careers Department.