We’re going Loco for Lesotho!

Gangsters’ Paradise

Sixth SenseSouth Sefton 6th Form College Newsletter

NEW YORKTHE

EXPERIENCE

Moving on up!

You’reHired!

Where Aspiration Meets Opportunity

Spring 2012

With all the news about tuition fees and the

expense of university it is worth remembering the

benefits of higher education; the fivefold increase

in earning potential, the opportunity to become an

expert in a chosen field and meeting new people

from across the UK and The World.

We have taken a number of students to various

events to discover the extensive range of

opportunities available at university.

In October our music, dance and drama students

went to ‘Compose your Future’ in Manchester,

which was a fantastic opportunity to see the range

of courses available in the performing arts. A

month later it was the turn of art students to

attend ‘Design your Future’, where universities

from across the country promote courses from

Photography to Fashion, Interior Design to

Graphics. Having close links with all of our local

universities, we also took our Social Science

students to a conference at Edge Hill University

and returned a month later for another conference

for those students interested in Primary Education.

The Social Science, Law and Criminology

Conference proved an enlightening experience for

students with a “student experience” talk from a

current Sociology Undergraduate, a campus tour

and a choice of two subject taster sessions related

to students’ interests and degree choices. A

successful day out for all, the conference helped

students make informed decisions about course

choices and the type of university they would like

to attend.

Visits like this occur throughout the year and are

essential in helping our students appreciate the

sheer scope of opportunities available at University

and just where further study could take them.

Aiming High

The start of the year saw our

students applying to

university; they have now

submitted their applications

and are receiving offers.

Popular courses this year

include Psychology, ICT and

Spanish with students

applying to universities from

London to Newcastle. Writing

a personal statement about

their achievements both in

the classroom and beyond

highlights the amazing range

of experience our students

have, from achieving Gold in

Duke of Edinburgh to

volunteering across the city,

DJing at local radio stations

and even auditioning for

films! The greater curricular

experience you have, the

more skills you develop to

help you gain that all

important university place!

Welcome to our spring edition of Sixth Sense as we try to

capture a flavour of some of what is going on at South

Sefton Sixth Form College.

It is hard to believe that we are now into our third year of

offering top quality A Level provision to the young people

of South Sefton. Indeed last summer we saw the first

cohort of our students head off to university and continue

to build on the success they had developed at college.

Seeing so many smiling faces reinforces our mission

statement to be a place where aspiration meets

opportunity which was certainly the case on A Level

Results Day.

At the start of the new term we have just received the

news that in terms of value added we are in the top 2% of

colleges in the country. This means simply that students

at South Sefton Sixth College, or those intending to join us

in September, are highly likely to achieve A level results

that are at or above their target grades. We work hard

with our students to ensure they fulfil their potential;

throughout the year there are extra classes to help

students with their studies and prepare them for exams.

Teachers are always available to help and student success

is central to all we do at college.

South Sefton is a college for its community, for the young

people of Sefton and Liverpool; a place where young

people make their dreams happen. It is wonderful to

bring such a positive message to all our readers and to

wish you all the very best in the forthcoming

examinations.

Hello

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Dates for your Diary

Y12 Consultation

Afternoon:

Wednesday 18th April

Y13 Consultation

Afternoon:

Wednesday 25th April

Bank Holiday:

Monday 7th May

June Half Term: Monday

4th June - Friday 8th June

College Closes for

Summer: Friday 13th July.

Y12 Enrolment Day

Thursday 23rd August

Faced with flight delays we were determined to reach the US by any means necessary; the moment we touched down in New York's JFK airport excitement started to set in and we had finally made it!

The week that followed was a journey that involved much emotion, education and culture, beginning with a visit to the UN building and an interactive tour. We were educated in the various roles and sectors of the UN and its influence over countries that constitute the UN as one entity. When our tour guide focused the groups attention on the land mine display, we were all shocked to learn that countries, such as the USA and UK in the 1980s, were manufacturing and selling land mines for as little as $4 per unit.

Between visits we had the opportunity to take in all that New York City had to offer; from Broadway to the Brooklyn Bridge. The NYPD museum and the 9/11 memorial reminded us of the horrors that the city had endured and how much development of the new World Trade Centre had come along, a real case of overcoming terrorism on political, social and economic scales.

We were given an invitation to the prestigious Brooklyn Law School to have a tour of the building and a conference with the Dean. The tour consisted of a visit to their mock court room, study areas and meeting US Law students, who were studying to undertake the New York State bar exams. After leaving the Law school we then travelled into Little Italy passing through the amazing China town en route. After making our way to Little Italy, we found a unique traditional Italian restaurant where we decided to dine. Having eaten, we progressed over to Night Court near City Hall, eventually arriving despite failing to successfully hail numerous taxis. Once in the court we listened to various cases and with them, the defendant’s sentences. I think the group would be unified in saying that this was definitely an experience; good or bad is yet to be determined…

Coming to the end of the week, a stop at the Empire State Building was warranted. We ascended the 81 floors to the observation deck, and exited the building to view what can only be described as the electric glow of New York City under the cover of darkness; a simply stunning vista.

It is safe to say that the trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all and will never be forgotten.

From our own correspondent...

Legal eagles take flight for New York

That was what our students were hoping to hear on their day at Liverpool John

Moores University on 22nd February.

The Applied Business students were part of an Assessment Centre run by second

year university students on the Human Resources Management degree.

They were put through a battery of tests that are used to select managers in large

companies. This was to give them all a feel of real business in action.

Although it was a challenging day, all the students thoroughly enjoyed it and came

away with developed skills and a taste for university life.

You’re Hired!

Our students and staff have recently staged a most

successful production of ‘Bugsy Malone’. The team

consisted of students from all subject disciplines, as

well as those studying Drama, Dance and Music. The

production is part of our enrichment offer and so any

student keen to experience life on, or behind, the stage

can take part.

This much loved 1976 musical transported our audience

to Chicago, Illinois during the Prohibition era when

gangsters like Al Capone ruled the streets. However,

instead of blood and gore, Bugsy offered custard and

goo with its tongue-in-cheek style lampooning of the

era’s excesses. Fun was had by all as we followed the

sleek and smooth Bugsy, played by Sean Kennedy,

through the dark world of gangland America as he

eventually finds love with Blousey Brown.

As you can imagine this production can get messy and

ours was no different with students revelling in the

opportunity to pie and splurge each other at any given

opportunity! Audiences were thoroughly entertained by

the ‘sell-out’ production.

We would like to thank all those involved in

making ‘Bugsy’ a huge success and look

forward to staging many more entertaining

productions.

Gangsters’ Paradise

Studying in a state of the art college with such

fantastic resources and facilities, it is easy to forget that

there are those in other parts of the world who are not as

fortunate as ourselves. In recognising this, SSSFC have decided

to continually support a whole-college charity with the aim of

improving the living and studying conditions of students in less privileged areas of the

world. Lesotho is situated in the centre of South Africa; it is an area of great poverty,

with a high infant mortality rate due to the poor living conditions and a lack of

opportunity. The residents of Lesotho struggle to access educational resources essential

for their learning and development - indeed having a piece of paper to draw on is

considered a luxury! As a result, the college charity group has decided to organise and

run a series of charity events in order to support the ‘Lesotho Charity’ and to form a

relationship with the only school charity situated within Lesotho.

The first event that was organised by the charity group was a Halloween fancy dress day

along with a Halloween themed cake sale. Students helped to decorate the atrium, with

a s

ac

rt

co

to continually support a whole-

SStudying in a

ffantastic resources and fa

there are those in other pa

fortunate as ourselves. In rec

to continually support a whole

Lesotho is a landlocked country and enclave, completely surrounded by its only

neighboring country, the Republic of South Africa

the college laced in cobwebs and ghouls lurking around every corner. The event was

a huge success and raised a total of £386.00. The charity’s’ group are now working

hard organising a number of future upcoming fund raising events which include a

‘Show Your Colours Day’, taking place in the New Year. For this event students will be

encouraged to come into college wearing the shirt of their football team and to make

donations in order to raise money to help provide sports equipment such as football

kit, for the students of Lesotho. In addition, SSSFC students will have the opportunity

to donate their old football shirts to the charity to pass onto some of the younger

residents of Lesotho. The charity group’s students have also designed and ordered a

charity wristband in order to raise money for the appeal. The main aim is to have

every member of South Sefton Sixth Form College wearing a charity wrist band

before the end of the year. If successful, the students at SSSFC will

raise a massive £1100 to donate to the Lesotho appeal, making

a direct difference to the lives of those less fortunate than

themselves.

We’re Loco for Lesotho!

SFC will

king Show

your support pp t with a Lesotho band!

ith a Lesotho band!h a Lesotho ban

£1

Loco for Lesotho bands now available from Student Services

Only weeks after

our Halloween

fund raising day,

the College

Council organised

a lunchtime

concert in aid of

Children in Need.

Showcasing musical talent from across college, groups performed classic tracks from

the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Blur, as well as stunning solo performances from

individual singers, and the college choir lifting the roof of the atrium with their

powerful rendition of ‘I Will

Follow’. Organised, led and

compered by students, this

was a day to be proud of and,

with a student-organised

“Name the Bear” competition

as well, raised £318 in total for

Children in Need. With their

social conscience, South

Sefton Students never shy

away from helping those less

fortunate than themselves, no

matter how tough times are.

Raising the funds Amy Evans &

Adam Jones

The college choir singing ‘I Will Follow’

South Sefton College

Mombasa, Kenya

Kenyan Connection

Katie Wallace, currently a Year 13 student at SSSFC, has

her sights firmly set on Kenya for next summer. Applying

to study Wildlife Conservation at university, Katie intends

to spend two months before she goes in Mombasa, Kenya,

working on a project building a school and

accommodation for local children and their families.

Organised through Camp Kenya, Katie is in the process of

raising £2300 to fund the trip herself and is already half

way to meeting her target.

Keen to make a difference to the world, this is a dream

come true for Katie, helping in whatever way to make a

contribution to the lives of those who are less fortunate

than ourselves. A once in a lifetime opportunity, Katie's

determination to both raise the funds for her project and

to get out there and make some difference to our world is

testimony that the young people of this college do care

and will go that extra mile for something in which they

passionately believe.

Katie Wallace

www.sssfc.ac.uk

Where applications are welcomed:

South Sefton 6th Form College Sterrix Lane, Liverpool L30 2DB

admin@sssfc.ac.uk

0151 288 6300

The enrichment

programme at college

just goes from strength

to strength. An essential

part of the curriculum,

students have the

opportunity each

Wednesday afternoon to opt into enrichment sessions from

Italian to Photography, Five-a-Side to Zumba. Students can either

follow a previously-developed passion - whether that be football,

playing an instrument or performing on stage - or choose

something completely

new such as learning

sign language, dress

making or raising money for our

college charity appeal. Such

opportunities help our students

further develop their skills and

talents giving them that advantage

when they apply to university or

employment.

Name

Name

This newsletter is available on our website, in large print or alternative formats. Contact us for more information.

We hope Sixth Sense has given you just an insight of what goes on at South Sefton Sixth Form

College. We always welcome the views of parents and carers and can be contacted by email

at admin@sssfc.ac.uk or by telephone on 0151 288 6300.

You may have an idea for enrichment, a contact we could use for work experience or simply

want to share your views. Whatever the reason we would be delighted to hear from you!

Student Enrichment