EDUCAT ION
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
exploring Nepal and much more besides. It’s all part of the college’s commitment to providing students with skills and experiences that enrich the person as a whole, not just their UCAS application. “As a smaller college, we feel lucky to be able to create opportunities for our students to help them develop into resilient, creative and hard-working individuals, while taking part in a fun and engaging academic atmosphere,” says head of Oakes, Karim. At CAST, which is located within Cambridge’s Biomedical Campus, students take part in Challenge projects, which allow them to work in state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities alongside industry experts. As well as getting them used to working in a professional environment, the exposure of students to professionals from across the STEM sector means they’re well informed about the opportunities available to them. It also means students leave with the skills they need to progress in a career in science or technology, be that specific laboratory or programming skills, or more transferable skills like time management and teamwork.
Once students are fully ensconced in sixth form life, the focus shifts to how they can make the most of their time there and reap the best results – but what happens in the classroom is only part of the picture, according to St Mary’s Ruth Taylor. “Hard work is always key to sixth form success, but tied in with that is happiness – if you’re happy, you will enjoy sixth form and enjoy more success. Also, sixth form is about opportunities, and to be successful at sixth form, you need to take advantage of all the opportunities presented, from clubs and activities to speakers and work experience. It is also about communicating with your teachers and using the academic and pastoral support available.” As well as a strong sense of community, sixth form colleges in our area offer a dazzling selection of enrichment opportunities. At Parkside Sixth, there’s a debate society, international festival celebrations and a full complement of sports clubs, while Oakes College offers a diverse enrichment programme that has seen students working behind the scenes at TV network NBC, learning Makaton, travelling to the Houses of Parliament,
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