Our second Flexible Learning Day of the academic year took place on the 8th March. Year 12 were introduced to the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) process with presentations by Mrs Bewick (the College’s EPQ co-ordinator) about the qualification and by Rachel Chávez on Advanced Research Skills. Students also had time for group sessions about how to come up with a project title and individual meetings with their supervisor.
The EPQ is a stand-alone qualification that Year 12s can opt to complete. They can choose their own topic and can either produce a 5,000 word report or an ‘artefact’ or performance accompanied by a 1,500 word report. Students begin the initial work now with the bulk being completed over the summer holidays ready to submit when they return in September. Results are published the following January (click here to read about this January’s great results).
In the afternoon, the Year 12s had the opportunity to visit the Norfolk Careers and Skills Fair, which Year 13s had been able to attend in the morning. We took about 60 students to the Norfolk Showground for the county’s biggest annual careers event. As a results of conversations with a wealth of local providers, many of whom are crying out for talented young staff, the College has decided to create a new, additional careers board displaying local opportunities covering employment, apprenticeships and new courses.
Here two of our Year 13s describe their experience:
“I thought that the event was really interesting and I’m so glad I went. I spoke to multiple stands and now I have a clear idea of what I will be doing after sixth form. The fair was made up of a variety of stands including universities, colleges, apprenticeships and jobs, all of them with lots of different opportunities from different areas.” (Chloe Watton)
“I think that the opportunity to talk to different employers, colleges and universities was very beneficial because they were able to give me more information than what is available online. This was especially true of talking to the universities and what they thought would be good to talk about in the interview and understanding the split between lectures and placement for nursing degrees. I was able to pick up prospectuses for universities that were there and talked to the NHS about apprenticeships and the possibility of having nursing apprenticeships in the next couple of years. This trip, along with my internship at the NNUH, is helping me to get a more detailed insight into the NHS and understanding into the different routes available to get into nursing.” (Sian Fenn-Green)
