A day in the life
I’m Emily and I am a Year 12. It has been amazing so far. You are given freedom, independence and support to do the things you want to do, and be who you want to be.
The whole experience feels personal. You walk into the common room and you know that the teachers and the girls understand you and will do everything they can to help you succeed.
(Photos by Becci from Year 12)
08.25
At the start of the day I spend time with the seven other girls in my form and our tutor. We are really close and we have a lot of laughs together. It’s useful to have Year 13s in the group to ask them advice about their experiences of the different stages of Sixth Form.
08.50
Maths in Context is my first lesson. This is a new subject that lets you keep up your maths skills even if you haven’t chosen the full Maths A Level. I take arts and humanities subjects but I still really enjoy the satisfaction of a correct answer so it’s perfect for me!
09.30
My form tutor and I have scheduled some time for one of our regular tutorials. I can request these whenever I feel I need some support. She knows me really well and we share a sense of humour! I can ask for help with anything.
10.10
Next it’s my Art lesson. We have a separate Sixth Form art studio which is a beautiful, inspirational space where I spend a lot of my time. There are only three other girls in my class so the teacher is able to work with us very closely.
11.50
I’ve asked the Head of Careers and Higher Education for an individual meeting. We had an information evening about university applications recently, and I wanted to ask some questions. The Year 13s tell me that the UCAS support they’re getting is incredible.
12.30
My free periods give me time and space to think, and to catch up on reading. I usually go to The View, a room at the top of the Sixth Form Centre with stunning views over London. There are computers to use in there, and it’s really quiet and calming.
13.10
I walk into town to buy soup and a sandwich. I heat up the soup back in our kitchen and eat with a few friends on one of the sofas in the common room. The Sixth Form Centre is a lovely building. It feels like a house just for us!
13.40
In the second half of lunch I have Eco Club, which is a society I created with my friend. We are creating a life-size whale mural made out of used plastic bags with girls and teachers from across the whole school. We want to make a strong statement about how humans are affecting the planet.
14.10
We do an afternoon of PE in the Sixth Form every week, with an emphasis on trying new things. In my first half term I did bouldering, and now I have moved on to boxing, which really helps to clear my mind! You can also do the traditional sports too if you want.
16.00
The weekly enrichment programme here is eye-opening. You get taught life-skills for university and go on culture trips. The visiting speakers get me thinking most though. We met some inspirational Women of the Future ambassadors this afternoon who talked to us about their careers in design and business.