Head Students' Welcome

A Warm Welcome to the Sixth Form

Libby Sahani and Oscar Rabson Stark
Head Students

 

Libby Said - “Being a head student is an amazing way for me to represent my peers and Uckfield College through a leadership role that provides a platform to so many wonderful opportunities. I’m so grateful to be working with such an incredible group of Student Leaders, whilst being able to further my skills through this role.”

 

Libby studies Biology, Psychology, and Sociology A Levels.

 

Oscar said - “The role of Head Student is an amazing opportunity, not just to help our College community at Uckfield alongside an amazing group of Student Leaders. It's also a chance to improve my own skills at organisation, leadership and public speaking. I love that I can do all of these things in this role, and it feels like such an achievement to be able to give back to the College in such a meaningful way.”

 

Oscar studies English Literature, History, and Philosophy A Levels.

Academic study

Writing this as I am at the end of Year 12, I’m in a good place to look back over the last six years I’ve been at Uckfield, and I can say without a doubt that it’s an excellent place to learn. While maintaining an emphasis on individualism when it comes to teaching, being at Uckfield really gives the sense that you’re part of a wider community.

Whenever I give tours to prospective sixth form students, (and often their parents), they’re always surprised at the emphasis that Uckfield puts on independent study. While the lessons are, of course, excellent, each student is encouraged to work on their own to improve. To help with this are the timetabled study sessions, especially useful when the increased workload of higher level courses begins to mount up. Although I do enjoy the greater freedoms of Sixth Form, my favourite part about it is the teachers. Being taught by a group of people even more enthusiastic about the subject than I am is amazing in and of itself, but it’s the support they lend that I find most helpful. Whether it be detailed feedback on each assignment to help me improve, extra resources to work through outside of class, or even just a willingness to give up their own time to help me, the teachers make sure I never feel lost or unsure of what I’m doing. Smaller class sizes definitely help with this, as each person’s individual needs can be met easily.

Extra curricular activities

On top of providing the foundations for academic excellence through lessons, the College also offers a vast array of extracurricular activities. From clubs and trips to roles and positions to Deeper Learning Days and the end of year Enrichment Week, the list goes on and because of this there’s something for everyone here at Uckfield. Every spare moment in the week could easily be filled without doing a quarter of what’s available, not even taking into account the subject-specific opportunities each department offers, (like catch-up sessions, trips, etc.). Personally I’ve always favoured the school’s music department in terms of clubs, performing with the choir and strings group at events throughout the year.

Leadership opportunities

Student leadership positions across the school are great opportunities for students to develop their organisation and communication skills while participating in and helping run events. Alongside this, being a student leader is something amazing that you can include in your personal statements to help you stand out from the crowd!

There’s the opportunity to get much more involved in the student leadership team when you enter the Sixth Form. You have the opportunity to lead a small or even large team, with roles in charity, environment, academic support and so much more. Being involved in the student leadership team has allowed me to become a more active member in the college community and try to help improve it for everyone. I’ve also gained valuable experience in leadership, organisation and public speaking - I wouldn’t be writing this in any other position. I cannot stress enough how much I would encourage everyone to get involved when they have the chance as it is something so beneficial.

Social activities

The College hosts various fun and engaging social activities. For example there are frequent deep learning days which encourage teamwork and togetherness in order to complete tasks. I find that these days deepen my knowledge of important topics, for example learning about assessment centres earlier in year 12, but are also an interactive and exciting way to learn. Enrichment week also acts as a fantastic way to create meaningful and long-lasting friendships through the shared experiences of participating in countless school trips.

Advice

Something I would encourage all students to do is to make the most of your time here, and whilst doing so, reach out of your comfort zone and grasp as many opportunities as you can. This will lead you to discover so much about yourself and your passions, and therefore there is nothing I could advise more!

Student Leadership