Sixth Form Open Evening

We look forward to meeting prospective students with their parents tonight. Everyone will have the opportuntity to listen to Mrs Goff, Headmistress, and Mrs Cheetham, Head of Sixth Form before attending specialist subject talks and (most importantly!) speaking to current sixth formers in the common room. The evening starts at 6pm for external applicants with a 6.30pm start for girls and their parents currently in school. We hope you have a great evening!

Back of the net! Philip Wilson (UCFB) speaks passionately about new degrees...

We were privileged to hear Philip Wilson, Provost of UCFB, speak to our Yr 12 PSHE class about the changing face of sports management on Friday. He explained to the girls that football stadia are now being seen as leisure and entertainment venues where football is a component and not just ‘the only show in town’. He explained that, for example, at The FA Cup Final match-day, Wembley employs circa 5,022 people, but only 22 are on the pitch. Inviting us to consider what the roles of the other 5,000 people are on event day, Mr Wilson explained that to facilitate 90,000 people in and out of the building is a highly coordinated and complex operation involving personnel from all disciplines. Only half of Wembley Stadium’s event calendar is football-related. Approximately 5% of positions in the industry exist within the Club environment and the majority of opportunities exist outside within organisations such as Nike, Puma, Sky Sports, Castrol, Coca Cola - all the way towards more localised and regional businesses. At UCFB, the team is dedicated to the delivery of undergraduate degree courses in the operational and business facets of the football and sports industries, which responds to football’s status as a global multi-billion pound industry that requires specific administrative, management and operational skills and capabilities. Located in two state-of-the-art iconic and inspiring locations at Wembly and Burnley, UCFB provides students with a unique student experience and to live, learn and work within the football and sports industry during their studies. Football is a worldwide economic and social, as well as sporting phenomenon. It is important to understand its evolution into the modern game and to look ahead to the next innovations. There are many jobs in the football and sports industry but they will increasingly require a combination of graduate qualifications, practical work experience, business imagination and a commitment to continuing professional development (CPD). Students at UCFB have career aspirations outside of the sports industries and merely wish to learn a traditional academic subject such as a finance degree in the context of something about which they are passionate. Like all things, education is all about motivation and the opportunity for students to read a finance degree within an inspirational environment is unique to UCFB. A degree certificate is merely an entry ticket in to the job market, allowing a graduate to apply for a job where the minimum entry requirement is to have a degree. No employer will ask what mark you received in your finance or marketing exam in your second year but they will be interested in what your core capabilities and competences are, that you can provide in order to become a valuable member of staff. UCFB therefore offers degrees, lecture series, workshops and executive speakers as part of its fundamental approach to higher education. Their involvement in the football and sports industry with organisations such as the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), Scottish Professional Football League, English Premier League, Football League, Football Association (FA), Umbro, BBC Sport, ITV Sport and Sky Sports provides a unique and exclusive undergraduate experience for students. Many thanks to Mr Wilson and the relationship managers who accompanied him on the day - the talk certainly scored highly for us!

Autumn Term Well Underway!

We've really hit the ground running, as usual, this year. The Head Girl Team are out of school tomorrow at Withington School for Girls at a GSA conference, the Sixth Form information evening is on tomorrow evening and UVI girls are busy getting their personal statements ready. Sixteen LVI girls have put themselves forward for positions as prefects within every year group and introduced themselves to their forms this morning. Many of our UVI and LVI girls have organised either work experience or charity work on Wednesday afternoons while others are enjoying the opportunities to take part in PE lessons where everything from yoga to kick-boxing will be available throughout the year. Our house captains, along with their deputies, are busy organising the next house event to be judged: the house notice boards. We have a charities prefect and an eco-warrior plus an 'overall organiser of the LVI prefects' warrior all proudly sporting their badges and - alongside all of this - Mrs Cheetham and Mrs Perls have mentored every girl in UVI to ensure that each student is aware of her UCAS points position. Predicted grades sheets have been distributed so that the girls can make realistic and timely choices once they have openly discussed with staff the likelihood of achieving their aspirational (and realistic) grades. The sixth form tutor team has now met twice since we arrived back on 28 August - it's been great to work with old friends and to welcome new faces too! All in all, everyone is settling in well and we particularly welcome new girls to our Sixth Form - hopefully everyone's settling in. The new term has certainly started with a bang!

Back to school blues?

Fear not! You're embarking on one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of your school careers. Whether returning to Sixth Form and attacking Year 13 or starting off in Year 12, you are at a crucial stage in your learning. We can guarantee you will receive all the support, encouragement and care you need to make a success of your year. All you have to do is ... your best! September is the equivalent of New Year - a fresh start with fresh goals and aspirations. Good luck to you all!