Good afternoon,
I just wanted to update you on the work we are currently doing with Year 13 for their Wednesday
afternoon Futures lessons, with particular reference to UCAS and Apprenticeship Support. I also
wanted to mention the importance of upcoming mock assessments and exams for students in
the coming weeks and months.
Futures
In September, students chose to join one of three groups depending on which pathway they
were focussing on for next year. These are Apprenticeship and Employment; UCAS only; or
UCAS and / or Apprenticeships.
Every Wednesday Period 6 and 7, students are working with staff on key aspects to support
these next steps.
● The Apprenticeship only group is working with our Careers Lead Jo Lane on research
and preparation for applications.
● The other groups are focussing on UCAS applications which MUST be submitted fully to
UCAS by Wednesday January 14th at 6.00pm. More information on UCAS below.
● Post Christmas, there will be slight changes to this focus with external BTEC exams, as
well as additional support for those students who are considering both University and
Apprenticeships. This will be communicated with students over the coming weeks.
● We are also aiming to host our own Apprenticeships Fair at Logic on Wednesday
February 11th, where we will be inviting local employers to advertise their
apprenticeships and support our students towards potential applications.
UCAS
With regards to UCAS applications, we have currently submitted 21 out of 101 planned
applications. The school deadline which we have highlighted with students since before the
Summer holidays is Wednesday November 19th.
These 21 students are now receiving offers from their universities of choice!
We have large and growing concerns around the perceived lack of care, urgency and work ethic
from a large number of Year 13s who have yet to submit their application. While January 14th
may seem a long time away, we make a point of checking each application carefully to make
sure it will be accepted.
Too many students are submitting applications which fall well short of the requirements needed
for submission and are not making a significant effort to check their applications or use the
extensive resources we have provided. This includes incomplete personal information; GCSE
results not added; incorrect Level 3 modules or courses entered; and spelling and grammatical
errors on their personal statements.
Students also need to consider the courses they are applying for with regards to their predicted
grades and whether these are appropriate for their ability.
Students must take personal responsibility for their applications and we ask for your support to
ensure this is happening. We will be providing students with a physical checklist of what they
need to complete before submitting work and we are meeting all students who are yet to submit
applications at 2.20pm in the Cyber Cafe on Wednesday this week.
Where students have failed to meet our generous deadline, we are no longer able to guarantee
that outstanding references will be checked thoroughly. Please be aware that where there are
errors in applications, they are likely to be rejected by UCAS.
BTEC Mock Exams and A Level Assessments
Next week, students will start a 2 week programme of A Level Mock assessments and BTEC
Mock Exams (see letter HERE for more information).
These are vital for our students as it gives them a clear indication of how they are progressing
as we move towards their formal exams later this year and where there are areas of weakness
in their learning and knowledge. For BTEC, students have exams for Business and IT in
January. In some cases they will confirm UCAS predicted grades.
In the best cases, students are working tirelessly in lessons and at home; are using ‘free’
lessons to complete additional work; and completing all coursework and weekly prep tasks.
Others demonstrate poor learning habits and a lack of care for their future, with poor
attendance, missed coursework deadlines and poor preparation for the upcoming exams.
We have a Subject Teacher parent evening on Tuesday December 16th from 4.15pm-7pm,
where students and parents can meet with subject teachers to discuss the specific areas of your
child’s progress. It is vital that you and your child attend this evening.