Highlight of the Week

Step Up to University

Last Friday was the deadline for the Upper Sixth students to submit their Step Up to University projects. A wide range of entries have been received along with extending our partnerships through external moderators. Several of the students have written about their experience of the project.

“Despite not having exams, I’ve been far from bored. Through the Step Up to University programme, the Upper Sixth students could chose to write an essay or project in the realm of the subject we intend to study further. For me, as a languages student hoping to further my studies in French and Spanish, that meant reading four new Spanish texts and writing an essay about female liberation and how the protagonists of the texts succeeded (or didn’t succeed) in their search for emancipation through the exploitation of patriarchal ideals. At first glance the suggestion that I would have to read and independently analyse texts in a foreign language was very daunting; almost as daunting as the idea of university itself. However, once I began, I believe that the process has helped me trust myself, my analysis and search for meaning in the texts and will definitely help me in the future to write more confidently written essays. It’s also been a lesson in independence as I was able to choose my own focus to the essay, exploring topics that most fascinated me and having the opportunity to do lots of wider reading. Through meetings with the teacher assigned under a kind-of ‘supervisor’ role, it’s been challenging but exciting to be able to discuss texts and their hidden meanings, and I have felt myself begin to feel comfortable with disagreements and having to support and challenge my own analysis through hard evidence. The essay will also be marked by a university professor or an expert in that field, giving us a taste of what we will be experiencing soon. It has been difficult to balance working a new job, ensuring I take time out for myself during such a turbulent time (as we should all be doing) and writing this essay, but I’m sure learning that balance will also stand me in good stead for my life at university. Thank you for this useful opportunity”. Cesia R, Upper Sixth School News

“Upper Sixth students going to university in September were recently given the opportunity to complete a project to prepare for university. As an example - I am going to study Medicine, so the project assigned to me was to create a 15-minute presentation for the government SAGE committee on the threat of antibiotic resistance. The project set was different for each group of related courses. For me, the medical topic was very interesting to research, and has given me an insight into the depth of study at university. Completing the project has helped me to develop many key academic skills. Getting the opportunity to really delve deep into one subject was very enjoyable. Reading peer-reviewed scientific sources was a new experience that was quite different from A Level study. In many ways, journal articles proved quite challenging due to the very technical language, but it was worthwhile to gain experience in how to gleam the most important points from sources. On top of this, timemanagement, and careful planning of such a large project, were both key. It was important to pace out work in order to keep on top of things and make a quality presentation. The projects will be assessed by experts and academics relevant each person’s university course, such as university lecturers. This really put the pressure on to make the finished project as good as possible! The feedback from this process will also be useful in allowing me to understand the standards expected for projects at university. Overall, the experience has been very enjoyable”. James B, Upper Sixth

“The Step Up to University assignment was a thought-provoking taster of what is to come and a ‘warm-up’ for essays I will have to submit in the future. It was the first assignment I have submitted related to Law so it was beneficial to have that new experience to help me hit the ground running in September. The assignment was initially a little more challenging than essays I was set for A level study because it was a brand new topic and area of debate. Once I completed my initial research I had a deeper understanding of the debate compared to my initial thoughts. It was a great way for me to awaken and develop further research skills which will be essential at university and to understand how to structure and layout my essays in the future. Referencing and having a bibliography was only something I have used once, so this exercise was really helpful to understand what was expected in these areas. Overall, I found the assignment to be an excellent way to prepare me for what is to come”. Cameron B, Upper Sixth