St Brendan's News Bulletin 08.11.24 | St Brendan's Sixth Form College

8th November 2024

TERM 2 VALUES:

Integrity

Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

Welcome Back to Term 2!

We hope that all our students enjoyed a well-deserved break over half term, spending valuable time with friends and family. As we enter Term 2, there are several important updates and reminders to share within this bulletin.

Chaplaincy Team and Remembrance Month:

As we enter the month dedicated to remembering those who have passed, our Chaplaincy team is leading a thoughtful initiative. They have introduced a "prayer jug" where students, place names and intentions, which will be remembered in prayer. This is a special time for reflection, and we invite everyone to take part where they can.

Have a lovely restful weekend!

Marian Curran

Principal

KEY DATES:

Friday 8th November - GCSE Maths Exam
Monday 11th November - GCSE Maths Exam
Thursday 14th November - Open Evening
Friday 22nd November - Internal Deadline for UCAS Applications
Monday 25th November - Year 13 Mocks begin (A-level & Applied Courses)

GCSE Exams Key Information

For some of our students, the start of this term marked an important milestone with the completion of their Maths and English GCSE exams. We are proud of all the hard work and dedication you have shown in your revision and preparation. The results of these exams will be available in the second week of January. We hope you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in what you have achieved!

Year 13 UCAS Applications

Many of our Year 13 students have been working diligently on finalizing their UCAS personal statements over the half-term break. A friendly reminder that the deadline for UCAS applications is Friday 22nd November. Please make sure to double-check your applications and ensure everything is completed and submitted on time to us. Our careers team can then carry out a final quality check, add in your reference and predicted grades before submitting to UCAS. It is often the case that the team need to return your application to you to make final edits and changes so please make sure to check your emails and carry out the changes required.

Talking to your Child about Knife Crime

You may have seen in the news that the trials of those accused of being involved in the murders of Darrian Williams and Mason Rist and Max Dixon have started in Bristol. Understandably, you may be worried about knife crime and your child’s safety. Being able to discuss this topic can be daunting.

The Shadow Board of the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership have put together this video, made by young people, with some advice around how to tackle this conversation as a parent or carer: How to have conversations with your child about knife crime (youtube.com)

Please contact us if you have concerns in relation to knife crime or you have concerns about your child. You can email info@Stbrn.ac.uk and ask for a member of the Safeguarding Team to contact you.

Safeguarding & Support Resources for Parents & Carers

Being a parent or carer of a teenager can present many challenges and a lot can happen over the course of a student’s journey with us. Students may experience issues around their wellbeing, mental health, relationships and identity to name just a few examples. Navigating this as a parent or carer can feel overwhelming, especially if you are not sure where to look for help. To help, we have put together resources on a range of topics to help you navigate supporting your child with tips and advice on everything from how to talk to your child about their mental health, to checking their privacy settings on social media. You can access the resources here. Please keep checking back as we will be adding to them throughout the year.

Revision & Study Support

As our first round of examinations begin, we wanted to make all students and their parents/carers aware of our Revision Toolkit area of the website. Here you will find lots of handy resources and templates to support you with organising your revision as well as some effective strategies, proven by research, to help your study time be the most impactful it can be.
Check it out here.

Social & Study Spaces

Students are not to socialise on stairwells in C, D or E Blocks. It is not a space for socialising or studying and is a health and safety issue as chairs are being removed from classrooms and placed onto the landings or in front of fire exits. There are ample spaces for students to go including; Café Max, Café Min, LRC, study spaces on D Block bridge and A Block and this is where students will be asked to move to if they are found to be in the areas which are off limits.

BANNED BOOKS IN THE LRC

This month the LRC is displaying a selection of books that have been banned at some point by schools, libraries and even governments.

When you read one of our BANNED BOOKS and come to discuss it on one of this term's Book Club meetings, you will receive two extra stamps on your LRC Loyalty Card. With the LRC Loyalty Card, you get a stamp every time you borrow something from the library. Once you have collected 12 stamps and posted a really well written review in the catalogue, you receive a £10 Amazon gift card. You will find guidance on how to write a great book review in the Loyalty Card information in the library catalogue.

This term the Book Club is meeting on 7th, 15th and 19th November and on 5th, 13th and 17th December.

You can learn more about banned books in the Banned Books Project.

16-19 Student Bursary

A reminder to all students about the 16-19 Student Bursary. More information can be found on our website here.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

To see the timetable for all clubs and societies click here.

If you'd like to take part you can either turn up on the day, or email bwi@stbrn.ac.uk to be added to the Teams page.

New Club Alert: Let’s Talk!

Join us every Thursday at 12:10 in Room A115 for "Let’s Talk" - a supportive space focused on men's mental health. All are welcome to connect, share, and discuss important topics in a relaxed, judgement-free environment.

Governor Vacancies

We are always looking for external governors to serve a four year term. If you would like to be a foundation governor and are practising Catholic, please contact PrincipalsPA@stbrn.ac.uk for more information.

We also see parent governors which would be for a two year term, again if you are interested in this key role representing the voice of parents, please contact the above email also.

Turning Right during the end of the day

A reminder to all students, parents and carers to please turn right only, when exiting the College between 15:50 – 16:20 at the end of the College day.

Please see the letter attached here for directions back to the A4, if needed.

Confidence in Law with Sarah (Teacher of Law)

Join one of our Law Teachers, Sarah, to grow you confidence in Law.

This will be a LIVE session hosted on her TikTok channel on Friday 8th November from 20:30 - 21:30.

simplylaw.by.sarah

CAREERS

Careers News

Head over to the Careers News page for lots of useful resources and opportunities.

Read the latest edition here!

NEW Careers SharePoint Site

Our Careers Team have created a Careers SharePoint site to support you in obtaining all the information, advice and guidance for your future plans.

On the site, you will find the following pages:

Careers Guidance Meetings - You will see our calendar of activity and have access to our booking link
UCAS - Information and guidance on personal statements, open days, taster days, key deadlines and much, much more
Apprenticeships - Guidance on understanding apprenticeships, useful links, and hints/tips for interview
Industry Spotlight - Videos that will inform, educate and empower you to make an informed next step decision
CV and Cover Letters - Useful templates and guidance
Labour Market Information - Understand more about the growing and declining sectors and industries
Subject Careers Support - Information and links to subject-related support that can impact your studies
Work Experience - Dates and opportunities to gain ready-life experience of the workplace

Click the link https://stbrn.sharepoint.com/sites/Careers or log onto the jump page and click on the Careers Zone button.

Pathway To Bath

We are so excited to announce that applications for our next intake of Pathway to Bath are open now!

This award-winning blended curriculum enrichment programme for Year 12 students from Widening participation backgrounds offers students:

The opportunity to work on an undergraduate topic in a subject of their choice alongside academic tutors and undergraduate e-mentors
A chance to attend a free 3 day residential at the University of Bath
The opportunity to receive a guaranteed conditional offer to the University of Bath

If you would like have a chat with one of their team first or book a virtual assembly please click here. Students can apply via their website now and the deadline is 31st December 2024.

Any questions, please email pathway@bath.ac.uk

Burges Salmon Legal Apprenticeship now open for applications

The Burges Salmon Legal apprenticeship provides the opportunity to qualify as a solicitor by completing the Level 3 Paralegal and Level 7 Solicitor apprenticeships over a period of six years, whilst earning a competitive salary.

This is an amazing opportunity for students in Year 13 who are interested in pursuing a legal career and would prefer an alternative to the university route.

Applicants must apply here by midnight on Friday 15th November 2024 to be considered for this apprenticeship: Burges Salmon Careers | Legal Apprenticeship 2025 (burges-salmon.com).

Calling All Potential Sponsors!

St Brendan's is seeking sponsors to support our sports and health enrichment activities! We have several exciting opportunities where your contribution can make a real difference to our students and College:

🏅Team Kit Sponsorship
⚽ Training and Equipment
🧘‍♀️ Yoga Classes
🚴‍♂️ Fitness Equipment
📚 Health Workshops
🎖️ Awards and Trophies
🌳 Outdoor Activities
🛠️ Facility Upgrades
💡 Innovative Programs

We are open to any ideas — no offer is too big or small! In return, we will offer media coverage across all our social platforms and much more. Partner with us to foster a healthier, more active community!

Interested? Get in touch here!