College visited by Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey looks forward to welcoming star pupils of the future
The lead for sixth form where students recently quizzed Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, will be just as happy to welcome prospective students during an open evening this week.
St Wilfrid’s RC College, in South Shields, saw its A-level students achieve exceptional results in the summer – and is hoping the next cohort of Year 12 pupils will do just as well, whether studying A-Levels, BTEC qualifications – or a mixture of both.
The college, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, has launched a range of new courses that students starting in Summer 2023 can get their teeth into – including a new A-Level in film studies.
This forward-thinking approach is in direct response to the labour market opening up for film students in Sunderland, due to the plans to transform Pallion Shipyard into film studios, which are being led by Metalwork Pictures USA.
Hannah Tennet, acting assistant headteacher at St Wilfrid’s and lead for sixth form, explained: “This film industry development in the North East is opening up a new labour market for our young people, so we are just trying to prepare our students for potential future careers in the industry.”
Other recently added courses for the college include A-levels in law and sociology and BTECs in travel and tourism and National Extended Diploma in Sport.
Hannah added that the college, where there is no uniform for sixth form students, but a smart dress code, is “exceptionally proud” of its students’ recent achievements and the way the year 12 and 13 students act as role models for its secondary school pupils.
Sixth form students have their own building at the college, but also use the same building as years seven to 11, making them an integral part of the whole school community.
The students have tutor groups, where they participate in extra-curricular and enrichment activities.
“We are a family- orientated college and we believe all students can be successful,” said Hannah.
“We have really good pastoral systems in place to support our students to achieve their God-given potential. These systems mean we can offer bespoke intervention for our students to support them through their time at Sixth Form.”
This year’s year 12 pupils are going on a trip to New York and the sixth formers also have the opportunity to take part in World Challenge, an overseas community project to help disadvantaged communities.
Hannah said: “Prospective pupils who join us can also be part of these exciting opportunities.”
She adds the ability to take a mixture of BTEC and A-Level qualifications can give students an advantage when applying for University places or degree apprenticeships.
Encouraging Year 11 students looking for the next move to attend the open day on Thursday 24th November from 6pm to 8pm, she added: “What sets us apart is the systems we have in place to support our students pastorally, as well as academically.”
For more information, visit www.st-wilfrids.org
Image shows Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, being presented with the school’s prestigious “all colours” tie by pupil Shreya Bhardwaj, during a recent visit to the school.
