Top academic school, Queen’s College in Taunton, is launching a state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre on Monday 23 September at 6.45pm with Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, Vice Chancellor of Bath University officially cutting the ribbon.
The new Centre has been designed as an interim between school and university and will be open late into the evening as well as at weekends. The school undertook comprehensive research with its Year 11 and 12 students to find out what they would like in a new Sixth Form and includes car parking space for those who have passed their driving tests, a specially created walkway linking the Centre to the rest of the campus and an outside terrace with exceptional views over the School playing fields.
Internally, the new Sixth Form Centre includes large social spaces equipped with multimedia facilities, televisions, comfortable sofas and funky furniture, games areas and a cafe-style kitchen facility. Not only will the Centre provide a social base and work area for pupils during the week, but will also be used by the students at the weekends as a Sixth Form Club, where students can meet up and relax with friends, take part in co-curricular activities, study individually or in groups, discuss work with staff, make themselves something to eat and use the shower facilities after sports matches.
In addition to modern silent study areas with wireless laptop connections, the new Centre has a full IT suite and collaborative study areas where pupils can work together, talking through ideas that have come up in the classroom, discussing issues and resolving problems. A comprehensive media resource area provides A Level students with information including worldwide university options and prospectuses, careers guidance, Gap year ideas, technical courses and apprenticeships. This is supplemented by a full careers programme including work placements, visits from outside speakers, university admissions tutors, careers speed dating events and visits to Higher Education Fairs and open days.
Two seminar-style classrooms, used solely for A level subject teaching, have been designed in a flexible fashion so that students can work in the round or in lecture style and the Centre will be managed at all times by a Sixth Form Centre Manager as well as the Head of Sixth Form and Sixth Form tutors.
Queen’s Colle
ge has strong links with Bath University as many students from Queen’s College choose to further their education at Bath and the Director of Admissions is a School Governor. Dame Glynis will talk to the Queen’s College students before cutting the ribbon in front of parents, students and the local community.
Said Headmaster, Chris Alcock: “We are extremely excited about the launch of our new Sixth Form Centre which is the only stand-alone Sixth Form facility in the area and provides young people with the freedom and flexibility to develop before they progress on from Queen’s. Queen’s College has an excellent reputation at A Level and some of the top results in the South West; despite the fact our students are mixed ability. However it is the school ethos, our small class sizes and excellent teaching which really make the difference.”