Category: News

The Sixth Form Association (SFCA) launched a national art exhibition this week, featuring work from CTK students. Entitled ‘Fake News’ the exhibition showcases students’ creative interpretation of the Fake News theme and their reflections on how hard it can be to distinguish fact from fiction.

More than 250 students from 58 colleges submitted their artwork for the exhibition, which runs from 1^st to 22 July.  All pictures can be viewed at the SFCA gallery website here.

Art work from numerous Christ the King Sixth Form students has been included in the online exhibition;

‘Fake News’ by Jessica Benjamin, an A Level Photography student

‘Mid Cap Value Equity’ by Mya Scott, studying A Level Graphic Communication

‘Monitor’ by Amrit Khaira, an A Level Fine Art student

‘Schrödinger’s Cat’ by Rimmini Cameron who is studying BTEC  Extended Diploma Art & Design

‘Segregation’ by Destiny Kiberu, an A Level Graphic Communication student

‘Surveillance’ by Nathan Osei- Prempeh an A Level Graphic Communication student

‘Textn’ by Victoria Pansu who is studying A Level Graphic Communication

‘we’llwatchtheworldburn’ by Matilda Millbank, an A Level Graphic Communication student.        

 Bill Watkin, Chief Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:  “The Fake News exhibition is a celebration of the arts and a recognition of the excellence in sixth form colleges, which are a vital supply pipeline of talented artists. But it also highlights how young people feel about having to navigate the vast amount of news and information that is available in the modern world, and at the same time, to discern what is the truth. Art has always played an important role in social and political commentary, and the students featured in Fake News have shown they have the talent to communicate their feelings about this important subject in a powerful and effective way”.

More than 250 students from 58 colleges submitted their artwork for the exhibition, which runs from 1^st to 22 July.  All pictures can be viewed at the SFCA gallery website here.

The SFCA will be promoting the exhibition online using the hashtag #6thFormArt2021

Amy Ohiomoba nominated for supporting GCSE Maths students during lockdown

Amy, an 18 year old A Level Biology, Psychology and Maths student at CTK Aquinas, a selective A Level Sixth Form in Brockley, came up with the idea on her own to set up free Maths tuition for Secondary School students who had fallen behind during lockdown, when education moved remotely. Amy is a keen A Level Maths student who felt she knew the Maths GCSE specification really well and wanted to help students who needed booster sessions to go over topics that they had not been able to learn or had fallen behind in.

Amy felt the sessions were important for young people whose parents could not afford additional tuition. Amy decided to promote the free Maths tuition sessions on her Snapchat story at the beginning of every week. Then every Friday, she chose four new students from those that contacted her, to join her on free Zoom sessions, which she hosted. She quickly gained more students from more and more Secondary Schools wanting GCSE Maths tuition, as word of mouth spread.

Amy set this tuition up completely of her own accord and gave her own personal time to help these students, as she felt passionate about helping young people who were finding learning difficult during lockdown. She put a lot of her time into planning lessons and responding to the topics that students wanted help with.

Amy says; “I’m thrilled to have been nominated for a Lewisham Mayor’s Award and specially selected to appear in the video. I enjoy helping others and feel privileged knowing that I was able to help so many people. The pupils I helped were always really grateful and appreciative.

I plan to continue with my online Maths tuition in the Summer so I can help even more GCSE Maths students”.

Lesley Davies, Assistant Principal for Character at CTK Aquinas, who nominated Amy said: “Amy is a very kind, caring person, who is always helping others. She is a real role model for CTK Aquinas students and we are so proud of everything she has achieved!”

Amy was specially selected to appear in a video, alongside other shortlisted nominees for the Lewisham Mayor’s award. You can view her video here https://www.iamlewisham.uk/mayors-awards.

Amy will receive a certificate and a badge and as a lasting legacy, her name will be entered into the Mayor’s Awards Book, kept at the Civic Suite in Catford.

Cllr Joan Millbank, Chair Mayor’s Awards Panel 2020 said ‘On behalf of the Mayor and your fellow citizens I wish to thank you most sincerely for your contribution. You help make Lewisham a special borough characterised by neighbourliness, caring and a strong sense of community’.

You can read more about Amy’s story with the following links: https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/62450-ctk-aquinas-student-nominated-for-lewisham-mayors-award

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/19043535.lewisham-mayor-awards-celebrates-response-covid-pandemic/

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/13827/catholic-school-pupil-nominated-for-lewisham-mayor-award

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, a group of Catholic Sixth Forms in SE London and Kent, we have always placed a strong emphasis on careers guidance and support. 

Our Careers Service specialises in the needs of 16-19 learners and has developed over the years to meet the challenges and the needs of both of our students and that of the local community.

We are well aware, with the impact of Covid19 on employment and on Higher Education, that outstanding careers guidance for young people has never been more important. We are proud at Christ the King Sixth Forms of the strong partnerships we have formed with employers and businesses to support our students in their holistic development, gaining the skill set needed to excel in their future ambitions.

We run an extensive range of strong partnerships with employers, universities and industry to benefit our students and worked quickly to maintain these partnerships remotely during Covid 19.

For example, the CTK Annual Fast Track programme supports students in taking advantage of employer led initiatives with high profile organisations such as Barclays, Capgemini, BT and others.  This training is supported by CTK alumni, Pavita Cooper (founder and Director of More Difference a talent and career insight business) and John Perry (former senior HSBC Group executive).  In a normal year, we would offer the FastTrack programme to 50 year 12 students, however, with the move to holding sessions remotely via MS Teams, up to 110 Year 12 students can now reap the benefits of taking part.

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, we recognise the importance of our alumni in acting as role models to our current students and to enable us to build strong bridges with industry links. We develop strong alumni links through our partnership with organisation Think Alumni.  Former CTK alumni Trevor Gomes has set up and runs our highly successful employer linked initiative BT Elevate.  Former CTK Student Trevor now works for BT as a Digital Analyst and has set up the prestigious, over subscribed  scheme with his colleagues. The programme equips students with the skills and experiences needed to excel in both the work place and in higher education.  The move to holding these sessions online during Covid19, too brings benefits, as Trevor and his team are now able to involve US colleagues in the initiative.

At CTK, we also partner closely with charities such as Urban Synergy, who have been able to support students with virtual mentoring at this time.  For example, as a result of taking part in the Urban Synergy scheme this year, CTK student Ava Tamabala was even selected by a panel of senior stakeholders at Refinitiv for a paid internship with them.  Ava’s mentor was the Global Head of Financial Crime & Industry Affairs at Refinitiv and as part of her internship she attended the virtual World Economic Forum at Davos and met with senior stakeholders. As a direct result of this, Ava has written a paper on green crime, which has been published by the Royal United Services Institute (the world’s oldest independent think tank on international defence and security).

CTK’s partnership with Metric Capital, results in three CTK students every year gaining a university scholarship worth £15,000 each.  This partnership is able to make a real difference to the lives of those students.

Nother highly successful partnership with industry is the CTK annual External Speaker Programme, which has an array of over 40 guest speakers taking part each year. Speakers have included Sir Ian Cheshire (Chairman of Barclays), David Thompson (film producer) and Gary Gibbon (Channel 4 News Political Editor).  An unexpected benefit of having moved to the virtual world is that many more high profile people have been able to donate their time.  It has also all allowed us to increase the diversity and range of speakers taking part, for example Judge Peter Herbert O.B.E. speaking to our students from Nigeria. We have strived to maintain diversity within our guest speaker programme, and this year our first guest speaker was Femi Bola (MBE), the first Black Scientist to work for the Medical Research Council in the United Kingdom.

This year, CTK are very proud to have partnered with Eton College, in an exciting project to develop academic resilience at our A Level Centre for Excellence, CTK Aquinas.  Year 12 students have a daily tutorial, currently taking place remotely, which helps to build resilience, this covers areas such as self -efficacy and emotional regulation. At Christ the King Sixth Forms, we believe in the development of the whole student, which is enshrined in our motto ‘ut viteam habent’. With the challenges presented to us all by Covid19 it’s more important than ever that our students are able to develop the skills they need to succeed. The strong partnerships and influential mentors we can introduce our students to at CTK, gives them unprecedented access to unlock the door to the skills, networking opportunities and the support needed to succeed in higher education or employment and to flourish in their chosen career.

Since Christ the King Sixth Forms teamed up with private investment firm Metric Capital to provide scholarships to students in need, 15 young people have realised their dream to go to university. David Pearson, Director of Wider Learning, Careers and Partnerships at CTK, writes about how the partnership, which is thought to be the first of its kind between a college and a business, works…

When I first met CTK student Trevor Gomes, he was an aspirational, high-performing sixth form pupil with a promising career ahead of him. But he faced some significant barriers. 

Trevor wanted to be the first person in his family to go to university but finances were a challenge for him. Like many young people, he worked part-time to help support his family and would need to increase his hours to fund his additional costs – fees, textbooks, a laptop or computer, and the daily cost of commuting to campus from his parent’s home in south London.  

At best his university experience would be a juggling act between studying and paying for it and he would still graduate massively in debt. At worst, the financial barriers would become so overwhelming that he might be forced to give up or not go at all.

University is meant to be an exciting, challenging, fun and rewarding experience. Yet figures released earlier this year found that two thirds of universities have seen a rise in student drop-out rates. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to give up their university courses within 12 months.

Christ the King is a group of three sixth forms in southeast London. The majority of our students are from the London borough of Lewisham which is the 31st most deprived Local Authority in England and among the worst four boroughs for educational outcomes. Around 68% of our students come from a deprived area.

Yet almost 90% of our level 3 students go on to university, including Russell Group institutions. A report by The Sutton Trust placed Christ the King sixth forms in the top 6% of schools and colleges nationally for university progression.

Academic achievement is important, but in addition to this we also aim to develop our students as a whole person – to increase their ambition, opportunities and employability so that they progress to university, graduate and enjoy a successful career.

To do this we have designed a range of aspiration-raising programmes. One of our most innovative and successful to date has been our partnership with Metric Capital.

Creating new firsts

We were introduced to Metric Capital, a private capital firm, through CTK student Seni Fawehinmi. Seni met the firm’s Managing Partner, John Sinik, through an American mentoring scheme called Big Brother, which briefly set up in the UK.

They stayed in touch and five years later Seni came to study at CTK before going to university and embarking on a successful career in finance. He told John about the challenges that many of his fellow students faced. Like him, they wanted to go to university but there were a lot of economic sacrifices that they, and their families, would have to make in order to do so. When he heard this, John wanted to help.

After meeting with our Executive Principal Shireen Razey to discuss ideas, they developed the Metric Capital Scholarship Programme, to provide financial aid for academically able students from deprived backgrounds with university aspirations. It is thought to be the first partnership of its kind between a college and a business.

Every year up to three students are chosen for the programme and given £15,000 each – £5,000 a year. Since the partnership was formed in 2014, 15 students have been awarded the scholarship, totalling more than £250k in funding from Metric Capital.

The aim of the scholarship is to cover living expenses, to enable students to focus on their studies and not have to work full time while trying to achieve academic excellence. It also helps to pay for expensive items like textbooks and laptops to facilitate learning.

There is no expectation for students to work at Metric Capital after graduating. However, the firm encourages them to keep in touch and hosts regular events where current and former scholarship students can get together to share their experiences and successes.

Putting partnership into practice

Rolling out the programme was fairly straightforward and communication between the college and Metric Capital has been key to ensuring a successful partnership.

John relies on us to select the right students for the scholarship and we do this based on academic achievement, aspirations and financial background. When we introduce our students to the Metric Capital team, they already know that each one is academically strong and in need. That means that the vast majority of the students they meet are awarded the scholarship, helping to reduce the disappointment of not being chosen.

At interview, John and his team are looking to understand each student’s motivation and to make sure they know that there’s an element of responsibility attached to the scholarship. Students must achieve a certain academic standing to continue to the next year and they are expected to provide a termly report to Metric Capital.

The main challenge for us has been selecting the students. There are many who need, and deserve, support, so it can be difficult for us to choose the candidates. Ultimately, we look for students who have experienced challenges – personally, financially or both – have improved academically and have shown dedication to their studies.

Seeing the results

So far all but one scholarship student has either graduated from university or is still studying. Not only has the funding enabled them to go to university, it has helped to enrich their experience, graduate with less debt and go on to thrive in their careers, in areas such as consulting, accountancy and computer science.

It has been incredibly rewarding for us to see the progression of the students who have successfully completed the programme. One of them is Trevor Gomes.

After being awarded the Metric Capital scholarship, Trevor went to the University of Westminster to study Business Management in 2015. He graduated with a first-class degree and was the highest achiever on his course out of 500 students. He then joined BT, where he now works as a Transformation Analyst in the Transformation Project Team. He is also a 5G Transformation Leader for EE.

Trevor, now 23, is a member of Christ the King’s Partnership Board, helping to steer our partnerships strategy. In October, he launched his own skills development programme, ELEVATE, with support from BT, which aims to equip our students with the skills, knowledge and experience required for the world of work and higher education. So far 14 of our students have benefitted from the face to face ELEVATE programme and its new virtual webinar series is aiming to reach more than 1,000 students. 

Trevor’s motivation is clear – he wants to help young people, just as he was helped. 

For other colleges or sixth forms considering a similar partnership, I would say that it has been a hugely successful and rewarding programme to be involved in. My advice would be to keep in close contact with the students during the course of their studies, and to make sure someone is there to offer further support if needed.

Keep in regular contact with your partner too and provide opportunities for them to be involved in the college. For example, John is a member of our Partnership Board and attends regular meetings. This enables him to see what’s happening at the sixth form and the current challenges that our students are facing. 

Stay in touch with your alumni, encourage them to remain involved in college life and to give something back by helping current students. Our alumni sit on our Partnership Board, visit the campus to give motivational talks, offer mentoring support and provide new links to employers and this works exceptionally well to raise aspirations.

Future plans

We are looking forward to continuing our successful partnership with John and Metric Capital in the future and having the opportunity to see even more of our students achieve great things as a result of this scholarship. 

Our Partnership Board, which is made up of successful alumni, business representatives and employer partners, meets regularly to explore other ways that we can use partnerships like this to benefit our students, whether that’s financially, through developing employability skills or by providing mentoring or other support.

For example, our Fast Track Programme provides a two-day employability coaching programme and the opportunity to gain experience of a corporate working environment and forge links with leading organisations such as Santander, Barclays and BT. We also work with local charity Urban Synergy to host inspirational mentoring events which bring together a wide range of professionals to offer support and guidance.

Our Barclays RISE programme provides skills development opportunities and insight into working in professional industries. And our External Speaker Programme brings together guest speakers who are experts in their field across a range of industries.  Engaging with businesses helps to provide a breadth of excellent opportunities for students. As we have found, there are many different and innovative ways that successful partnerships can enable students to realise their dreams.

Temi says that her last-minute decision to join CTK has really paid off – after being inspired to apply to Cambridge University and being awarded a CTK £15,000 scholarship.

Temi had originally planned to join her school sixth form along with her friends. However, on GCSE results day she was told that her school was unable to offer her the A Level subject combination she wanted, due to timetabling issues.

She explains: “Although I had planned to stay on at school sixth form, I had done some research into other options and I liked the fact that Christ the King was an independent sixth form – that the whole college – all the teaching, resources and support, was focused on year 12s and 13s.”

Making friends easily

Temi enrolled at CTK to study A Levels in Media, Sociology and English Literature. She was a little nervous as she knew she wouldn’t know anyone there, and it also meant a one-hour journey to and from college from her home on the Greenwich/Plumstead border. However, she says the fact that no one knew each other helped her settle in and make new friendships easily.

She says: “I have made a lot of good friends. There were quite a lot of us who hadn’t joined the college in existing friendship groups – everyone went in feeling the same way. We were all in the same situation and so no one felt excluded. One of the best things has been being part of the Scholarship Graduate Programme (SGP) – which is for students with good GCSE results. It was a great way for me to meet other people who were also ambitious and motivated – we all wanted to stay working on our EPQ til 5pm! It was easy to bond with other people who were just as excited about their studies.”

Inspiration to apply to Oxbridge

“When I started CTK, applying to Oxford or Cambridge was something that I had thought about but I just didn’t feel like it was within my reach. On enrolment day, I was told straight away that because of my GCSE results, applying to Oxbridge was something I could look at. I brushed it aside. It didn’t feel achievable.

The moment that changed everything was when I attended an alumni evening for SGP students. It gave me the amazing opportunity to speak to past CTK students who had progressed to Oxford and Cambridge. That was the moment I realised it was something I really wanted to do and something I could achieve if I wanted to. It changed my whole mindset.

From there I went on arranged college visits to both Oxford and Cambridge which inspired me further. On the coach back from Oxford, I got talking to one of my teachers, Miss Nadori about Anthropology. Having that conversation with her made me realise how much more there is to studying as opposed to just studying to get a job. I felt taken seriously as a peer as well as a pupil.

Another key point in my journey was a summer session with two Oxford and Cambridge students. They took me through the application process – how you choose your college and accommodation, and how to write an amazing personal statement. I took so much from that session and so much from the advice from those young ladies. If I hadn’t gone to that session I probably wouldn’t have applied. They both came from state schools – so hearing from them what you can do to stand out and how it feels going in as someone from a state school was just what I needed. It felt like I could identify with them and I felt reassured that I would fit in.

I also received an awful lot of support from Miss Brack, my English teacher and form tutor, Mr Peak, the careers advisor, Miss Nadori and Mr Pearson. One of the great things about CTK is that because it is a group of three sixth forms, I benefited from support from staff across all 3 sites.

I was also part of a booster programme led by Mr Pearson. It was one of the best programmes I have ever been part of and focused on writing my CV, job applications and making yourself as appealing as possible on paper. I used those lessons in my application to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Broadening my experience with enrichment activities

Obviously, my time at CTK was very busy because of my academic work, extension activities like the EPQ and I was so invested in the Cambridge application process. Even so, I did netball and boxing as extra-curricular activities when I was able to. Both were brilliant, I learned a lot about exercise from my boxing coach and met some great friends and competed in tournaments with the netball team.

Scholarship Success

Since I found out that I received an offer from Cambridge I had been looking for a scholarship because I don’t necessarily come from a family with a lot of money and didn’t want to put too much strain on my mum. Mr Pearson and Miss Crampton nominated me for CTK’s Metric Capital Scholarship scheme, which gives 3 students scholarships of £15,000 towards their cost of living while at university.

To apply, I had to write no more than 500 words on why I felt I deserved the scholarship and any obstacles that I overcame. This got me thinking about something that held me back for a very long time. I opened up more and really dug into all the health issues that I experienced growing up and how it made me really limit the way I saw myself. My health issues were what led to me discovering a love of reading, and also made me realise that I could write my own stories.

I was interviewed by the man who founded the scholarship scheme – John Sinik, together with the CTK student who he originally mentored and is now a very successful lawyer in the city. Together, they set up this scholarship scheme five years ago.

John is a great, kind man and it was an honour to be interviewed by someone so successful with a master’s from Harvard University, who came from a background that wasn’t affluent too. It was an enjoyable opportunity for me to really open up about what I had experienced and how it strengthened my view and understanding of education and what it is worth.

My love of books and my inspiration

When I was younger, I suffered from this thing called the Atopic Triangle, which is a rare combination of allergies – asthma, eczema, food allergies, and allergies to other things like dust and grass.

For many years I had felt controlled by my medications and not in control of my own body. Discovering drama, music and dance changed that. And then I read an online novel called ‘Becoming Beautiful’ written by a teenage girl. This book honestly changed my life. It made me realise how amazing a book can be.

Before then, I felt like I was drowning and there was no way out for me. When I read this book, I had never felt so understood. That’s why I’m so interested in all the words we use, especially what is going on right now – how damaging words can be – and how much of an impact words can have over others. It’s why I want to study English Literature at Cambridge!

I am also very grateful because I have an amazing mum and two older sisters who are inspirational to me. My mum pulled me up through every situation and continues to be the most inspirational figure in my life. She moved here from Nigeria with my dad to give me and my older sisters a better life.  No matter what happened to her – what she went through, she always faces things with a kind smile. I try to take on her approach as best I can and that has inspired me and kept me going.

My sisters learned from my mum how to face difficult situations – and seeing how hard working they are has motivated me and made me see that I can do everything I set my mind to. My ambition is to inspire other young women in the future. I want to become a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, inspiring other young people to love themselves and their culture. I would also like to start my own theatre company.”

Extra-curricular activities are a great way to learn about yourself, build new skills and meet new people. Plus, when it comes to applying for the top universities or apprenticeships with the best employers, being able to talk about your interests and activities outside of your studies can help set you apart from the competition.

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, we are proud of the opportunities our students have to take part in extra-curricular activities and volunteering, develop in-demand skills and reach their academic and professional goals.

Read on to find out more about our broad range of extra-curricular activities and why they are so important.

1. Develop new interests

Life at Christ the King Sixth Forms is about more than just academic achievement. It’s also a time to discover or develop your interests, aptitudes and talents, make new friends and have fun. Whether you study at CTK Aquinas, CTK St Mary’s or CTK Emmanuel, we offer plenty of extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities which allow you to learn something outside your main academic course. From debating to dance, filmmaking to music, you’ll have many chances to get involved and develop new skills that will prove useful long after you have finished your education. Who knows, you could unlock passions you never knew you had!

2. Gain ‘real world’ skills

One of the greatest advantages extra-curricular activities give you are ‘real world’, or ‘soft skills’, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Goal setting
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Prioritisation
• Problem solving
• Analytical thinking
• Leadership
• Public speaking

All these are hugely valuable skills that you will be able to use for the rest of your life. For example, at CTK, you can hone your leadership and organisation skills by being elected on to the Student Council and helping to run events throughout the year, including the Leavers’ Prom, Talent Showcase and charity fundraising events. By playing team sport you can develop your teamwork and problem-solving abilities, and by taking part in the debate society you can practice skills in public speaking. What’s more, taking part in extra-curricular activities demonstrates that you can also manage your time effectively by balancing your interests alongside your studies. 

Impress universities

As well as looking at your grades, universities want to know an applicant as a person – what you’re interested in or passionate about. Joining clubs, volunteering, or having a part-time job shows your attachment to your community and desire to help others, as well as your sense of responsibility and time management. On top of the broad range of extra-curricular activities we mentioned above, CTK students also have the opportunity to take part in fantastic field trips and expeditions, which could include locations such as Kenya, Alaska and the Tien Shan Mountains, as well as retreats and pilgrimages. Here are just some of the activities that you can get involved in at CTK:

• Community projects, such as helping in primary schools and hospitals
• Residential visits and overseas trips
• Work shadowing and volunteering experiences
• Retreats and pilgrimages
• Expeditions
• Duke of Edinburgh Award

All of these opportunities provide great experiences to add to your personal statement for university and could help you stand out from other applicants, especially if you are applying to more competitive universities or subjects such as Medicine.

Give back to your community

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, we do a great deal to support charities and all our students take part in our volunteering programme to support our local communities in South East London and Kent. We run an annual charity day and provide many other ways for students to give back, for example by encouraging them to become mentors and ambassadors, supporting local community groups or volunteering their time to charity organisations. When you volunteer, you have the opportunity to meet lots of new people and improve your social skills, as well as making a real difference to others, so it’s win-win!

Improve your wellbeing

Perhaps most importantly, extra-curricular activities can improve your wellbeing by providing a chance to relax, unwind and relieve any study pressures by spending time doing something you enjoy. And if you’re concerned that taking part in extra-curricular activities will hurt your grades you needn’t worry. It’s widely researched and proven that participating in activities you enjoy can increase your brain function, help you concentrate and manage your time better, all of which contribute to higher grades. So, go on, take that much-needed break – you deserve it!

If you have any questions about our extra-curricular and enrichment activities, please get in touch with our friendly Careers team.

Ready to apply?  We are delighted that you are considering making an application to Christ the King Sixth Forms. We welcome students of all faiths, or none, who would like to pursue their sixth form education in a faith context and who support the ethos of this Catholic College. We are currently taking applications to join CTK in September 2021. If you, or someone you know, would like to apply, then you can do so online – just click the button below. Once we receive your application, we will contact you to arrange an interview. Good luck!

Are you thinking of applying to university? If so, you might have heard about the Personal Statement, which is an important part of the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) application process. Alongside your academic grades, the Personal Statement is used by universities to decide whether to offer you a place on your chosen course.

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, we are proud of our success in helping students from South East London and Kent achieve places at some of the top universities in the country. Currently, almost 90 per cent of CTK students go on to university, including “Oxbridge” (the universities of Oxford and Cambridge) and Russell Group institutions. Read on for our top six tips on writing a winning Personal Statement and give yourself the very best chance of achieving a place at your first-choice university.

1. Start with a plan

Writing your UCAS personal statement can seem like a daunting task, but if you prepare properly and plan out what you want to say before you get started, you’ll have it finished in no time. Before you start writing, it’s a good idea to briefly outline the points you want to make in your personal statement, and make sure you’re answering the questions; what, why and how…

• What do you want to study?
• Why do you want to study it?
• How do your skills and past experiences prove this?

The aim of a Personal Statement is to persuade your chosen university that you’re a suitable applicant for their course, so read the course description closely and identify the academic credentials, skills and experience it requires, which will help you to decide what to write about. It can help to write two lists: one detailing what you know about the course you would like to study and why you know it is the right degree choice for you, and the second focusing on why you are the ideal student for that course and university.

2. Do your research

Universities want to see from your Personal Statement that you have done a good amount of research, so make it clear that you have thoroughly researched the course (for example, we recommend attending Open Days, reviewing course literature and talking to current students) and explain why you have made the decision to study it at university. Highlight the subject knowledge you already have and emphasise why you are the kind of student the university is looking for.

At Christ the King Sixth Forms, our work starts to focus on university progression towards the end of Year 12 and our personal tutors and dedicated, in-house Careers team provide support on choosing a degree course and applying to university. Our highly experienced staff work with students on the particular challenges involved in making applications for Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, and other highly competitive Higher Education and employment opportunities.

3. Show how you are unique

The best thing about writing a Personal Statement is, it’s a chance to write about YOU! This is your opportunity to show off what’s great about you, your personality and the unique skills and experience you will bring to the course and the university. Go back to the course description and provide plenty of examples of how you fit what the university is looking for. University admissions tutors often read hundreds of Personal Statements every day so try and make yours stand out by providing a couple of anecdotes linked to your experience and interests. Make it personal and try to avoid any generic statements and cliches. If you were to anonymously give your Personal Statement to someone in your friendship group to look at, could they identify it as yours? If they couldn’t, you should take another look at how you could make it more personal.

4. Talk about your extracurricular activities

Whether you study at CTK Aquinas, CTK St. Mary’s or CTK Emmanuel, we offer lots of opportunities for you to build both your academic and extra-curricular credentials. While we put great emphasis on qualifications, hard work, effort, and academic success, we’re about far more than that. From debating to dance, filmmaking to music, you will have many chances to get involved. Our students also have the opportunity to take part in fantastic field trips and expeditions, which could include locations such as Kenya, Alaska and the Tien Shan Mountains, as well as retreats and pilgrimages. All of this can provide great experiences to add to your Personal Statement and help you stand out from other applicants, but remember to relate them back to the course – if they aren’t relevant, don’t include them. You can use the ABC test to see if you are making it relevant:

• A = Activity: This might be captaining a sports team, or being part of a drama club
• B = Benefit: This is the skill(s) you have gained from doing the activity
• C = Course: How the skill will help you to complete the course successfully

5. Be concise and keep it relevant

According to UCAS, a Personal Statement should be no more than 4,000 characters with spaces and needs to fit into 47 lines on the application, so don’t waste space on details that have no relevance to your chosen course. Be specific about why you want to study this degree and how it will aid your future career plans. Show genuine enthusiasm for the subject you want to study. For example, if you are applying for Veterinary Medicine, your passion for animals should be obvious from the outset. Ask yourself the question ‘so what?’ If you can’t think about a reason to talk about a particular skill, the reader will wonder why you’ve mentioned it at all.

6. Check for errors  

Once you’ve drafted your Personal Statement, be sure to check it through carefully for mistakes, then send it to a friend or family member to read through. It’s extremely easy to miss spelling and grammatical errors in your own work, even using a spell-checker, which is why it’s vital to have someone else read through it before you send it off. Ask friends, family, or a teacher to read it and give their honest opinion and try to take their suggested changes on board. Try reading it aloud too – doing this will make it very clear if something isn’t quite right.

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If you have any questions about applying to university or need a bit more help and advice, please get in touch with our friendly Careers team.

Ready to apply?  We are delighted that you are considering making an application to Christ the King Sixth Forms. We welcome students of all faiths and of none who would like to pursue their sixth form education in a faith context and who support the ethos of this Catholic College. We are currently taking applications to join CTK in September 2021. If you, or someone you know, would like to apply, then you can do so online – just click the button below. Once we receive your application, we will contact you to arrange an interview. Good luck!

START OF THE NEW TERM

Start of Term January 2021 

On 31st December we emailed all students and parents/carers, please check you emails regarding returning to Christ The King in January. 

Please note all BTEC exams will take place as planned.

As you will have probably heard, the Government has recently announced that it is asking Schools/colleges to stagger the return of many students following the Christmas break. Monday 4th January is a staff INSET day with no lessons taking place.  Online teaching will take place for most students from Tuesday 5th January.   In practice this will mean that many students at CTK will take part in their lessons from home using Microsoft Teams and they should not attend Sixth Form. However, our Sixth Forms will remain open to students who: 

Do not have access to a computer or the internet at home 

Are the child of a key worker. 

Government guidance may change so it is important to check your emails and our website for any updates but we expect to restart face to face teaching on site as follows: 

Year 13 (Upper Sixth A Level and Upper Sixth BTEC) Monday 11th January, 

Year 12 students including Level 1 & Level 2 Monday 18th January 

Examinations 

If you are due to have any BTEC examinations in January these will carry on as planned. Please come into College for the times that have been communicated.

Students and parents/carers are asked to check their email accounts for more detailed information. 

The Tablet have released an article written by our own Collegiate Principal Ms Shireen Razey all about our Sixth Forms response to the Coronavirus and what we have been doing as a community to support those in need and give back to our NHS.

https://www.thetablet.co.uk/blogs/1/1437/the-sixth-forms-witnessing-to-a-catholic-ethos-in-the-covid-19-pandemic

The article highlights all our Sixth Form has done, between staff and students, to ensure everyone feels supported in these times of adversity. Along with college prayer everyday our Chaplains are working hard to ensure all our staff and students are awoken each day with spiritual messages to make these isolated days less lonely. Our prayer group at midday and staff reflection allows everyone to appreciate what we have and value the friends and family we all have helping us through this time.

Our ample charity work has never been so prevalent and we have raised over £1000 towards charities in need in our community. Ms Razey ends the article with this prayer which we hope provides comfort to everyone struggling during this time.

Christ the King Sixth Forms Prayer 

God of Love,  

 As members of the Christ the King Sixth Form family we ask for your continued blessing upon our work and study. You are the source of all truth and wisdom.   

May we experience in full the Life that you offer us each day, to become the best that we can be.  

Let no distractions or fears prevent us from trusting in your endless care for us.  

Shine your Light into our lives that we may become brighter beacons of faith, hope and love in our community.  

We make this prayer through Christ the Lord. 

Amen. 

Update – 20th March

Following the announcement that education providers will close, apart from to the children of key workers and vulnerable students, the Government has now published its list of Key workers here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

If you fall into the key worker category, please email us to confirm at enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk, that you would like your child to attend College.   All the parent’s whose children fall into the vulnerable category were contacted by email yesterday.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

Update – 19th March

College Closure 

Christ The King Sixth Forms will be closed from Monday 23rd March to all students, until further notice (apart from key worker’s children and vulnerable students) following the Government’s announcement last night that all schools and colleges will close at this date, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. 

Home/Distance Learning 

• Students should check their College emails, teachers will be setting and marking classwork. Students have been fully briefed on how to study from home using online systems, Microsoft Teams, Moodle and email. 

Exams 

• The Government announced yesterday that examinations will not take place this Summer.  We do not yet know what the Government’s plans for awarding grades will be, students should be encouraged to keep completing work set and submitting all work, please continue to check your email for updates. 

Vulnerable students and Key worker’s children 

• We aim to remain open in some capacity for Key Worker and vulnerable students. We will be writing to those students separately to inform them of this. 

Bursary Payments 

• A full payment will be made to all students who receive bursary payments, in the next few days.  We will continue to pay your money directly into your bank accounts, with an additional payment of £4 a day to cover free school meals.  The FSM payment will be made until the Easter holidays in the first instance as we understand a national scheme will be set up and we will update students with the information as soon as we have it. 

Students who have been offered a place for study at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

• Please rest assured that this will not affect your application.  Once we know what the Government’s plans for awarding grades, we will update you.  

Students who have applied for a place for study at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

• We will continue to process your application as normal.  We are postponing interviews for the present time. As an oversubscribed sixth form, we don’t want you to be disadvantaged by this so we will be making offers based on application and school report/reference.   

Students who wish to apply for a place at Christ the King Sixth Forms in 2020  

• Applications will remain open, you can apply online or download an application form.  We will be touch once we receive your application. 

Contacting the College 

If you need to contact us during this time, please contact staff on their usual email address. If you have not heard back within 24 hours or the matter is urgent please contact us via  enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk  

We will continue to keep you updated via email and website announcements on our website, please also keep up to date with Government guidance which is updated daily on www.gov.uk/coronavirus. 

We keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. 

Update –  18th March 

PARTIAL CLOSURE OF SIXTH FORM for Lower Sixth BTEC Level 3 and Lower Sixth A Level Students 

Following the Government’s recent announcement regarding self-isolation measures, unfortunately staffing levels are at a point where we are unable to teach all students safely onsite.   The health and safety of our students and staff is our number one priority at all times, therefore we will be implementing the following measures: 

From tomorrow, Thursday 19^th March, until after the Easter Holidays, Tuesday 21^st April, only Year 13 (Upper Sixth students), BTEC Level 1 & 2 students and those sitting GCSE/Level 1 Maths and English should attend lessons onsite. 

All remaining students should stay at home and teachers will be setting and marking work online. It is important that students continue to work hard and keep up to date with their studies. In tutorial yesterday students were fully briefed on how to access their college work from home using Microsoft Teams, Moodle and email. 

The situation is changing daily, we anticipate there will be further developments, parents and staff will continue to be updated via email.  We will continue to post updates on our website.  For further information on Coronavirus, please visit the Government website, which is updated daily. 

Update – 17th March

As you are probably aware, the Government announced new guidance yesterday regarding coronavirus.  We will continue to keep parents/guardians updated via our website but please ensure you are following the Government guidance which is updated daily www.gov.uk/coronavirus

I want to reassure you that Christ the King Sixth Forms are taking all necessary steps to protect our community and are continuing to follow official guidance from the Government and the local authority. We have taken protective measures which includes, asking that external visitors do not visit our sixth forms, postponing work experience, extra curriculum events and all trip and visits.   

Our sixth forms remain open for all students – this is the current official Government guidance.  If your son/daughter is unwell or self-isolating, report this as you would normally by following the absence procedure and telephoning us.  

If your son/daughter has the symptoms below, please keep them away from college.  Latest Government advice on how long they should stay off for can be found by visiting  www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection 

• A new persistent dry cough 
• A temperature that is above 37.8 C 

Government guidance now also says that if anyone in your family has these symptoms, the whole family should isolate for 14 days.  

Today in your son/daughter’s tutorial we have outlined the above, as well as given them instructions on distance learning, so that they are able to access their emails and college work from home, should they need to at this present time or near future. 

Current Government advice is that anyone at risk of increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus, needs to follow social distancing measures.  All students with a pre-existing condition that this applied to will be written to today.  If you think this applies to your son/daughter and we aren’t aware of their medical condition, please contact m.nunes@ctksfc.ac.uk 

Update – 16th March

Ensuring the health and wellbeing of students, staff and our sixth form community is of the upmost importance to Christ the King Sixth Forms.  We have therefore decided to implement a range of measures aimed at attempting to protect our community from the transmission of coronavirus. 

We continue to closely follow the Government’s advice and our sixth forms will remain open at this present time. However, we will be taking a number of measures to mitigate against transmission of coronavirus. 

 These will include, but are not limited to: 

1. We are asking that external visitors do not visit our sixth form.   
2. Student interviews will be postponed, all students will be contacted with information regarding this. 
3. We ask that parents do not visit our sixth form.  Any parental meetings will be conducted by telephone.   
4. We will be cancelling any external activity for students, such as work experience, visits or trips, they might have been planning to take as part of their course.  

Any further updates will continue to be posted on our website.  If you have any questions about these measures, please get in touch, by emailing enquiries@ctksfc.ac.uk  

Further information about Coronavirus can be found by visiting https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response  

Update – 13th March

Coronavirus (COVID-19): UK government response – Updated 13 March 2020

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of:

New continuous cough and/or

High temperature

For most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild infection

Key messages

If you have symptoms of coronavirus infection (COVID-19), however mild, stay at home and do not leave your house for 7 days from when your symptoms started. (See ending isolation section below for more information).

Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, each time using soap and water.

Stay away from vulnerable individuals such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions as much as possible

You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days contact NHS 111 online. If you have No internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999

For more information on the above, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

Update – 2nd March

Department for Education Coronavirus helpline

Today, the Dfe have launched a new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)

We know that some of you may have concerns or questions about the current outbreak of Coronavirus – officially known as COVID-19.

We want to reassure you that we are working hard to minimise the risk to our students and staff and are following Government guidelines at all times.

For the latest information and guidance, please see the Government’s website.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public

Here at CTK Aquinas we were honoured to have a visit from students from St Mary Magdalen Primary school to collect the year of the word candle.

As our local catholic school they walked along to join with us at our weekly mass. After an enjoyable visit with our Chaplain, accompanied by juice and biscuits they talked about their future and coming to our college when they get older.

CTK A Level Fine Art, Photography and Graphics students visited the Ashmolean Museum, the Natural History museum and the Pitt Rivers museum in Oxford in preparation for component 2 of their exams.

We were delighted here at CTK Aquinas to host a successful Progression Conference for the keen Year 11 students at Trinity School. Upon arrival students were greeted with a welcome talk from the Principal and a presentation from Christ the King Scholarship Students demonstrating the amazing higher education opportunities we have here at CTK. Moreover, in the afternoon had the chance to get involved with many different subjects, including Sociology and Psychology.

The 40 students delved into subjects specific to our Aquinas site, and received invaluable talks by our subject teachers all about what it is like to take these subjects at Sixth Form level. The students also received mentoring from current Sixth Form students to learn all about life at CTK Aquinas.

Currently 64 former Trinity students attend Christ the King, and we hope to see this continue following the success of our Secondary School visits and events.

We were delighted to welcome back to Sixth form yesterday evening, CTK alumni, who have studied Medicine or studied at Oxbridge to share their experiences with current Y12 students. The alumni represented a range of careers from junior doctors, to the media to politics.

Mrs Nadori, who organises the annual Alumni Evening, said: “ Our alumni offer great advice to students aspiring to study Medicine or applying to Oxbridge. It is always fascinating to hear how they have progressed in their respective careers.

Christ the King Sixth Forms organised a pre-election ‘Question Time’ experience for students across our three sites on Wednesday 45^th December. Candidates from the local constituencies were in attendance to field questions from students ranging from how they are engaging young people in politics, tackling knife crime and mental health issues amongst young people, to housing and of course Brexit. The students asked searching and challenging questions of the party representatives.

The following candidates attended and fielded questions from our audience; CTK Emmanuel – Richard Galloway (Young people’s party), Janet Daby (Labour), Gavin Haran (Conservative), Ade Fatukasi (Lib Dem), Rosamund Addo-Kissi-Debrah (Greens) and Roger Deep (Independent), CTK St Marys – Simone Reynolds (Lib Dem) and David Tingle (Labour), CTK Aquinas – Andrea Carey (Greens), Bobby Dean (Lib Dem) and Adam Abdullah (Labour).  It was an excellent, thoughtful and informative experience for all concerned.

CTK students at Aquinas and St Mary’s were delighted to have Louis Howell, Director of Revolution Hive, talk to them this week about his life and career.

Louis explained to students that as someone who has interests and experience in Marketing, Media, Sports and Youth programmes, he has had to demonstrate a versatile skill set that has helped him to excel at roles in both the commercial and voluntary sectors.

Louis also spoke to students about the different roles he has managed, co-ordinated and delivered in Marketing, whilst also demonstrating a flexible and adaptive approach to everything he does.

Having grown up in Lewisham it is always a pleasure for our students to hear from Louis and he will be back in October to help with the CTK Fast Track Programme.

CTK: Aquinas was pleased to welcome Magdalene Adenaike, award winning entrepreneur CEO, Founder of Music Relief and a member of the FRSA (Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts) for a talk to its students.

Magdalene has been a regular visitor to us over the years and she shared with students her experiences of being a teenage mum who faced redundancy and homelessness but never gave up on her dream of being successful in the field of music. Having left school she decided not to take the Accounting & Statistics course her parents wanted her to. She eventually worked for Barclays for four years, until she was made redundant.  Supported by her partner she studied for a degree at UEL in Music Industry Management whilst also volunteering as a vocal coach in the local community.

It was at this stage of her life that Magdalene fully realised the healing power of music, not just on her, but on the community: bringing people together and helping them share their issues. This is when she was inspired to found Music Relief in 2011, inspiring young people to grow their business through their talents, transforming their lives through the process and breaking down barriers that stops them from progressing. 

Magdalene is also author of the book “From Shame to Strength. Music Saved Me” in which she describes the influence of music in her life. Magdalene advised the students: “In growing up, life has its way of throwing challenges at you. Its your job to deal with those challenges .”

During the last week of February, a group of students from Aquinas and Emmanuel took part in a retreat at the Kintbury retreat house. Along with students from St Charles 6^thform, they spent 3 days examining who they were as a person, searching deep their own relationship with God surrounded by the beautifully picturesque Berkshire countryside. Hosted and facilitated by the excellent Kintbury volunteers, the students had a truly fantastic experience. As one attendee said

“I think it was amazing. It was a chance to relax and take a break from your life outside of the retreat. It gave me an opportunity to make friends and meet amazing people.“

On Tuesday 4^th December Year 13 Psychology students from all three sites attended a revision conference at CTK Aquinas. The conference was given by Professor Jean-Marc Lamont, an experienced Senior A’ Level examiner with over 20 years’ experience of teaching A Level psychology, including being Head of Psychology in a high performing Sixth Form College – he achieved 22 A*s last year!

He is a prolific author of text books and revision guides for A’ Level Psychology and is an accomplished deliverer of staff and student events. He delivered a very interactive session to our students, developing their exam skills in two particularly tricky topics. The students gained lots from it; “He really helped us to maximise our marks in both short and long answer questions.”, “He really helped me understand how to break down the marks given for short answer questions.”.

Urban Synergy’s ‘Tips to the Top’ Role Model seminar is one of the highlights of the academic year at Christ the King. The annual cross-site event, which features panel discussions and speed mentoring sessions, inspires confidence in our students and gives them an opportunity to interact with leading industry professionals.

Discussions of this kind not only broaden student horizons but also provide a valuable insight into the qualities of academic and professional success. The mentoring programmes and inspirational seminars organised by the charity provide support, guidance and encouragement for young people, and motivate them to achieve their best.

This year Christ the King was fortunate enough to welcome the following guest speakers to the panel:

• Andrew Cole, Retired International Footballer
• Oliver Adebayo, Trainee Orthopaedic Surgeon
• Troy Von Scheibner – Magician & TV Personality (CTK alumnus)
• David Olusegun – CEO, Black Diamond Records (CTK alumnus)
• Natalie Scott – Fashion Stylist (CTK alumnus)

The evening opened with an introductory session, in which the panel discussed their personal journeys and outlined the steps they have taken to get to where they are today. This was followed by an insightful Q&A session, in which students addressed personal questions to members of the panel. Professionals from banking, medicine, technology, fashion, politics, construction, law, teaching and research based professions then took part in a speed mentoring session which comprised a string of five minute talks with small groups of students. We were delighted that among these professional were another three CTK alumni:

• Seni Fawehinmi: New Business Development Manager – Thomson Reuters 
• Jeff Perkins: Executive Director – Storyful 
• Charisma Jones: Solicitor – Lime TV 

CTK students left the event feeling both inspired and motivated about their future potential!

Christ the King Sixth Form College has been selected as one of only 73 schools in the UK to take part in the prestigious young translator competition run by the European Union.

The European Commission’s Juvenes Translatores competition is designed to promote multilingualism, language learning and careers in translation. Contestants are asked to translate a text of about one page from any of the 24 official languages of the EU into any other official language. The competition is open to second-level students who were born in 2001. One winner from each Member State will be invited on a three-day trip to Brussels, with an award ceremony in the headquarters of the European Commission

 The competition will take place simultaneously across Europe at 9am on Thursday 22nd November. Christ the King will be represented by 5 linguists:

1.Doua Khila

2.Deborah Momoh

3.Abigail Tenkorang

4.Aminata Kebbeh

5.Cristina Aguilar Mbula.

We are also taking this opportunity to ask all Modern Foreign Language students to take part in the same contest as part of an internal translation competition.  There will be a prize for the best translation in each language – French/Spanish or Italian.

Changes in technology and the labour market mean that students need to be aware of the career opportunities available to them in the future and how to best take advantage of them. To support this, the October half term saw the launch of the fifth annual CTK Fast Track Programme. As in previous years, the Programme involved 50 students from all three CTK sites coming together at CTK: Emmanuel for two days of training.

The morning session on the first day was led by Dr Rupert Evenett (Chair of Governors) who talked to the students about “Developing a professional work ethic.” During the talk Dr Evenett covered topics including the importance of time keeping, personal presentation and the skills needed to work well and succeed in the modern workplace.

During the second part of the first days training we welcomed Seye Olokede, a former student from Christ the King, who spoke about his own experiences and what it takes to be a success. During this session Seye talked about the use of social media in a professional environment and the benefits of networking through LinkedIn.

The first day concluded with Maria O’Regan along with her colleagues from Santander conducting two workshops “Building and presenting a compelling CV” and “Competency based Interviews”. Working in small groups, students had the opportunity to get advice and guidance on their CVs and how they could develop their interview techniques.

The second days training was run by The Unloc Enterprise Academy and focused on alternative career routes for students; specifically on self-employment and entrepreneurship.  

Feedback from students and guests was that the training was hugely beneficial and will have a positive impact on their career aspirations and goals.