Open Evenings

WEDNESDAY 9th & THURSDAY 10th NOVEMBER 2011, 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm
The Open Evening represents the start of the admissions advice and guidance for entry in September 2012. We hope that you will be able to attend one of the evenings and that you find it informative and helpful in supporting your decision-making.

AIMS OF THE EVENING
To provide visitors with the opportunity to:

• Find out about specific subjects and discuss questions with teachers
• Look at the facilities in both subject areas and across the college as a whole (the NEW Learning Resource Centre, for example)
• Raise any general questions about the college and/or the admissions process. Staff are available in the canteen.

PRESENTATIONS
The Principal and Assistant Principal (Curriculum) will run a series of presentations throughout the evening covering some of the ‘whole college’ issues and advice on planning a programme of study at Collyer’s. The talks do provide a useful overview for parents, and the start times are as follows:

DUCKERING HALL
6.30, 7.00, 7.30, 8.00 and 8.30

• The application process and dates, and careers enquiries
• Possible new subjects that you would like to see offered
• The Tutorial and Enrichment provision
• Tea and coffee will be available in the canteen
• Study Support for students (in the new Learning Resource Centre)

The questions and advice below are aimed at encouraging students to think about the most important questions when deciding about both where and what to study. You should find it helpful to review the material before the open evenings.

1. What are your favourite subjects at school?
2. Why do you enjoy these subjects? (content, skills, style of subject, teaching)?
3. What are you interested in and what do you like doing? (both in and out of school)?
4. Careers ideas (based on work experience, careers advice and your own ideas)?
5. What are you currently planning to do once you have left school and what alternatives are there? Use all the answers above to guide you as you look through the subjects and level of study that are available at Collyer’s. The ‘SUBJECT DETAILS’ section of the prospectus has all the subjects we offer and the section ‘CHOOSING YOUR PROGRAMME OF STUDY’ tells you how you can mix subjects to get the right programme of study for you.
6. Which subject at Collyer's look like they match your needs and interests?
7. List the subjects that look interesting but you are not certain what they involve (research at Open Evening)
8. What are the entry requirements for the subjects that you are interested in?
9. What subjects or courses are you interested in that are not offered at Collyer's?

OPEN EVENING

LIST OF SUBJECTS TO VISIT
QUESTIONS FOR THE SUBJECT SPECIALISTS
GENERAL QUESTIONS

GETTING ADVICE
Do not try to sort out the best choices without any advice. Use the sources of advice listed below, you can then compare all the ideas and the decision starts to become clearer.

TEACHERS: Talk to your teachers and tutor about what they think you would be good at and what subjects might build on your strengths.

PARENTS: Ask your parents about what they see as your key academic and personal strengths.

CAREERS ADVICE: Use the careers information at schools or talk to careers staff to get up to date information on careers and the range of study options. Here is a useful website: www.connexions.gov.uk

You can either approach this by asking about careers you think are interesting and what you need to get into those careers
OR
You can look at what you like studying/doing and ask what careers might build on your strengths and interests.

COLLYER’S: At the open evening staff will be available to answer questions about all the subjects we offer. Have a list of questions ready for the evening (what does the subject lead onto, learning styles and key topics for example). At your application interview in February/March staff will give you advice on the overall programme of subjects you have chosen and the entry requirements. On July 2nd and 3rd (provisional) 2012 the Welcome Day gives you a chance to have a ‘taster’ lesson/introduction, for each subject; there is also scope to ask more questions and try subjects that you are not sure about.