Springboard to the Future

Each week in Channing Sixth Form a double period is dedicated to Enrichment. These sessions aim to extend learning beyond the curriculum and broaden students’ experience by exploring new questions, skills, and activities. Our carefully curated schedule includes: carousel short courses which the students choose themselves, and has in the past ranged from an ‘Introduction to DJing’, ‘Electronics and Robotics’, and ‘Interior Design’, to ‘Drama Improvisation’, ‘Mandarin and Chinese Culture’, and ‘Historical Women and Films’; a lecture series from experts in their respective fields, with titles such as ‘Sport and More in the GDR’, ‘The Rise of the Dictators 2023’, and ‘Geography, Deindustrialisation, Urban Decay, House Music, Hip Hop, and Identity’; a preparation for university carousel; and team-building, leadership and study skills workshops.

As part of the Enrichment programme, all students start the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in the September of Year 12, benefitting from the taught research skills workshops throughout the term, and accumulating valuable learning on aspects such as research methods, citations and references, planning a project, and presentation skills. At Christmas students can decide if they wish to continue with their EPQ project, which would then be submitted after the Easter holidays, or if they would prefer to convert the research that they have done up until that point into a Channing Project, which they would then present in early January. The skills and learning that our Sixth Formers develop through this research process stand them in excellent stead, not only in their current A Level studies, but also in university applications and interviews, and in Higher Education life in general.

We are always impressed with the commitment and time already spent by many of our students in voluntary work in their own communities. Our voluntary work programme has links with several of our local community organisations who have built up close links with the school. Our aim is for every student in Year 12 to be engaged in a community service project, either organised by themselves or through our links.

Currently we have links with Channing Junior School, Hill Homes, St James’ Church and a partnership with Highgate Newtown Community Partners (HNCP), Brookfield Primary School and St. Aloysius’ College. Through this partnership and others, students will have the opportunity to help others in the community. The skills, experience and sense of belonging gained through community service are often the most valuable, rewarding and satisfying part of the week for students and excellent preparation for the future.

The UCAS process at Channing starts in Year 12 with UCAS presentations and the annual ‘Springboard To The Future Fair’  and Presentation day where Admissions Tutors, expert speakers and organisations come to the school so Year 12s can learn first-hand about universities and other options available to them. The mixed Year 12 and 13 Forms provides the opportunity for Year 12s to experience the university applications process closely and witness the preparation and decision-making.

As far as the Personal Statement is concerned, we will provide the tools to help students craft a compelling and relevant statement. In Year 13, with the support and guidance of Tutors and Heads of Department, and the Director of HE and Partnerships, students will be ready to submit their application.

If your university sights have been set on Oxford or Cambridge, or a special application (including Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Dentistry), there will be expert advice and support from Miss Cannell, Miss Platt and specialist mentor teams of teachers, alumnae, parents and other expert advisors, in order to provide you with the best possible chance of securing an interview and ultimately, the offer of a place.

More students are now considering studying in the USA and Canada. The breadth of subjects, alongside the flexibility in the Liberal Arts programme, makes studying overseas very attractive. Specialist presentations, workshops and guidance on essays as well as applications are available at Channing with students going on to study at a range of schools and colleges across North America.

Degree apprenticeships, Art foundation courses as well as GAP years are also very popular and students are provided support in those applications or planning for a year away.

With technology developing at such an astonishing pace, it’s hard to say what the future workplace will look like. However, we can be sure that digital skills will be inherent in almost every job. For this reason, Channing is developing an exciting, new technological direction for the school with the aim that all students leave Channing with the technological skills needed for their chosen careers.
We want people to say “if you want your daughter to be equipped for the modern world of technology, engineering and design, then Channing is the perfect place to send her”.

We know that technology alone will not replace collaboration, good judgment and problem-solving abilities but, by providing a technology-rich learning environment that supports our students through the Sixth Form stage of their education, we are ensuring they are perfectly prepared for the next steps.

To support all aspirations, the Sixth Form Careers provision has been substantially expanded over the last five years.

Our Head of Careers, Ms Wilberforce, and our Careers Coordinator, Ms Marcu, organise a comprehensive programme of preparation. This begins with an interview practice workshop and includes an individual careers interview with an external advisor for every student. Students are advised to complete work shadowing placements to gather information about various career roles and fields. The Careers Department works in close association with the Channing community to support a work experience programme which offers Sixth Formers the opportunity to apply for a placement with a host from the Channing community as well as supporting students with applications for competitive internship programmes.

We want our students to create links and relationships that will guide and support them through their next decade, their first job, their first promotion and their first tax return! We then encourage and welcome our former students to come back to us as mentors to support other Channing students.

Our extensive network of alumnae professionals assist current students to access professional advice, guidance and work experience. In conjunction with the Careers Department, there are a number of interactive talks, presentations by guest speakers and seminars held throughout the academic year. These range from specific career talks, information about undergraduate life, in-person networking events through to presentations from women who are working in every sector – from Art to Zoology. The specific interests of every student are taken into account so that they can explore Automotive Engineering or Criminology with experienced professionals to inform their important decisions about the future and two specific Networking events are organised so that students can develop this important skill..

Looking to the future, we will grow this already impressive network to aid and inspire Channing alumnae in their career development. Each and every alumna has something unique to offer, whether it be through a seat on the Alumnae & Development Board or offering work experience to a newly qualified professional to strengthen their job application.

Channing takes pride in its alumnae community. Our alumnae are diverse in their career paths and geographical locations, many of them making significant contributions on the national and global stage.

Irrespective of when they leave Channing, each leaver becomes a member of the Channing Alumnae Association. They will receive an electronic copy of the Channing alumnae newsletter, as well as invitations to exclusive alumnae events, concerts, reunions, performances and talks. And, of course, they will always be welcome at the annual Founders’ Day celebrations, every Summer Term.