Budehaven Sixth Form Students making plans for University

Budehaven Sixth Form students are currently making their plans to study at university next autumn. Many students have applied for places at universities all over the United Kingdom this year and we are very proud that many have received some excellent conditional offers. Often the application process involves sitting entrance exams and being put through rigorous interviews; our students have acquitted themselves extremely well. Seventy four students have applied to university this year.

Last year, Ofsted visited Budehaven and were pleased with their findings; they wrote, “Students in Years 12 and 13 are on course to complete their qualifications. You (Budehaven) have supported students to access remote open days at further education establishments. Students are up to date with their university applications.” Mr White, Mrs Skipp, Mr Kavanagh, the tutors and subject specialists, spend many hours working with each student to ensure that their application is perfect and provides them with the best opportunities.

Over the years, Budehaven Sixth Form has had a great success with university applications with over a quarter of students receiving offers from the prestigious Russell Group Universities, this is way above the national average. Furthermore, A level performance has sat consistently in the top 20% nationally.

Indigo Haynes has undertaken a series of challenging interviews and has been rewarded with a conditional offer to read French and Russian at St. Edwards College, Oxford University. Ruby Hughes has been given an excellent reduced offer from Queen Mary College, London University (a top Russell Group University), to read English and Drama. The university stated, “Dr Monks (university lecturer) observed that you gave really good thoughtful answers to questions around the ways that dystopian literature might map out concerns that are current and present as well as forewarning us of future possibilities. You also gave really good consideration to the questions, it was a pleasure talking to you! We believe that you have great potential as a student in the School of English and Drama and that you would flourish here at Queen Mary. As a result, we are delighted to make you a reduced CCC offer (Outstanding Potential Award).” English and Drama are two very established and successful subjects at Budehaven, enabling many students over the years to read these subjects at a higher level. Tieran Speare has conditional offers to read English, Drama and Theatre studies at Exeter and Glasgow University. Georgia Blewett has offers to read Drama at Exeter and Royal Holloway, London. Rayna Copplestone has selected Creative Writing as her discipline and has been rewarded with offers from Bath Spa and Plymouth. Henry Theakston, a talented actor wishes to continue this passion, by receiving offers at The University of Birmingham to read Drama and English and The University of Glasgow to read Theatre Studies and English Literature. Saffron Rae is focused on a career in Acting and has an offer from Royal Holloway, London University. Joseph Trewin has performed well with his offers and is able to read Drama and English at Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Royal Holloway.

Zoe Bluett has approached the sixth form with a real diligent and driven attitude and is completing four A Levels. Zoe is a passionate musician and she intends to pursue this as a career. She has offers to read Music at The University of Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, and Plymouth.

Olivia Allen is a talented geographer, and has offers to read this discipline at The University of Worcester and Manchester Metropolitan University. Heather Fry has applied to read History; she has received offers from the universities of Leeds, Warwick and Bristol and is awaiting on an offer from The University of Cambridge. Oliver Cummings has done well to receive offers from some very prestigious Russell Group Universities; he has offers to read History and Spanish from The University of Exeter, Southampton and Swansea. Devon Savoury is a talented geographer and wishes to study this subject at Cardiff, Bristol UWE and Swansea. He is waiting on an offer from Bristol University, which offers a year abroad.

For those students not attending university, Budehaven has two experienced Careers Officers to support them with High Level apprenticeships at organisations such as Sky, BP and Thames Water. Students are helped with CV writing and with navigating the variety of careers that exist in the world. Louis Davey has an opportunity at Bond Oxborough Estate Agents.

Of the students who have applied to University, Tommy Quinto has received an offer to read French at the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter and Portsmouth. Furthermore, Hannah Collidge, a talented linguist has an offer to read English and Spanish at the universities of Bristol, Exeter, King’s College, London and Manchester Met. Language degrees are popular this year at Budehaven and Emily Walter has offers to read Modern Languages at Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Portsmouth and Surrey. Gemma Flanagan wants to combine her love of Spanish with Film, she has offers from Birkbeck London University, and Lancaster University. Mia Hodgson wants to continue her love of French in an academic setting and she has offers from Exeter, Chester, Central Lancashire, Bristol and Cardiff. In fact, Cardiff has offered the course of French and Japanese.

Law and Criminology degrees are always sought after and a number of students this year have received some excellent offers. Lily Hedge Evans has offers from Brighton, Bristol UWE, Kingston, Sheffield and Manchester Met. Caitlin Flamson is keen to pursue in Criminology and has offers at London South Bank University and Bristol UWE.

History is a popular subject at Budehaven and every year students achieve well and venture to Russell Group Universities. Emily Brown has offers at Bath Spa, Bristol, Reading and Plymouth. She also has an offer from The University of Southampton to read Modern History and Politics. Katie Mead is keen to pursue a degree in History and Archaeology; she has offers from top places such as Glasgow, Exeter, York and Southampton. Olivia Wilson wishes to continue her love of Psychology, a popular A Level at Budehaven Sixth Form, with offers at Bristol, Bristol UWE, Exeter and Plymouth. Ruby Browning has offers to read History at Bath Spa University, Bristol, Exeter and Southampton. Lauren Bridge is a keen historian and has offers to read this discipline at the universities of Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton, Swansea and Worcester. Evie Symm has applied to read Psychology and has secured a place at Plymouth University. Kate Harper wishes to take her love of History abroad and she has received offers to read History with a year abroad at Bath Spa, Bristol, Exeter and King’s College, London. Rory Gare is another student keen to study History and Archaeology; he has offers at Cardiff, Chester, Leicester, Nottingham and York.

Budehaven Sixth Form spend a considerable amount of time helping students prepare for interviews. We have been very lucky to have the support of a variety of external business people who voluntarily coached our students providing them with the confidence to perform well. In addition, a number of senior teachers have been coaching students with their interview skills.

Other successful scientists receiving offers or waiting following an interview include James Davey to read Medical Sciences at The University of Exeter, Southampton and Swansea. Nikola Walmsley has an offer to read Paramedic Science from Bournemouth University. In addition, Ellie Barbor has to take part in a series of rigorous interviews to become a nurse; she has an interview at The University of Worcester. Jessica Milligan is also pursuing a career in the caring profession and has secured conditional offers at Bristol UWE, Reading, Surrey, Oxford Brookes and Manchester Met to read Biomedical Sciences. Emily Wilkes is also a keen scientist and has some excellent offers to read Veterinary Biosciences; she has the option to go to the universities of Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow. Katie Trowbridge is applying to read Occupational Therapy and is waiting on offers from places such as Bristol UWE, Cardiff and Plymouth. Megan Whitefield has a firm offer from The University of Plymouth to read midwifery, a very competitive course.

Business and Mathematics degrees are popular choices for students at Budehaven and it is important to point out that in Budehaven Sixth Form, Economics and Mathematics A Levels are well-subscribed and successful courses; it often inspires students to take the subject further. Charlotte Bryant has an offer to read Business at Bristol UWE, Bath Spa, Manchester Met, Plymouth and Winchester. Myles Coles has conditional offers to read Maths at Swansea and Exeter University. Lauren Robinson has been successful, receiving offers to read Maths at Bristol UWE, Cardiff, Liverpool and Newcastle. Ryan Chalkley wants to combine his love of Maths with Sport Science and he has received offers from Liverpool Hope University, Swansea and Loughborough. Isabel McAuliffe has offers to read Maths at Cardiff, Exeter, Oxford Brookes, Reading and Southampton. Felicity Gleed is an intelligent and strong mathematician and has some excellent offers to read Maths, she has places at Exeter, Loughborough, Reading and Southampton. Alex Petherick wants to pursue a career in agriculture and has offers from Harper Adams and The Royal Agricultural University to read Agri-Business and Rural Land Management.

Art, Photography, ICT and Creative Media Design are subjects that perform consistently in the top 10% nationally at Budehaven. This success has enabled many of our students to pursue careers in the creative world. Toby Pritchard Fletcher has offers to read Product Design at places such as Bristol UWE, Bath Spa and Manchester Met and University of Arts, London. Likewise, Lucy Gemmell has offers to read Photography at Falmouth University. Fashion and textiles making has appeared to be very popular this year. Jacob Stevens has conditional offers to read Fashion Marketing at Bath Spa, Leeds University, Manchester, Manchester Met and Nottingham rent University. Furthermore, Charlotte Dorey has offers to read Costume Design and Making at Arts University Bournemouth, Buckinghamshire New University, Falmouth University, Plymouth College of Art and University of Arts London. Sophie Birt has also applied recently and is waiting on decisions from Bath Spa, The Northern School of Art, Plymouth College of Art and Solent; she is applying to read Textile and Interior Design. Art degrees are always very competitive and students are expected to produce a quality portfolio. Rosie Feehan is busy creating her portfolio, and has received offers to read Fashion Design at Bath Spa, Anglia Ruskin, Brighton and Falmouth. Furthermore, Nelly Thorn has worked very hard developing her portfolio and is waiting on decisions to read Fashion Design at Instituto Marangaoni London, London College of Contemporary Fashion and Kingston, London. Noah Allen is a talented photographer and wants to follow this discipline at Brighton, Bristol UWE and Manchester Met. Ashley Dickens is a keen illustrator and wants to study Illustration at Bristol UWE, Brighton, Falmouth, Kingston and Manchester Met. Robyn Maloney has worked hard on her portfolio and has a conditional offer to read Interior Design at Plymouth University. Charlie Hookway is another strong photographer and wants to venture to Plymouth or Falmouth to read this discipline.

Science degrees are always popular at Budehaven with many students wanting to follow a degree in biomedicine or engineering. Isobel Holmes has offers from Exeter, Sheffield, Southampton and York to read Chemistry or Biochemistry. Freya Bernard wants to read Biological Sciences; she has offers from Bournemouth, Brighton, Plymouth and Portsmouth. Evie Purl is a keen botanist and has offers to read Plant Sciences and Biological sciences at Bristol, Cardiff, Sheffield and Swansea. Stuart Hoare is another talented scientist and will study Astrophysics at places such as Exeter, Manchester and Royal Holloway. Lucy Wells is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She has offers from Brunel University, London, Exeter, Plymouth, Sussex and Swansea. Furthermore, Alisha Simpson has applied to read Paramedic science and is waiting to hear form places such as Plymouth and Brighton. Sydney Heath is another engineer, wanting to focus on Electrical Engineering. She has offers from Aston University, De Montfort University and Liverpool John Moores and Glyndwr University, Wrexham.

ICT has already had a strong level of success this year, with nearly all students on course to gain a Distinction Grade. This success can only mean good destinations. Toby Gifford is one of those candidates and has offers to read Computer Science from Plymouth and Manchester.

In 2020, Budehaven Sixth Form was awarded the national plaudit for the best Higher Sports Leaders School in the country. Consequently, this has produced some very well prepared students ready to succeed in the sporting world at university. Sam Munday has conditional offers to read Sport Coaching at Plymouth Marjon University; he is also waiting on offers from Cardiff Met and Southampton. Callum Woolley also wants to follow a career in the sport field and has a conditional offer to read Sport Coaching and PE at Plymouth Marjon University. Tallulah Thompson, a talented footballer has a conditional offer to read sport Coaching and Physical Education at Plymouth Marjon University. Many of these sport-based students have studied our BTEC Level 3 Sport Diploma, a very successful course; last year’s performance was placed in the top 10% nationally. Jess Mettam, a national level player of Handball has offers to read Sport and Exercise Science at places such as Bournemouth University and Liverpool John Moores University. Leah Gemmell also wants to follow a career in Sport and Exercise Science, she has offers from prestigious places such as Loughborough University, Cardiff Met and Plymouth Marjon University. Tilly Dumbleton has applied today to read sports based degree at Marjons.

The current Year 12 are beginning their journey on the UCAS path. Several students have been selected to be part of The University of Exeter Scholar’s Scheme where they attend workshops on subjects such as ancient history, theology, bioscience, geology and mining.

Our students’ choices demonstrate a Sixth Form with proven high aspirations and every promise for success. One of the things which Budehaven always sets out to achieve is to prepare Sixth Form students for university life, in such a way that the transition from school to university is smooth, because students have not only worked hard, they have also matured as young adults, able to cope as readily with examinations as with the immense opportunities which university life presents. It is good to see that hard work is really paying off, with first class offers from universities right across the UK being made to local students who deserve every success in their exams.

Written by Matthew White – Assistant Headteacher and Director of Post 16