Sixth Form Conference

Each year, our 'partnership triangle' (a co-ed boarding school, co-ed academy, and girls' day school) organises a day-long sixth-form conference, attended by students from all three schools, hosted on a rotating basis. In 2017, the subject was 'Britishness'; speakers included a human rights barrister, a BBC journalist, a bishop, a charity director, and the Chaplain to the House of Commons. Pupils also took part in 'breakout' discussions on key themes, facilitated by staff from all three schools. The 2018 conference will focus on Brexit.

Aims

For pupils from all three schools within the 'triangle partnership' to study together, and learn from each other and each others' perspectives

For staff from all three schools to plan and facilitate an academic discovery day together

For pupils and staff from all three schools to familiarise themselves with each others' campuses, ethoses, and values

Background

The 'triangle partnership' has existed for some years and there has been significant focus on staff interaction. We were keen for this to progress to pupil level, and for the students at all three schools to work together on a common theme or project. Given the geographical distances between the schools, an annual conference was deemed to have potential: it allows for a core, focal point but with preparatory activity/study undertaken within individual schools. 

Resources

Staff, both for planning and facilitation

Pupil engagement in hosting visitors

Catering, classroom space, limited number of books/articles

Access to engaging visiting speakers

Impact

Pupil feedback deemed the inaugural conference a considerable success, with students citing particular positive features as the opportunity to learn from each other; the chance to hear perspectives and experiences very different from their own; and the chance to discuss a universal/national theme in a context wider than that of their own school. For the next conference, we envisage assessing feedback in a more measurable way (i.e. end-of-day questionnaire).

Pupil Involvement

Sixth-form (c. 100 students total)

Frequency

Annual