Dear Parent/Carer & Year 11 student,
RE: Barrow Hall College Virtual Open Evening 2020
I hope that you and your family remain safe and well in what remains a challenging climate.
I would usually be writing to you at this time of year in order to invite you to attend our college open evening in person. Unfortunately, due to the continued impact of COVID-19 on normal procedures and practices, we are, like many other colleges, opting for a virtual event instead.
There are some benefits to the virtual option, as when the event is posted online, it will remain there, meaning that you will, for instance, be able to revisit subject talks and building tours. It also means that if our event clashes with that of another college, you do not have to make a choice, you can simply visit the site at a different time. The event will be launched on Thursday 5th November at 6pm and will be available to engage with thereafter. You will need to sign up to join the event, and the details of how to do so will be shared in due course.
The event will include the following:
- A presentation from the college leadership team, including Head of College; Heads of Year and our Student President & Vice President. This presentation will include information on:
- a general overview of courses and entry requirements
- the ‘BHC Investment’
- academic progress review systems
- pastoral care and pastoral systems
- curriculum enrichment
- careers information, advice and guidance at BHC
- ‘Aspiring Professional Programmes’
- ‘High Achievers Programme’ and
- student leadership opportunities
- 15 minute course presentations for all courses on offer delivered by a subject specialist and students currently studying on the course
- A virtual tour of the college building
The event will also launch our applications process and from 5th November, prospective students will be able to submit their online applications. Applications will then be open until 22nd January 2021. There will be an electronic prospectus available to view online, and students in Year 11 will also receive a hard copy of the prospectus via their form tutor.
All Year 11 students will be given the opportunity to experience ‘a day in the life of a BHC student’ at our college ‘Taster Day’ on Wednesday 11th November. Our college students will be on a ‘reading day’ working from home in order to allow year 11 to have the building to themselves. They will wear their own clothes, and will have the opportunity to choose up to 5 subjects to experience an hour lesson in.
We will write to students once we have received their applications to attend a guidance interview on Saturday 16th January. Following this, we will send applicants a conditional offer letter which will confirm their place at Barrow Hall College conditional on their GCSE results meeting our general entry requirements AND the specific subject entry requirements.
I am hopeful that we will be able to invite applicants to a transition event on Monday 5th July 2021 which will enable them to meet the college tutor team and familiarise themselves with the college environment. The event usually includes team building activities and a BBQ. This event is of course subject to change or cancellation due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
The college team is looking forward to engaging with year 11 and their families over the course of the next academic year.
If you have any questions please email helen.donson-jones@greatsankey.org.
Yours faithfully
Rhianne Bond
Head of College
