I was an external student who joined Farlingaye in year 12. Choosing to study at Farlingaye Sixth Form was the best decision I ever made. When I first started at Farlingaye, I was very interested in later studying medicine; and with the help of all staff, I was able to achieve that dream following my A level results. In September, I will be a 2nd year medical student at Queen Mary University of London. Applying to medical school is very challenging due to both the huge amount of work required within the application process, but also the competitive nature of the course. Yet the support I received from the Farlingaye team made the entire process so much easier. I was provided help applying for care home volunteering at the start of year 12 and had countless meetings both during and after school with teachers to help me write my personal statement. Mrs Stuart even arranged for me to have a practice interview with a doctor once I had received my first invitation to interview. My subject teachers all offered either after school or lunch time revision sessions during both year 12 and 13 enabling much needed support with the difficulty of the subjects. We were even given talks from ex-Farlingaye students who were currently at medical school to provide an insight into life as a medical student. One of the ‘Sixth Sense’ links allowed me to sign up to weekly medical lectures for 7 months hosted by KCL, as well as termly meetings at the University of Suffolk; further allowing me to expand my personal statement. In addition, the support I received during my EPQ allowed me to really enjoy my research into the future of lab-grown kidneys, which was a big discussion topic within one of my interviews. All of these opportunities had a hugely positive impact on my medical school application and I am confident that no other sixth form would have provided me with such support and guidance. Since starting medical school, I have faced many challenges surrounding the complexity and vast amount of content within the course. However, I was fortunate to have received multiple revision technique lessons during Additional Studies whilst at Farlingaye. I have been able to implement these revision techniques and note taking methods into my everyday studies, as well as teaching some of these to my fellow students, allowing us to work through and retain the content most efficiently. I consider myself extremely lucky to have attended a sixth form that helps to prepare their students for more advanced studies in life after Farlingaye. I really miss my time at Farlingaye and thank all of the teachers for giving me the best 2 years which helped to shape my future into the one I always wanted.

I’m a 4th year apprentice working in Research at BT Group’s Adastral Park. Over the last three years I’ve had the chance to work in a variety of teams, on projects involving 5G, drones, non-terrestrial networks, and AI. Thanks to the apprenticeship scheme, I’ve also been able to study for my degree with the University of Exeter at the same time. I completed my A-Levels with Farlingaye in Maths, Computer Science, and Physics. During that time I learned key skills I use every day during my work, both from my teachers in class, and my peers in clubs and other extracurricular activities that Farlingaye offered. The soft skills and networking opportunities I gained from clubs and my work experience placement were vital in both the interview for my role, and for making the most of my ongoing education. I was also supported by the sixth-form admin team in year 13, who helped me not only apply to university but gain the confidence I needed to apply and interview for my apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are an excellent option for students to have access to, one that gives them the opportunity to gain work experience and access further education at the same time, and without the support of the sixth-form staff I never would have been able to get mine.

I was a student at Farlingaye High School from Year 7 to Year 13 and studied Maths, Chemistry and Psychology A levels. I am now studying Psychology at the University of York. Farlingaye provided me with so many opportunities throughout Sixth Form to prepare me for university and my future career: from various chances to take part in work experience, opportunities to take part in many online open days and taster lectures, and the chance to do an Extended Project Qualification in Year 13, where I chose to research ‘The Cognitive Effects of Bilingualism’. All of the staff were so supportive and helpful throughout my university applications and were always willing to listen to me when I was panicking about what I was doing! As well as numerous academic opportunities, Farlingaye provides many extracurricular events and opportunities to take part in. I was a part of the Music department, and in Year 13 I was the pianist in the band for the upper school production of Beauty and the Beast, as well as playing the violin in the school orchestra. I also had the opportunity and privilege to mentor younger students who needed additional pastoral support. All the support and encouragement from the Sixth Form staff helped give me a diverse and buildable CV which I am sure will open many doors for me in the future, and a very good insight into the working world and university experience.