Thursday 25 June 2009
Year 10 Project Fair 2009
When I calm down I will write more. For now I am just overwhelmed with the amazing work done by the students. Let the pictures do the talking (apologies for people whose stall I missed...credit crunch gang..could never take a photo of yours as there were too many people around it all of the time...you should market that game!):
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Year 13 Life Skills: Student Finance interesting link
I have just found a great site for students that is worth checking out. It is called studentbeans.com and it has a huge amount of advice, freebies, quizzes and competitions. The advice pages on finance or excellent and there is also a downoadable money manual that you can print off and read at leisure. It is worth checking out.
Link is:
www.studentbeans.com
Direct link to finance pages is:
FINANCE
Sunday 1 March 2009
Survey
The time-management/study skills survey is open again (see the right of the screen). Please do take the time to fill it in.
Year 10 Extended Project
Year 10 are conducting a piece of independent learning called the Extended Project. The remit for this project is that the student should research an area that they are passionate about, that extends their studies and is relevant to possible A Level and University course choices. As well as producing a general report the student should also aim to complete a practical component eg. conduct a survey, build a model, write a book, paint a picture or conduct an experiment. Finally the student will need to prepare display material for a stall that they will be allotted at the EIC Project Fair. This year the Project Fair will take place on June 12th (details will be posted nearer the time).
This is the first year that this project has run. It is possible in future years the fair will run in a similar way to academic conferences and the top 5 projects will be invited to present their work in a series of seminars throughout the day. The top project will be awarded a prize and commendations will be awarded to other top projects.
Most students conduct this as an individual exercise however engineering projects are allowed to have teams of students due to the nature of the practical component.
This years project topics (chosen by the students):
- Psychology and Perception
- Marine Biology: Do fishes have memory?
- Animal Behaviour: Colour recognition in animals
- The Brain
- Hovercrafts: Designing a steering mechanism
- Hovercrafts: Building a hovercraft
- Making a movie: Script writing and directing own movie
- Photography
- Building a Go Kart
- Share dealing
- Propulsion mechanisms
- Architecture: Designing and building own model
- Aeronautics: Designing a wind tunnel
- Diamonds
- Diet and Nutrition: Body image
- PopArt: Andy Warhol inspired pieces of popart
- Plastic surgery: Cosmetic and medical
- The Army: Army careers
- Computer animation
- Manga book
- Ecotechnology
- Music Industry: Influence of online marketing
- Robotics
- Physiology: Upper body sculpture
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Year 13 Life Skills: Student Finance
Student Finance
Your costs vary depending on whether you are a UK citizen, EU national or and International student. You need to establish your status before you go to university as this has direct relevance on the fees you pay and the type of bank account you open.
If you are unsure of your status then the UK government website may help you.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/index.htm
You may however find it easier to ring them.
The best general website for you to look at is the UCAS site:
http://www.ucas.com/students/studentfinance/
Also your individual university will have advice centres and information on their websites to help you. Again it is important you look at these in the summer so that you are prepared.
Tuition Fees
EU students:
You do not qualify for student loans in England or Wales if you have not lived and been educated in the UK for the last three years. Therefore you will need to pay your tuition fees at the start of your course in the UK.
ACTIVITY: Look up the cost of tuition fees for your first choice course. Find out if they require the full years’ payment at the start or whether they will let you pay in instalments. Note down the cost.
In Scotland EU students do not need to pay the tuition fees at the start. Instead they can apply to the SAAS to have their fees paid for them. You will need to apply each year. It maybe that you will have to repay a small proportion of the fees after your course. At the moment the yearly fee is about 1735 pounds per year. If you are classed as an English student then you will be liable to pay 3070 pounds.
Further information
Overseas students (not from the UK or EU) pay significantly higher fees (over 10 000 pounds) so again it is important to be sure of your classification.
Bank Accounts
These also vary depending on whether you are from the UK or classed as an International student (and for some banks this includes being an EU citizen). If you are the latter it can be difficult to get a normal current account and often the best you can get is a deposit account that has a cashcard. This means it can be difficult to set up standing orders and direct debits.
ACTIVITY: Find out the difference between a standing order and a direct debit.
If you are from the UK then you should not have a problem getting an account. You will need an address, evidence that you live at that address (acceptance and registration documents from the University will do) and also your passport and/or NI number.
When choosing your bank consider the following points:
Overdraft allowance: Remember you may not get tuition fee help so this could be important. Check the amount offered and whether it is interest free. Some increase the amount each year (this is not cumulative ie. if year 1 offers £1000 and year 2 offers £1250 this is just £250 extra). Also check repayment rules. Some allow a year after graduation as still interest free, others hit you with the interest straight away.
Unauthorised fee: If you go over your agreed overdraft limit without permission you are charged a fee. These are quite hefty in some cases and can mount up.
ATM fees: Most banks will not charge for withdrawing from the banks own cash machine but check this out as again these aren’t cheap and can mount up. Also ask about the charges for withdrawal of money from abroad, these fees can be huge. Barclays bank offer a service where Spanish and English Barclay branches do not charge for transfers etc. but these may not be available to students.
Additional services: These include internet banking (very useful), personal student adviser, Commission free currency and travellers cheques (if you are likely to travel a lot then again this is handy).
Freebies: Alternatively termed “Incentives”. These can be very good, however don’t let them be the only reason you opt for a Bank. Your student bank may end up being the one you stay with for your adult life so choose carefully.
Location: Life gets very busy so if your bank branch is on campus or local where you live you are more likely to keep on top of your banking.
The following website may help but note that not all banks maybe located in your region:
http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/money/currentaccounts/3/banking_stud_accounts.aspx
Banks:
ACTIVITY: Look at the following pages and select which account you thinks is the best. Note down the reasons for your choice.
Barclays
HSBC
Lloyds
Natwest
Royal Bank of Scotland
Note that there are also other banks offering student accounts. The university campus will probably have a group of special student service branches.
A note on credit cards:
Be careful with these. Unless you can pay the balance off at each month the interest rates are huge. It is an idea to have one for emergencies but otherwise use them cautiously. Again with store cards, unless you pay off the balance each month these can be a very costly method of managing your finances, my advice is to steer clear of store cards unless you are very organised.
Budgeting:
The cost of living will vary depending on where you live but it is a fair estimate to say that for basic living rent, food, clothes etc. you would need at least 10 000 a year. This would not include travel back to Spain or even your university books (a textbook can cost as much as 75pounds depending on your course).
The budget calculator below is designed to help you plan your budget. Also the university websites will give you a break down of the cost of living for a student in your university area (cost of living can vary dramatically between cities).
Accommodation:
Note that in your first year it is better to go into Halls of Residence. Some are fully catered, others offer breakfast etc.
ACTIVITY: Look up the Halls of Residence for your first choice university.
What is the average cost for an academic year.
When are you meant to pay the rent?
What would you plan to do in the summer months?
In the second year you will probably live in a shared flat or house. If you do this you will need to consider not only rent but also bills. As a student you should not have to pay a community charge but you may have to pay for water, gas and electricity. If you have your own television you will also need to pay a TV licence fee. Naturally if you are sharing then the cost of bills can be split.
ACTIVITY:
Look up the student finances pages for your first choice university. What advice do they give regarding cost of living in the second year. Note down:
The average rent.
Average monthly bills.
Find out the cost of a TV licence in the UK and the methods of payment.
Part-time work
Most universities recommend that students do not work any more than 15 hours a week. However this can depend on your course and many Science and Medical courses have heavy time-tables due to lab classes and this can make it difficult to take on part-time work. Universities always have a Careers Guidance centre that will also advertise suitable term-time and holiday work and are worth checking out. If you plan to work in the UK you will need a National Insurance number. If you do not have a number already you can apply for one at the local Job Centre.
ACTIVITY: Use the UCAS budget planner to approximate your income and outgoings per month for your first year. Note that this is not accurate and some payments will come in one month and not another eg. You will buy books at the beginning of term. In the first year you may also need to buy a lot of clothes in order to cope with the UK weather. So you will need to save up to account for one of big bills. Where-ever possible it is best to pay utility bills etc. on a monthly basis rather than have to pay them in one lump sum.
http://www.ucas.com/students/studentfinance/budget_calculator
General advice:
Also when you first arrive make sure you find and register with a dentist and doctor. Again there will probably be a university medical centre. If you are an EU student you will need to get a European Health Card (Tarjeta Salud de Europea). If you are an overseas student will have to look independently for what allowances you can get. Again your university will advise you.
Obviously there is a lot to think about. However your university will have a students union advice centre and freshers packs to help you when you arrive.
Your costs vary depending on whether you are a UK citizen, EU national or and International student. You need to establish your status before you go to university as this has direct relevance on the fees you pay and the type of bank account you open.
If you are unsure of your status then the UK government website may help you.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/index.htm
You may however find it easier to ring them.
The best general website for you to look at is the UCAS site:
http://www.ucas.com/students/studentfinance/
Also your individual university will have advice centres and information on their websites to help you. Again it is important you look at these in the summer so that you are prepared.
Tuition Fees
EU students:
You do not qualify for student loans in England or Wales if you have not lived and been educated in the UK for the last three years. Therefore you will need to pay your tuition fees at the start of your course in the UK.
ACTIVITY: Look up the cost of tuition fees for your first choice course. Find out if they require the full years’ payment at the start or whether they will let you pay in instalments. Note down the cost.
In Scotland EU students do not need to pay the tuition fees at the start. Instead they can apply to the SAAS to have their fees paid for them. You will need to apply each year. It maybe that you will have to repay a small proportion of the fees after your course. At the moment the yearly fee is about 1735 pounds per year. If you are classed as an English student then you will be liable to pay 3070 pounds.
Further information
Overseas students (not from the UK or EU) pay significantly higher fees (over 10 000 pounds) so again it is important to be sure of your classification.
Bank Accounts
These also vary depending on whether you are from the UK or classed as an International student (and for some banks this includes being an EU citizen). If you are the latter it can be difficult to get a normal current account and often the best you can get is a deposit account that has a cashcard. This means it can be difficult to set up standing orders and direct debits.
ACTIVITY: Find out the difference between a standing order and a direct debit.
If you are from the UK then you should not have a problem getting an account. You will need an address, evidence that you live at that address (acceptance and registration documents from the University will do) and also your passport and/or NI number.
When choosing your bank consider the following points:
Overdraft allowance: Remember you may not get tuition fee help so this could be important. Check the amount offered and whether it is interest free. Some increase the amount each year (this is not cumulative ie. if year 1 offers £1000 and year 2 offers £1250 this is just £250 extra). Also check repayment rules. Some allow a year after graduation as still interest free, others hit you with the interest straight away.
Unauthorised fee: If you go over your agreed overdraft limit without permission you are charged a fee. These are quite hefty in some cases and can mount up.
ATM fees: Most banks will not charge for withdrawing from the banks own cash machine but check this out as again these aren’t cheap and can mount up. Also ask about the charges for withdrawal of money from abroad, these fees can be huge. Barclays bank offer a service where Spanish and English Barclay branches do not charge for transfers etc. but these may not be available to students.
Additional services: These include internet banking (very useful), personal student adviser, Commission free currency and travellers cheques (if you are likely to travel a lot then again this is handy).
Freebies: Alternatively termed “Incentives”. These can be very good, however don’t let them be the only reason you opt for a Bank. Your student bank may end up being the one you stay with for your adult life so choose carefully.
Location: Life gets very busy so if your bank branch is on campus or local where you live you are more likely to keep on top of your banking.
The following website may help but note that not all banks maybe located in your region:
http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/money/currentaccounts/3/banking_stud_accounts.aspx
Banks:
ACTIVITY: Look at the following pages and select which account you thinks is the best. Note down the reasons for your choice.
Barclays
HSBC
Lloyds
Natwest
Royal Bank of Scotland
Note that there are also other banks offering student accounts. The university campus will probably have a group of special student service branches.
A note on credit cards:
Be careful with these. Unless you can pay the balance off at each month the interest rates are huge. It is an idea to have one for emergencies but otherwise use them cautiously. Again with store cards, unless you pay off the balance each month these can be a very costly method of managing your finances, my advice is to steer clear of store cards unless you are very organised.
Budgeting:
The cost of living will vary depending on where you live but it is a fair estimate to say that for basic living rent, food, clothes etc. you would need at least 10 000 a year. This would not include travel back to Spain or even your university books (a textbook can cost as much as 75pounds depending on your course).
The budget calculator below is designed to help you plan your budget. Also the university websites will give you a break down of the cost of living for a student in your university area (cost of living can vary dramatically between cities).
Accommodation:
Note that in your first year it is better to go into Halls of Residence. Some are fully catered, others offer breakfast etc.
ACTIVITY: Look up the Halls of Residence for your first choice university.
What is the average cost for an academic year.
When are you meant to pay the rent?
What would you plan to do in the summer months?
In the second year you will probably live in a shared flat or house. If you do this you will need to consider not only rent but also bills. As a student you should not have to pay a community charge but you may have to pay for water, gas and electricity. If you have your own television you will also need to pay a TV licence fee. Naturally if you are sharing then the cost of bills can be split.
ACTIVITY:
Look up the student finances pages for your first choice university. What advice do they give regarding cost of living in the second year. Note down:
The average rent.
Average monthly bills.
Find out the cost of a TV licence in the UK and the methods of payment.
Part-time work
Most universities recommend that students do not work any more than 15 hours a week. However this can depend on your course and many Science and Medical courses have heavy time-tables due to lab classes and this can make it difficult to take on part-time work. Universities always have a Careers Guidance centre that will also advertise suitable term-time and holiday work and are worth checking out. If you plan to work in the UK you will need a National Insurance number. If you do not have a number already you can apply for one at the local Job Centre.
ACTIVITY: Use the UCAS budget planner to approximate your income and outgoings per month for your first year. Note that this is not accurate and some payments will come in one month and not another eg. You will buy books at the beginning of term. In the first year you may also need to buy a lot of clothes in order to cope with the UK weather. So you will need to save up to account for one of big bills. Where-ever possible it is best to pay utility bills etc. on a monthly basis rather than have to pay them in one lump sum.
http://www.ucas.com/students/studentfinance/budget_calculator
General advice:
Also when you first arrive make sure you find and register with a dentist and doctor. Again there will probably be a university medical centre. If you are an EU student you will need to get a European Health Card (Tarjeta Salud de Europea). If you are an overseas student will have to look independently for what allowances you can get. Again your university will advise you.
Obviously there is a lot to think about. However your university will have a students union advice centre and freshers packs to help you when you arrive.
Thursday 11 December 2008
Africa
Help a school in Eritrea
Mr Stubberfield is visiting Eritrea this Christmas to spend some time working in a school. He would like to bring any good quality books and educational supplies for the children. If you have any then please bring them to Mrs Stevensons office before the end of term.
If you would like to know a little more about the country then there are some links below:
Eritrea (Wikipedia)
Eritrea (BBC Africa)
Eritrea (CIA)
Africa
GLOBAL ISSUES
Every year as part of the Year 9 PSHEplus curriculum we do a global issues/politics module where we research the political and socio-economic issues affecting an African country undergoing conflict.
As part of this project the pupils set out to "rebuild" a country following prolonged conflict, by re-introducing democracy to a country previously run by a dictatorship. They form political parties and develop their own manifestos, with promises that have to be backed with substance. They then undergo an election campaign where they produce posters, fliers, badges and party political broadcasts. They have "local elections" in form groups and then a general election with the top 4 parties running with a president and leading party being elected.
This has always been a very successful module and many year groups have been deeply moved by the various videos we have watched, facts that we have found out and students have grown in their awareness of political issues. We have written to the President of the USA, Prime Minister of Great Britain, Deputy Prime Minister of Sierra Leone and Secretary-General of the United Nations. We have also had year groups so determined to make a difference they have shown their broadcasts in assembly and organised charity days to raise money that supported villages in Sierra Leone by buying chicken farming businesses and training.
This year we are considering investigating either Zimbabwe or the Congo as both these regions are experiencing very extreme political situations. However we may also look at Eritrea as Mr Stubberfield has connections with a local community. As the school has a philosophy of ensuring money raised by us goes directly to the communities and people in need (and not lost within huge charity "machines") this may well be an opportunity to once again make a significant impact on peoples lives.
The project is due to start after Christmas so keep an eye on the blog for the students election campaigns. Meanwhile make sure you checkout the post on Mr Stubberfields book collection campaign for an Eritrean school.
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