Opportunities To Succeed

At King James we try to give all of our students opportunities to make the most of their talents and help them to succeed.

On an academic level, we offer extensive guidance and support with university choices and course choices. We have many links with universities in the North East and beyond. Our university visits have proved to be an excellent success and offer valuable experience to our young people. We also provide workshops throughout the year to ensure students are fully briefed on student finance, student life and further education.

Our Science Department provides excellent opportunities for learning. Sixth Form Biology students have taken part in a conference in London focusing on exam techniques and students have also had the opportunity to see a Cadaver at Newcastle University. Physics students visited the CERN Laboratory in Geneva to meet the world’s top Physicists and see the Large Hydron Collider. Throughout the year, Science students work with outside
agencies such as Wessington Cryogenics and Newcastle and Durham Universities.

There are many subjects which help students to find a subject-specific placement, such as Sport and Health and Social Care. This builds on the theory that students are taught in lessons whilst developing employability skills. Having a taste of the world of work is also an enlightening experience for many students.

Educational visits and experiences are an important part of Sixth Form life at King James. Our Health and Social Care department provides opportunities to experience cultural events such as Chinese New Year celebrations, an exciting visit which involves active involvement in traditional activities.

Our Media Department has links with Teesside University and arranges visits for students to work with the lecturers and degree students there. Media students who aspire to enter the journalism, publishing or graphic design industry can also become part of the editorial team of Exclaimer magazine. This is a national online magazine which is written, designed, produced and managed by our students. It provides an opportunity to gain experience in a realistic publishing environment and also offers a platform for our Creative Writing students to showcase their talents.

The English Department visits local theatres to see plays relevant to their studies, and there are also group visits to Hardwick Park and to Beamish, linked to Victorian literature. Our Geography Department offers a two-day trip to the Lake District in Year 12, and in Year 13, students visit Low Barns Ecological Conservation Area. In Travel and Tourism students visit Slaley Hall and Rockcliffe Hall Hotel and welcome guest speakers from Hays Travel.

We are a well-organised college that has our students’ best interests at the core of everything we do. We provide our Sixth Formers with an excellent academic experience, while developing their social skills and providing many opportunities to enhance their lifelong learning.