Two weeks go by so quickly! It seems like only yesterday our first cohort were arriving at Jowett Walk but we’re already saying goodbye to them. Over the last two weeks, it’s been a pleasure to watch our students grow both academically and socially, and a special thank you goes out to all the fantastic staff who have made the session possible!
Our students aged 16 – 18 have studied very hard on their respective programmes, completing presentations, essays, and group projects. Our Business and Enterprise students have had some real-life experience in the field by researching, designing, and marketing their own product. Meanwhile, our Engineering Preparation students have wowed the staff by taking on the major unsolved problems of contemporary engineering through university-level analysis. Across all classes, our students have shown great passion and self-motivation – every one of our students should be very proud of what they’ve achieved!
Outside of classes, there have been some very intense games of basketball and table tennis bouncing around from the very first night. This cohort loved their sport and weren’t afraid to show it! The students have also proved they’re multi-talented by performing stunning musical numbers in karaoke sessions and making vibrant t-shirts in their tie-dyeing workshop.
The highlight of the social activities at Jowett was when our students headed over to Balliol college for an Indian dinner. It was wonderful to see all of our students mixing with the Balliol cohort, making friends, and trying new food. It was hard to believe any of them were ever shy!
The cohort mastered the art of public speaking in Public Speaking and Leadership masterclass – the skills from which were swiftly put to use in winning the Great Debate! They benefited from the wisdom of both staff and guest speakers many times over their time here. Jason Bradbury’s gave a very relevant talk on the wonders and dangers of technology at the great debate. Meanwhile the staff ran mock interviews, CV workshops, and university applications guides and a phenomenally useful university fair. They all leave us armed with the knowledge to make a start on any future they want!
On their trips into Oxford, our students have basked in the bottomless culture that Oxford has to offer, really throwing themselves into all the experiences they could find. Whether it was going punting, exploring the sites where Harry Potter was filmed, or just having some retail therapy, our students were eager to be out and about, experiencing the city!
Of course, the most exciting excursion was the students’ trip to the theatre in London! The students laughed, cried, and sang along with the cast of the show, enjoying a taste of the famed London West End.
Then to finish the two weeks on a high, our students graduated on Friday in the style of real university students! It was amazing to see them get the certificates they had worked so hard for! Then after some wonderful food, they joined together with all the other 16 – 18 cohorts to make new friends and party the night away.
As our students leave us, we’d just like to say a huge well done to every single member of the cohort! They’ve all grown and developed enormously, and we wish them the very best of luck in whatever they choose to do!