A level student Junior Boateng takes his studies and his charity work seriously.

Junior will sit exams in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology in July and has set his heights high –  aiming to achieve As in each.

Three A grades is what he needs to go on and study medicine at university, after which he hopes to specialise in orthopaedics.

But Junior has managed to balance those tough academic demands with volunteering, in his spare time, to help some of Leeds’ most vulnerable residents.

A supportive learning environment

He credits Leeds Sixth Form College for providing vital support for both pursuits.

He said: “Leeds Sixth Form College is a good place to study because the teachers are always willing to help.

“They always make you aware that they are here to assist so when I don’t get stuff at first I know I can go to them and they’re happy to explain to me, whether that be in person or online. They are always very responsive.”

Junior’s charity work, meanwhile, is done through a church in Leeds and focuses on those who are living on the streets or have hit a low point.

Offering a helping hand

He said: “We seek out people who are in need and are easily forgotten by society.

“Through our Night Angels programme, for example, we go out around town in the evenings and meet homeless people who come for food and drink. You meet all kinds of people, sometimes even university students who are struggling.

“We also put up notes on the bridges around Leeds to give a message to those who might be despairing, so they know there’s somebody out there who cares and can help.

“The college has been very supportive of this work and when I was organising a foodbank drive staff gladly helped by creating posters. Quite a few people also brought in donations, which really helped us be able to serve hot meals to people in need.”

Student Nicholas Sappor Charles credits strong support from his tutors for helping him take important steps towards medical school.

Nicholas, who moved to the UK from Ghana, is also grateful for the flexibility that Leeds Sixth Form College has granted him as he works towards his goal.

His first experience of the college was when he enrolled on the Access Foundation GCSE programme last year. He ended up completing that course with six GCSEs, including in Combined Science Synergy – a double qualification which combines biology, chemistry and physics.

Nicholas is now busy studying chemistry, biology and maths A levels – and is grateful for all the guidance he has received.

The benefits of a flexible approach

He said: “Leeds Sixth Form College has been a good experience so far. I enrolled on the Access GCSE course after speaking with a career advisor at college, who told me what I needed to do to get into medical school. 

“I was enrolled on a five GCSE programme but, in order to increase my chances of getting into as many universities as possible, the college also allowed me to do one extra GCSE, in business.

“That was a great opportunity which I am very grateful for. It was a bit tricky because timetables would clash, but my tutor was always there to help and explain things, plus give feedback on tests.”

An enriching and welcoming environment

Nicholas is also appreciative of the many enrichment activities that the college has arranged during his A level studies, and for making him feel welcome.

He said: “The teachers are friendly and helpful and are always ready to answer your questions. I am also highly impressed by the number of opportunities – including work experience, massive open online courses, and virtual skills development programmes – they try to make available to us.

“I was shy and a bit anxious due to the change of environment when I came to the UK, but college has really helped me grow in confidence and make me feel like I belong.”

A science teacher at Leeds Sixth Form College has been awarded £3000 of funding for his skills development project as part of the Let Teachers SHINE competition.

Luke Helstrip, who has been with the college for a year, has developed a project that supports students to enhance their soft skills, such as creative thinking, communication, problem solving and collaboration, enabling them to make faster progress in lessons.

Run by education charity SHINE and Times Education Supplement, the competition offers a funding lifeline to innovative teachers with pioneering project ideas. With the aim to boost the attainment of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the organisation provides advice and training to allow teachers to make a difference within the student community.

Luke hopes his ‘Impact of STEM 7’ project will help students improve exam results and apply for jobs and university places. He said: “I grew up in an area of high deprivation, so I appreciate the challenges that students face when completing applications and progressing through education. I hope to develop students’ self-confidence and ability to reflect on their own skill development by making changes to teaching practices which highlight soft skill development. 

“Information on students’ skill reflections will then be analysed, providing us with data on progress over time and the impact of the strategy. Initially, I will be running the programme as a pilot study within my own class. If this is successful, we hope to roll this scheme out across all A level subjects at Leeds Sixth Form College.”

All grantees will receive one-to-one sessions with the School of Social Entrepreneurs and the University of Manchester to determine individual needs and develop a bespoke training package.

Helen Rafferty, interim chief executive of SHINE, said: “Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Let Teachers SHINE competition. This year’s awards were held during some of the most challenging times teachers have ever faced, making the quality of the applications all the more impressive. 

“Each of the teachers who took part in the competition demonstrated their innovation and commitment to really make a difference to the futures of children from low-income families. 

“We look forward to working with the winners to help them develop their ideas and help hundreds of children to succeed at school.”