Your Best Experience: Take a Tip from a Cadbury Student

Your Best Experience: Take a Tip from a Cadbury Student

What can I tell you to make Cadbury Sixth Form College your best experience yet? Well here are my best tips for really making the most of your time and preparations for the big move!

 3 TIPS FOR APPLYING TO COLLEGE (Trust me, you’re going to want to know the last one!)

Number 1: Do Your Research
Make sure you seek advice and visit open days to see the college for yourself.

Number 2: Apply Early
The earlier you apply, the sooner you can secure your place and concentrate on your exams. Makes sense right?
Not only that, you can take advantage of exclusive support available to offer holders.

Number 3: Pick Subjects That You Enjoy And That You’re Good At
Not everyone knows what they want to be when they’re older – and that’s fine!
Cadbury has one of the largest course offers in the region. And for that reason you don’t have to compromise what you enjoy.

 

5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE GOING TO COLLEGE

Number 1: Pick A Subject You Enjoy
The subjects you choose will be your primary focus for the next two years. Why don’t you make those next two years as enjoyable as possible?

Number 2: This Isn’t Like School
Say goodbye to assemblies, morning registration, and most importantly detention. You’ll be treated like an adult here.

Number 3: Time Management Is Super Important
Free periods aren’t always about catching up with your mates. They should be used to get ahead, whether that’s revising or studying certain subjects.

Number 4: Everybody’s Too Caught Up In Their Own Appearances To Worry About Yours
In College you finally get to wear your own clothes and express yourself. The last thing you want to be doing is worrying what other people think. Trust me!

Finally, Number 5: Take Care Of Yourself
College can be a big step from school and whilst it does involve a lot of study and work time, it’s really important that you take care of yourself and your wellbeing. And just enjoy it – you’ve got this guys!

 

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CADBURY STUDENT

Cadbury student working in a study booth

8am: I left the house – I’ll never get used to these dark mornings. I got on the bus with my free bus pass because Cadbury girlies do not pay for their transport 😊

9am: I headed to my first health class which I’m doing a T Level in. I’d love to be a nurse someday and this course is the first step to getting there.

11am: Ok, this is when my day got weird. Our college has a brand-new building and it’s kitted out with loads of hi-tec stuff, including VR. This was actually the most fun lesson ever. We even printed out Lego!

1pm: VR made me so hungry, so it was time for lunch. On the menu today was my favourite cheesy pasta bake with a cheeky bit of garlic bread.

2pm: I had a free period where I caught up with some coursework because I really do not want to be falling behind.

3pm: I headed over to music club which is always such a laugh. What a tune!

4pm: I grabbed a drink and headed home.

 

I BET YOUR COLLEGE DOESN’T HAVE THIS!

Front of the new STEM building

This is Cadbury College’s brand-new Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths centre – and I am loving it!

This huge centre supports students looking to enter careers in manufacturing, life sciences, digital media and loads more. And it even has digital learning labs and virtual reality suites which offer coding and robotics opportunities for T Levels and A Levels.

My favourite part has to be the flexible studying and social spaces – absolutely perfect for catching up with your mates. If you fancy having a look around, make sure to check our upcoming open days.

Turn Esports Passion into Profession

Turn Esports Passion into Profession

Gamers looking to turn their passion for Esports into a profession now have the chance to do just that at Cadbury Sixth Form College.
A brand-new Level 3 Esports course is launching at Cadbury in September 2024, providing students with an introduction to the fast-developing world of Esports. The College group has invested in esports gaming rooms, editing suites and enterprise pods to ensure students have access to the most inclusive and dynamic growth environment in an industry already worth over £1 billion.

Over two years students will gain valuable hands-on experience and discover more about the unique crossover of subjects such as enterprise, game design, marketing, business, teamwork and event management in the rapidly growing Esports industry. As they continue to develop their understanding of the industry, learners will also cover the technical aspects of Esports including programming, 2D & 3D graphics and live-streamed broadcasting, culminating in the design and delivery of their own competitive Esports event.

Learners taking this qualification will study topics ranging from skills, strategies and analysis to health, wellbeing and fitness for Esports players and responsible gaming. They will also benefit greatly from interaction with professional teams, guest speaker talks and work experience opportunities.

Head of Sport, Scott Thomas, said: “Esports is a rapidly growing industry around the world and within the education sector. This generation of students have grown up online and their sights are set on a digital future. Many UK universities now offer Esports as a degree course. Our students will have access to players and expertise which will enable them to turn their passion into a profession, learning employability skills including digital, problem-solving, teamwork, organisation and analytics to support them in whichever pathway they choose to progress.

“If you’re passionate about gaming and want to turn it into a career, this is the perfect opportunity for you.”

Don’t miss out on this chance to turn your passion into a profession!

Apply now for Esports

Cadbury Is Not Like School

Cadbury Is Not Like School

Studying at college is not like studying at school or moving onto a school sixth form. There’s so much more to life at Cadbury!

By joining us at Cadbury Sixth Form College, you’ll become part of one of the most diverse and vibrant college communities. Here you’ll develop and enjoy independence, make lifelong friends and experience our fantastic facilities and unbeatable support.

Here are the Top 5 best things about college life:

You’re in charge
From picking your courses, deciding when and where to do your additional study outside of lessons, to what you wear to college. At college you’ll be treated like an adult and enjoy the benefits of independence. You get to take control of your learning and your future and most importantly you get to be yourself.

There is support for you everywhere
Some people can’t wait to leave school and for others it can seem a bit daunting. If the idea of independence and moving somewhere new scares you, then don’t worry. First of all, you’re not alone, loads of people feel anxious, but more importantly there’s even more support on offer than you’re used to at school. We have staff to help with everything from catching up with homework, applying to university, welfare, finance and mental health – the list goes on. You can find more about support here.

There is always something going on
Life at college is much more than just what goes on in the classroom and there’s always something new to get involved in, from trips abroad to experience new cultures to cultural celebrations in college, freshers’ fairs and activity days. College life is jam-packed and never boring. We offer a wide range of enrichment courses too from sports clubs to societies – you can find out more here.

The best facilities
Your school may have a good library or even some new sports equipment, but at Cadbury Sixth Form College the facilities are next level! Using the latest technology and design we have everything from science labs, libraries, gym and sports facilities to nursing wards, film studios and robotics labs. Our brand-new £6.6million STEM building is a must see. Find out more here.

Make college pay!
From our free college bus pass to bursary and welfare support, college doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact it’s the opposite – you can make it pay – whether it’s taking advantage of all the student discounts on offer to getting support with job applications with our careers team. Being a Cadbury student comes with lots of added benefits.

Older News & Event Articles

The Titan Award finalists have been announced for 2023 – and one of the nominees for Further Education/Higher Education Student of the Year is from Cadbury Sixth Form College!

Zainab Mallah is an A Level Science student at Cadbury.

Here’s why she was nominated by her personal tutor Emily Broome:

“Zainab is a conscientious, kind-hearted, caring student who holds a real maturity beyond her years and always treats both staff and students with an incredible amount of respect and kindness. Zainab is very well liked and willingly gets involved in group discussions and speaks out appropriately if she has any concerns. She willingly supports those around her and has volunteered for open days as a student tour guide, supported fundraisers and petitions and has been involved with external companies such as SafeUp. She also started her own Medicine and Healthcare Society and always supports her peers with genuine care and enthusiasm.”

Emily added: “Zainab is a genuine delight and always makes me smile and brightens my day! I really hope her nomination will provide her confidence and allow her to see how truly hard-working and special she is! She is a credit to our college and an outstanding role model to our students! Our college truly wishes her the best of luck in her nomination and her future, I have no doubts that she will excel in everything she does!”

The winners will be announced at the upcoming Titan Awards & Charity Dinner in July at Aston University, and each will receive a trophy, framed certificate and Amazon gift voucher.

Good luck Zainab!

We were delighted to host Group Captain Deputy Lieutenant Ian Sargeant OBE today for our Big Coronation Party and tree planting ceremony.

Many of our staff and students have been making big preparations for this event to commemorate the historic Coronation of King Charles III.

Creating colourful bunting and learning about the significance and history of the Monarchy, students also enjoyed Coronation-inspired cakes and games and sang celebratory songs live on stage.

Royal representative Group Captain Sargeant, who is also a Queen’s Honorary Surgeon, joined in with the celebrations and met members of staff and students, before helping Head of Curriculum Ian Vogel to plant a commemorative tree in the campus grounds.

The Lord-Lieutenant, Sir John Crabtree OBE, who attended the Coronation on Saturday, is appointed by the King to represent him in the region and attend events and activities on his behalf.

He said: “The Coronation is really bringing people together to celebrate and get involved in some amazing projects. You can feel the excitement mounting across the region and there is a wonderful community spirit with many people volunteering for the first time to support their community.”

The West Midlands is the second largest Lieutenancy in England and Wales supporting nearly 3 million people across seven local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The Lieutenancy is active across the community supporting projects and initiatives that benefit the community and it helps recognise people through the Honours awards. It also coordinates Royal Visits and acts as a connection between the civic, military, religious, armed forces and emergency services.

The Lieutenancy is involved in a number of events that will be held across the region for the Coronation.

We asked our Digital Design and Production T Level students what they were enjoying most about their course so far, and to tell us a bit about themselves. Here’s what they had to say:

Abas - T Level Student

Abas – The reason why I have chosen this T Level course is because I believe it teaches me everything to send me in the right direction to become a software developer. Since the start of college, we have learnt a lot such as python, HTML and SQL. The teachers are also pushing us to work hard in building websites during our lessons and to do research at home. The course offers us the opportunity of a work placement to learn first-hand how the work environment is. My hobbies include playing basketball, reading and spending quality time with family.

Haneef - T Level Student

Haneef – My experience of the new T Level Digital Production course I am taking has been excellent. I have expanded my knowledge of Computer Science and understanding of the Digital World, additionally I have learnt many core skills such as using tools from the Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office. I would highly recommend this course for anyone looking to go into any computer related career such as Web Design, Software Engineering and Cyber Security. It is a great environment and I couldn’t ask for more. The amazing support I get from my lecturers has really helped prepare me for any future industry placements.

Hassan - T Level Student

Hassan – I have chosen this course as it will help me achieve my ultimate career goal of becoming a software engineer at Google, Facebook and TESLA. I have already learned a lot, like how to use CMS software Drupal. I have also learned a lot of different coding languages including python, JavaScript, HTML, SQL, CSS and PHP. My teachers are good and have real-world experience in the field of STEM and building websites for clients. We have learned how to use applications like Photoshop and InDesign to create the front end of a website. This course will help me achieve my future career goals because it offers me the opportunity of a work placement to learn first-hand what it is like to work in the software industry and how it operates. I’m enjoying this course because it’s helping me to understand how games, websites and apps are built. It also teaches us how to create and maintain databases with advanced security, plus how to build a really well functioning website and how to add good security features to prevent it crashing and breaking down. My hobbies are going to the gym, gaming and helping my brother build computers.

Shahzeb - T Level Student

Shahzeb – Since this course became part of my schedule, I’ve come to understand how committed and enthusiastic I am about this subject. This T Level is excellent because it opens doors to careers in the digital industries, including web design, programming, game design, data analytics, software engineering, cybersecurity and many more. Outstanding instructors that have real-world expertise teach the course, which makes it easier and more entertaining. Amazing web design instructor Stuart has expertise creating websites for paying customers. I’ve learned how to design a website front end using Photoshop and InDesign. My career goal is to learn how to operate the (CMS software) Drupal and also learn the different computer languages such as python, JavaScript, SQL, CSS, HTML and PHP. I am already very good with computers and how they operate, but this course offers more challenges which is what makes it so attractive and fun. I always wanted to understand and learn how to build/design different games and software, which this course allows me to do. Studying this T Level course opens up a lot of opportunities for me and allows me to work on actual digital projects. This is one of the best courses in Birmingham, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in computers.

If you’d like to find out more about our T Level or Digital courses, register here now for our next Talk & Tours event or Open Day.

Stay up to date with student life at Cadbury Sixth Form College: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & TikTok.