It’s been a tough year for everyone, not least our Class of 2020 who missed the opportunity to sit their Year 13 exams as well as a summer term of leavers' events and parties. Many of this same group of people have also been plunged into the unknown having started their first year at university in very different circumstances. This morning, as part of the Thursday Thought, the Headmaster was joined by recent leaver Maddie Simpson (20S) to find out what life has been like for her.
Maddie has just started at the University of Surrey, where she is studying Criminology. She spoke about how she felt back in March when the Prime Minister made his announcement that schools were to close and that no exams would be sat in the summer.
“I was at home when I heard the news, my initial reaction was to head back to school and see people, I went back to the College and spent the evening with a few of my friends. I was gutted and upset due to the amount of work that I had put into performing well with my A Levels. I felt that my hard work had been for nothing and was sad to be leaving Shiplake early.
“My A Level preparation continued online via Google Meet. The College then introduced a new timetable of preparing sixth formers for university, student life and studying their future courses. I found this useful and have taken into account some of the sessions since being at university, such as the financial session.
“Overall, I was extremely pleased with my results, I originally had AB Distinction* and then got bumped up slightly to an A in History, A in Photography and Distinction* in Business BTEC. I was very relieved!”
Originally, Maddie had considered taking a year out, but felt like she’d had enough time off during lockdown so took the place offered to her at Surrey. When asked about her day-to-day learning, she said “Surrey has a hybrid-learning system in place, lectures are pre-recorded on the Virtual Learning Environment and are uploaded every week so you have access to them and the activities that the module leader sets. I have three face-to-face seminars every week - it’s compulsory to wear a mask on campus and all classrooms are socially distanced. We also have to wipe over our surfaces we use when coming into a seminar.”
The Headmaster went on to ask Maddie about security at the university, as there has been lots in the media recently about the lengths some universities are going to to ensure their students remain safe from the virus. “Security at Surrey is strict. We have wardens walking around most of the night and at times through the day. I have seen the occasional policeman but wardens do most of the work. They don’t like you socialising outside the flats unless in a group of 6 (before lockdown) and I have heard of some students being fined due to parties or no social distancing.”
Maddie was still able to enjoy her freshers’ week, which for anyone that has been to university will know is a rite of passage. “During freshers’ week, the uni scheduled a week based around the government's social distancing rules which turned out to be great. They hosted events at the lake on the main campus with socially distanced tables and had different events such as Oktoberfest, Outdoor Cinema, Karaoke and Live music. Night life was difficult but the uni were flexible in trying to make it as good for students as they could such as the big marquee and the Rubix Lounge which were all socially distanced and only allowed groups of six.
When asked about how sport is running at the university Maddie said that she had joined the hockey club which was then suspended as the players weren't keeping socially distant, so she then trialled for the netball club. England Netball have a lot of rules in place which made things even more restrictive when sticking to the rules of the university as well - Maddie has also joined a gym which she is looking forward to returning to when they reopen.
Finally, the Headmaster asked what the first thing that Maddie would do when the pandemic is 'over' and she answered that she would definitely head for an overseas holiday as well as catch up with family and friends she has not been able to see for all this time.
The Headmaster promised Maddie and all the Class of 2020 that there will be a proper reunion for these leavers as and when we are allowed to make it happen!
Head of Careers, Mrs Rapple-Moore said "It is clearly a very strange time for university students at the moment. Hopefully by the time our current Year 13s are going to university next September things will be at least on their way back to normal! But for last year's leavers, this year's first year university students, I am still convinced that university is the right place for them, even if things are not how they had hoped they would be. The most important thing is that next summer, however things stand, they will have a year of university under their belts, so it won't have been a wasted year for them. I think the same holds true for Year 13 applying to university at the moment - whatever happens with the pandemic, going to university next September guarantees a worthwhile year of education, rather than putting the rest of their lives on hold for another year waiting to see what will happen."
Thank you Maddie for sharing your university experience with us.
