Year 6 Open Evening 2024 in Review
On the 26th of September 2024, Thurston Community College held our 2024 Year 6 open evening. Although it was very similar to previous evenings in the sense that there were different stations around the school with entertaining and interactive activities set up in different blocks (e.g. English, Maths etc), very exciting additions, which are likely to follow in the coming years, were included in this year’s open evening. But before we get into that, let’s discuss what stayed the same and what an open evening even is.
An open evening is the opportunity for Year 6 students from different primary schools from all around the area to visit a secondary school to allow them and their families to see what a bigger and perceivably slightly scarier school than they’re used to is like, to prepare them for the next academic year as well as to allow the parents/carers to consider the options for where to send their children. It is a very important event and every year Thurston consistently honours that.
Some of the experiences that were available this year included lots of science practicals such as the dissection of a heart or the inflation of lungs, a murder mystery in English based on the hit novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ which students get to study in year 9, a floor puzzle game set up in Maths, Abstract Art making using coloured paper in art, creation of keyrings and Italian dishes in Design Technology and so many more. In these areas, you had the opportunity to meet the subject teachers along with the cheerful Thurston students helping with the event. In addition to this, a talk that happened at 6:00pm and at 6:45pm from Mrs Taylor (our Principal), our Student Principals and Deputy Student Principals, alongside other students and staff, about the benefits of Thurston Community College.
As well as all the different activities the children and families could get involved in, there was the heavy implication of the Student Leadership Team. Set up by Mr Morris, a former Teacher at Thurston, in 2023, now led by Mrs Dunsdon. It has grown massively with podcasts, live broadcasts and, of course, articles. During this evening, the team including myself and lots of other students from different sectors such as Wellbeing Team, News Team etc. helped to give families tours around the seemingly complicated school corridors and provided help / directions to disoriented people at stations all across the campus. For me personally, I believe this new addition to the open evening is very beneficial to the school as it allows for the students to well represent themselves and the school while also making parents/carers and hopefully future Thurston students feel more welcome and comfortable with the layout and system of the school. I think that this night only proved further the true potential of the Student Leadership team and makes me excited for what might happen next.