Greenhead College: Beacon Site Archive :

Attracting New students

Year 10 Open Day

The college organises year 10 open days for year 10 students from the feeder schools.

The students select which departments they wish to visit and are given a personalised timetable to visit three departments. This takes place in June and is staffed by those who would normally be timetabled for A2 students.

Each department has the students for about an hour.

Within Physics each session is structured:

Introductory talk - 10 mins maximum
Circus of three experiments (approximately 15 mins each) These are

1) Sketching waveforms from the CRO

2) Controlling a nuclear reactor. (This is an Albert Simulation software). See

example

sheet.

3) Electrical puzzle boxes, a combination of switches and lamps and the students have to complete a circuit diagram.

(Each group is approximately 15 students so they are able to work in pairs).

Closing remarks (5 mins)

Year 11 Open Evenings

A big event of the college calendar. Three open evenings are in January 6:15 to 9:00 p.m., with a talk by Dr Conway at 7:45 (~40 mins). Parents and students 'wander' between departments.

Philosophy: maximum impact.
As visitors walk down the corridor they see

Massive Department name
Van de Graff on lockers - sparking
Display board with Physics success stories
Flying aeroplane on a string.
(Demonstrating circular motion).

First lab: 4 computers showing simulations with practical apparatus, ripple tank on OHP.

Second lab: Strobe & stationary wave. Computer projector with Powerpoint slide show of the Department

Most experiments have an interactive element.
All experiments have a laminated comment sheet.
Examples of student's work & coursework is displayed.

A mixture of students are available to talk to the parents and prospective students. All visitors leave with a departmental handout and the course outline Physics staff are frank about the Maths content and make it clear that all students must follow A level Maths or A/S Maths in order to do A level Physics.

Physics' Pages on the College's internet site

These are a selection of pages from the student handbook, the departmental leaflet and results. It also includes an Email address of one of the departmental staff.

gc Physics, attracting new students