Trips and Visits
The English Department runs a number of trips every academic year, ranging from visits to the theatre for performances of plays such as Hamlet, Translations and The Importance of Being Earnest, all the way through to revision study days on set texts. Language trips are organised to newspaper archives in London. There are trips to the Globe Theatre and excursions to local landmarks, art galleries and museums that inform various piece of writing produced in English classes.
In addition to trips away from college we have organised visits by well known and up and coming poets, authors and experts, including a one day language conference. One of our past events was a visit from the world renowned language expert David Crystal and performances by John Cooper Clarke and Kate Clanchy.
World Famous Linguistic Expert Delivered Lecture to Students
Details by Jane Mosedale (English Department)
On December 13th 2007 David Crystal, world famous Linguistic expert, delivered four lectures to our Language students on subjects ranging from Accents to Internet Linguistics. This was a wonderful, once in a lifetime opportunity for our students and we’re sure they found it a stimulating experience which will have helped them to form an overview of this fascinating subject.
The Voice - Colchester Sixth Form's Student Online Journal
Talented English students at The Sixth Form College have worked together to produce an online journal, The Voice, containing news, features, blogging and lots more. This is an ongoing project.
Additional Studies
Reading Group
This additional study is open to all students who are interested in reading. The group meets once a week. We read a range of good literature together sharing ideas in informal discussion. We share in the choices of texts we read over the year.
Drama Club ‘Willpower’ (lunchtime sessions)
Students prepare a speech and sonnet for the practical Shakespeare Certificate examination at RADA in London.
Shakespeare Youth Theatre
After college for students wishing to be part of a production for the national Shakespeare Youth Theatre festival. 6th Oct 2009 ‘Hamlet’ at The Mercury Theatre.
Creative Writing
Creative Writing offers students the opportunity to develop their literary skills, explore new genres and consolidate their strengths. Students produce original pieces and share their writing in an informal, supportive atmosphere. Practical help is offered as well as opportunities for performance and publication. There is also the chance to go on a wonderful week-end writing extravaganza at a windmill in North Norfolk.
Below is a brief piece of fiction composed during the Windmill trip.
Windmill 2009
A memory story
by Katherine Bennett
Sophie was walking along one year in early November listening to her iPod after an argument with her mum over being late home. Tears were rolling down her face.
A gust of wind blew the smell of a bonfire towards her. Sophie inhaled, a sense of happiness began to build inside her. Sophie had always loved bonfires, autumn and fireworks night.
Sophie smiled, tears still on her face. She remembered one fireworks night the last one before her grandfather had died. A mixture of pain and happiness filled her.
Bonfire night always filled her with excitement, the pretty colours, the bangs, the laughter, the screams, the sparklers. Sophie closed her eyes. She could feel her grandfather’s hand on her wrist steadying her with the sparkler. She remembers feeling the heat from the sparkler and a sense of happiness filled her.
Sophie opened her eyes; she could no longer feel her grandfather’s hand. The wind direction changed and she could no longer smell the bonfire, her feeling of happiness ebbed away and she felt alone... she carried on walking.