Maria Kenworthy
Head of Society, Sixth Form

Hello, my name is Maria Kenworthy, I am a Head of Society for the Sixth Form and responsible for the Academic side of The Society at Samuel Whitbread Academy. I have chosen to study Geography, Sociology and Mathematics at A-level.  Currently, I have not yet decided on my career path, however I am passionate about people, a fair society and sustainable communities, and I hope to pursue my academic studies at degree level in the field of geography at Cambridge University.

The Society is actively encouraging earlier membership from the Lower School (year 9 - 11), to give you the maximum time to benefit from what is on offer; introducing you to both post 18 education life, and the facilitating subjects needed for entry to top universities. Since joining in Year 11, I have become much more confident in my capability, and now realise the potential that I have.  Typically there are society activities held most weeks, with a wide variety of lectures, speakers and tutorials- there is something for everyone to choose from. These activities can be both teacher and student-led, either way these are people who are able to give you tricks of the trade in achieving academically, and have all been in similar processes before you (they know what they’re talking about!). I have always found these to be engaging and stimulating; consolidating my prior knowledge and exposing me to new concepts.

Even if you don’t know if you want to pursue an academic route, the Society can expose you to new ways of critical thinking and open up the options that are on offer after GCSE and A-Level and what your next steps are to get there.  I am now aspiring to take my studies further at Oxbridge or a Russell Group University, and The Society provides a rigorous and supportive learning environment to prepare and push you to attain your goal. This is an aspect I am helping to drive and develop with the Sixth form leadership team, by continuing to expand the formal and informal programme of The Society. In the last year Prof Hubbard and I have expanded the Independent Learning Programme to really foster a community of involved and passionate students about their areas of interests.

The Society is very welcoming and supportive to anyone who has a desire to achieve and improve, and I encourage you to participate.  It’s a great chance to get to know new people, expand your horizons and help to see the possible learning and career opportunities ahead of you.  Please get in touch with us if you are interested or have any questions.

Ashleigh Fenton
Head of Society, Sixth Form

Hello, my name is Ashleigh Fenton, I am a Head of Society,in Sixth Form. It is my duty to ensure The Society is just and fair in order to reach excellence, and over the past year I have worked closely with Dr Haynes to expand the Society’s Programme to those who view it as a place not for them. Subsequently we now have a membership of 250 pupils.I have chosen to study Mathematics, History and Sociology at A level and also intend to,  at degree level, aspire to attend an Oxbridge or Russell Group University, in order to further pursue my education.

Since my involvement in The Society, I have gained more confidence and ambition in my personal studies. The wide range of tutorials provided, based on lectures given at Oxbridge, offer an excellent opportunity to further your knowledge and gain a wider understanding of certain subjects. My first impression of The Society was through online tutorials during a pandemic - even then, The Society’s priorities remained unchanged and lectures were delivered to be engaging and compelling. Lectures are given in an array of subjects, and are held every 2 weeks; delivered by guest speakers who are passionate to educate pupils in their chosen topic area. The lectures provide students with differing knowledge, beliefs and perspectives to prepare pupils for opportunities they may face within their next steps, thus furthering thoughtful inquiry into their studies and wider interests. 

The Society provides a supportive environment to anyone that has an aspiration to improve. It has adopted the “Sixth Form Academic Programme” to assist you in the area of development that is appropriate for your individual interests. It is my passion that The Society is open to every student and I wish to develop this further with the Sixth Form leadership team.  I would highly recommend getting involved within The Society, the opportunities it provides are invaluable. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Georgie Kelly
Head of Society, Sixth Form

Hello, I’m Georgie Kelly and I am a Head of Society  at Samuel Whitbread Academy in Sixth Form. I study Mathematics, Geography and Business at A-Level, with hopes of going to an Oxbridge or Russell Group University to study Law or Finance. 

Over the last 2 years The Society has taken steps towards being introduced into Year 11 and I myself have benefitted from the lectures, tutorials and university introduction days that have been available to me due to The Society. The Society has educated me on Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities, a subject I had no prior knowledge on, and allowed me to make informed choices in my A-Level options. This ensures that I can excel not only during my time at the Samuel Whitbread Sixth Form, but also after, in higher education. The tutorial scheme has also been implemented to mimic the style of learning at Oxbridge, pushing critical thinking, confident communication, diligence and further understanding of the chosen subject area - skills highly attractive to leading universities. The Society also holds regular lectures with a range of host lecturers covering a variety of subjects, from Humanities to the Sciences, and those I have attended I have found fascinating and extremely beneficial in enhancing my knowledge outside of the curriculum. 

At The Society we aim to nurture and guide all students through what can be a challenging time using the tiered system, ensuring all members get a personalised learning experience and the most out of The Society. In the following year we intend on introducing The Society to the whole of Samuel Whitbread - not just the Sixth Form - and it is my pleasure to be a part of this outstanding community.

In my role I aim to provide direction for pupils in Years  12 and 13, encouraging involvement in extra and supra-curricular activities as well as the possibility of fundraising in order to develop skills such as time management and conscientiousness. I also aim to support Year 11 pupils with A-Level subject choices, ensuring the best decisions are made with their futures in mind, as that is something that I, and many of my peers, have struggled with. The Society is an inclusive community and an integral part of the Samuel Whitbread Sixth Form and we hope that we can aid you as best as we can, even if one of the 24 Russell Group Universities isn’t for you. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to be in touch.

Ben Springett
Head of Society, Year 11

Emily Igoe
Head of Society, Year 9 and Year 10

Ayesha Green
Head of Society, Year 9 and Year 10

Prof L Hubbard
Head of Academia SWA & Lead for HA students Best Trust

Mr L Huckle
Head of Sixth Form