More Able Evening
Recently, our school proudly hosted a More Able Evening, bringing together parents, students, and staff to celebrate and nurture exceptional talent. The event was designed to showcase opportunities for our most able learners and to strengthen the partnership between home and school in supporting their academic journey.
The Evening began with a warm welcome from our teaching team, followed by an inspiring presentation from our senior Sixth form team, Ms Jennings, Mr Ireland, Mr Ghataura and Tanveer on strategies to challenge and engage high-achieving students as well as opportunities after beyond academic life. Parents gained valuable insights into how the School tailors learning experiences to stretch potential and foster creativity. The evening was a wonderful celebration of ambition, curiosity, and collaboration—a reminder that when we work together, students thrive and achieve their full potential.
The More Able Evening was a helpful and interesting event. It gave me a better understanding of how to stretch my learning and aim for higher academic goals. During the evening, an external guest speaker came in to talk about his journey from Oxford and how it led him to work at the Bank Of England. He shared how his education and experiences helped him build key skills and succeed in his career. Some Year 13 students also spoke about their experiences with university admissions tests. They gave useful advice about preparation, time management, and how to stay motivated when applying for competitive courses. Overall, the evening was very informative and encouraged me to start thinking about my future goals and how to work towards
Ashneet Arora [12D]
During the More Able Evening, we had the privilege of attending a thought-provoking talk delivered by an Oxford University alumnus, who shared insights into his academic journey and professional experiences.
The session began with a personal reflection on life at Oxford, highlighting the unique culture at Oxford and how he faced challenges adapting to a new environment, as well as the change from studying collectively to independent study. Tanveer provided us with tips on how to manage both the change and time effectively, offering practical advice for those considering top-tier universities. The talk concluded with a Q&A session, where we asked about university applications, personal statements, and career pathways. Tanveer provided thoughtful responses and encouraged us to aim high, reminding us that ambition paired with hard work can open doors to incredible opportunities.
Overall, the event was both informative and inspiring, leaving us motivated to explore our potential and consider the possibilities that lie ahead.
Prem Ghatora [12H]
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Heston's more able evening; an event designed to both inspire and aid students with great potential aspirations. The introductory segment of the session began with a reminder of what it truly means to be a "More Able Student" and the increased expectations that are attached to the label. It also went on to provide a further overview, and importance, of the enrichment activities provided by the school, including both extracurricular activities, such as clubs [more oriented towards sports], enabling student creativity, in addition to super-curricular activities. These are more focused towards enriching your academics, such as the various student led societies that are on offer, as well as going into depth about the potential benefits that partaking in these societies could have on your university applications. Once the introduction concluded, we were then segmented into our respective year groups where we were greeted by Tanveer [an Oxford alumni] who shared insight on his experience attending the university and provided a deeper dive into what it actually took to get him there. Overall, I found the evening to be a deeply enriching experience, providing me with insight into the steps I would need to take in order to successfully pursue my own goals and clarity to my future career prospects.
Alpi Uddin Bhuyan [11W]
On the 06 November, Heston hosted a More Able Information Evening. It consisted of various aspects, such as an overview of the School’s aims for high achieving students and anecdotes from the current Sixth Former students and an external speaker. I found the experience immensely valuable and I was able to get a one-to-one opportunity to ask tailored questions to the Sixth Formers, who had achieved their GCSEs not too long ago. The Evening consisted of an exploration of different career types, ranging from a focus on Computer Science to Medicine and Law. We were able to try university entrance questions for each of the subjects and were advised on the application processes. Overall, I found the Evening exceptionally educational. It has left me with better knowledge about my future options and career opportunities to what I held previously.
Jasmin Sachdeva [12E]
At our recent More Able Evening, I delivered a speech to the junior cohort, encouraging students to make the most of opportunities beyond the classroom. I reflected on my own journey of exploring different career paths, sharing how I initially struggled to identify a clear passion. Attending insight days, internships, and confidence programmes helped me to focus my attention on economics, where I discovered a strong interest in data analysis and behavioural economics.
I spoke about how experiences such as the Morgan Stanley Confidence Programme, the Cisco Internship, a four-week finance programme at Queen Mary’s University, and numerous insight events shaped my academic direction. By sharing these opportunities, I aimed to show prospective students how engaging with extracurricular and super-curricular activities can provide clarity, build valuable skills, and inspire confidence in their future aspirations.
AngelinaTihhomirova [13F]
The focus was for students to develop knowledge about different job sectors and roles. Looking at what employability skills are the most useful in the workplace and the importance of professionalism. Students took part in interactive activities throughout the day with support from GSK, Global Motion and Zest.
Students took part in interactive workshops and met with a range of employees at the hotel. Employees spoke to the students about their roles and the services they provide. Students took part in a mocktail making session. We had a tour around the hotel to look at the range of opportunities for employment. Employees from the hotel came to meet the students and took part in a speed networking session.
Day 3: Workshops delivered by Spark to reflect on the insight day.
The purpose of our trip was to collect data that would help us to answer our key question: ‘To what extent does beach width vary at Hengistbury head?’ We went to three different sites and at each site we were split into groups of 4/5. We measured how wide the beach was as well as the rate of longshore drift. Although we had practised this in class, doing it in the open was slightly more challenging than expected as the wind kept blowing our tape measure, so we had to come together as a team and try and solve that particular problem. 
