Drama, English & Languages
Former Drama, English & Languages students share their experiences at Callywith, what they are up to now and what they are planning on doing next.
Callywith College
- In association with
Truro & Penwith College - Truro
- Penwith
From the course
Maisie
Progression: Theatre Arts, East 15 Acting School
Courses studied: A Level Drama & Theatre Studies, English Literature and Media Studies
Extra Activites: Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Previous School: Callington Community College
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
"I’m loving drama school even though it’s been challenging doing a whole term of such a practical course on Zoom, but it has been interesting using new skills to put on a production of Romeo and Juliet completely online. However, in the first term I was lucky enough to be in the studio working practically every day. I’ve made some amazing friends and had a really fun time so far."
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
"My time at Callywith helped me develop my confidence with A Level Drama being a great transition into drama school with support from my teacher with auditions and being prepared for group projects on my course much like at Callywith. As part of drama A Level we also had the opportunity to take part in workshops with industry professionals and also performed a showcase of our performances which was a great experience to build confidence in performing in front of larger audiences. I had so much fun in drama that I wanted to carry it on at university to do it full time!"
What do you enjoy in particular about studying Drama?
"I chose to study at drama school because I hope to be an actor or work in the film and TV production industry, and acting has always been something I enjoy."
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
"I had great support from teachers when applying via UCAS and the environment of Callywith is so independent and relaxed it was a brilliant steppingstone into the university style of working. I also had the opportunity to do an EPQ at Callywith, which I found very useful to my current course as the scape to research into any subject you wish to means you can alter it according to what you’re applying to at university and the heavy focus on independent work is great preparation for research based tasks at university. A Level English Literature has particularly helped me with my foundation course as we studied many plays which has been useful for transferring these analytical skills into the plays I study at East 15, especially the knowledge and understanding of Shakespearian language which I gained from my English Literature lessons."
What are you hoping to do in the future?
"I’m currently auditioning again this year for BA acting courses with the hope of training full time to then go on to work in the industry as a professional actor. I’m also interested in working in radio production or presenting, inspired by my Media A Level at Callywith where I enjoyed the practical coursework element of creating a radio show."
Sasha
Progression: Comparative Literature - King’s College London
Courses studied: A Level Law, English Language and English Literature
Extra Activites: Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
"Despite the fact that my first year hasn’t been what I expected, I’ve really enjoyed both university and London so far. Concentrating in online seminars has been challenging but if anything, the pre-recorded lectures have actually been a blessing. I chose to study Comparative Literature at King’s because I knew I would love living in London and I liked that the course focused on world literature. The opportunity to study abroad was also a big factor in deciding where I wanted to apply."
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
"At Callywith, I was lucky to have an incredible tutor who really helped me with the application process, especially with the endless drafts of my personal statement, and the freedom the college allowed us to have prepared me for the independence of university."
How have your A Levels helped you in your degree?
"Doing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) alongside studying Law, English Language and English Literature allowed me to develop my essay writing and gain a better understanding of what’s expected in terms of academic research, both of which are a huge part of my degree."
What are you hoping to do in the future?
"After my degree, I’m considering taking the GDL and becoming a barrister."
Molly
Progression: Journalism with Photography - Plymouth Marjon University
Courses studied: A level English Language, Photography and Sociology
Previous School: Wadebridge School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
"I'm currently studying BA Hons Journalism with Photography at Plymouth Marjon University, which I'm enjoying very much. I've had a great experience so far with learning more of the theory behind Journalism, and how to build on my writing skills. The photography side of the course started a bit later, however I have had access to all the equipment I need, even during lockdown, meaning I can shoot images as often as I like. Both sides of the course are coming together now, and it is really interesting learning how to tell stories through images. From next week we will be going to the BBC studios to learn the more practical aspects of Journalism, including radio and tv broadcasting. Starting University in 2020 has definitely been a very different experience, with such a huge majority of online lectures. However, I have still produced work I'm satisfied with and my lecturers have been there to help support us with any help we may need."
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
"From studying Photography, English Language and Sociology at A level, the combination of courses got me thinking about how I could use the skills I had learnt, to find a University course which I would enjoy. Callywith were great in helping me start the process of applying for different University courses and my lecturers were supportive and helped me to improve my work, in order to achieve grades I was happy with."
What do you enjoy in particular about studying Photography?
"I have always enjoyed photography from a young age, as there are so many different aspects to it. It's a really creative and fun way to express yourself and enables you to tell meaningful stories. The amount of kit and facilities I had access to at Callywith was amazing, and I learnt so much, from inspirational photographers to help inform my work, to new ways of editing and shooting images."
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
"I knew from studying Photography at Callywith that I would want to include part of it in my course at University, and I'm glad I did as it allows me to combine both my writing and photography skills. The techniques that I learnt whilst being at college I have taken with me into my University course, and I hope to only develop them further."
What are you hoping to do in the future?
"In the future I would like to become a Photojournalist, or just be involved in some kind of role within the Journalism industry, as there are such a wide range of jobs available in the media."
Tilda
Progression: Creative Writing & English Literature, Winchester University
Courses studied: A Level English Literature, Psychology and Biology
Extra Activites: Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Previous School: Bodmin College
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
"Initially, starting my first year of uni in a pandemic was overwhelming. I couldn't really make that many friends, even though we had blended learning (half online, half in-person) and because we didn't get that much face-to-face time with our professors, it was a little difficult to get to grips with the new style of learning. However, now I'm into my second semester and have experience with the teaching style and the kinds of assignments that are set, I'm settling into the course."
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
"The UCAS sessions with tutors at Callywith were a lifesaver for me. The help we got with it was extensive and focused, and I was encouraged to go to university open days and enter competitions that might boost my chances of getting into my chosen courses."
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
"I enjoyed the atmosphere of my classes at Callywith, particularly English Literature. Discussion is hugely important in subjects like English and being comfortable with classmates and the teacher can really affect both enjoyment and interactivity. The exploration of concepts through discussion in my English class helped me understand what it was that I wanted to do at university--as I changed my mind about my degree quite a few times before applying--and also prepared me for the style of teaching they use at my university."
What are you hoping to do in the future?
"The Extended Project Qualification that I completed has helped me more than I expected in my degree so far. The sessions on referencing and research were particularly helpful in preparing me for essays, and the time management element helped me understand what structure works for me in both planning and writing of essays. English Literature allowed exploration through discussion, Psychology instilled evaluation skills and Biology helped me with discipline and self-motivation."
Kyle
Progression: French, University of London Institute in Paris / Master's in Automative Journalism, Coventry University
Courses studied: A Level French, English Literature and Media Studies
Previous School: Saltash School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
I really had the best time of my life being at uni. Obviously, the course is super important and I feel like I learnt so much in my field, but it’s the whole uni experience which I think can teach you an equal amount. I feel so lucky to have been able to call Paris my home for three years, having met some amazing people and to have had so many unforgettable experiences.
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
Having spoken to my friends at university I feel as though I’ve had the upper hand by studying at Callywith. One of the things I liked the most about Callywith was how grown up the students are treated. Having experienced university as well, I feel as though there was a very small jump between Callywith and my university now.
Callywith is an amazing place to find support for university. In terms of applications and interviews, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful in preparing us and guiding us through the process!
What do you enjoy in particular about studying French?
I loved my courses at Callywith, I studied French, English Literature and Media Studies. I loved all three of them and had amazing lecturers! Studying French at Callywith cemented the fact I was going to study French at university, the topics we learnt about made the subject appeal to me so much!
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
I’ve used elements of all three of the subjects I studied at Callywith at university, even having studied Media and English Literature has really helped me with what I’m studying now.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
I’m currently studying a masters degree at Coventry University in Automotive Journalism which is a pretty niche degree being the only one of its kind in the world. I am hoping to go on to get a job in something like PR or magazine editing focusing on the automotive industry.
George
Progression: MIS and IT Administrator for Apprenticeship Training Provider - GFTS Ltd
Courses studied: Level 3 Information Technology Diploma and AS Maths
Extra Activites: Esports Academy
Previous School: Wadebridge School
How are you finding your role as a MIS and IT Administrator?
I have absolutely loved every minute of my job. Having a daily routine has not only benefited me in terms of discipline, timeliness and work ethic, but has also be vital during lockdown – it has been so important for my mental health to keep getting up early in the mornings and having a plan for the day. I am very thankful that I have had this job to keep me busy. It has often been challenging and on occasions very stressful, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of overcoming the problems that I have been presented with.
How did Callywith support you in your career choice?
I found that Callywith put a huge emphasis on ‘opportunity’ – making the most of what you’ve been given and never missing a chance to do something beneficial to you and to others. It is because of this, that I opted to go for full-time work instead of going on to higher education and it has been without a doubt one of the best decisions in my life so far and I have my lecturers and everyone else at Callywith to thank for that!
Why did you choose your job role?
I chose to be in the job that I am currently in for a variety of reasons. I wanted to go in to full-time work as soon as I could so that I could start earning, start developing a good work place attitude and to gain experience applying the knowledge that I currently have in to real-life situations. The role itself was very enticing – it started out as me being “The IT Guy”, which was a perfect way for me to get comfortable within a working environment and something that I was very much prepared to do, but has since developed in to a role of much higher responsibility that utilises more of my knowledge and skills.
How have your studies at Callywith helped you in your job role?
The IT course at Callywith was fascinating for me because it covered a whole variety of topics within IT, and due to my unwavering passion for computers, it was incredibly enjoyable to expand my knowledge of technology even further. I was then able to incorporate new things that I had learnt in to topics that I was more comfortable with and vice versa.
AS Maths was nearly always a challenge and I get a huge sense of satisfaction from solving problems: particularly when there is a structured method to the process. This skill that I developed - to be able to recall formulas (methods) for solving specific problems – bolstered my IT skills, too, and resultantly has been incredibly helpful in my day-to-day tasks at work.
Having knowledge of so many different IT topics at my disposal has been especially helpful when I have been presented with general IT problems at work – I am able to build on it with each incident that occurs, too, which allows me to solve issues much faster in the future. It has also given me the tools to be able to create new systems and manage the IT infrastructure within the company very effectively and think about different considerations for each choice that I make i.e. the level of security, the usability, the efficiency etc.
I would say that Maths has further improved my problem solving and intuition skills, which is beneficial regardless of what job you are in, but particularly for me with managing IT systems.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
In the short term, my aim for the future is to be as much of a valuable asset to this company as I can be for the period that I am here, so that when the time comes for me to move on, I have made a genuine impact on the company and that they are in a stronger position than they were when I started. I would like to have a career in computer programming – likely games or software development. Then if the opportunity arose, I would love to become a teacher/lecturer further down the line, in either teaching IT or Maths.
Cain
Progression: Applied Languages - Portsmouth University
Courses studied: A level French, Spanish, Geography and Philosophy of Religion & Ethics
Extra Activites: Gold Duke of Edinburgh & Rugby Academy
Previous School: Wadebridge School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
"I am hugely enjoying my course at University, both in and out of lockdown. I’ve studied a wide range of modules including Arabic, Translation and Interpreting, Forensic Linguistics and Clinical linguistics."
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
"My time at Callywith College facilitated my objective to pursue languages and teaching helped me to choose the right practical based language degree for me. All the lecturers were very motivated and committed to their roles, which I valued and believe I benefited from."
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
"I particularly enjoyed how student focused the courses were at Callywith, it helped with the transition from school to uni. I liked the change in approach i.e a more adult environment. Callywith also has greater opportunities such as Gold Duke of Edinburgh which I completed in my second year as well as sports academies."
What are you hoping to do in the future?
"In the future I hope to have a career in International relations and security."