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Apply Now for Entry September 2024

Apply Now for Entry September 2024

Thank you to everyone who attended our Open Evening on 16 November. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance and we hope that you received a warm welcome and all of the information you were looking for. 

The application process for entry in September 2024 is now open. Please find full details in the prospectus below. The application form and course entry requirements can also be found below. Completed application forms can be handed in to reception at The Island VI Form, Carisbrooke College or Medina College, alternatively they can be sent via email to  viform@iwef.org.uk.

If you would like to arrange a tour of the site or have any queries at all, please contact us at viform@iwef.org.uk.

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Vietnam Trip

Vietnam Trip


Hot, tropical conditions, fascinating history and day after day of exciting new experiences are just some of the wonders that greeted 30 IWEF students on their once-in-a-lifetime trip to Vietnam last week.

Students from Carisbrooke College, Medina College and the Island VI Form, all part of the Isle of Wight Education Federation, spent ten days travelling from North Vietnam to the South via key locations in the central regions. Some of the highlights included visiting the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, exploring the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the 17th Parallel, journeying up the Mekong river while avoiding snakes and giant spiders and spending a night with a local family deep in the rainforest.

Joe Briscoe, trip leader and Mandarin teacher said: “To visit these places by yourself is one thing, but to undertake such an adventure with 30 eager and attentive young people behind you who are all willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zone and run towards scary new experiences, brings a whole different level of satisfaction as a teacher. We certainly encountered both the weird and the wonderful out there and I’m certain that as a result every student will have grown in countless ways.”

Lewis Chambers, 14, said: “Going to Vietnam taught me so many things, but the most important thing that it taught me was to try something new, no matter how nervous you may be”.

Amelia Strickland, 15, said: “This trip has made me a lot more adventurous in many different ways. For example I tried food I wouldn’t have been able to try here and I now have the courage to go to other places like this. I have learned so much about how the Vietnamese honour their dead. They use incense as they believe that when the smoke reaches the sky it connects them to those in heaven.”

While the adventurous aspects of the trip were fun, there was a very serious point behind it. Joe Briscoe said: “Interacting with the people of Vietnam and talking to them about their experiences during the war was a real eye-opener and, as students walked around the War Remnants museum in Saigon, you could see the shocking reality of the war hit home to them.”


We are so proud of the young people who went on this trip. They showed maturity beyond their years and grew in confidence each and every day. Our thanks go to Mr Briscoe, Mr Burnett, Miss Bracegirdle and Miss Lee for accompanying the students and for planning the trip meticulously, assessing for every eventuality. In giving up their time and taking on such a responsibility, they brought history lessons to life and enabled these students to make memories that will stay with them forever. 

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Open Evening 2023

Open Evening 2023

We are delighted to invite current Year 11 students and parents to attend our Open Evening on Thursday 16 November 2023, between 5.00 – 8.00 pm.

The evening will include:

  • A short presentation about the wide range of courses and opportunities we offer
  • Tours of our dedicated Post-16 site and extensive facilities
  • Opportunities to meet subject staff and current students
  • SEND information

Presentations will be held in Main Hall at 6.00 and 7.00 pm.

We very much hope that you will come and have a look around and find out why we are the ideal bridge between school and higher education or employment. We look forward to welcoming you to The Island VI Form.

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STEM Club

STEM Club

VI form STEM club – every Wednesday 3:15 – 4:15 in 6S4

This week was the third week of STEM club. The previous two weeks we have been investigating the best methods of growing crystals. This week we dissected hearts and looked at the differences in the structures and their function. Next week, we are investigating the effects of alcohol and caffeine (on daphnia!)

Come and join us – all students welcome!

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Parent Governor Recruitment

Parent Governor Recruitment

Could you be an IWEF governor? We’d love to hear from you!

A recent survey of governors in the UK found that 89% of them would recommend becoming a governor – we hope that you might be interested in joining us!

You don’t need to be an education expert to volunteer as a governor. Schools require a combination of hard and soft skills to ensure their boards operate effectively. In return you will be supported through training and mentoring. The work and life experience parents bring to the role is valuable in contributing to a diverse Governing Board. Although you need to be a parent at the start of your time as a governor, you can continue even if your child/children have left the school.

“I became a Governor after being involved with Carisbrooke College Parent Voice group. I have now been a governor for nearly 8 years! It is very rewarding. I have learnt a lot of new skills. The reason I am a governor is because all children should have a good education and I feel that we are helping this to happen in our schools.” – Vanessa

This week we have sent out a letter inviting nominations from parents who would like to join the Governing Board. If you would like to find out more, please contact the Clerk on 01983 526523 or email emma.shambrook@iwef.org.uk. If there are more applications than vacancies a ballot will be held. Application forms must be returned by 12.00 noon on 20 October.

A copy of the Federation’s governor recruitment information can be found at https://www.iwef.org.uk/iwef/governor-recruitment/. This includes more information about the work of the Governing Board, who can be a governor and what to expect. If you would like to talk to a governor before applying, please contact the Clerk. You can also find information about the role of governor online at:
https://governorsforschools.org.uk/courses/introduction-to-school-governance/

Please note that, for the protection of children, all governor appointments are subject to an identity and DBS check.

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Summer Concert 2023

Summer Concert 2023



On Thursday 20 July, we held our annual Isle of Wight Education Federation Summer Concert at the Island VI Form. The sun shone as audience members gathered outside to enjoy ice creams from The Plaza Ices and further refreshments were served indoors by our Parent Voice members.

The concert began at 7.00 pm and featured a variety of musical performances from students across the Federation. Our IWEF Sing group opened the evening’s programme with a lively performance of ‘Circle of Life’ from Disney’s The Lion King followed by the energetic ‘Royals’ by Lorde. Various ensembles from Carisbrooke College’s School of Rock club performed a variety of songs from Blur, Blondie, George Ezra and Pulp, collaborating on some with the Carisbrooke College Ukulele Club, KS4 Music students from Medina College and A-level Music students from The Island VI Form.

Over the course of the evening we heard 3 impressive original compositions from Olivia M with her catchy song ‘Take a Hint’, imaginative piano solo ‘Dreams’ from Oliver K and touching acoustic number ‘A different time’ from Tilly G. Olivia H wowed the audience with her powerful rendition of ‘Freddy, my love’ from the musical Grease, fresh from her appearance as ‘Marty’ in the recent IOW Theatretrain production.

The Island VI Form students and Medina College’s Year 11 came together to perform ‘70s classic ‘Go your own way’ by Fleetwood Mac with some impressive guitar solos from Jake C. Hannah C delivered a flawless performance of Sam Smith’s ‘The Writing’s on the Wall’ with an emotional depth and musical expression well beyond her years. Carisbrooke College’s vocal trio of Annelise, Olivia and Lucy mastered some stunning harmonies and gave a nod to chart sensation Taylor Swift with their performance of ‘Love Story’. The Island VI Form’s Tilly and Rufus were joined by Lennon to give the concert some jazzy flavour with French Jazz standard ‘J’attendrai’.

The concert concluded with all of our performers coming together to perform a spectacular concert finale of The Rembrandts’ ‘I’ll be there for you’, having learnt and workshopped the song earlier in the day.

The concert raised funds for our IWEF Creative Arts Faculty to support future events and productions. Thank you to all the students, staff, parents and governors who came along to support this lovely evening, and to our Creative Arts Faculty for organising this fantastic event. We are thrilled to see our students performing with such skill and confidence, and look forward to all the exciting opportunities 2023/2024 will bring! All students are warmly encouraged to take part in our musical clubs and activities: please see your Music teacher for more details about how you can get involved this year.



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A Level Results 2023

A Level Results 2023

Once again, students and staff at The Island VI Form are celebrating a fantastic set of A level results. We are delighted to share that the vast majority of students have secured the results required for their first choice universities. We are also seeing several students following other exciting routes into their chosen career paths, pursuing higher level apprenticeships and job-specific training opportunities.

We have seen some fantastic individual results this year in the students’ A level and BTEC studies with some gaining straight A grades or double distinctions. The governors and staff are all incredibly proud of the students who have worked hard over the past two years and shown immense dedication to gain the results that they truly deserve.

Dave Mumford, Head of the Island VI Form said “I am delighted with the results today and am extremely proud of the students. It has been a pleasure to see them opening their results and to congratulate them on their success. We have over 150 young people leaving us to pursue a vast range of courses across the country, many at top Russell Group universities. As always, my thanks go to the staff and parents who have supported the students throughout their journey with us. We are all excited to see where their next steps will take them.”

The Island VI Form continues to support students to thrive in an environment that is solely focused on Post-16 teaching and learning. It is an excellent stepping stone between school and university, apprenticeship or the world of work.




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Lit in Colour Library

Lit in Colour Library

Following on from our Year 12 trip to the national Lit in Colour conference last week, another part of The Island VI Form being a 2023 Lit in Colour pioneer school is the wonderful library we have been given by Edexcel and the programme’s partners, in particular Penguin Books and The Runnymede Trust.

In all the library contains about 300 texts, and it ranges from Key Stage 3 through to A level, covers non-fiction, poetry and prose, and includes current authors like Bernardine Evaristo, Yaa Gyasi, Benjamin Zephaniah and Caleb Azumah Nelson, as well as historical writers of colour, all helping to extend the diversity of the reading experience available to our students. In particular, our A level English Literature students have been able to use the library straightaway to make their own choices for the texts they will study for their coursework project, as well as Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire and Lynn Nottage’s Sweat that they are reading for their exams. There are books from the collection that can be borrowed from the Carisbrooke and Medina College Libraries, and from our A level Literature classrooms at VI Form.

Huge thanks go to Edexcel and the organisers for such an inspiring initiative, and we can’t wait to share the books with as many of our students as possible in the future.

A level English Literature teachers Mrs Carroll and Mr Saunders and their students with the new Lit in Colour library

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Conquering the Brecon Beacons

Conquering the Brecon Beacons

Over the course of four days, a team of ten spirited adventurers’, accompanied by experienced leaders, faced nature’s full force, with rain hammering down relentlessly for three of those four days. The expedition, nestled in the heart of Wales, proved to be a true test of character, pushing these young adventurers to their limits and beyond.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is renowned for its commitment to nurturing self-confidence, resilience, and teamwork among young people. The participants in this expedition had chosen the adventurous option, fully aware of the trials that lay ahead. Little did they know that the weather would add an extra layer of complexity to their journey.

Day 1: Optimism Amidst Overcast Skies

Under the shadow of looming grey clouds, the team embarked on their expedition with high spirits and optimism. The first day’s hike saw them navigating through rolling hills, enchanting valleys, and ancient woodlands. Despite the heavy packs and occasional drizzle, their energy remained unwavering as they conquered the initial stretch with camaraderie and laughter.

Days 2: Battling the Elements

As the team delved deeper into the Beacons, the heavens opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour that seemed relentless. Every step became more arduous, and the once-beautiful landscapes transformed into slippery, muddy challenges. But quitting was not an option for these adventurers. It was during these trying moments that the true essence of the Duke of Edinburgh Award’s values shone through. Each participant displayed remarkable perseverance and unwavering determination to keep moving forward. They embodied the spirit of teamwork, encouraging one another and lending a helping hand when needed most.

The Campsite: An Oasis in the Storm

At the end of each gruelling day, the weary yet resolute team found solace in the carefully chosen campsites. Tents pitched, they gathered together to share their experiences, swap stories of triumphs and setbacks, and provide support to fellow participants who might be feeling disheartened by the relentless rain. Campfires were replaced by waterproof jackets as they gazed up at raindrop-speckled tent ceilings. Despite the adverse conditions, the expedition forged lasting bonds among these young adventurers, transforming them into a closely-knit group ready to conquer whatever challenges lay ahead.

Day 3: The Sun Breaks Through

On the third day, the rain clouds finally parted, revealing the stunning views of the Brecon Beacons in all their glory. The landscape seemed to breathe a sigh of relief alongside the participants. Buoyed by the newfound sunshine and with their spirits lifted, the team tackled this leg of their expedition with a renewed vigour.

Day 4: The Heavens Open

On the final day of the expedition, our adventurers’ hopes of a sunny day were vanquished as towering rain clouds rolled in over the hill. This final trial was faced head long as the adventurers power through the mud, trees and rain to get to the end. 

Their journey concluded with a sense of accomplishment and triumph that comes from overcoming adversity. Exhausted but jubilant, the group returned with stories etched in their memories and lessons etched in their hearts.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition to the Brecon Beacons was a testament to our amazing young people. It showcased the strength that lies within the hearts of these young adventurers and how, even in the face of relentless rain, they emerged as stronger individuals.

As they return to their daily lives, the experiences and challenges they conquered in the Brecon Beacons will serve as a beacon of resilience and determination, guiding them to embrace future opportunities with open hearts and unwavering resolve.

We would also like to thank Mr Bridle, Miss Murray and Miss Bailey for all of their hard work on this trip.




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Wavelength Project

Wavelength Project


During the week commencing 10 July, 60 year 7 students from Carisbrooke and Medina Colleges had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a project called ‘Wavelength’ with a local arts-based charity, Independent Arts. 

“Wavelength sets out to inspire and awaken our community to the very special geographical and coastal settings of the Island which have lent themselves to top-level, epoch-making design and testing firsts. 

In bringing the arts together with the sciences, we hope to help Island children understand how both disciplines have strong links and can inform one another, and to try to dissolve barriers that have arisen in recent times between the sciences, technology and the arts.” (Kerry Tindall, Programmes Manager, Independent Arts)

The project which was based at The Island VI Form, focused on the work of Robert Hooke, an Island scientist who is best known for his invention of the microscope. Independent Arts designed a number of workshops in response to the work of Robert Hooke, ranging from Suminagashi ‘floating ink’ to wire and stained acetate molecular cloud sculptures inspired by the work of  Minjung-Kim.

Students also had the opportunity to visit our science laboratories to gain experience of using the larger microscopes that we have available.

We were incredibly proud of all the students involved as they managed to produce some beautiful final outcomes that fuse the worlds of Science and Art together.

We are excited to announce that the work produced by our students will be on display at The Independent Arts Hub in Newport town centre from Wednesday 16 August – late September.







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