Work-life balance in Sixth Form 

With the new year upon us, many at Urmston Grammar Sixth Form have made resolutions to approach their work with a fresh, productive attitude. However, how easy is it to work hard and be proactive in your schoolwork while managing a part time job at the same time? I interviewed Kate Pelling, a year 12 student at Urmston Grammar, to hear her perspective on making the most of sixth form life while dedicating time to work outside of school. 

Kate works at McDonalds in the Trafford Centre on average 16-20 hours a week, a huge commitment alongside her A Levels. When asked as to what motivated her to find part-time work, she informed me that she intends to save money for university, revealing the forward-thinking mindset many sixth formers possess in preparation for their final exams and the next steps post-18. She also noted that jobs at this age provide you with experience of how to balance work alongside studying and your social life as well as allowing you to improve your communicative skills in this formal setting. Kate said it can be difficult to manage her job with school, so to tackle this, she aims to work on weekends to allow her to complete schoolwork during the week. 

Overall, it seems that although managing work and school comes with challenges, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs as it can help prepare you for your future at university and later in the world of work. 

Sylvie Poupaert