Student life
Impington International College is just a 15 minute bus journey from the centre of Cambridge but our students love the freedom and green space they gain when they join our Sixth Form.
Located in the heart of Impington, our brand new Sixth Form building opened in September 2021 and includes dedicated seminar and teaching rooms as well as an exclusive Sixth Form common room. Co-located on campus with Impington Sports Centre, which offers gym and swimming facilities, there is also a local tennis club and football club within easy reach for sports fans.
The Sixth Form is located within easy access of a variety of independent cafes and shops, for students who want a change of scenery during their free periods. Stir Histon, The Station House Histon and d:licious coffee and sandwich bar offer exclusive discounts on food and drink for our Sixth Form students who show their ID badges.
A standard day at Impington International College runs from Period 0 – 6. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate are available all day in the common room from 8:00 am. Breakfast snacks are available to purchase through the Student Congress on most days. During study periods, there are various places you can work including the common room, the library and the quiet study area in the Alan Rogers Building. You are welcome to work in this building until it closes each evening.
| Period 0 | 08:00 – 09:00 |
| Period 1 | 09:00 – 10:00 |
| Period 2 | 10:00 – 11:00 |
| Tutorial/Assemblies | 11:00 – 11:20 |
| Break | 11:20 – 11:40 |
| Period 3 | 11:40 – 12:40 |
| Period 4 | 12:40 – 13:40 |
| Lunch | 13:40 – 14:35 |
| Period 5 | 14:35 – 15:35 |
| Period 6 | 15:35 – 16:35 |
| Period 7 | 16.35 - 17.35 |
In addition to the academic subjects available at Impington International College, we offer a range of extra-curricular opportunities for every student. These experiences come in several forms and are a crucial element of your post-16 programme. View our full clubs and activities timetable here.
Creativity, activity and service (CAS) and service learning are requirements for all DP and CP students and involve a large variety of creative, sports and community service activities. Participation in CAS and service learning is an integral and compulsory part of being a student here at Impington International College. Through CAS and service learning you will be involved in the Impington iCAS programme on Wednesday afternoons.
iCAS offers you an extraordinary range of extra-curricular experiences including: primary teaching, yoga, debating workshops, fencing, baking, and many more. While taking part in the programme, you will be encouraged to become involved in an array of clubs and additional mini-courses, which include:
- Duke of Edinburgh
- Amnesty International
- Film Club
- PE Department: Sport fixtures, Pool and Fitness Suite
- Music Department: Ensembles, Orchestra and Choir
- Youth Dance
- Art/Photography
- Charity Abroad: Ethiopia and India
You will be required to maintain a portfolio of your CAS and service learning experiences. You will have access to workshops, advisors, and a CAS and service learning coordinator to support your choices and ensure you are accessing a broad range of experiences, which can be used in the next stages of your life journey.
Our commitment to Service Learning is something we are incredibly proud of. This fosters a community minded approach to learning – whether that be in local or global communities. Our links with local communities such as The Abbey Fields project and international communities in Ethiopia, Botswana, Peru and India give students the opportunity to work alongside a wide range of people from diverse cultures.
iCASXtra Timetable
| IIC ICASXtra - Monday | |||||
| Activity | Week | Day | Time | Room | Club Descprition |
| iPride - Mx Studholme | B | Monday | KS5 Lunchtime | P2 | Group for LGBT+ students, their friends and allies. We will play games, do fun actvities and learn about/discuss LGBT+ issues. This group is part of iBelong. |
| Barbershop Upper - Mrs Macleod | A/B | Monday | KS5 Lunchtime | G6D | The upper school voices within our newly formed Barbershop boys singing group will rehears their lines for our pieces, ready for performances through the year. |
| Table Tennis | A/B | Monday | KS5 Lunchtime | PE Office | All abilities welcome to table tennis, come and try a new sport? |
| Girls Football - PE/Scholarship Coaches | A/B | Monday | Afterschool P6 | See Scholarship staff | Girls football, all abilities welcome. Please bring PE kit and boots. |
| Dungeons & Dragons - Mr Keith | A/B | Monday | Afterschool P6 | P1 | Students running fantasy campaigns of adventure using their creativity and communication in small groups with a lead storyteller. Otherstudents running pre written adventures. Rotating groups and and group leaders |
| Soul Band - Mr Drummond | A/B | Monday | Afterschool P6 | Performance/Music department | Come and jam with IVC's Soul Band! Learn some soul and funk classics, practise playing as a group, and perform at college concerts and showcases. We need: drummers, guitarists, bassists, pianists, trumpet/sax/trombone players(clarinets/flutes also welcome), and singers! (Some familiarity with reading sheet music or chords needed.) |
| Teen Tech - Mr Wrigley | A | Monday | Afterschool P6 | E2 | TeenTech (https://teentech.com/) is a national award scheme (and competition!) that asks teams of up to 3 students to develop an idea that will make the world a little better. You will create, research, and collaborate with industry advisers, and if your team is successful you will go to the national finals in London – lets see if we can win gold again |
| IIC ICASXtra - Tuesday | |||||
| Activity | Week | Day | Time | Room | Club Description |
| Swimming - Mr Raine | A/B | Tuesday | Before school, 8am | Sports Centre | Swimming for all abilities. |
| 4-part chior - Mrs Macleod | A/B | Tuesday | KS5 Lunchtime | E16 | An SATB choir for all interested students in years 10-13, preparing music for various performances through the year. |
| Philosphy Club - Mr Driver | B | Tuesday | KS5 Lunchtime | E14 | An opportunity to discuss the 'big questions' and puzzling thought experiments which are not covered in the curriculum. |
| Badminton - Mr Potter | A | Tuesday | Afterschool P6 | PE Office | All abilities welcome to badminton, equipment provided. |
| Orchestra - Mrs Macleod | A/B | Tuesday | Afterschool P6 | Performance | School orchestra for players of all levels, no audition required. We will play in the various performances throughout the year! |
| IIC ICASXtra - Wednesday | |||||
| Activity | Week | Day | Time | Room | Club Description |
| History Club - Mr Jones | A/B | Wednesday | Before school, 8am | H5 | An opportinity to really enjoy discussinng a shared love of history. There will be opportunities to discuss important and relevant historical events and themes through looking at historical sources and completing projects with a school-wide impact. |
| Ballet - Mrs Halliday | A/B | Wednesday | Before school, 8am | Large Dance Studio | A Ballet class open to everyone of any ability. We will develop ballet technique, learn dances and work towards performances in shows at IVC. |
| Philosphy Club - Mr Driver | A | Wednesday | KS5 Lunchtime | E14 | An opportunity to discuss the 'big questions' and puzzling thought experiments which are not covered in the curriculum. |
| Chess Club - Mr Henshaw | A/B | Wednesday | KS5 Lunchtime | K15 | A quiet space for students to come and play chess |
| KS4/5 Maths Club - Mr Copeland | A/B | Wednesday | KS5 Lunchtime | K20 | Opportunity for students to explore logical thinking problems |
| IIC ICASXtra - Thursday | |||||
| Activity | Week | Day | Time | Room | Club Descritpion |
| Triathalon Club | A/B | Thursday | Before school, 8am | Sports Centre | Swim, bike, run. All abilities welcome at triathalon club. This is an external club, any club questions please emal Alistair Steele |
| Wind Ensemble - Miss Stell | A/B | Thursday | Before school, 8:15am | E16 | Chamber ensemble for advanced woodwind and brass musicians |
| Hong Kong Students/Cantonese Club - Mr Tsang | B | Thursday | KS5 Lunchtime | H2 | This is a club for students from Hong Kong and their friends to get together, practise Cantonese, celebrate Chinese festivals and culture, play mahjong, cards and other games |
| Table Tennis | A/B | Thursday | KS5 Lunchtime | G6D | All abilities welcome to table tennis, come and try a new sport? |
| Badminton - Mr Potter | B | Thursday | Afterschool P6 | PE Office | All abilities welcome to badminton, equipment provided. |
| Samba Band - Mrs Macleod | A/B | Thursday | Afterschool P6 | E16 | Bringing the sound of the Brazilian carnival to Impington, Samba Band is a group of drummers that will get the party going! Experienced drummers and complete beginners are welcome! |
| IIC ICASXtra - Friday | |||||
| Activity | Week | Day | Time | Room | Club Descritpion |
| Table Tennis | A/B | Friday | KS5 Lunchtime | G6D | All abilities welcome to table tennis, come and try a new sport? |
| Sports hall | A/B | Friday | KS5 Lunchtime | Sports Hall | IIC sports |
| Magic the Gathering - Mr Keith | A/B | Friday | Afterschool P6 | P1 | New and experienced players playing a collectable strategy card game. |
| Warhammer Club - Mr Jarvis | A/B | Friday | Afterschool P6 | P9 | Building, painting and playing miniatures from Warhammer. |
Your education at Impington International College is your ticket to a world of opportunity. Throughout your two years with us you will be given in depth and ongoing advice on your academic and career opportunities; covering applications to UK and international universities, alongside apprenticeship and career pathways, and gap year opportunities.
All of these options, and any questions that you have, will be explored in detail through our progressions programme which is delivered in a variety of ways: by our careers’ advisor, during assemblies led by our Progressions Coordinator, in tutor sessions and in one-to-ones.
These one-to-one sessions are held with your progressions tutors, our careers’ advisor and our progressions coordinator and are designed to help and advise you about the next steps in your career, motivating you accordingly and offering professional guidance with applications and entry examinations.
You will also have the opportunity to attend regular careers talks, and related events, such as a mock interview day, which includes a number of subject specialist group interviews run by external employers which aims to give you hands-on experience on how to approach a formal interview. Events such as the UCAS fair, webinars with our Oxbridge link college and talks from international sports’ scholarship agencies will help guide you through higher education applications and job training schemes.
Due to our close proximity to Cambridge, you will be able to explore the workplace and further opportunities that will be on your doorstep.
We are proud of every one of our students and are confident that your time with us will successfully prepare you for the next stages of your life. Find out about the impressive careers of some of our alumni, here.
View our sixth form progression schedule below.
PAL policy download.
| Year 12 | Year 13 | CAIEG Key Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sep to Oct | Interview and Applications talks (2,8) | Interview and Applications talks (2,8) | Launch of Work Experience – parental info event Oxford/Cambridge application deadline (internal/External) |
| Introduction to Unifrog (1) | Conservatoire application deadlines University Open days |
||
| 2. Nov to Dec | Apprenticeship Talks (3,5) | Apprenticeship Talks (3,5) | Writing personal statements |
| 3. Jan to Feb | 121 Guidance Meetings (3,8) | UCAS application deadline | |
| CV and Interviews workshop (6) | CV and Interviews Workshop (6) | US Common Application deadlines | |
| Apprenticeship Fair (5,7) | Apprenticeship Fair(5,7) | ||
| 4. Feb to March | Student finance talks (7) | Student finance talks (7) | UCAS hub opens Work experience forms due |
| Mock Interviews (5,3,8) | National Careers and Apprenticeship Weeks | ||
| 5. April to May | Aim a little higher ‘Motivation’ presentation (4) | University Open Day Visits | |
| Series of employability events in reflection time (1,2,5,) | Netherlands Application Deadlines | ||
| UCAS University application event (7) | |||
| Oxford/Cambridge progressions evening | |||
| 6. June to July | Work Experience Week (6) | Work Experience Week IB Results Day Clearing Opens |
|
| Throughout the year | 121 Guidance meetings (3,8) | 121 Guidance meetings (3,8) | On going 121 support and guidance from Careers Adviser |
Key to Gatsby benchmarks
| Gatsby Benchmark | Description | Key |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Stable careers platform | |
| 2 | Learning from careers and labour market information | |
| 3 | Addressing the needs of each student | |
| 4 | Linking curriculum learning to careers | |
| 5 | Encounters with employers and employees | |
| 6 | Experiences of workplaces | |
| 7 | Encounters with further and higher education | |
| 8 | Personal Guidance |
*Some activities will have more than one Gatsby benchmark shown in brackets.
Academic and pastoral support is extremely important to us and is a key part of academic success at Impington International College. Sixth form is a transitional period in your life; linking school, university, employment and beyond, and pastoral support is key in enabling you to achieve your goals and enjoy your exciting yet challenging time with us.
You will enjoy small tutor groups of both Year 12 and 13 students and your tutor will be your first port of call for all pastoral issues, offering guidance and support throughout your two years. There is also a dedicated Director of Pastoral Care, who is on hand to help you with any issues of either a personal or academic nature.
During your time at sixth form, your tutor will monitor your academic progress and attendance, getting to know you and helping you to make progress. Academic achievement is reported on regularly throughout your two years, keeping both you and your parents or guardians fully informed of how much progress you are making and what your final grades are likely to be. The Director of Pastoral Care works with a variety of external agencies or personnel to ensure you have all the support you need to succeed.
You will be guided through the options and choices that you have ahead of you following your time spent with us. These options include:
- studying at university
- undertaking an apprenticeship
- moving into the world of work
- taking a gap year
All of these options, and any questions that you have, will be discussed in detail during assemblies and in form time. Our Progressions Coordinator and Careers Lead, as well as your tutor, will guide you through the university application process; we have a full programme of support to ensure you get to the university, apprenticeship or employment of your choice. Your form tutors, subject teachers and the Progressions Coordinator and Careers Lead are also on hand to check any applications and personal statements. We also run a mock interview day, which includes a number of subject specialist group interviews run by external employers which aim to give you hands-on experience on how to approach a formal interview.
- Find out more here
