Sixth-Formers Grill Potential Nursing Students
Students from St David’s Sixth Form College in Cardiff who took part in the interviewing. Back row, from left, are Carlo Moriska, Rejoice Azangisa, Lili Adams-Jones, Anna Chapple and Chloe Smith, In front are Paige Calved and Savannah Harvey.
Prospective students hoping to get a place on a nursing degree course at the University of South Wales (USW) are facing interviewers with a difference – sixth-form students.
As part of USW selection process for a place on its nursing courses, prospective students face questions from not just a panel of academics and lecturers, but also the teenagers from three nearby schools – Bryntirion Comprehensive School in Bridgend, St David’s Sixth Form College in Cardiff, and Treorchy Comprehensive.
To give the sixth formers a taste what to expect when they face university interviews – and to come up with different types of questions for those hoping to secure a place – they sit on the panel as ‘service users’.
“When interviewing for students, the Nursing and Midwifery Council stipulates that a ‘service user’ must be on the panel,” said Senior Lecturer Maria Parry.
“Most people would probably think that would be someone a bit older. But we thought that younger people, particularly those who were interested in nursing as a career, could have a different perspective – asking different sorts of questions.
“This is the second year we’ve been involving the students from outside USW. In fact, one student who was on the panel last year was on the other side of the questioning this year, and will now be joining us as a student this autumn.
“It’s been such a success that we’re going to continue the project – giving more sixth form students the chance to get involved in choosing future students.”
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