21 things that are helping us get through lockdown

It’s pretty safe to say that 2020 hasn’t quite gone according to plan. Colleges and schools are closed, you’ve not seen your friends in person for over five weeks, and the term ‘social distancing’ is already a contender for the phrase of the year.

But we’re still here for you.

If you’re in Year 11 and you’ve submitted an application to us, you should have received something in the post. We wanted you to know that we’re thinking of you and we hope that you and your family are ok.

It will tell you that your place at college is safe and we look forward to meeting you again very soon. It also contains tonnes of apps, links, and videos that have been essential for helping us get to grips with working from home, keeping up with exercise and entertaining us. These finds have been great for us, so we wanted to share them with you too.

Relax

Audible

Enjoy a good story? Take advantage of Audible’s free streaming service and listen to stories whenever you want.

Spotify

We’ve put together our own Spotify playlist - an incredibly diverse range of music that will provide you with hours of listening.

National Theatre

Thursday nights are now National Theatre night! At 7pm each week you’ll be able to enjoy a theatre production streamed free on YouTube.

Netflix

We recently rounded up our five best movies to watch on Netflix. Five great films that are based on real-life and linked back to education (of course!).

YouTube

YouTube Spotlight UK is your daily go-to for discovering what’s new - everything, including new music, cooking demos, workout videos, and how-to clips.

Learn

Adobe Software

Take advantage of Adobe’s free offer to download and learn programmes like Photoshop, Indesign, and Illustrator. Be quick, though. This one is only available until 31st May.

Virtual Tours

Fancy seeing the Colosseum in Rome or trekking the Machu Picchu? Use Google Arts & Culture to learn more about these incredible places!

Want to learn more about places a little closer to home? Visit England has put together over 50 tourist spots around England. They’ve got some of the best animal attractions on there too.

YouTube Learning

There are some great educational videos on YouTube, especially in the Learn@Home section and in the #WithMe live stream tab. There are even virtual field trips!

Exercise

The Body Coach TV

Join the nation’s PE teacher, Joe Wicks, for daily exercises. The Body Coach has said he’ll do these online sessions for as long as we’re in lockdown.

Olympian workout

Fancy training with an Olympian? The BBC has put together 20 workout videos with Team GB Olympians for you to try at home.

Home Workout app

Leap Fitness Group apps have been developed by a team of fitness specialists to help with exercise, your diet, and sleep. The Home Workouts app provides daily workout routines for your abs, chest, legs, and arms. The best thing is, you don’t need any equipment!

Stay Connected

Google Hangouts

You can still hang out with friends, thanks to Google. Hangouts allows you to group video chat so you can still catch up on the latest, play games, and even have a virtual house party.

Netflix Party

If you’re tempted to check out our Netflix recommendations, you’ll be able to chat to friends while watching thanks to the Netflix Party Chrome extension.

WhatsApp

Why not support classmates while you are studying from home? Help your friends stay motivated with a group chat.

Start A Book Club

If you love reading, then why not start a book club and meet up virtually to discuss with your friends? Would rather join a club than start one? There are book clubs everywhere, even on YouTube!

Mindfulness

Calm App

Calm helps encourage better sleep, boosts your confidence and reduces stress and anxiety.

Headspace

The ‘weathering the storm’ collection has meditation techniques and exercise suggestions to help you relax and reduce stress.

Grateful App

This app helps you to express gratitude in your life and reminds you, during those down moments, of the many blessings in your life.

My Possible Self App

Track how you feel every day with the mood tracker, developed by a team of psychologists.

Streaks App

Streaks is the to-do list that helps you form good habits.

We hope you’re able to find these links as useful as we have!

If you have any questions about your application or would like to get in touch, please do. We’re here to help.

Stay safe!