The day began with a buzz of excitement in the common room, where our headteacher, Mrs Columbini, and the Sixth Form team, welcomed the students and unveiled the new Sixth Form offer: The Ribston Baccalaureate, and explained the theme of the day, setting students the mission to catch the culprit.

Students set forth with curiosity to their taster lessons, that had been tailored around the murder mystery theme. To make each second engaging but challenging, Subject Captains alongside specialist A Level teachers, led engaging and challenging problem-solving activities that got everyone involved and helped the students identify who the correct culprit was. For example, in Maths, students solved equations to piece together a code, which would unlock a treasure chest containing two clues about the suspect.

Ann Maria Kodankandath, a current Year 12 student, stated, ‘I stayed at Ribston because of the teachers and their dedication to their subject'. A key feature of the Sixth Form is that teaching classes are kept small, allowing the teacher to focus on each student, giving them personalised support and guidance. Ribston Sixth Form is a friendly and supportive community, with a strong academic ethos, encouraging all students to aim high and allowing and encouraging them to be individual and unique.

As the day came to an end, students had the opportunity to meet with members of the current Student Leadership Team and hear about their experiences; they then used the clues they had uncovered from each taster session to try and find the culprit. Thankfully, they were able to successfully identify and apprehend the culprit, an achievement that was celebrated by all the students and staff. We really feel that the exciting taster sessions, delivered under the theme of the murder mystery, allowed students to get a true taste of the Ribston spirit.

The case had now officially closed!