Holderness Academy played host to two organisations on Tuesday 15 January to support their Year 11 students as the New Year sees them up their revision and face a summer of exams and opportunities.

After a morning considering what results day might feel like students began to think about what they wanted to achieve in 2019.

Students were treated to an inspirational talk that was a laugh a minute with Moj Taylor a Stand-up comedian. Moj Taylor graduated from Queen Mary University with a BA in Drama & Hispanic Studies, and Drama Centre London with an MA in Performance, respectively. He started stand-up comedy when selected for the BBC's nationwide Stand Up If You Dare competition in 2013.  He has won a Fringe First award in Edinburgh for the sell-out interactive show in 2011 and 2013 and is the lead presenter and Executive of the award-winning non-profit organisation Push.co.uk - having delivered over 750 talks to approximately 150,000 teenagers and undergraduates to date - using his public speaking and comedy experience to engage young people on what they want from life and how to develop the skills to achieve it.

He talked students through the importance of being individual, how we can make our memory work for us and just how important sleep is to being prepared for those exams. His jokes, storytelling and performance entertained whilst offering a wealth of success tips and ideas of how to keep stress to a minimum. Who could have thought learning could be so much fun?!

Meanwhile The University of Hull Federation of Regional Colleges for Engagement, FORCE. brought a team of experts in education to share a range of practical revision strategies. Students learnt how to make memory stories, how to ‘chunk’ their learning and how the very best way to learn is to teach someone else.

Tom Briggs, Progress Leader, said: ‘Our students’ attitude and engagement was phenomenal, the event sparked some fantastic discussions with our young people. Holderness Academy Year 11 students are certainly more informed about the importance of revision and how to revise effectively. This is the first of many exciting events that our Year 11 students will experience in preparation for their exams this summer.’

Students said: “I would like them to come back to give us more motivation and confidence!”