This has been yet another super busy term in which so many of the students have wowed us with their dedication to their studies, can do attitude and contributions to the wider life of the school and community. Whether that be house debates, the school show, volunteering or attending Interact Club, we are incredibly proud of their commitment and enthusiasm for school life.
As exam season approaches and that dreaded final countdown begins, it is vital that students have a clear revision plan but also implement it in a sustainable way. Easter is a key period for rejuvenation. Students need to take some time to rest from the term we’ve had, take stock and prepare for the busy and pressurised months that lie ahead. All students, whether Y12 and Y13, must ensure that their revision plans are well underway and that their approach is sustainable.
Please find below some useful information for you and your son/daughter, which will apply to the rest of this academic year and beyond:
Year 12 Mock Exams
Students will have study leave from 17-21 April inclusive and lessons will resume Monday 24 April (see letter sent out 28th March for further details).
There will be re-sit opportunities for students who do not pass these examinations in June. Please remember that in order to study in Year 13, students will need to have achieved a minimum of a grade E/Pass in their Year 12 examinations.
The results of the mocks are used as a key indicator of students’ likely final exam results and are used as the basis for teacher predictions for UCAS. Therefore, their importance must not be understated.
Also note that A-Level and BTEC courses continue for Year 12 students once they return from study leave, therefore, please do not book any holidays at this time. They will have the same holiday dates as the rest of the school.
Year 13 Public Exams
The first public exams begin the week beginning 15 May.
With the additional Bank Holiday, this means Y13 students will have just 18 days of undisrupted lessons when we return after Easter.
As usual we intend to keep students in school up until we break up for Spring Bank Holiday half-term on 26 May. Therefore, lessons will continue in those two preceding weeks, but students that have afternoon exams will not be required to attend school on the morning prior.
More details of study leave, the finalised timetables and the last day will follow immediately after Easter.
Attendance
Attendance level at our Sixth Form are excellent, however, we would like to remind you that where students’ timetables have been tailored to them, they must attend all guided learning lessons where they have been instructed to do so.
In addition, they should attend registration and assemblies where possible, unless they are studying on another school site, in accordance with when their morning lessons are scheduled.
If pupils have medical appointments or university interviews during school time, confirmation is required from parents.
Furthermore, as exams approach some students may indicate that they work better at home and start to miss lessons. Please resist this as those final lessons are of paramount importance and experience shows us that self-study, rather than attendance at lessons, is not an effective alternative.
Email Notices to Students
With Sixth Form students working between both school and home, giving out important notices to students can be an especially tricky task. As such, while all notices are delivered in assemblies and tutorial time, there may be occasions where your child is not present when verbal notices are delivered.
As such, we ensure that all students are emailed all details about exam dates, upcoming assembly details, student meetings, support sessions and whole school events.
It is incredibly important that students check their school email account daily in order to stay up to date with the very busy schedule that is the Sixth Form calendar; please remind and encourage your child to do this.
Business Dress Code
It is fantastic to see the vast majority of our students looking smart and adhering to the dress code. Though in a small minority of cases the boundaries are being pushed. Here is a reminder about the dress code:
| Boys:
Polished shoes/boots
|
Girls:
Polished shoes/boots |
Senior Students
In the upcoming term, we will be interviewing Year 12 students who would like to become part of our ‘Senior 7’ team for 2023-24.
These Senior Students take on a wide range of roles in the Sixth Form and the wider school. They will also meet with the Sixth Form team on a regular basis to discuss issues and developments concerning the Sixth Form.
Interviews for the roles will be held in early May once the Y12 mocks are complete.
Work Experience
Work experience week will commence for Y12 week beginning 17 July.
Many students have done an incredible job of securing some very impressive work experience which is laudable. However, there are still students that have yet to secure work experience and submit the necessary documentation.
Please be mindful that placements must be secured and registered with us by no later than 28 April.
Please push on with getting this finalised through Easter if you have not yet managed to get it sorted and take advantage of the support available from Ms Banks if you are struggling.
University Visits
Our Year 12 students will soon begin to prepare for life after the Sixth Form. Later in the year, students will register with UCAS and start to write their personal statements.
A UCAS workshop will be held on 18 May to provide guidance about applications. Though provisional at this stage, we plan to invite parents and students to attend a UCAS evening on 25 May for further help and support.
We also encourage students to go on University Open Days and will authorise up to three visits during school time.
Y13 Leavers Assembly and Meal
The leavers assembly and evening meal will take place on 5 July.
As is the tradition, students will be invited in to a breakfast and assembly in the morning with an evening meal to celebrate later. The venue for this year’s meal is to be confirmed.
Results Day
This year’s results will be released on Thursday 17 August.
Results will be available to collect from The Sixth Form Centre from 8:00am.
There will be lots of staff there to offer help and support and deal with whatever the results bring – hopefully lots of joy and celebration.
And Finally…
If you would like to speak to either of us, Mrs Stubbs or Miss Banks about anything raised here, please do not hesitate to contact us. We wish you all a wonderful Easter break.
Regards
Amy Jones (Head of Sixth Form)
Helen Barratt (Assistant Headteacher – Post-16)
