Year 13
Head of Year: Mr R Harper
Director of Sixth Form: Mrs. M. Lowndes (Assistant Headteacher)
I hope this letter finds you well. We have had an excellent start to Sixth Form this year.
Students have come back refreshed and raring to go for their final year of courses with plenty to keep them active and with an eye on results and futures.
We will be conducting Yes/ No’s every two weeks. This homework check is vital in ensuring that work is completed to the deadline and to a high standard. If this is not the case there are a range of measures we have in place. These are designed to be supportive and include increased supervised study, subject reports, one to ones with academic mentors.
Sixth form attendance is sitting at 95% present which is good but could be better. As the weather turns colder and wetter students find it harder to get out of bed and a slight sneeze or headache feels like teen flu! Whilst we do not want ill young people in school there are some people who could push through and come in. Real exams loom large in November and January for many of our young people and every lesson counts.
Year 13 are busy writing personal statements, completing UCAS, researching apprenticeships – Isn’t it exciting! I just want to remind you of the school deadlines and that UCAS is cheaper if paid via parent pay as we do not pay VAT. This year UCAS have decided to waive the fee if your son/daughter is currently eligible for free school meals or was eligible during secondary school. If you have any specific question about the application process, please do drop me a line or speak to the office staff who are very knowledgeable.
Our study skills focus this term is on organisation and retrieval practise. We are running drop in sessions at lunch to help students organise their day folder and their at home ongoing revision folders. Subject staff will be asking to see these during lessons next week and internally reporting to the sixth form team if they feel the student needs more support in this area. These two you tube links provide a useful idea of what your young person should be aiming for.
https://youtu.be/Q_4_iqsDunM?si=0E1FHLi7Lv_lfy2v
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwDh_fRKeA4
Whilst we are talking all things stationary, please see the attached list of items your child will need throughout the two years:-
- A small ring binder with 5 dividers (this is the daily folder)
- A pad of lined whole punched paper
- One large level arch file with dividers, per exam (this is the revision folder) and will be checked each half term
- Plastic wallets
- See through pencil case – with ruler, black, green, blue and red pens, pencil, rubber, highlighters, glue stick scissors
- They may also require specialist equipment such as a scientific calculator.
If you are struggling to afford all of these items, please ask your child to reach out to us as we can provide some of the basics.
Key Dates:
- Internal UCAS deadline for early entrants – Friday 27th September
- Prizegiving – Wed 16th Oct
- First Internal UCAS deadline for standard entrants – Friday 8th November
(If not completed then cannot go to S.T.E.A.M trip)
- Wellbeing Day Friday 25th October
- GCSE Maths and English Resit (external exams) – 5th to 11th Nov
- Parents Evening – Thursday 21st November
- Final Internal UCAS application deadline – Friday 29th November
- S.T.E.A.M Day - Friday 13th December
- Sixth Form Assembly Friday 20th December
I hope this information is useful to you. If you require any more information, please do contact the team.
Best Wishes
Mrs M Lowndes, Mr R Harper and Mr D Jellett , Sixth Form Team