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Halliford School Private Study, the Sixth Form Centre and the School Library Time management is one of the most important skills that students can learn in the Sixth Form. You have a number of periods available for private study and it is up to you to use them responsibly. If you are having difficulty with time management, your tutor will provide the supervision needed to get you back on track. Private study spaces, with newly developed ICT equipment and internet access, are available in the study area in the Sixth Form Centre and in the School Library. This may include having to do some of your private study periods under supervision. Careers Guidance Careers advice and counselling is on hand from specially trained members of staff in addition to the Sixth Form Tutors. There is also a comprehensive careers library. Further support is also provided through careers conventions, career visits, visiting speakers and individual careers interviews. Oxford and Cambridge Entrance The School sends a steady stream of students to Oxford and Cambridge. Students with the right academic talents and with the necessary enthusiasm for their subject are identified early, encouraged to apply and provided with the extra specialist support needed. A coordinated programme tailor made for the needs of each individual is put together by the member of staff responsible for Oxbridge entrance. All departments have strategies and resources in place to support students aiming for A* grades. The Wider Curriculum Halliford is a lively place. Not only are there extracurricular lectures by distinguished visitors, but there are great opportunities to take part in music making, art, theatre (straight drama and musicals), public speaking, debating, fundraising and the Annual Ball. There is a very active sports programme and a wide range of trips and expeditions of all kinds. Students who have particular interests of their own and who show initiative will be encouraged to form their own clubs and societies. Leadership Opportunities As a Sixth Former you are invited to contribute to the running of the school by taking on a variety of duties, whether helping with day to day routine, mentoring younger pupils or supporting the staff in running major school events. Selected Sixth Formers become School Prefects after a rigorous selection process. This gives direct experience of managing others and of making decisions which directly affect them. Such experience is highly valued by students, by future employers and by the Admissions Tutors of Colleges and Universities. All Sixth Formers undergo leadership and team training. Support, Guidance and Welfare Your progress as a Sixth Former is monitored carefully by your Sixth Form Tutor whose principal responsibilities are to ensure that you make the best use of your time, help you to learn to take responsibility and to provide any help and support that you may need. There is no danger of anyone being left to ‘sink or swim’. The Sixth Form Tutors also guide you through the maze of the university entrance process. Monitoring Your subject teachers will monitor your academic potential and progress in liaison with your tutor and the Head of Sixth Form. You will receive half-termly grade collections which will be sent home. Termly, you will be required to review your progress and achievement with your tutor who will offer constructive advice and support and help you to achieve your potential. 6
Sixth Form Course Guide 2018 – 2019 The Sixth Form Curriculum The newly reformed A levels have a much greater level of depth and higher content and we have therefore deigned our Sixth Form Curriculum to offer our students the best opportunities to maximise their potential. We have increased the amount of teaching time students have with their teachers to eight forty minute periods per week. This extremely generous allocation enables staff and students to spend more time together getting to grips with the increased levels of independent study and analysis needed to gain the best possible results. Small class sizes and approachable and dedicated staff mean our students have every opportunity to excel in their chosen subjects. We recommend that most students select three A level subjects from the start of the two year A level course in September. We know that as a result of the A level reforms, all universities – including Oxbridge – will make offers to potential students based on three A level subjects. Significant advice is offered to students in making their A level options choices. During Year 11 and taster sessions for external applicants, students will discuss their options with their tutors and subject staff. The Headmaster and Head of Sixth Form meet with all Year 11 students to offer personal advice on subject choices and possible career options. On GCSE results day and before term starts, subject teachers and senior staff are available to offer help to students in making their final selections. At the start of the academic year, we offer a degree of flexibility within the timetable to students wanting to try out new subjects in the first few weeks before settling on their final choices. For our most able students we do offer the possibility to study four A levels, subject to timetabling. This is often the case where students wish to study Mathematics and Further Mathematics. We carefully support those students studying four A levels to ensure they are managing what is a demanding workload. The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a stand-alone qualification, highly regarded by universities both in Britain and overseas. The qualification is designed to follow an enquiry based approach to learning and mirrors the skills required in an undergraduate dissertation. This is an exciting opportunity, to not only develop new skills, but also ones that will strengthen a student’s ability to flourish within the rigours of A Level study – in a subject area of their choice. Beyond this, universities are increasingly seeing the EPQ as a prerequisite of a student’s application, and are, in some cases dropping the offer made to a student by a grade, if they achieve an A grade or higher in the EPQ. At Halliford we teach our EPQ in two weekly small group seminars with a dedicated teacher to support our students. Alongside the academic lessons and the EPQ we also have a lively lecture programme each week for students in the Sixth Form where external speakers are invited to present on a whole host of exciting topics. Students are able to engage in questions with the speakers at the end of their presentations and many sessions are designed to be collaborative in approach. Included in the lecture programme are opportunities for students to hear from a wide range of different professionals about their careers and businesses. Finally, we offer a stimulating games and activities afternoon on a Wednesday to encourage our students to have a healthy lifestyle. We have debated carefully the relative merits of the AS examination at the end of the Lower Sixth year. In some subjects, it is not appropriate to take the AS examination as it can conflict with the demands of the two year full A level course. However, for the coming year where our Heads of Department believe there to be value in students taking the AS examination we will be entering our students. We have found that the focus provided by externally assessed examinations can be extremely beneficially in motivating students. In subjects where we do not enter students for an AS examination, there will still be formal internal examinations in these subjects with all results published at the end of the Lower Sixth year. A typical week for our A level students looks as follows: 8 Academic lessons per A level subject 2 Dedicated Extended Project Qualification lessons in a small group 2 Lessons for the Lecture Programme featuring visiting speakers on a vast range of enrichment topics 3 Lessons of Games and Activities 1 Lesson of PSHE Daily tutorial sessions in a small tutor group with a dedicated and experienced Sixth Form tutor. We are continuing to give careful consideration to the introduction of a limited number of BTEC subjects should there be sufficient demand expressed by students and parents. One of the many benefits to studying at Halliford School Sixth Form is our small class sizes which offer a great deal of individual support for our students. We are therefore fully committed to offering the full range of subjects listed in this guide on an annual basis. We are also open to exploring options to offer new subjects subject to sufficient demand. 7
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