Maida Vale School Sixth Form Booklet

unlimited and provides a rare opportunity
for students to completely direct their own
learning. Students are taught the relevant
skills required for successful completion of
the course in a weekly timetabled lesson
and are assigned a subject-specialist mentor
who guides and advises them as their work
on their project progresses. Students end
the course by giving a presentation on their
project to an invited audience with a Q&A
session. Assessment takes place internally
and takes into account the work produced,
the presentation element and the evidence
collected which details the evolution of the
project from beginning to end.
Advice and guidance facilitated through
close contact between Sixth Form advisors
and students to assist in accepting offers
and on/after results day.
Co-curricular and Enrichment
• The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award
• Model United Nations
• Student Investor Challenge
• Young Enterprise
• Each subject has a society which, with the
help of Sixth Form students, organises
external speakers to visit school
Sixth Form students are
also encouraged to create
and lead enrichment clubs
for the Lower School
Trips
Each subject runs a range of national
and international trips. National trips
utilise London as much as possible, but
Geographers may visit the Isle of Wight
and English Literature students may travel
to Stratford-upon-Avon. International trips
have can include: Art students visiting
Florence; Government & Politics students
visiting Washington DC; English Literature
and Drama students visiting New York City;
Geography students visiting Iceland; Latin
and Classics students visiting Pompei and
Sorento.
Leadership Opportunities
Sixth Form signals the time for more
independence and responsibility. Students
will be encouraged to involve themselves
in wider school life, particularly in areas
which they have a passion for. Opportunities
include: creating and running enrichment
clubs; directing KS3 musical and theatrical
productions; representing their PT Group in
the Sixth Form School Council.
Towards the end of Year 12, the application
and recruitment process for Heads of House,
School Prefects, and Heads of School will
begin. These highly coveted leadership roles
involve election from both students and
members of staff, and offer the successful
students invaluable experience in managing
and leading teams.
Charity & Volunteering
While the school continues to support its
local and international charities, in Sixth
Form all Year 12 students must undertake
a volunteering placement in our local
community. Whether this be time spent in
a nursery or primary school, a care home,
a library, a doctor’s surgery, or a foodbank,
we are committed to ensuring that our
Sixth Form students are visible, present and
helpful young adults in our community.
Pastoral Care
Maida Vale School’s warm, compassionate
and inclusive pastoral care aims to make the
transition between Year 11 and Sixth Form as
comfortable and positive as possible.
As the curriculum and expectations in Sixth
Form will feel noticeably different from
those in Year 11, we make sure our students
immediately feel the focused, personalised
and thoughtful support that they can expect
throughout their time at school.
Sixth Form-specific Personal Tutor Groups
ensure our Sixth Form students are cared
for, guided and advised by specially-trained
Sixth Form Personal Tutors. These PTs are
up-to-date with the latest UCAS, European
and North American university and college
application processes, as well as the many
vocational and apprenticeship options that
are possible.
Sixth Form PTs are also expert in managing
the common challenges that arise during
Years 12 & 13 and take a proactive approach
in helping students navigate difficult
conversations, situations and decisions.
Students will form close, respectable bonds
with their PTs, seeing them every day for at
least twenty minutes. A student’s PT monitors
their academic progress, emotional and
social wellbeing, and is in regular contact
with home.
Each Personal Tutor Group is part of one
of the school’s four Houses, and there
is a wealth of opportunity for students
to represent their House in inter-House
competitions. The community feel of our
House system also results in students
broadening their friendship circles and
extra-curricular experiences.
Students will form close,
respectable bonds with
their PTs, seeing them
every day
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