Maida Vale School Sixth Form Booklet

Further information about curriculum areas:
Independent Learning in the ILC
Student will have up to six hours of
timetabled, subject-specific study sessions
which take place in the supervised
Independent Learning Centre (ILC). All
students undergo an induction to the ILC
which familiarises them with the resources
available. Students’ subject teachers will set
them relevant work to undertake in their
structured study sessions, with appropriate
deadlines for completion. This simultaneous
independent and structured study time is
an opportunity for students to improve their
knowledge and skills while being supported
and encouraged in their very own Sixth Form
learning space. Indeed, the supervision of
the ILC is split between all subject teachers
and Personal Tutors, meaning at any
given time students have knowledgeable,
experienced help on hand.
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
In Year 12, all students are encouraged to
complete an Extended Project Qualification
(EPQ), which is equivalent to half an A Level
(28 UCAS points). An EPQ is highly valued
by universities and within industry and
enables admissions and HR departments to
discriminate between candidates with similar
academic profiles. Designed to extend and
develop students’ abilities beyond their
chosen Sixth Form subjects, completion of an
EPQ allows students the opportunity to apply
independent learning skills to any topic of
their choice.
UCAS and the Careers Programme
The careers provision within the Sixth Form at
Maida Vale has been developed to facilitate
successful applications to competitive
universities, including the Russell Group
and Oxbridge. Our careers programme
is designed to make sure students and
parents are fully informed and supported in
making these important choices surrounding
courses and institutions for post 18 study.
We also build upon the successful careers
programme which runs throughout the lower
school with the aim of making sure that
students are able to demonstrate a broad
range of skills, aptitudes and experiences
in their applications in addition to high
academic grades.
Student and parents alike are supported
in post-18 pathway decisions through a
plethora of planned activities such as: the
IS curriculum, workshops and seminars,
Personal Tutor sessions, Careers talks,
university visits, university talks and fairs, the
use of Unifrog (a user-friendly platform which
encapsulates all possible post-18 pathways).
Aspects of the Careers programme in
the Sixth Form include:
• Regular careers interviews between
students and members of the Sixth Form
team. Additional support and guidance
available from the Personal Tutor and
subject staff.
• Briefings for parents regarding the
Careers programme and university
application processes. Our open door
policy allows for close communication
between parents and school throughout
the process.
• Careers guidance lessons during IS
sessions.
• A range of speakers in school to inform
students on the breadth of opportunities
available post-18 and possible routes into
these destinations.
• Full support for international applications,
including the US, Canada and Europe.
• Full support for early entry applications
to Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry and
veterinary science including advice and
additional support with work experience
placements, admissions tests and
interviews.
• Visits to universities and UCAS fairs
supported throughout the year.
• Support and guidance for work
experience.
• A UCAS (or non-UK university) mentor who
works through the application process with
students on an individual basis, assisting in
the development of personal statements
and application essays.
The course is designed to develop skills
in research (including critical analysis
of documents and source evaluation),
analysis, presentation, ethical enquiry and
philosophical argument.
Students can approach the qualification
in one of four ways and can produce
a dissertation, an artefact, a scientific
investigation or a performance. The range
of possible projects is, therefore, almost
8
9