Supporting your Year 12 son/daughter

1. Supporting your Year 12 son/daughter

2. Results 2016 • A level – 96% pass rate. • 46% - A* - B grades

3. Government Changes to A levels • AS levels have now gone in all subjects except Maths, Further maths, Design and Technology and Film Studies. • Summer 2017 - the only AS subjects to have examinations. • Students have chosen 4 subjects to broaden their choice.

4. The Highfield response • Mock exams – November and June 2017 • Film, DT, Further Maths and Maths – February 2017

5. Sixth form systems • Tutor time – compulsory – full tutorial programme • 1-1 tutorials – monitoring progress • Study, time management, stress management and revision skills • Opportunities and information shared • Debates between tutor groups.

6. Study periods • Expectation – students stay in school all day. • Individual Subject Plans (ISPs) • Personalised Learning Checklists (PLCs) • Study Period 6

7. Enrichment/extra curricular activities • Palace of Westminster • Duke of Edinburgh Award (Silver) • Ambassador Scheme • The Highfield Showcase • Gym and Dance display • Historical Symposium • Senior sports teams :netball, football, athletics • Debate Club

8. Sixth Form Committee • Fund raising • May Ball • Christmas Quiz • Film nights

9. Ambassador scheme • Opportunity for experience • 1 hour per fortnight • Can be in school or in the community

10. Letchworth Consortium • Students attending Fearnhill • Mrs Tant (Fearnhill) • Mr Holmes (Highfield)

11. How to contact us • Mrs Garthwaite Head of Sixth Form • Mr Holmes Deputy Head of Sixth Form/ Consortium Coordinator Ring the school 01462 620500 Email admin@highfield.herts.sch.uk

12. Making sense of the targets Our targets are set using a system called Alps - Advanced level performance systems A2 Targets: Alps uses a national database of results from 428 providers, consisting of 100,534 students who took 358,390 AS levels

13. Making sense of the targets Targets are set based on progress from GCSE results Targets that are set are based on the performance of the schools ranked in the top 25% of these schools

14. Making sense of the targets Minimum grade distribution: BBBC Students attending the schools in the top 25% would achieve at least these grades Individual subject targets have been set using the highest grade in the minimum grade distribution

15. Our Partnership • 3 progress reports Autumn Term and Spring Term – in January the report will be an exam result report to help you and your son/daughter to make decisions about which subjects to continue • Parents’ Evening – Tuesday 26th January meet subject teachers. (Fearnhill School)

16. Reporting Progress

17. A-Levels

18. Why do we want Year 12 to all complete Level 3 EPQ?

19. What is Level 3 EPQ? • EPQ is a large project which can be undertaken by students whilst they are studying for their AS and A Levels (but it isn’t one). • Students can choose the title of their project, which means they can tailor their work to something that really interests them. • Students can also choose the type of project they want to do; artefact or dissertation.

20. What Universities say about the EPQ… “We recognise the value, effort and enthusiasm applicants make in the Extended Project” Leeds “Universities are likely to be keen to work with and support students who are doing the Extended Project because the skills they develop while completing their project will be very attractive to admissions tutors.” Queen Mary, London “We welcome the introduction of the Extended Project and will encourage you to undertake one as it will help you develop independent study and research skills …” Nottingham “We welcome the introduction of the Extended Project and would encourage you to undertake one as it will help you develop independent study and research skills, which will ease the transition from school/college to higher education.” Cambridge

21. How many UCAS points is it worth?

22. Developing independent learning skills

23. What are the timelines for EPQ? Phase 1 – All students studying only A Level subjects (no GCSE retakes) Work will be submitted for the January 2018 entry. Students will receive results March 2018.

24. What are the timelines for EPQ? Phase 2 – Students studying AS courses and GCSE re-takes Work will be submitted for the January 2018 entry. Students will receive results March 2018.

25. Students can choose to do: • Unit 1: Dissertation – a theoretical written project on any topic presenting an argument, e.g. research into a biological, historical or environmental issue • Unit 4: Artefact – for example, making a painting or sculpture, designing a piece of furniture or a garment, creating a website, solving an engineering/construction problem, producing a piece of graphic design. Please note: Once exam entries have been made, it costs £200 to change the project type

26. How much work is it? Dissertation : 6000 words + proposal forms + discussion diary + presentation. Artefact : 3000 words + proposal forms + discussion diary + presentation. • Learning hours required : 120 • Learning hours in school : 36 • Learning hours at home : 84 (2-3 hours per week)

27. How will it work in school? They will have two dedicated lessons a fortnight: Week 2 Wednesday P5 Week 2 Thursday P5

28. Where can they go for help? • The Level 3 EPQ Student Guide • The Level 3 Checklist • Arrange a meeting with your class teacher (email to do this). • Arrange a meeting with their project tutor • The EdExcel website • Edmodo

29. What are the other tools that we have developed to help support learning in the sixth form? • PLCs (Personalised Learning Checklists) • ISPs (Individual Study Plans) • Edmodo • Futurelearn / HPQ

30. Sixth Form Tutor Team • Mr Hadley • Mr Holmes • Mr Palmer/ Mrs Norsworthy • Miss Ellerby-Jones/Mrs Lovell • Mrs Clift • Mr Wright