Welcome to Sir John Lawes Sixth Form

1. Welcome to Sir John Lawes Sixth Form

2. Sixth Form Staff Head of Sixth Form - Ms Rickard Head of Year 12 – Mr Alexander Head of Year 13 – Dr Schofield Tutor Team • 12Austen Ms Greenough • 12Britten Mr Armitage • 12Hepworth Mrs Whitaker • 12King Mr Snell • 12Lawes Miss Britton • 12Newton Mr Thompson • 12Ryder Dr Mountstevens

3. The 6th Form School Year • Late October – Target Grades set • 10th November – Academic Mentoring Day for students • 2nd December – Autumn Gradesheets issued to parents • 7th December – Year 12 Parents’ Evening • 9th January – AS Modular exams begin – no study leave • 7th March – Year 12 Careers’ Day • Early April – Year 12 Full Reports issued to parents • Early May – AS Modular exams begin – Year 12 allowed a short period of study leave • June – Year 12 return from study leave – UCAS begins • 20th July – School year ends

4. The Role of the Sixth Form Tutor • First point of contact for parents • Academic and pastoral mentoring • Contributing to, collating and writing references, both for employment and University • Students register with their tutor at 8.40am and 12.30pm each day

5. The School Day Year 12 students are required to be in school from 8.40am to 3.30pm • Morning registration begins at 8.40am – students should not be late! • Afternoon registration begins at 12.30pm • Year 12 Students may go out of school at break and lunchtime, but must be back in school for the start of lessons 3 and 5 respectively. • 6th form Students learning to drive are allowed to have driving lessons during their independent study periods but these must not be booked during lesson or form times or on Monday afternoon if an enrichment speaker has been organised

6. Independent Study Lessons For each taught hour, students should plan to spend at least another hour working independently • Year 12 students have 6 independent study lessons per week • Sensible use of these lessons is the key to success as an 6th form student • Group work in the canteen • Quiet study in the main study area • Quiet study in the library • Silent study in the quiet room • The best use of independent study lessons is to allocate each one to a subject and plan to complete homework in these. This leaves time in the evenings to do extended work and more in depth research • INDEPENDENT STUDY LESSONS ARE NOT SUPERVISED

7. 6th Form Dress Code The Sixth Form dress code is smart office wear which must be adhered to equally by both boys and girls. The specific requirements are as follows: Girls • Suit – i.e. jacket with matching tailored skirt or full length trousers, not culottes or Capri pants or skinny black jeans! • Shirt or smart top without logos • No excessively short skirts, no shorts or leggings – no stretchy skirts!! • Smart shoes (not trainers or other casual shoes). No excessively high heels. No boots • Vest tops and tops that reveal midriffs are not suitable Boys • Suit – i.e. navy, grey or black tailored jacket and matching trousers • Shirt with tie • Smart shoes (not trainers or other casual shoes) • No shorts All Sixth Formers • Hooded tops are not to be worn at any time • Only ear piercing is permitted in school • There should only be one earring in each lower earlobe. No other facial piercing is allowed • Hair should be neat, a natural colour not closely shaved or outrageous in style • A jacket must be worn when walking around school, as well as for assemblies and other formal occasions. Any student who breaches the school dress code can expect to be sent home to change. My decision as to the appropriateness of clothing is final.

8. Unfortunately, I have already had to speak to 3 girls about what they were wearing

9. Absences and Illness Levels of attendance have a direct impact on achievement • Dental and medical appointments should, whenever possible, avoid lesson and form times. Form tutors should also be notified in advance of these appointments whenever possible • All absences due to illness must be accompanied by a note on return, or a phone call to the attendance officer on the first morning of the absence. • A doctor’s certificate is required after 5 days • Students are required to attend all timetabled lessons – we will ring home about student persistently missing lessons. However, SIXTH FORM STUDENTS NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING

10. Planners • Each student has been given a Sixth Form planner • They should record their H/W and due dates • The planner contains the deadline dates for all subjects • The planner contains the student’s copy of his or her Academic Mentoring Records and Target Setting Sheets

11. Target Setting • Very soonstudents will be given their aspirational targets for achievement in each subject • These are based on prior attainment – at GCSE • These are not predicted grades – they are the grade a student could get if they work really hard • Targets are not a cap on achievement - some students may even outperform their targets • Teachers will predict AS/A2 grades based on work rate • These predictions will take place in October and again in March • All students will have formal target setting interviews with their subject teachers and form tutor in the Autumn term • PLEASE BE AWARE THAT A LEVELS ARE NOW CUMULATIVE AND THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUING INTO YEAR 13 IS AT LEAST A D GRADE IN THREE SUBJECTS AND A SATISFACTORY RECORD IN ENRICHMENT LESSONS • How to know is your son/daughter is • likely to underachieve • If they are never working in the evenings • If they tell you they have no work to do • If their friends also claim to have no work to do • If they do not use the Easter break to begin revision • If they are not revising solidly during May half-term

12. Progression to Year 13 • A pass at C or above in Maths and English GCSE • A pass at a D or above in at least three A levels or satisfactory report in Media BTEC • A pass at E or above in Certificated Enrichment activities or a satisfactory report in non-certificated Enrichment activities • STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE WITH ANY SUBJECT IN WHICH THEY HAVE GAINED AN E OR U • STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PROGRESS INTO YEAR 13 WITH ONLY TWO A LEVELS

13. How You Can Help? • Read the 6th form planner carefully and make a note of the major deadlines listed for each subject your son/daughter is studying • Periodically have a look through your son/daughter’s planner to see if they are using it well • Check out the Sixth Form website for information • Help your son/daughter to establish an after-school study regime • Think carefully about the timing of family holidays

14. Part-time Employment • Up to a maximum of 12 hours per week please!

15. Consortium Lessons • Consortium students are required to attend all lessons at their consortium school even if their home school is on Inset/early closure. • If the consortium school is on Inset or closed, students must attend the home school and work in the study area. • Students are required to attend their consortium lessons even if the teacher is absent – work to be completed in the lesson will always be provided. • Consortium students must make their own way to and from their consortium school at the beginning and the end of the school day • Students are provided with a mini-bus to take them to lessons at RPS timetabled in the middle of the day • Consortium students going to RPS may need to leave their preceding lesson a few minutes early to catch the bus

16. Consortium Lessons

17. Enrichment • General Studies • FSMQ • Critical Thinking • Study Skills • Visiting Speakers • EPQ

18. Year 12 Opportunities The Senior Prefect team

19. Senior Prefect Team • Head Boy: John Mastrini • Studying Economics, Maths, English Literature, French • Head Girl: Tina Zhao • Studying English Literature, Maths, Geography, History • Deputy Head Boy: James Harding • Studying Economics, Maths, Geography • Deputy Head Girl: Charis Parker • Studying Geography, RS, Theatre Studies

20. What do we do? Act as student representatives for the whole school Chair the Junior Leadership Team (student council) Report to the Senior Leadership Team Responsible for the Sixth Form area Sit on the Board of Governors Organise the Prefects Chair the LLT

21. Opportunities for Year 12s House Captaincy • Two elected for each House: one of the House Captains sits on the JLT, the others work more closely with House affairs • Help to give House assemblies and organise competitions • Responsible for student voice within their House • Currently open for application! Become a Prefect • Elected in the Spring term • Help to organise events such as the Year 12 Induction and the Year 7 Picnic • An opportunity to give back to the school and be rewarded for it

22. Opportunities for Year 12s • Peer mentoring and paired reading • Running a club for younger years • Become a Senior Prefect • Prestigious roles • Represent the entire student body • Responsible for the Prefects and the Sixth Form area • All these roles are highly regarded on university applications

23. The House System • All Year 12 students have been invited to apply to be House Captains of their house • House Captains will be elected by all members of the house • They will work with the Heads of House to lead assemblies, take part in form activities, encourage participation in house competitions and help with fundraising. • Anyone considering applying to be a Prefect next year should think about being a House Captain

24. Peer Mentoring and Paired Reading • Peer mentors meet with students in Year 7 and 8 on a weekly basis to chat about their concerns • Paired readers meet with students in Year 7 and 8 to help them improve their reading skills

25. Clubs • All Year 12 students must volunteer to help run a club for students in the lower school • All clubs will be up and running by next week

26. Questions... If you have any questions about Sixth Form life, university applications or any Year 12 opportunities from a student perspective, please ask us!

27. UCAS and Applying to University • UCAS applications are made in October of Year 13. • As the marks gained for AS levels are 50% of the total mark for A2, teachers make predicted grades for UCAS based on performance at AS. • It is essential that students work hard in Year 12 and do not underperform in AS exams. • Students who apply successfully for highly competitive courses are the ones who take advantage of extracurricular opportunities and extend themselves with wider reading. • Year 12 students: • follow a course of lessons after the AS exams to help them prepare their applications • attend a UCAS conference • are authorised to attend up to three Open Days in school time. • For parents: • UCAS information evening with advice from the sixth form team will be held in April 2012.

28. Oxbridge/Medicine Applications • We will soon hold a meeting for students who may be considering an application to Oxbridge or for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Science • These students must embark on a program of wider reading – it is too late by Year 13 • Medical applicants must arrange appropriate work experience and/or voluntary work • Prospective Oxbridge applicants should attend the Oxford Society meeting at Stanborough School, WGC at 7.00pm on Thursday, 29th September

29. Cars • Please actively discourage students from driving to school • Students are not allowed to park on site • Parking around the school is severely limited • All students who insist on driving to school must register their car number plate with admin

30. PE/Sport/Exercise Sessions – Wednesday Afternoons

31. Any Questions? • Email: 6thformadmin@sjl.herts.sch.uk