Marriotts Sixth Form Information Pack. Aim high. Work hard. Be kind.

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1 Marriotts Sixth Form Information Pack Aim high. Work hard. Be kind.

2 Why Marriotts Sixth Form? Times are difficult nationally, especially for young people. Is now the best time to gamble with your future? Go somewhere else and it might work out. Gamble v Play Safe? Stay at Marriotts Sixth Form and it will work out. We will deliver and will provide you with the passport to the next stage of your life. Post 16 teaching has improved in line with whole school standards and is consistently good and often outstanding. Students are punctual and well-prepared with organised study folders containing the required student entitlement. Students respond well to feedback and close the gaps in their work. Students are set directed independent study tasks (Minimum 1 hour per hour taught) Students behave well, but are not passive in their learning. High expectations are not lost due to strong teacher student relationships. Sixth Form numbers grew exponentially last year more than doubling; this is the place to be! New leadership of the Sixth Form has ensured that the quality of Teaching, Students Behaviour and Achievement have improved and are now good. OFSTED October 2014 Marriotts Post 16 Examination Results 2014 We are delighted with the fantastic achievements of all our students in their recent Level 3 qualifications and are very proud of the hard work and positive attitude that has earned them these outstanding results. 50% of all grades at GCE or equivalent were A* or A, 88% of all grades were at A*-C and 100% of all students passed their qualification at A*-E. Our vocational subjects have maintained their 100% pass rate with 71% of students gaining a Distinction* or a Distinction grade. Value Added Academic Qualification data is in line with National data with positive three year trend for A-Level. Vocational Qualification data is excellent and is above National data. All of our students leaving Year 13 have progressed on to University, Apprenticeship or Full Time Employment.

3 16 19 Curriculum At Marriotts we believe the pathway to a successful future is through academic success, achieved through the provision of a broad, balanced and flexible curriculum, which meets the needs of individual students. Sixth Form students undertake a full time 2 year programme of study which provides the most suitable level of challenge for individuals with different levels of prior attainment. There are three Post 16 curriculum routes currently available: 1. Academic Route AS/A-level Qualifications 2. Combined Route A mixture of Academic & Vocational Qualifications. 3. Vocational Route Level 3 BTEC National Qualifications Students who have not achieved English and Mathematics GCSE A* to C grades are required to continue studying these subjects to ensure they leave Marriotts with a Level 2 Qualification. This is legal requirement. Students value the breadth of the study paths open to them and the clear impartial information and guidance they receive to help them make the most suitable choices. OFSTED October 2014 The curriculum offered at Marriotts is reviewed each year to ensure students are following the most up to date courses to empower them to realise their future aspirations. Academic Biology Chemistry English Literature French German Geography History Mathematics Media Psychology Re/Philosophy Sociology 2015/2016 Vocational Level 3 BTEC Applied Science Art Business Child's Play, Learning Development Health and Social ICT (Double) Digital Media Music Performing Arts Dance (Double) Performing Arts Drama Sport (Double) Marriotts works closely within the Stevenage Sixth Consortium (Barclay, Nobel and Barnwell) enabling students to access an even wider choice of different subject areas. The following additional subjects will be available through the consortium: Economics, Film Studies, Further Maths, Law, Physics, Photography, Physical Education, Outdoor Education, Resistant Materials (Food), Product Design, Spanish, Public Services, Travel and Tourism. Partnerships with other schools ensure that all students can choose to follow a wide range of both A-level and work-related courses. OFSTED October 2014

4 What is the difference between A-Level and Vocational courses? A-Level s are mostly assessed by external exams, the amount of coursework is one-third or less in nearly all subjects. All Vocational courses are the New Level 3 BTEC National qualifications, which contain both internal and external assessed elements. What are entry requirements for Marriotts Sixth Form? 1. Academic Route 5 A* - B, including English and Maths Average GCSE grade of a B 2. Combined Route 5 A* - C, including English and Maths Average GCSE grade of a C 3. Vocational Route 5 A* - C, including English or Maths Average GCSE grade of a C How do students know which subjects to choose? Subject choice should be based on students interests and most importantly the requirements of any course students wish to take at University. Students are advised to speak to subject teachers prior to applying and are invited to open evenings. Students are also given advice on results day when talking to subject teachers and mentors. Individual meetings with senior staff to discuss options will take place on three occasions during the school year. What happens if students GCSE results do not meet their expectations? If a student is holding an offer to come to Marriotts Sixth Form, we will write to them in August and invite them to come in and enroll in late August or early September, after their GCSE results are known, this usually happens on results day. If a student does not obtain the grades that they require, they will need come in and see us anyway, we will talk through each student s options with them and will treat each case on its own merits. How does Marriotts School prepare its students for the future? All students are provided with specialist advice and guidance to support them throughout their Secondary school career to help them prepare for their future. We expect most of our students to stay on into the Sixth Form to pursue a range of Academic, Professional and Vocational qualifications and many of these students go on to University. Closer to home we have excellent links with the University of Hertfordshire. What privileges do the Sixth Formers have? Sixth Formers are allowed to leave the site during lunch and break. They are allowed to use the Sixth Form area for recreation or study and have exclusive use of the area. Sixth Form timetables will have a certain amount of time allocated for independent study students are required to spend this time in the study area. Students may use study periods, break times and lunch breaks to build up time in lieu by taking part in duties or working within faculty areas. They can then claim this time back by going home early or coming in late when they do not have lessons.

5 Everything you want from a Sixth Form plus that little bit extra What is Marriotts Extra? A bespoke programme which has been designed to prepare students for life in modern Britain, developing a specific range of life skills and the kind of cultural capital that enables learners to be more effective as students, as citizens and as future or current employees. Aims and Objectives: To enrich the educational experience of Sixth Form students through a multi-faceted programme of curricular and extra-curricular activities that contribute to their Planned Learning Hours. To give students a better chance of a successful job and University applications, students receive information, advice and guidance work relating to Careers Education and access to Apprenticeships and Higher Education, notably the UCAS process; A visiting speaker programme; Weekly assemblies; A set of Life Skills modules focused on personal effectiveness, engaged citizenship and employability skills; A set of external placements, with local employers, charities, community groups and primary or special schools; A series of Sixth Form projects based around charitable endeavor, social and business enterprise programmes and event organisation; Peer-to-peer coaching that enables students to learn from each other in fields such as languages, dance and sport; A set of sports and fitness based opportunities that would make use of Marriotts outstanding sports facilities while enabling students to gain coaching experience (and possibly qualifications) across a range of sports, to secure sports leadership qualifications. School responsibility posts including teaching assistants, pastoral support and peer mentoring. At the heart of this core programme will be the activities that take place on Wednesday afternoons. Time will be split up during the Autumn and Spring Terms where students will have the opportunity to participate in work experience and multiple life skills sessions. The curriculum helps to develop students employability skills and other important skills for life after school. For instance, they cover diverse topics such as self-defence and financial planning, moral dilemmas and behaviours. OFSTED October 2014

6 There is more to school than examinations. What goes on outside the classroom? Of course examinations are important; we want our students to leave school with the highest academic qualifications possible so that all their options are open. We also recognise that the qualities students develop are equally important if they are to go on to live successful lives. We want our students to become happy, mature, responsible citizens, who leave school with a passion for learning and life. All of our students are provided with good examples from teachers, whose job is to promote and develop our students moral, spiritual, cultural and religious values. The range of educational visits, field trips and residential opportunities open to our students is extensive; An example of the types of trips and events undertaken is given below: University Campus Visits Positively Mad Wise Up UCAS events Multiple guest speakers Life Skills Partnerships with Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire University Multiple consortium trips The Gambia Project & Charity Work British Values Workshops Regular assemblies Personal Social Health Education Study Skills Healthy Living workshops Life after Sixth Form preparation Homework How important is it for student s to prepare for lessons? We believe that it is vital for students to take responsibility for their learning and believe that learning takes place both in and out of school. We aim to equip students with the right skills and attitude so that they become effective, independent learners. All homework is set using the Show my Homework website. This means that students and parents can see exactly what work their child has been set in each subject and when it is due. It also allows the school to track if staff are setting enough homework.

7 How is the day structured? The day is broken down in to seven lesson periods and a hour for lunch with a 20 minute break in the morning. Form Time/Assembly Period 1 Period 2 Break Period 3 Period 4 Lunch Period 5 Extended Study 8:30am - 8:50am 8.50am am 9.55am am 10.55am am 11.15am pm 12.20pm pm 1:20pm - 2:00pm 2:00pm - 3:00pm 3.00pm pm Attendance Regular attendance in Sixth Form is an important part of achieving academic success. You are expected to be in school all day, every day. Students attendance will be registered every morning If a student is going to be absent they must contact the school. Students must arrive on time for every lesson. Holidays must not be taken in term time. The school recognises that at times students have activities during the academic year that may mean you require permission to be absent from a lesson. In such an event, students should inform their subject teachers at the earliest opportunity and request permission to be absent. After any absence, you should check with subject staff and catch up on any missed work. Punctuality All students are expected to attend lessons punctually. Timekeeping for both guest and home students will be monitored by the Head of Sixth Form. Guest student s lateness will be reported to their home centre. What is the Sixth Form Dress Code? Rather than wear the uniform worn by the rest of the student body, Sixth Form students are expected to adopt smart business dress. Male students are expected to wear: Smart trousers Collared shirts, Jumpers, cardigans (must be worn with a collared shirt underneath), Suit Jackets/Blazers Smart shoes Female students Smart trousers, skirts, dresses Blouses, jumpers, cardigans Smart shoes

8 What do our current Sixth Form students think? 95% of students enjoy being in the Sixth Form. 91% of students feel their courses suit their abilities and career plans. 93% of students feel they are encouraged to study independently and research topics. 91% of students feel their work is assessed helpfully and can see how to improve it. 96% of students feel they get on well together and there is no bullying, harassment or racial tension. Marriotts Sixth Form: Why go anywhere else?