www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk/sixth-form Greetings from the Sixth Form team Whether you are a student, thinking about your future, or a parent or carer supporting your son or daughter in the decision-making process Hello! Making the choice about where to continue your studies after GCSEs is an important decision. We are delighted that Haggerston Sixth Form is one of your options. The information contained in this prospectus will answer some of your questions and help to inform your decision. I do hope you will want to join us and be part of a stimulating and friendly Sixth Form environment. My hope is that you ll do a lot of hard work, rise to academic challenges, make fantastic progress, have a lot of fun along the way, and move on to your chosen university, apprenticeship place or employment. I would love to have you on board if you are enthusiastic, committed and want to give and get the most from post 16 study. Please do get your application form in as soon as possible, so that we can arrange a meeting with you to discuss your future with us in the Sixth Form at Haggerston. As well as academic courses to choose from, there is also a wide variety of enrichment and extra-curricular activities with which you can be involved. We have high expectations of our students and look for prospective students who have good attendance, punctuality and behaviour records and a positive work ethic. If you decide to apply to the Sixth Form at Haggerston, you should complete the application form you receive with this prospectus. Please do not hesitate to speak to us about the Sixth Form. We look forward to meeting you soon. Mrs Eagleton Head of Sixth Form I like Haggerston because of the positive vibe. People are always happy and nice to talk to. The teachers are really good and I feel this Sixth Form is bringing the best out of me. Robin, Year 12
Haggerston Sixth Form 03 04 Life in the Sixth Form at Haggerston Haggerston Sixth Form is a vibrant, flourishing and achievement focussed Sixth Form which develops its students into young leaders with high levels of academic success. Situated in the vibrant heart of Hackney, close to the creative and dynamic Hoxton and to all of the employment opportunities of the City of London, Haggerston Sixth Form combines a close-knit and supportive learning environment with an exciting range of enrichment opportunities. In our Sixth Form, students learn in modern spacious classrooms and have access to dedicated study rooms with good ICT facilities. The School s technology specialism ensures art and design subjects receive an inspirational space for creativity, and the school grounds contain calming green spaces which are rarely found in London schools. Haggerston Sixth Form offers a selection of high quality courses with excellent teaching and learning. Our subject offer ranges from traditional AS and A2 combinations in Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences to Art and Technology and to more vocational and applied BTEC courses in Health and Social Care and Sport. Our curriculum has been tailored to suit everyone s abilities and interests. In the Sixth Form, teachers and students work together to ensure that success is achieved at the highest level in any given course of study. In addition to academic achievement, students focus on the key work and life skills which prepare them for their next steps. This combined with our aspirational academic environment has led to excellent rates of progression to top Universities and Apprenticeships. In order to ensure that our students really stand out from the crowd, Haggerston offers a range of leadership development opportunities. These include the award winning Career Ready which is the only one of its kind in Hackney and comprises paid internships, mentoring, business trips and guru lectures. Other leadership development opportunities include our partnerships with UCL and ReachOut; a volunteering charity, giving our Sixth formers every opportunity to gain those crucial leadership skills in and out of the classroom. If you would like to join a Sixth Form with high levels of student satisfaction based on good relationships with teaching staff, high levels of support, and the rewards that come from engaging with the world of business and culture outside of the school, then Haggerston Sixth Form is for you. Nowhere else can be as supportive or motivating as Haggerston Sixth Form. Feriha, Year 13
www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk/sixth-form Haggerston Sixth Form is the best start for Year 12 and 13 students. It has small classes so the teachers focus more on the students individually, helping students to excel and reach their potential. Sylvia, Year 12
Haggerston Sixth Form 05 06 Privileges Opportunities As a Sixth Form student at Haggerston, you will have many privileges not available to main school pupils. You will have your own Sixth Form leadership team, and this group of future leaders, will support student leadership in the rest of the school. Indeed one of the advantages of joining a sixth from in a well established school is the opportunity to get involved in main school, to develop mentoring and leadership skills and be genuine role models in the school community. This level of responsibility is also a real privilege. There will be a number of special events held during the year. These will include various trips and visits, some academic, others rewards. There will usually be a termly reward trip and an end of year celebration as a reward for all your hard work. One of the stand-out aspects of Haggerston Sixth Form is the wide range of opportunities available to you as a sixth former, above and beyond fantastic teaching in your subjects. It is difficult to capture the extensive range and breadth of the opportunities available to a sixth former at Haggerston, but a brief summary is below: Develop amazing leadership skills through our partnership with ReachOut! Giving you the opportunity to mentor younger children, help with their learning and support their transition to secondary school. Experience the thrill of being better than Alan Sugar s Apprentices, by participating in a Young Enterprise project (and keeping the profits). Gain crucial insight into the UCAS process and university life through our partnerships with UCL and IntoUniversity and through lots of support in creating your personal statements and applying for your chosen university or apprenticeship. Become a Future Leader and support student voice and student leadership in the wider school community. Have the opportunity to be part of our Career Academy where you have your own mentor and will be given a paid internship placement during the summer. One of the best things about the Sixth Form at Haggerston is the teaching. Teachers and other staff will help you reach your goals and meet your potential. Elif, Year 12
www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk/sixth-form Facilities Responsibilities In terms of study facilities, we have designated study rooms which is open all day and students can also access library resources and computer rooms. Choosing Haggerston was one of the best decisions of my life because of the opportunities it provides. Teachers are excellent and they are always ready to help you. It is a big step from year 11 but with the right support you can make it. Hawa, Year 13 I have been at this school for 5 years and since I ve started at the Sixth Form my confidence has grown so much. All staff and students have made my time in Sixth Form very comfortable and I am happy to have chosen Haggerston Sixth Form. Sylvia, Year 12 There are, indeed, many privileges and opportunities in being a Sixth Former at Haggerston. With this, of course, comes a number of responsibilities. Put simply, we aim to treat you as the young adults that you are, and we assume you will be willing to act like young adults, too. We provide you with some great facilities. It is your responsibility to look after them and use them well. This is especially true of the areas of the school that are specially designated for Sixth Form use. Your main responsibilities as a Sixth Form student at Haggerston are: To ensure that your attitude and conduct in and around school are exemplary and set the standard for main school pupils. To attend and be fully engaged in all lessons, tutorials, presentations and any other learning activities you will have between 15 and 20 timetabled periods per week, plus enrichment, volunteering and other occasional commitments. To meet work deadlines and hand assignments in on time, by giving full commitment to all aspects of your independent learning, including essay writing, coursework assignments, examination preparation, revision and so on you should be spending 3 to 4 hours per week per subject on independent learning this will include your Private Study periods and time in the evenings/weekends. At high-pressure times this will increase. To maintain excellent attendance including to form time in the mornings. To make the most of the fantastic range of enrichment and extracurricular opportunities available to you.
Haggerston Sixth Form 07 08 A Stepping Stone to Your Future Your Progress When you join us in the Sixth Form, you will already have thoughts about what your future might hold. Some will have quite specific plans, aspirations and targets. Others will be less certain, but will probably have a few possibilities in mind. Many of our Sixth Formers go on to University, but there are also many other routes into continued education, training and employment. As a Sixth Form we are very committed to helping you clarify, plan for and achieve your future goals and aspirations. With this in mind, it is important to monitor and review your progress and levels of achievement. Progress Reports are issued and discussed termly. There is also Sixth Form parents evening. All the reports include targets set for each student by each of their teachers and a predicted grade as an indication of whether the student is working at, above or below their target grade. As well as these scheduled opportunities to monitor, review and discuss progress, teachers and tutors will also make contact with home, as necessary, if there are concerns or particular issues to discuss. In the same way, we encourage parents to do the same. As a Sixth Form team we are keen to maintain a three-way relationship between student, parents and Sixth Form. An important aspect of your time in the Sixth Form is your choice of what you will do next. During Year 12 you will be thinking about what you might study at University or college, or finding out about training or employment opportunities. We pride ourselves on the quality advice and guidance we provide to you. Your Tutor and the wider Sixth Form team can offer caring, personalised support to you in making these life changing decisions. The application process begins during Year 12. Students will be doing their research, visiting open days, preparing their Personal Statement and so on. Visits are arranged to Higher Education events, Employment fairs and the like. University applications to Oxbridge have to be completed during September of Year 13. All other applications through UCAS (University and College Admissions System) are completed during October and November, well in advance of the January deadline. In the Summer Term of Year 12, we hold a range of opportunities and applications events.
www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk/sixth-form Joining the Sixth Form at Haggerston We offer a wide range of subjects, and the really helpful Sixth Form team makes every effort to cater for everyone s needs when timetabling your subjects. You ll find all the support you need from an excellent team of staff, both in and out of the classroom. There s really no need to look anywhere else when it s all here for you. Sixth Form Coordinator My time at Haggerston has been very welcoming. The support received by students and staff has been excellent. I am glad to have chosen Haggerston Sixth Form to carry on my academic future. I recommend the sixth form to future students as success will follow you throughout your time here. Deborah, Year 13
Haggerston Sixth Form 09 10 Curriculum and Courses Most of you applying to become Sixth Form students will be choosing to follow 4 or 3 courses at Advanced Level or a BTEC Level 3. To be eligible for this, you will have achieved as a minimum: 6 or more GCSE s at A* C or above including a grade C in English 4 or more GCSE s at A* C with at least a grade D in English. Merit or Distinction in applied level 2 course with at least a grade D in English or Pass with a grade C in English A number of courses have specific requirements above these minimum eligibility requirements. For example, some courses require a B grade at GCSE in certain subjects. These details are outlined in the subject sections of this Prospectus. You must also have demonstrated a strong work ethic and a record of reliability and good attendance and conduct. In addition to the courses you choose to follow in the sixth form, you will have some additional lessons in year 12 including: Private study periods Some important principles Throughout this decision-making process, try to bear in mind the following principles: Choose your courses so that they make a good combination. Choose courses because they are right for you, not because your friends are doing them. Choose your course for what it offers you, not because a particular teacher is teaching it. You are most likely to succeed at a course in which you are genuinely interested. Remember all Post-16 Studies are hard work; there are no easy options! If you have a definite career or Higher Education route in mind make sure the courses you choose will qualify and prepare you for entering it. Do your research at this stage to avoid disappointment later. If you are uncertain about your career, choose courses which cover as good a curriculum as possible. Next Steps Potential students are encouraged to attend our Progression evening on 16 November, and to fill in an application form as soon as possible. To guarantee your place please submit your application form by the first deadline of Thursday 10 December 2015. We will accept later applications, up to the second deadline of Thursday 25 February 2016. For entry requirements for specific courses please see our prospectus or visit our website. Application forms and full admissions criteria are available from: www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk/sixth-form