Welcome It is our pleasure to welcome you to Stratford upon Avon School Sixth Form. We hope that this prospectus will whet your appetite and demonstrate our passion for ensuring that our students are supported, challenged and inspired throughout their time with us. Every day the world invites us to make a difference. Our mission as a school is to engage, enthuse and inspire; to create an environment where people can achieve extraordinary things. Our staff go above and beyond and this is reflected in our Sixth Form ranking in the top 25% of Schools and Colleges nationally for achievement for the last couple of years. Our outstanding facilities are matched by our desire to challenge students to achieve and then exceed their personal best. Young adults entering the Sixth Form are at a turning point in their lives and it is our responsibility to ensure that they maximise their potential and support them through their studies. We are proud that student s personal development in the Sixth Form is outstanding. The school provides very impressive support to students to ensure that their next steps in education, training or employment are successful. The purpose of education is to prepare students for adult life and we believe the best place to do that is in a non-selective, co-educational environment. Students need to develop the skills to thrive in different environments alongside different people. Our Sixth Form has a lovely atmosphere and features highly supportive relationships between students and staff. We offer a wide range of Level 3 (Advanced Level) courses delivered by specialist teachers in a modern and supportive learning environment. The vast majority of our Post 16 students go on to University having taken A Levels. Each year we have students attending Russell Group Universities including the Universities of Durham, Warwick, Exeter and Birmingham. We have also placed students on prestigious school leaver schemes with companies such as John Lewis, Warwickshire County Council, Solicitors and secured placements for some of our students on extremely competitive Higher Level apprenticeships such as Jaguar Land Rover, according to the interests of the individual. Leaders have high aspirations for pupils and these are shared by parents, pupils and staff. Ofsted 2016
Our Sixth Form is a fundamental part of school life, as shown by the contribution Sixth formers make to the development and welfare of younger students through mentoring, in-class support and through the vertical tutoring and college system. Younger students do look up to Sixth formers so it is important that they demonstrate high standards of appearance and behaviour, and act as role models within the school. As a large non-selective school with approximately 1400 students, of whom some 240+ are in the Sixth Form, we offer a considerable range of both curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for our students. Our array of courses, clubs, trips and enrichment programmes offer something for everyone. Our Sixth Form is both welcoming and purposeful. By encouraging hard work and an active contribution to the running of the school we create an adult atmosphere in which freedom and responsibility are uniquely balanced. Core Purpose To prepare young people to play an active role in society, by providing them with the skills, attributes and qualifications to flourish in the future. Values We hold these truths to be self-evident; that everyone is entitled to feel safe, happy and successful. We like and care for young people. We have a growth mind-set and believe that everyone can improve through hard work if they are engaged, enthused and inspired. We believe in comprehensive values and a student-centred approach, in that we work better and are more productive when we feel good about ourselves and trust each other. You are very welcome to come and visit to see for yourself what makes us special. Neil Wallace, Headteacher
Extra-Curricular Opportunities. The school offers a wide array of extra-curricular opportunities including local, national and international trips. We react to the evolving environment by providing trips and visits that coincide with our student s interests and needs. These range from World Challenge expeditions in Asia and Africa, ski trips, French work experience opportunities in Paris, through to more local events and exhibitions. Including the opportunity to work with community groups like the Shakespeare Hospice and the Engineering Education Scheme. Students are also actively encouraged to take responsibility within school; they work alongside tutors and subject teachers offering in-class support. Sixth formers willingly volunteer to support school charity events and other functions. Our clubs provide sporting and cultural opportunities which include traditional activities such as football and netball, to other leisure activities. As a Sixth Form student with us you will also have the opportunity to organise your own clubs, either for your peers or for the younger year groups within the school. An elected Senior Student Team represents our Sixth Form students and maintains a strong leadership role within the wider school. Led by our Head Boy and Girl, this team actively coordinate charitable and social events and support younger students both academically and socially. Members of this team gain valuable leadership experience and employability skills.
Careers Development Education We ensure all of our students receive appropriate advice regarding their next steps when they leave Stratford upon Avon School. An important part of the school s role is to assist students to make informed choices for their future careers. To this end we identify an individual s strengths and make available independent information on all the options available to them throughout this formative period. Our Sixth Form students are supported with understanding the university application process (UCAS), apprenticeships and work options. The majority of our Sixth formers apply to higher education and they are very well served by a timetabled programme of Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) which begins in Year 12. Our Careers Development Programme is a real strength of the school. We are proud partners with In2Ambition and are now the Careers Hub for South Warwickshire, working with professionals and businesses to create career information opportunities and experience. All Sixth Form students will have frequent contact with our full time Careers Manager and other invited professionals in this field. Careers evenings and information events are a regular feature of life in our Sixth Form. Sixth Form helped me realise that it does not matter from where one starts, our only limitation is that which we allow ourselves to accept. Alex Shellum, Alumnus-Cambridge University Law Graduate
We work with local employers & organisations, as well as Universities who come in and talk to students, with the aim that when students leave here they are equipped for the modern working world and make the right decisions moving forwards. David Wallace CEIAG Manager Moving from Year 11 to Sixth Form Most of our Sixth Form students transfer directly from our Year 11, this enables them to start their time in Year 12 smoothly and with a good working knowledge of the staff and curriculum. We also welcome an increasing number of students from other schools into our Sixth Form who quickly feel at home. Sixth Form induction features Taster Days in June to familiarise students with the courses and structure through to a welcome event organised by our Year 13 students. Students will be supported by their tutor and the Sixth Form team so whether they have been with us since Year 7 or are new to us in Year 12 it will only be a matter of moments before they are a confident and settled within our Sixth Form family.
Academic Support Teaching is tailored to the personal learning needs of our students, this is done through a variety of teaching techniques, discussion groups, use of outside visitors and field trips. We have embedded systems that support students throughout their learning and ensure students stay on top of their work. Assessment weeks also ensure that progress is assessed accurately so that any additional support can be provided. We recognise that everyone learns differently and that many have specific learning needs, we have an excellent record of supporting students with these needs and enabling them to excel. Our Learning Support Department is always on hand to assist students and to meet with parents. Most importantly we believe in maintaining a regular dialogue between students, home and school so that each and every one of our students can fulfill their dreams. Pastoral Support Sixth Form students are supported by a bespoke team of staff. This includes the Head of Sixth Form, Post 16 Development Coordinator, Careers Advice and Guidance Manager, two Assistant Heads of Sixth Form and an Assistant Headteacher. The school operates a College system with four main Colleges; Fortune, Globe, Rose and Swan with two College Leaders each. In this way the school is divided into eight smaller groups each with a staff member overseeing the development of the students in their care. Tutor groups have students from all year groups with the Sixth Form students developing a leadership role within them. The tutor is directly responsible for the well-being of the students in their care and provides personalised support with things like UCAS applications, they are also the first point of contact for parents.
Community Links The school takes an active and ever increasing role within the local community from participating in town events through to encouraging students to take an active interest in community or charitable projects. These include working with the Guide Dogs, Government Bodies or supporting events like the Trans-mission shoe box appeal or Disability Sport. Our students have consistently won recognition and community awards, including at the Pride of Stratford Awards. The Sixth Form team will support students with the links the school already possess and forging new ones as necessary to aid individual development, whether this is by way of work experience or talks from relevant bodies. The door is always open for students and support is readily available. The quality of teaching is now good, with some areas of outstanding practice, particularly in the Sixth Form. As a result, pupils now make good progress in all key stages. Ofsted 2016
Our Facilities Our facilities are second to none in the area with floodlit sporting areas, well-equipped teaching spaces and attractive social spaces. Our bespoke Sixth Form Common Room is an impressive facility, with its own café featuring a supply of hot and cold food, main meals and snacks available throughout the day. Sixth formers have access to a range of ICT suites and bespoke classrooms, including the mezzanine area of the Learning Resource Centre for private study. Some free periods are designated for silent study to ensure that students develop the appropriate work ethic necessary for post 16 success. We have a fully stocked and interactive Learning Resource Centre, Dance and Drama studios and many ICT suites. We even have our own Photography suite complete with darkroom and a number of individually dedicated Technology rooms, whilst our impressive sports facilities include an athletics track, all-weather pitch and Fitness suite. For further information you can visit our website on www.stratforduponavonschool.com, Email staff@stratfordschool.co.uk or call us on 01789 268051.
The school provides very impressive support to pupils, including those in the Sixth Form, to ensure that their next steps in education, training or employment are successful. Ofsted 2016
Stratford upon Avon School Alcester Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 9DH E: staff@stratfordschool.co.uk T: 01789 268 051 F: 01789 261 919 www.stratforduponavonschool.com @StraUponAvonSch