News & Headteacher Blogs

It has been another great start to the academic year by the whole Sixth Form community, and I know you will enjoy reading the article by our Head Boy and Head Girl, detailing their take on the term’s events.  

For Year 12 students the first term in the Sixth Form can be a difficult time, getting used to the academic rigour of A Levels and Level 3 BTECs, learning to deal with a greater workload of more complex and challenging content whilst developing an ability to work more independently in a new environment. I feel very proud of how they have adapted to this new academic lifestyle, and their recent Progress Reports demonstrate how focused and committed they have all been since the beginning of term. It is so lovely to see all our new students integrating so well with the Downs students, creating a warm, welcoming environment throughout the Sixth Form. Everyone has started really well.

The Sixth Form Common Room remains a purposeful, productive study area with computers available as well as dedicated University and Apprenticeship reference materials, albeit now covered in decorations with some classic Christmas tunes blasting out at lunchtime. Together with study areas in the library, diner and study rooms, we firmly believe we are offering the best possible learning environment for our students without compromising on our commitment to offer social spaces as well.

So far this term, all our Sixth Formers have received a Progress Report, have attended a parents evening with their subject teachers as well as a mentoring session with their tutor. They have also had the opportunity to complete a Learning Attributes Checklist at the start of the year, and Individual Action Plans in each subject after reflecting on their Progress Reports.  All of these activities are completed to help our students fully understand how they are progressing in all of their subjects and allow teaching staff an opportunity to offer as much appropriate support as possible to individual students.  

It has been a pleasure to welcome the Conservative, Labour and Green Party candidates into the Sixth Form to speak to our Year 13 students over the last couple of weeks. All the candidates commented on the quality of the questioning they received from the students and the impressive high levels of engagement the students demonstrated during the debates. All 5 standing candidates were invited. 

Year 13 students are busy looking to the future and by the time this reaches you the vast majority of students who are intending to go to university will have completed their UCAS applications and many will have already received offers from universities. Historically our students have a great track record of receiving offers from many prestigious Russell Group universities and I know that this year will be no different. These offers provide a great incentive to students as they start to revise for their mocks which start on 20^th January. Many students are now considering alternatives to university in the form of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships and I know we will be building on the successes of previous years, with students obtaining Apprenticeships as some top UK companies. We wish all our Year 13 students the best of luck with all their applications, and for their exams in January.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Sixth Form Team!

Mr Hogan