«Forename» «Surname»

Monday 6th November

Dear Parent

Important Dates for Year 12

I would like to take this opportunity to say how pleased I am with our Year 12 students and the mature way in which they have begun their Sixth Form studies. We have a great deal planned over the next few months to ensure that they make excellent progress in their learning in school and to help them prepare for life beyond school.

Parents’ Evening

Sixth Form Parents’ Evening will be held on Thursday 16th November with appointments available between 4 and 6.30pm. Each student has been given an appointment sheet that they will need to complete with their subject teachers. This is a great opportunity to see how the year is going so far and we really encourage all students and their parents to attend.

Year 12 Internal Exams

We will be holding internal exams for Year 12 in January and in June. The purpose of these exams is to provide useful data to help monitor student progress and offer intervention where necessary so that all students achieve their full potential. The summer exams will also provide us with the grades we will put on any university and apprenticeship applications and references completed in the autumn of Year 13.

The winter internal exams will be held between 8th and 12th January. Each student will sit a one and a half hour exam for each subject unless they already have an external exam for this subject in January.

We are currently planning to hold the summer internal exams between 20th and 29th June. During this period, each student will sit a three hour exam for each subject.

It is absolutely vital that students revise for these exams so that their outcomes properly

reflect their ability and their areas for improvement. We would appreciate your support in this at home and we will ensure they are given good advice and support from their teachers and from the Sixth Form Team.

Year 12 External Exams

Some subjects, in particular BTEC and GCSE courses, will have formal, external exams this year that will count towards their overall final grade.

Thinking About the Future Week

During this week, we have arranged several excellent opportunities to really get our Year 12 students thinking about what they would like to do after Sixth Form. This has all been fully funded by the Sixth Form and attendance is compulsory for all Year 12 students. Please complete the attached permission slip and return to Mrs Rosier by Friday 17th November.

On Tuesday 13th March we will be taking the year group to National Apprenticeship Show in Milton Keynes. This is an excellent event, giving students a chance to see the wide range of fantastic apprenticeships available to young people in a whole range of fields.

We will be attending the UCAS Fair in Uxbridge on Wednesday 14th March. This will give students the chance to meet university admissions tutors and current students from most universities in the country. There will also be opportunities to participate in seminars to help students choose the best course for them and make successful applications, as well as see a real university campus.

On Thursday 15th March students will be in lessons as normal but we will be having a special assembly from the Project Trust on gap years. This should be interesting for all students, even those not currently planning to take a break between Sixth Form and their next step.

Work Experience and the World of Work

A key part of the Sixth Form experience is learning about the world of work and the different jobs and careers available. To give students an insight into a wide range of potential careers, we will be holding our annual World of Work Day on Thursday 28th June. This will replace the usual school day and involves a carousel of different seminars on various jobs, careers and future plans.

In addition to this, all students are expected to organise and complete a compulsory week of work experience between Monday 9th and Friday 13th July. This should be done in addition to any other work experience done throughout the year. This will then be evaluated the following week.

Organising work experience is an important part of the experience so, while we will offer students advice and support, it is important that they get out and begin looking for their placement as soon as possible. We encourage students not to do their work experience at their current place of work but to try and look at something different. This could relate to a field they know they wish to work in, or in an area that piques their interest. The placement should also offer them the chance to develop ‘soft skills’ like punctuality, team-work and professionalism. When they have found their placement, they should complete the Work Experience Placement Form, which is attached to this letter. We would expect all students to have provisionally sorted their Work Experience placement by January 31st.

Questions and Advice

Mr Ladd, Mrs Rosier and I are all more than happy to offer support or advice to any student in Year 12. If you would like to discuss your child’s progress in the Sixth Form, or their plans for the future, please do get in touch. Appointments with Mr Ladd, as Head of Year 12, or with me, as Head of Sixth Form, can be made through Mrs Rosier in the Sixth Form Office.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Jonny Tridgell

Head of Sixth Form

" ______

PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN THIS PERMISSION FORM TO MRS ROSIER IN THE SIXTH FORM OFFICE BY FRIDAY 17TH NOVEMBER.

·  I consent to my son/daughter (full name) ……………..………. attending The National Apprenticeship Show on Tuesday 13th March 2018 and the UCAS Fair on Wednesday 14th March 2018.

·  My son/daughter does/ does not suffer from any medical condition. (Please complete any details below.)

Medical Information
Please write below any relevant medical information about your child which may help the staff. (e.g. physical disability, allergies, medicine being taken, recent injuries, illness, etc.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Notes:

i.  I understand that all reasonable care will be taken to ensure the safety of those in the party. I accept that the Council’s insurance does not cover personal accident (or injury to members of the party or damage/loss to personal property unless it can be shown that this is due to negligence of the Council’s employees, helpers and assistant for the trip. I understand that insurance against personal accident and loss or damage to personal property is my responsibility.

ii.  Students whose parents or guardians fail to return this consent form by the deadline stated, will not be eligible to go on the visit.

Signed: ………………………………….. Name (printed) …………………………….……………………………………………..

Address: ……………….………………….…………………………………….………….………………………………………………...

Emergency contact number: …………..………………………………………….. Date: ….……………….…………..