Student Support

Life isn’t easy and will often be challenging, never more so than the last few years, and we want to reassure all our students of the “wrap around” care that exists at Greensward Academy Sixth Form. For whilst we can’t make the pressure of A level study go away, we can help you manage it.

Front and centre to this is our continuous advocacy programme with every student getting a dedicated half termly appointment with their tutor where they can touch base and talk about the things that concern them the most. The programme has a track record of helping to pre-empt issues before they snowball into something bigger; we ask all our students to complete this “check in” form prior to their appointment so that we can make sure that the conversation is as focused and useful as possible.

Whilst we operate an open-door policy where students are free to pop in for a chat whenever they feel the need, we recognise that sometimes, more specialist help and support is necessary. As a Sixth Form, we have full access to our in-school counsellor, as well as an external network of fully accredited therapists with a wealth of experience working directly with young adults.

As with everything, prevention is better than cure and our PSHE association compliant programme, with a focus on issues such as mental health, RSE and Youth and Society, helps us both understand the pressures that come with growing up in the 21st Century and starts to give us the skills to manage them. External speakers from agencies such as Gambling Anonymous and Essex Road Safety also help shine a light on the issues most pertinent to teenagers.

Although we believe in fostering the independence you will be expected to have in the workplace or university, we also understand that your time in the Sixth Form are transition years. That’s why we offer a safety net to catch you should you fall; first day absence calls, weekly raising attainment meetings, settling in checks, parental meetings and more exist not to get you in trouble, but to help you out of it.