Sixth Form LIFE

The Sixth Form’s aim is for all of our young people to be the best version of themselves and achieve excellence in their chosen pursuits. As a member of our Sixth Form, you will be expected to value and to cherish learning, to embrace the full range of opportunities available to you and to engage fully in the life of the school and its community. Staff and students work together to cultivate an atmosphere of positivity and maturity, in order that our students are confident, independent, and happy during their time here at Brakenhale.

Tutor Groups

When you join the Sixth Form you will be put into one of six tutor groups. Our tutor groups mix Year 12 and 13 together, giving you a chance to meet new people and also benefit from the experience of those who have already been part of sixth form for a year.

We have a diverse tutor programme which includes a range of activities, from discussing current affairs to practising driving theory.

ReFuel

'ReFuel' is our Sixth Form 'tuck shop' which offers students a range of snacks before school, at break and at lunchtime. It is run by the students, for the students and all money raised goes into a Sixth Form budget that can then be spent on items or events of our student's choosing.

ReFuel is often staffed by members of the Student Union, however, we also have a specific student who oversees the running of it. Students are expected to organise stock, request stock, and are in charge of our payment system, under the supervision of the Assistant Head of Sixth Form and our amazing Sixth Form administrator.

Student Leadership

We want our students to be aspirational for themselves and our younger students to aspire to be them. In order to encourage our students to be as aspirational as possible we place a strong emphasis on leadership throughout their time in Sixth Form.

Our Sixth Form students are expected to be leaders in terms of their behaviour, attendance, appearance and positivity of mindset. There are also more formal opportunities for leadership through joining the Student Leadership Team or the Student Union. These are esteemed positions within the whole school that enable them to make meaningful contributions to their community and strengthen the interpersonal skills required for success after school.

Our Sixth Form students take their responsibilities very seriously and are valued as individuals, and as such ‘Students are extremely complimentary about the sixth form. They feel highly valued and respected.’

(Ofsted, 2019).

Enrichment

As part of our Enrichment sessions students can opt to be part of our Voluntary Community Service (VCS) scheme, where students offer their expertise in subjects they study to support those in the lower years. This helps develop our Sixth Former’s character, but also gives them the opportunity to include their work in their personal statements when applying for universities or jobs. We will broaden our enrichment offer each year but some of the sessions currently running are: facilitating PE sessions at some of our local primary schools; yoga lessons; learning to cook and playing sport. There are several trips organised across the year including: careers fairs, Safe Drive Stay Alive, University trips, alternative curriculum trips, UCAS fairs and many external speakers who come to deliver sessions on different areas of expertise such as finance and saving, applying for universities, apprenticeships and much more. We also offer the Arts Award, Sports Leadership, and the highly regarded Extended Project Qualification.

Destination Planning

A key part of Sixth Form is preparing you for your future - whatever that may be! As such, tutors and Miss Lane are on hand to give help and guidance on applying to University, and completing a UCAS application as well as to aid research into apprenticeships and other further education options. These topics will become a focus of tutor time and of PSHE throughout the year, ensuring students get all the help they need to make the best decisions for them.

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