Study in the Sixth Form

Congratulations to parents of year 12 students! Your child is now now, on the face of it, ready to begin the more independent studies that life in the Sixth Form offers. A successful Sixth Form student participates fully in lessons, is motivated to work independently at other times, expects to be challenged intellectually and is prepared to rise to that challenge. It is critical that they keep up to date in all his/her work and an ongoing dialogue with teaching staff is the best way to achieve this. The support available is of an exceptionally high standard, and can help students with a wide range of GCSE results achieve very highly at AS and A Level.

We welcome back those students in Year 13. The main objective for students in Year 13 is to make use of the experience gained in Year 12 to maximise attainment at A Level. It is also a year for making choices about their future and we hope that they will leave Challoner’s confident that they have made the right decisions to begin the next phase of their life.

Subjects

In Year 12 your child will be studying three or four main subjects, and will pursue either General Studies or the Extended Project during the year. Four periods of one hour each are allocated to most courses. Additional time is allocated for Games, the Lecture and Private Study. There are no free periods on your child's timetable.

The vast majority of Year 13 students study three or four main subjects to A2 level. Four periods of one hour each are allocated to most A2 courses. We are actively encouraging students to get involved in some Community Service, Work Experience or similar activity as part of the Challoner’s Baccalaureate.

Independent Study

In addition to the taught time for each subject, your child is expected to do a considerable amount of individual work during their private study time at school and at home. This is the greatest change from GCSE to Sixth Form study. They must be much more responsible for their own work and targets. Students are expected to do between ten and fifteen hours of independent study outside of taught lessons each week. In most subjects, there is extra reading that they can do during the course to help their understanding. Never let them tell you that they have nothing to do; they must take the initiative in finding appropriate material to read for themselves. There are specific suggestions from each subject in the Study Skills section on this website. The key mantra is:

One hour lesson ⇒ One hour homework + One hour independent consolidation

The Milton Library and Learning Level

These are places for study and learning. Using them and the library’s resources effectively will help students fulfil their potential. Rules exist for the benefit of all, and we expect silent individual study in the Milton Library and an atmosphere of quiet purposeful learning on the Learning Level. Students need to quickly get into the habit of using private study periods efficiently. Making a clear, achievable target for each hour and striving to accomplish it is a good strategy.

Home Study Leave

If a student's timetabled lessons finish before 3:45pm they may, with written parental permission, leave school after their final lesson, but not before 12:30pm. This opportunity to study elsewhere is a privilege, and we reserve the right to withdraw it from any individual whose conduct, academic or otherwise, requires us to do so.