Sixth Form Open Evening
Welcome to King Edwards VI Handsworth School for Girls
General
Sixth Form Introduction
Making your Application
Collaborative A-Level Subjects
Entry Requirements
Choosing Subjects
Learn more about our Sixth Form:
open day - Small.movClick here to learn more about our Application Process
Please let us know if you have any questions by using the form below.
Students receive support for a wide range of Post-18 destinations, and we are clear that university is not the default option which all students are expected to take. Staff are trained in supporting higher and degree apprenticeships, through information sessions and individual coaching. Several students each year take a Gap Year, and we provide help with applications during that time as well as bringing in companies and charities looking for Gap Year volunteers. All 6th Form students will be offered at least one careers interview with our impartial adviser, who is in school on alternate Fridays for 1:1 appointments and a lunchtime drop-in.
We use Unifrog [ www.unifrog.org] as our key platform for all careers information, shortlisting and applications. Students have their own accounts, which they add to during careers lessons and form tutor time. Students have 1:1 meetings with their tutor near the end of Year 12 to discuss their applications and develop their personal statements. In Year 13 all students are assigned a member of senior staff for further 1:1 meetings to complete applications.
We have excellent links with universities including Southampton, Oxford, Leeds, Birmingham and Aston, who visit each year to give information talks on their courses, entry requirements and enrichment opportunities. There is an ongoing programme for Oxbridge applications, and we also work with the Sutton Trust to support girls who apply to US universities. We also ensure that students joining our 6th Form from non-selective schools are aware of the access schemes offered by Universities of Birmingham and Aston, the Sutton Trust, the Social Mobility Foundation and Target Oxbridge.
Careers and Destination Support
Pastoral Support
Around each student we have a strong team of adults who have girls’ best interests at heart:
Each student is allocated a Form Tutor, in a group of around 24 students. This is your first point of contact every day, and the person who will know you best. Twice each week there are form activities before lessons begin, and there are regular opportunities to meet with your form tutor for an informal 1:1 chat about how things are going.
We also have a Sixth Form Support Officer (Mrs Felton) who is available to see students in their study periods if they have a particular pastoral matter that needs sorting out. This can be anything from time management to serious worries about school or home.
The Wellbeing Crew is a professional counselling service which comes to school once a week. Students who would benefit from this are scheduled for 1:1 appointments. A group of students are trained as Well-being Leads, and we often link them up with girls who may be experiencing personal difficulty. In addition, we are happy to make referrals to other external agencies for individual and family support.
Non Teaching Pastoral Team PP.pptxThere is a Pastoral Leader for each year group, who oversees well-being and academic progress. If we have a pastoral concern, the Pastoral Leader will generally be the person who will contact home. Pastoral Leaders hold assemblies, contact teachers if you are having a difficult time and be the person who sees the big picture in relation to your well-being and progress.
16-19 Bursary
The Bursary exists to address barriers to education. Eligible students can use the Bursary to fund travel to school, school dress, travel to university and other open days, learning resources and more. Each student will have a 1:1 meeting with a member of staff in the Autumn Term to make a plan for using this additional funding to improve their specific circumstances. It is really important that school is made aware as early as possible if students are eligible for the Bursary.
Parents’ first point of contact for the Bursary is Mrs Hancox (Attendance and Bursaries Officer) lhancox@kingedwardvi.bham.sch.uk
Financial Support
Academic Support
eachers are very generous in giving up their time to respond to requests for help, and many departments run regular lunchtime clinics. In addition we have a Learning Support team to help students more generally with their academic work. We have a Learning Hub where students can work during study periods if this is more suitable than the Library, and we also offer language support and some support within lessons, in addition to working closely with external agencies such as the Communication and Autism Team.
Our SENCO, Mrs Miras-Pye rmiras-pye@kingedwardvi.bham.sch.uk , is the person to contact to discuss girls’ additional needs, particularly for girls joining us in Year 12. It is very helpful for us to know if students have had access arrangements for their GCSE exams (extra time, separate room, etc), so that we can put these in place from the beginning of the 6th Form.