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SIXTH FORM BULLETIN Week 3 15/09/25

Week 3 - Key Student Messages

Please read through the following key messages for Week 3: 

Well done everyone for such a terrific week. A huge congratulations to the Sixth Form Rugby Team for their victory over Pangbourne College in the first round of the National Cup. We wish the team every success in the next round. The Sixth Form Team have been really impressed with the culture in the Common Room and Study Spaces and it’s great to see so many of you taking your A-level studies seriously. A really good start - let’s keep this going!

Mr Wilder’s Quote of the Week 

“To tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world” - Aeschylus - Ancient Greek Playwright

With war, division and assassinations across the world, let us reflect on our important roles in contributing to a more gentle, kind and peaceful world. Remember that every small act of kindness can make a big difference to the lives of others around us. 

Tutor Attendance - clarification

All Year 12 and Year 13 students are expected to attend AM tutor on time for an 8:30am start. We have ensured the AM tutor programme is relevant and purposeful for your development in the Sixth Form, therefore it is important that students attend. If students do not have a lesson until period 4 or 5, we still expect students to attend for 8:30am tutor. If students do not have any lessons in a whole day Monday-Thursday, students are not expected to attend their 8:30am tutor on that day, however, they are expected to attend any enrichment, PDP, assembly or 1:1 that may be scheduled during that day. If students do not have any lessons at all on a Friday, they are not required to come into school but it is encouraged that students utilise our fantastic study space for private study. Any questions on this please email Mr Wilder directly. 

Year 12 Subject Changes 

From this point there will be no subject changes until Week 5. Mr Wilder will outline the process nearer the time. For now, students are expected to commit to their subjects over the coming weeks. 

Year 12&13 PDP (Personal Development Programme) - Tuesday 12:10 

This week’s PDP will follow up on Mr Castel’s assembly on Super Curricular. Please ensure you look through the Study Skills tab and make an action plan on the Supper Curricular that you are going to engage with. 

Careers drop-ins - Year 13

Mrs Garrety runs drop-in sessions on Monday to Thursday 12.40-1.10. If you need help with your personal statement, university choices or have other career queries, just pop in to W050 (off R2) during those times. No appointment required. Year 12s will have career appointments later in the year.

Bibliotherapy - The Short Story Club

We meet on Monday’s at 12:40 in D117. Year 12 & 13 students only. We read a complete short story each week. No discussion, no pressure, bring and eat crisps if you want. Coming each week will give students access to a huge range of literary voices. To whet you appetite, please see the list of all the stories we have covered. We do something new each week. This is ideal for students of literature but great too for anyone who just wants somewhere calm and warm to go at lunchtime. The idea for the club came from some research into the links between reading and mental health, and some contact I had with Professor Phillip Davis at the University of Liverpool. https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/arts/sota-research/research-impact/literary-reading-for-mental-health-and-wellbeing/ If you have any questions about this club please speak with Mr Robbins (arobbins@stbarts.co.uk) 

Careers Opportunities 

Please see the Lloyds Banking Group online insight event on 16th September: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Insight_LBG 

Purple Press Student Newspaper 

If you are a budding journalist or would like to have some fun writing for the Student Newspaper, please contact Liv Tinsley (19OTinsley@stbarts.co.uk). This is an exciting project to be a part of with a lot of funding behind it. Get involved.

Absences 

If you are absent your parent should ring the attendance hotline to notify the school: 01635576372. If you have any particular issues or concerns please email attendanceofficer@stbarts.co.uk.

16-19 Bursary 

Please check if you are eligible for our Sixth Form Bursary on the website: 16-19 Bursary St Bart's School The Bursary is there to offer financial support for educational purposes such as equipment, trips and books. If you have any questions with this please email Mrs Clare directly: sclare@stbarts.co.uk 

Exam Access Arrangements

If you have a diagnosis or any access arrangements that we need to be aware of, please complete the survey that we sent out to all year 12 parents. If you are in year 12 or year 13 and would like to discuss SEND access arrangements or any further support with CAHMS please email Mrs Wheeler (jwheeler@stbarts.co.uk) 

Signing in and out

All students must biometrically sign in and out of the building. This is vitally important for us to know who is on school premises especially if there is an emergency. 

Punctuality & Attendance

Attendance is the greatest indicator of A-level success. Please ensure you attend all your lessons, tutor times and enrichment sessions. AM tutor time starts at 8:30am. Friday P5s will be issued for frequent tutor absences or lateness. Get in on time and start your day positively. If you have any major logistical issues with this please do inform your tutor. 

House Dodgeball - Wednesday P5 - Sports Hall 

Our first official Sixth Form Cup Competition of the year! Come along and get involved. House Dodgeball is always one of our most fun and inclusive events. 

Don’t forget about our wider reading initiative- Five to Thrive- where you get rewarded for reading, whether it is for your A level subjects or reading for pleasure. Collect one of our Five to Thrive cards in the Library and when you have read/listened to five things (fiction or non-fiction books, newspaper articles, JSTOR articles/ journals, NEA research, even a Podcast eg PoliTips), get them signed off by a teacher or the Librarians. Then put them in the box on the Library desk and be in with a chance of winning some Amazon gift cards! 

We also wanted to remind you about the research resources available to you through RMUnify and in the Library- apart from all the fiction and non fiction books we have. Here is a brief guide about what is available at your fingertips and login details where necessary. Please remember to use your school login credentials where possible when accessing these resources/databases to ensure full access, even when working at home. 

Need help with tech? There are some very helpful student videos on RMUnify - click on this tile:

The Purple Press - first issue

More information here: MASSOLIT video essay competition