WHY RETURN TO THE SIXTH FORM

• Many students stay on in Year 12 with their friends to continue their education.
• Their own school is close to where they live.
• Students have built up a good relationship with members of staff.
• The Vocational pass rate is between 98-100% over the last five years.
• Students wish to extend their education and learn new skills.
• Students are already actively involved in school life and therefore feel ‘established’.
• The Community aspect of the school offers scope for varied pursuits and interests in addition to study.
• Students have evening class opportunities available to them in familiar surroundings.
• Shorefields has established an excellent link with local Higher Education Institutions. Every encouragement is given to each student to ensure that individual potential is realised and, where appropriate, achieve progression into Higher or Further Education, employment or further training.
• Year 12 are voluntary students and are expected to be highly motivated, responsible people prepared to accept school rules. They must also be capable of independent, unsupervised study. Students are required to wear school uniform. Years 12/13 students are based in separate tutor rooms but have access to a central, comfortable common room.

Life in the Sixth Form

(i) Work and Motivation

It is only through hard work that students will achieve success and fulfilment and all students joining Year 12 need to be ready for this. There will be no formal homework timetable, each subject teacher will have his or her own system of set work and study outside teaching time. Students will be expected to develop a systematic work pattern and a degree of self assessment. There should be a new relationship with a
more open and adult approach and a development of mutual respect between tutor and student.

(ii) The Sixth Form Common Room

The 6th Form students have the exclusive use of their own self contained area. Students are encouraged, through their committee, to participate fully in the running and maintaining of this area.

(iii) Activities, Clubs and Societies

The number of clubs and societies varies from year to year depending upon the enthusiasm of the members.

The 6th Form students participate in the following schemes:

• Enrichment Programme
• Recreational Activities

Time is set aside each week for recreational sporting activities. The list below gives some idea of what is on offer:

Outdoor Education – Canoeing – Windsurfing – Climbing – Mountain Biking – Weight Training – Hill Walking – Athletics – Table Tennis – Swimming – 10 Pin Bowling – Badminton – Squash – Football – Basketball – Tennis – Volley Ball – Golf – Music – Theatre

Students are encouraged to negotiate their own programme and are able to change options at the beginning of the year. Some students opt to undertake Community Project/Social Work as part of their recreational option.

The activities listed under Activities, Clubs and Societies represent the breadth of interest in the 6th Form. It is hoped that all students will develop initiative, make decisions and enjoy a social life alongside their work. However great emphasis is placed upon a balance between work and other activities. Careers Education, and planning for further Education, play an important part in 6th Form Education. The
Tutors are assisted by the Careers Co-ordinator and the Careers Connexions Advisor in counselling and help with reference writing.

Work Experience

Whenever possible, and if appropriate, each student is allocated a placement according to specific vocational needs or interests relating directly to their coursework.

Perxonal, Social, Education

Students examine issues relating to the five cross curricular themes of; Guidance, Health, Citizenship, Environment and Economic and Industrial Awareness.

As part of the wider curriculum there is opportunity on the timetable to cover the following topics:

Social and Life Skills, Working with Others, Group Interaction, Study Skills and Problems, Communication Skills, Public Speaking, Making Decisions, Religious and Moral Issues and Transitions.

These activities go towards making up our Enrichment Programme.

Residentials

Directly linked to their programmes of study. Visits, so far, have included to New York, Toronto, Orlando, Florida, South Africa, Amsterdam, Paris, Barcelona, Cuba and, most recently, we returned to South Africa in February 2007. The 2004 trip was Skiing in New Hampshire, U.S.A., with a two day stop-over in New York. The trip in April 2008 is to an Activities Ranch in New York.

The Pastoral System

(i) The Year 12 Tutor

On entry to Year 12 students are allocated a personal tutor whose group comprises fewer than twenty students. The tutor should be regarded as a mentor who is both adviser and counsellor on personal, social and academic matters. There is regular contact time allowed for tutors to meet with their students.

(ii) Assessment Profiling

The tutor is responsible for organising the assessment of students on a regular basis and also for compiling records of achievement or student profiles, which are a matter for negotiation between tutor and student. The agreed profile record of achievement serves as a basis for future references, which are the responsibility of the tutor.

(iii) Monitoring of Students

Students work and progress is regularly monitored and parents are contacted immediately if there are any problems – we believe we can get the best out of the students with support from home. There are two Parents Evenings held annually in October and February. A tutor based mentoring system is in place, which helps facilitate the Liverpool Graduation Process.