SSV Sixth Form Basics

Basics SixthForm

A handbook for the Sixth Form Senior School Voorschoten

Useful dates for your calendar

School year 2023 | 2024

Autumn term

Term begins | Mon 4 Sep 2023

Half term | Mon 16 Oct to Fri 27 Oct 2023 (incl.)

End of term | Tue 19 Dec 2023

Winter holidays

Spring term

Term begins | Mon 8 Jan 2024

Half term | Mon 19 Feb to Mon 26 Feb 2024 (incl.)

End of term | Thur 28 2024

Spring holidays

Summer term

Term begins | Tue 16 Apr 2024

School Closed | Thur 9 & Fri 10 May 2024 (Ascension Day), Mon 20 May 2024 (Whit Monday)

Half term | Mon 27 May - Fri 31 May 2024 (incl.)

End of term | Thur 18 July 2024

Summer holidays

Please note: The school day ends at normal time on the last day before half term break. On the last day of term, school ends at 12:00 midday.

Contents

ABC BSN Mission - 4

Headteacher’s Welcome - 5

SSV Community Charter - 6

BSN Character Profile - 7

People who are here to help - 8

What will my experience be like at SSV? - 9

Your Form Tutor - 10

The Core Sixth Form Programme - 11

Physical Education in the Sixth Form - 12

CCAs – The Co-Curricular Activities Programme - 13

Instrumental & Vocal Lessons - 14

Leadership & Collaboration - 15

Community & Service Learning - 16

What do I need to know about…? - 17

Travelling to school - 17

Arriving at school - 17

Taking Exams - 19

The Library - 20

The Healthcare Team - 21

School Counsellor Team - 22

Technology and Apps for Learning - 23

Digital Responsibility and Keeping Safe Online - 24

What is expected of me? - 25

Attendance and Punctuality - 26

Academic Honesty - 27

The Dress Code - 28

Mobile Phones & Devices - 29

Moving Forwards in the Sixth Form - 30

Our Mission & Values

The BSN’s mission is to prepare young people with the knowledge, skills and characteristics that they need to become successful global citizens who can make an impact and help to build a better world.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

We meet each student’s individual needs and maximise their love of learning, progress and achievement across a range of subjects.

BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE

We provide every student with opportunities to participate in activities and experiences, both within and outside the classroom, so that they can discover and develop their unique talents, creativity and interests

CHARACTER & COMMUNITY

We celebrate our diverse international community, helping students to develop a sense of pride, confidence and compassion, and encouraging them to challenge themselves, build their resilience and play their part in improving society.

Dear Students

Welcome to the new academic year 2023-24. If you are new, I am delighted to welcome you to The British School in the Netherlands and to Senior School Voorschoten (SSV). I understand the mix of trepidation and excitement that you might be experiencing, which is perfectly normal at times of change. Very quickly I am sure you will feel confident and happy and you will have an incredibly positive and enriching experience with the BSN.

What makes the BSN so special are the amazing teachers and support staff, and diverse and welcoming students. You will find the quality of teaching is excellent, with a friendly and highly knowledgeable teaching body. What strikes me is how engaged and enthusiastic the teachers are for their subjects, with the experience to ensure all of you are supported and inspired to fulfil your true potential. We also have great support structures in place to help you settle in, from tutors, Heads of Year, counsellors and Health Care Officers to make sure you are happy and settled.

The BSN experience is so much more than just academic excellence, as important as that is. There is a huge variety of opportunities and activities outside of the classroom which will help you discover and develop your unique talents, creativity and interests.

Please do take these up, whether joining a sports club,

getting involved in drama and creative opportunities, becoming a student leader, debating in the Model United Nations or pushing yourself through the Duke of Edinburgh International Award. I am passionate about the importance of fully embracing these opportunities; you will find something that you enjoy as well as challenges you and will rapidly help you feel part of the BSN community, cementing new friendships.

We celebrate our diverse international community, and the friendships and connections that you forge at BSN will remain with you for the rest of life. Enjoy the experience, lean-in to the opportunities that are here and you will get the most out of your time with the BSN. If you never feel uncomfortable you know you aren’t truly challenging yourself, but at the same time make sure you are having fun.

I look forward to getting to know you over the coming months and years and wish you a happy and successful year ahead.

Patrick Heuff Headteacher Senior School Voorschoten

The BSN Character Profile

We give our students the opportunity to develop:

● Courage

● Perseverance

● Creativity

● Curiosity

● Digital responsibility

● Compassion

● Environmental integrity

● Collaboration

CHARACTER PROFILE

We are proud that our students demonstrate wellrounded characteristics that enable them to succeed in all aspects of their lives. The BSN Character Profile (below) defines eight attributes that we believe are truly important for a BSN student to develop at the school. Courage, Perseverance, Creativity, Curiosity, Digital Responsibility, Compassion, Collaboration and Environmental Integrity are characteristics embedded throughout our curriculum irrespective of age, year group or campus. Our Character Profile is a powerful tool that not only binds us together as a community, but equips us with invaluable life skills.

People who

are

here to help

The Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

IB Coordinators

IB Co-ordinator - Mr Petrykowski

IBCP Coordinator - Mr Whitfield

CAS Coordinator - Mrs Wilson

Extended Essay Coordinator - Ms Moens

TOK Coordinator - Mrs Napper

BTEC Coordinator - Ms Biscombe

EPQ Coordinator - Mrs English

Sixth Form Administrator - Ms Paul

The School Office

If you have any questions, you should speak to your Form Tutor in the first instance. However, you are always welcome to come along and speak to a member of the School Office team who will always be happy to help you. Also, your parents may need to contact the School Office in order to find the best person to help if they have questions. The contact details are:

Senior School Voorschoten

Jan van Hooflaan 3

2252 BG Voorscholten

The Sixth Form Team

Telephone: +31 (0) 71 560 222

Email: senior.ssv@britishschool.nl

Web: www.britishschool.nl

Mrs Hallatt Deputy Headteacher

Ms Huckfield Assistant Headteacher

Mr Lloyd Deputy Headteacher

Miss Rothenburg Assistant Headteacher

Mrs Bright Assistant Headteacher

Mrs Welch Assistant Headteacher

Mrs AndrewsWouters Director of Sixth Form

Mr Kelsall Assistant Director of Sixth Form

What will my experience be like in the Sixth Form?

Participation

The BSN is about much more than lessons and exam results. It is a school community in which you have the opportunity to serve and get involved. By choosing to join the Sixth Form, you have opted into the routine, expectations and events which make up the life of this community. You are strongly encouraged to get involved in sport, co-curricular and service activities. You may, of course, be involved in activities outside of school, but we would still encourage you to get involved in something at school. In this way you contribute and become part of the community..

IB students, of course, will need to do this as part of their CAS Programme but A Level and BTEC students should consider carefully how these activities will broaden them as individuals, develop them as leaders and add to their attractiveness to universities and future employers.

Responsibility

Our aim in the Sixth Form is to promote a high degree of autonomy, self-discipline and responsibility. If you meet these standards, you will find you are given more freedom to arrange your studies and school life. Sixth Form is halfway between school and university or work and we aim to treat you as a young adult. You are given the opportunity to take responsibility for your own actions and decisions.

The Core Sixth Form Programme

Study

We expect you to use your time productively for study. You will need to use your study time both within and outside school effectively. You will have some directed homework from your teachers – essays, worksheets, preparation, research and so on. However, you will need to do extra independent study on top of this. We expect you to be reviewing your notes each week, revising earlier topics, reading more widely about your subjects, reading ahead in the textbook to prepare yourself for the next lesson.

Timetabled Lessons

Naturally we expect that you do everything you can to make your lessons as productive as possible. This means maintaining your focus, commitment and attention in class and being well prepared for each lesson.

Study Periods

You will find that you have a number of periods (known as ‘frees’) on your timetable where you are not in a lesson. These are not really ‘free’ – they are study times. You will be able to use the common room, Sixth Form study room, library, or (with staff permission) a classroom to study.

Directed Study

On your timetable, you will each have directed study sessions where you are allocated time for supervised study. This is to provide you with the important opportunity to have a space for quiet, focused study. These take place in the silent study room. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory.

Home Study

In Year 12, after the first few weeks of term, providing you are coping well with the demands of Sixth Form study, we will allow you to take a home study once a week.

This is the opportunity to come in before 10:30 or leave at lunch once per week provided that you have no lessons at those times. It is an opportunity for you to use resources for study which you have at home or for which you may need to go to the local library to use. Your parents/guardians will need to give permission for this. In Year 13, you will be allowed to increase this to two home study periods per week if you are coping well with the demands of Sixth Form study.

PSHE & Tutor programme

Year 12 and Year 13 students undertake a PSHE (Personal, Social, Health & Economic education) programme where we work together at developing key skills for future work and life. The aim of the PSHE programme is to equip you with the skills and knowledge that will be useful to you as you develop as young people and navigate the world around you. Each session will be about a topic or issue related to

your pastoral care at school – they are there to help you to be happy at school, to feel safe, to promote your learning and help you build good relationships and encourage your personal development.

Your tutor is a very important person over the course of the next two years your tutor will :

● see you daily for registration and Tutor Time / Assembly

● monitor your academic progress

● discuss your grades with you

● write reports about you

Your relationship with the tutor is vital. They are responsible for writing the personal section of references for moving on from the BSN following your studies, and, throughout Year 12 and into Year 13, they keep in close contact with you to ensure that you have gained a balanced view of your progress and achievements.

You will find your Sixth Form career so much more enjoyable and successful if you can establish a good working relationship with your tutor!

The Sixth Form Passport

Reflecting on your performance and setting yourself meaningful and manageable targets is key to improving your outcomes. Your Sixth Form Passport helps you to do this. It also gives you an opportunity to reflect on your teamwork, leadership and collaboration skills. Additionally, you will use it to organise your thoughts and actions surrounding the careers process.

Physical Education in the Sixth Form

Aside from the focus on “Academic Excellence” the core PE curriculum is in place in Year 12 and 13 so that you continue to have access to activities that focus on you physical, social and emotional health.

We consider this vital for balance. PE and Sport at the BSN allows you the chance to develop across the other two elements of our school mission:

● Breadth of Experience

● Character and Community

Therefore, PE in the Sixth Form at the BSN is compulsory.

Within Sixth Form PE, you will be given options that broaden your experiences of KS3 and KS4 PE. For example the Sports Leaders Award – “Women, Get Set, Go” is available for female Year 12 students if they wish to gain this award in leadership. Other examples are:

● Yoga

● Trampolining

● Fitness Suite

● Capture the Flag

● Handball

● Speed-minton

You are encouraged to be self-motivated and develop key characteristics found as part of our BSN Character Profiles, such as creativity, curiosity, collaboration and compassion. These will be explored through activity and experience.

It should be noted that as with the dress code in Sixth Form, there is no school uniform PE kit required, however a change of clothes with the appropriate sportswear for the selected options choice should be worn.

CCAs –Co-Curricular Activities Programme

Not all learning takes place inside the classroom. We are therefore keen for you to be involved in the co-curricular activities (CCAs) that we provide.

We truly believe that your participation in these activities is vital to help you to get the best out of your

experience at SSV and to help you grow as a person. You will have the chance to meet new friends and develop – or discover – interests and hobbies that you can be involved in for the rest of your life.

Our CCA Programme offers opportunities in the following areas:

● Sport and Wellbeing

● Creative Arts

● Music and Performing Arts

● Global Citizens

● Academic Clubs

● Language Classes

Some of the Co-Curricular Activities we have run at Senior School in recent years include:

● Allotment Group

● Astronomy

● Badminton

● Baking Club

● Basketball

● BBC Young Reporter

● Beautiful Objects (DT club)

● Book Clubs – KS3 and KS4

● Bridge Club

● BSN Sessions

● Calligraphy

● Chemistry Club

● Chess

● Competitive Coding Club

● Creative Writing

● Choir – Junior

● Choir – Senior

● Concert Band

● Cookery Club

● Cricket

● Drama Club

● DT Workshops

● Environmental Group

● Fencing

● Fitness Suite

● Football

● Funk & Soul Band

● Golf Club

● Gymnastics

● Heart Pillows and Hand Craft

● History Skills

● Hockey

● International Award

● Judo

● Language Clubs

● Latin

● Make & Do Club

● Maths Clinic

● Minecraft Club

● Missing Maps

● Model United Nations (MUN)

● Music Theory Club

● Orchestra

● Progress Band

● Published – Journalism Club

● Python Café

● Quill and Scroll

● Reading and Book Club

● Recorder Club

● Rowing

● Rugby

● Science Club

● Senior Performance Choir

● Showstoppers

● Simply Sustainable

● Sixth Form Literary Society

● String Orchestra

● Speech and Debate

● STEM Club

● Swimming

● Swing Band

● Table Tennis

● Tennis Club

● Ukulele Ensemble

● Ultimate Frisbee

● Volleyball

● Young Enterprise Group

In Year 12 we expect all students to sign up for at least one CCA in September.

Instrumental & Vocal Lessons

We have a vibrant, specialist, dedicated teaching team here at the Senior School. They are on hand to help and advise you, equipping you with the essential skills you need to enjoy performing, both on your own and in larger groups or ensembles. Some of our teachers are specialists on more than one instrument and it really doesn’t matter if you are a complete beginner, or more advanced – we have students of all levels learning a wide range of instruments, including:

● Brass: Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Baritone, Euphonium, French Horn, Tenor Horn, Tuba

● Guitar: Classical, Folk, Electric, Bass

● Piano

● Singing: Classical, Pop, Jazz

● Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass

● Woodwind: Oboe, Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet

● Drums

The BSN employs all school based instrumental teachers directly. This means that the BSN pays teachers for hours worked and then bills parents accordingly.

Instrumental tuition is available for all students, from Year 7 to 13. Daytime lessons for some instruments are open to students in Year 7, 8 and 9, with the full range of instruments available after school.

Lessons take place in the Music Department, and are administered by the Music Office. You can pick up an information form from the SSV Music department; the latest information can also be found on Compass.

Daytime lessons are available in drum kit, classical and acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano and voice. This solves the problem of organising transport after school, and avoids potential clashes with other school activities. For more information visit the Music site on Compass, or contact: ssvmusic@britishschool.nl

Remember, you do not have to be studying music to participate in the performance groups!

How long are lessons?

There are three options for lessons:

● 30 minutes

● 45 minutes

● 60 minutes

Please contact the school to confirm the cost of each lesson. These are billed termly, on a pro rata basis. Should you wish to discontinue the lessons, there is a 5 lesson notice period.

How do I register for lessons?

Registration for instrumental lessons is handled via Compass under the ‘My Child’ drop down menu (select ‘Sign up for Music Lessons’).

Leadership & Collaboration

Your responsibility as a member of the Sixth Form, is the expectation that you set an example to other students in the school as well as developing your leadership and collaboration skills, which you will need throughout your career.

The Student Leadership Team

The student leadership team comprises solely Sixth Form students and broadly mirrors the senior management team of the school. The team is strategic and operational and are involved in projects such as: Leading charity work; Discussing environmental and sustainability issues; Promoting innovative and educational uses for technology; and Upholding the House System. They regularly meet with and present to senior leaders in school, as well as being present at public events. They are important role models in the school.

Student Ambassadors

The student ambassador team comprises solely Sixth Form students and are mainly responsible for the logistics and operations of events in school. These range from charity events to welcome days and parent consultation evenings. They work closely with heads of department, subject leaders and heads of year in order to ensure events and initiatives run smoothly. They also liaise with the Student Leadership Team in order to make sure that both leadership teams are working well together.

School Council

The School Council contains representatives from each Year Group in the school. Members of the School Council represent the students in their year group. It allows all of our students to have a real say in issues that affect them and to know that their opinions count. In previous years the School Council has consulted on issues such as school uniform and school facilities.

Environment Committee

The Senior School has an active and evolved Eco team in different areas of school. Simply Sustainable is a new project by students to create a Eco friendly business and website. We have a team of students who help maintain and develop our allotment and Eco garden area. The main Eco team help to develop the sustainability of the school and plan events. This Team is mainly made up of Year 10 to Year 12 students. All teams are open to all school Year groups.

Other areas of Leadership

There are many other areas of leadership that are available for you to be involved in. In the Sixth Form, you may wish to lead a CCA or coach a sports activity. You could also even create your own CCA if we don’t already offer it and there is enough student interest!

Community & Service Learning

There are various ways in school to be involved in service learning, using community service as a vehicle for learning with academic value. Our service learning offer emphasises knowledge development, civic development, social development and personal development.

This is a compulsory part of our IB programmes though opportunities for Community and Service learning is open to all students. Your involvement in these activities will strengthen our school and wider BSN community as well as enrich the wider community through charitable activities and external partnerships.

What do I need to know about?

Travelling to school

… by school bus

You must keep your school bus pass safe and always show it to the driver when you first get on the bus. If you miss the school bus on the way to school, it is important that you let your parents and the school know as soon as possible. You may only travel on the school bus on which you have a reserved seat. You cannot travel on another bus, for example to visit a friend’s house. Your behaviour on the school bus must be excellent and safe – do not distract the driver in any way and always remain in your seat and wear the safety belt until the bus has stopped at the school or your bus-stop. You are not allowed to eat or drink on the school bus. Any student who causes damage to the school bus or whose behaviour is poor, will have their bus pass withdrawn and any damage will be paid for. This will be a matter between the bus company, the student and their parents. If you lose your bus pass, please report to the School Office by break time to obtain a temporary pass – don’t leave it until the end of the day. The Transport Co-ordinator will be notified and a charge of €3 will be made for a new pass. If you need help after school because you have missed the bus then ask at the School Office.

…by car, moped or brommer

All vehicles must drive slowly and with extreme caution on the school site – drivers should only use the marked pick up and drop off areas. When travelling to and from school, students are expected to act as representatives of the BSN and should drive carefully.

…by bicycle

If you cycle to school make sure that your bicycle is safe and complies with Dutch law – good lights are essential and reflective bands are encouraged. Although most people in the Netherlands do not wear cycle helmets, the school recommends that you wear

them to keep yourself safe. Always cycle with care and use the cycle paths – if possible, we recommend that you cycle to and from school with other students. You should not cycle with earphones – they significantly reduce your awareness of the traffic around you. Bicycles brought to school, or left overnight, are entirely at the owner’s risk – the school takes no responsibility for damaged or stolen bicycles. Bicycles should be parked in the cycle sheds and locked securely – they must never be left in front of any doors or fire exits – particularly at the front of school.

… by train

Voorschoten train station is approximately ten minutes’ walk from the school and trains run regularly from Den Haag and Leiden directions. Please exercise great caution when you are at the station as the platform is narrow and non-stop trains can pass through the station at very high speed. Under no circumstances should you climb onto the rail tracks. Do not skateboard or rollerblade at the station. Any inappropriate behaviour at the railway station will be seen as a school incident and will be dealt with appropriately.

Arriving at School

You should be in your Tutor Room for Registration at 8:45. Registration ends at 08:50. If you arrive in school after 08:45, you are late and must sign in at reception, otherwise the school will have no official record of your being on site – and we need to know who is on site in the event of an emergency.

If you are running late, please ask your parents to contact the school office. If a student has not arrived at school, and we have no advance notification, we will contact home.

If you want to seek permission for authorised absence for any reason, your parent/guardian must request this in writing to SSV.absences@britishschol.nl well in advance of the absence.

Absence

Attendance is one of the most important factors in deciding your success at Sixth Form. You should follow the below procedures if you are absent from school:

Planned Absence: If you are going to be late in or need to leave school, for example; to attend a doctor’s appointment, then your parent/guardian should contact the school in advance by email or in writing to inform us. If you are going to be absent from school for a day or more, in order to, for example; visit a university open day, or for a family event, your parent/ guardian should write to the Headteacher via the School Office to request permission to do this – be sure to do this well in advance.

Unscheduled Absence: If you are unable to come into school and did not know this in advance, for example; because you are ill, then please ask your parent/ guardian to call or email the school that morning to let us know. You should try very hard to attend school and take time off for illness only if absolutely necessary.

Signing in and out

If you leave the site during the school day, you must sign out at reception and then, if you return, you must sign in again. Please note that you are only allowed to be off-site during break and lunch time. You must not sign out during study periods unless this is an authorised home study.

Break and Lunchtime

In the Sixth Form the time of your morning break is 10:50-11.10 and lunchtime is 12.50pm-1.50pm. These are the only times that you are permitted to be off-site unless you have an authorised home study period. You must sign in and out at reception every time you go off site. The British School in the Netherlands has a very good reputation, but people judge that reputation easily on the behaviour of our students outside school.

As a Sixth Former your behaviour should be exemplary. You are an ambassador for the school.

My Timetable

Registration 08:45–08:50

Period 1 08:50–09:40

Period 2 09:40–10:30

Tutor Time 10:30–10:50

Break 10:50–11:10

Period 3 11:10–12:00

Period 4 12:00–12:50

Lunch 12:50–13:50

Period 5 13:50–14:40

Period 6 14:40–15:30

After School

School buses depart 15 minutes after the end of the school day. After that time, at 16:00, you must either go home or be in one of the following places:

● The Sixth Form Study Room which is open until 17:00

● The Library which is open until 16.30 Mon - Fri

● at a club or activity

If you travel by bus and have lost your bus pass, ask the concierges for a temporary pass.

Lockers

Each year, students are provided with a locker – some have keys but most have combination locks. You should memorise the combination number of your locker and keep it to yourself – never give it to another student. You should absolutely never take anything out of another student’s locker.

Keep your locker tidy and don’t use it to store food! If you have a locker key and lose it, you will have to pay €10 for a replacement key – if you lose a key for a second time, you will be charged €60 to replace the lock. Please leave your valuables in your locker.

At the end of the summer term, and if you are leaving the school, you must empty your locker. The remaining contents of any lockers will be disposed of during the summer holiday. Students will be expected to pay for any damage done to lockers.

Emergency Alarm

In the event of the emergency alarm sounding, you should remain calm and leave the building via the nearest exit. As soon as you are outside, you must assemble on the field by the railway fence at the back of the school in your Form group where a register will be taken to ensure all staff and students are accounted for. If you are in lessons when the alarm sounds, the teacher will escort you to the fields – if you are not in a lesson, or it is after school has ended, then you should make your own way to the assembly point.

Taking Exams

The Examinations Office (room C43) is next to the Sixth Form Centre and handles all matters relating to students sitting external examinations. Here is a useful checklist for you:

● In October you will receive your IB exam timetable and in February your A Level / AS exam timetable will be sent to your BSN email account.

● Check all details including the spelling of your name, date and start time of your exams.

● If you identify an exam clash, contact the Exams Office immediately.

● Make sure you have the correct equipment eg; a clear plastic bag with two black pens, pencils, rubber and ruler. Remember a calculator, protractor and compass for Mathematics; and coloured pencils for Geography or DT exams.

● Check calculators have batteries and clear any stored programs/data prior to the exam.

● Use your locker for any unauthorised materials. This includes mobile phones and watches!

● Arrive no later than five minutes before the examination begins.

● Enter in total silence and follow the instructions of the invigilators.

● Do a final check to see if there is any unauthorised material or equipment.

Do not take bags with you. Leave the building in silence and walk, don’t run. Never use the lift when a fire alarm sounds and do not return to the building unless instructed to do so. Once the building is declared safe by the Headteacher and Emergency Services, you will be instructed to go back into school – if it is not safe to return to the building, the whole school will relocate to another local building and await instructions. If you are in school and see a fire, you should press the fire alarm. If you are concerned about any matter of health and safety, then report it to a teacher or the School Office.

● If, during the exam, an invigilator discovers unauthorised material, then this will be reported to the exam board.

● No communication between candidates: talking, eye contact, looking around or making unnecessary noise is not allowed.

● Do not take away any materials provided in the exam eg; formulae booklet or exam ID card.

● Remain in silence until you have left the exam venue.

● For illness or lateness: inform the school as early as possible.

● If you feel that your performance was affected during the exam due to the illness, inform the Exams Office immediately after the exam.

The Library

The library is open Monday to Friday 8:30 – 16:00. You are welcome to use the facilities and borrow resources whenever you have free time during the day and during lessons with your teacher’s permission. You are automatically a member of the library and will receive a combined library and printer card when you join Year 12.

Early in the first term you will receive an introduction to the SSV Library in addition to research and referencing sessions relevant to your studies throughout the year.

Library Staff

Ms Harding and Mrs Johnman.

We also have a team of parent and student volunteers so there is always someone to help.

Library Resources

The library has a wide range of resources for Sixth Form students, including 1000s of fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, eBooks and DVDs plus access to online databases like JSTOR, the Hodder Reviews Archive, and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. For more details and links to the catalogue and other sites,, please go to the Canvas Library course.

Services

The library staff can give you suggestions of fiction books to read and support you in finding suitable print and online sources when researching your coursework. We can also offer guidance with referencing and compiling a bibliography. Just come and ask!

FAQs

How many resources can I borrow? 6 books but please ask if you need more.

For how long?

Books can be borrowed for two weeks each but let us know if you need them for longer. All resources are clearly stamped with the last date for return.

How do I borrow resources?

Take the items you have chosen with your library card to the desk where a member of the library staff will issue them to you.

What if I haven’t finished in time?

If no one else has reserved the resource you can renew it. Just bring it to the library desk and ask.

Can I reserve resources that are unavailable?

Yes. If you would like to borrow a resource that is on loan we can reserve it for you and let you know when it’s been returned.

For more information, guidance for research and referencing and links to the catalogue and other databases check out the Canvas Library course.

The Healthcare Team

The SSV Health Team are on site during the school day, 08:30 – 16:30 in A08, to help you if you have any health-related concerns. We are here for:

● Support for your holistic health – physical and emotional.

● First aid for any injuries during the school day.

● If you are feeling unwell or upset – please come to see us rather than ringing your parents. We will always call home if needed. We will discuss with your parents if you need to go home, so please do not sign out without seeing us.

● To help you manage any chronic health issues –such as diabetes or allergies.

● To offer health advice.

● To liaise with other staff, including the School Counsellors, to help advocate for your wellbeing.

● To support you if you are on crutches or are using another mobility aid, to advise you how to safely mobilise around school.

Try not to come out of class, unless the situation is urgent, but we will always see you if you are concerned. Our consultations with you are confidential, unless we assess that you or someone else, is at risk of harm. We will always talk to you about this.

Do come and say hello!

School Counsellor Team

Your Senior School years are a wonderful time of growth, excitement, adventure, and hope. During these years you get to discover who you are, question what the future holds, make life-long friendships and fantastic memories. However, we also recognise that the Senior school years can have times of disappointment, frustration, loneliness, stress, and anxiety. We understand that you may need additional support with your emotional wellbeing so that you can progress, achieve your potential and most importantly enjoy life at SSV.

With that in mind, a school counselling service is available five days a week, during school hours, for any student who wishes to access the support.

What is School Counselling about?

School counselling aims to provide students with a safe and supportive place to talk through problems or worries in confidence and without judgment. It offers students the opportunity to understand their problems in a different way, to make choices for themselves, to cope with crises, to work through feelings and improve relationships with others.

Students may decide to come to the school counsellor for a number of reasons, such as:

● Stress Management (exams, homework)

● Anxiety reduction

● Feelings of anger or sadness that are difficult to manage

● Bereavement

● Self-esteem

● Identity Development

● Friendship Issues

● Troubles with parents, family or teachers

● Dealing with international life/transitions/cultural issues

● And much more

How do I get to see the counsellor?

If you would like to meet with the School Counsellor you can call in to the School Counsellor office (A12) during “drop-in” time (10:30 - 11:10), or by emailing school.counsellor@britishschool.nl.

You are always welcome to come in if the office door is open.

You can also discuss your concerns with your parents, your Form Tutor or any teacher that you trust, or the Health Care Officers who are more than happy to help you to arrange an appointment with the school counsellor.

A Note on Confidentiality

School Counselling is a safe place where you can come and discuss your concerns privately. What is discussed during the sessions is not discussed with anyone outside of the sessions unless this is agreed between you and the counsellor.

There are however a few exceptions to this rule for the safety of the students, these are:

● If a young person is being hurt by someone

● If a young person expresses that they want to hurt someone else

● If a young person is hurting themselves in some way.

Ms Lorena Halpin-Doyle School Counsellor

Ms Michelle Choudhry School Counsellor

Ms Liz Stammers School Counsellor

Technology and Apps for Learning

At the BSN we want you to develop strong digital skills. These will play a key role in allowing you to embrace new ways of working, learning, being creative and connecting with other people.

You will be provided with a Microsoft Surface Pro device for your own use. This device functions as a two-in-one tablet and laptop, thanks to a touch screen, stylus and detachable keyboard with trackpad. Your Surface Pro must be brought to school, fully charged, every day. It is purely for educational use: no games or VPNs are allowed.

The Surface Pro is provided on a loan basis and must be returned in good condition when you leave the

What is this?

BSN. You are responsible for taking care of it. You must keep the protective case on at all times, be careful not to drop the device and be mindful of it inside your bag. To keep the device running smoothly you need to restart it every day, install regular updates when notified and seek support from IT Services promptly if any problems arise.

The BSN is a Microsoft Showcase School. Showcase Schools create student-centered, immersive, and inclusive experiences, stimulating development of essential futureready skills.

In lessons, your teachers will therefore use various different technologies on the Surface Pro to support teaching and learning but the most common apps are below.

What will I use it for?

• Seeing your homework tasks

Canvas

Canvas is the BSN’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). In Canvas, you will see all of the academic courses you’re enrolled in.

• Viewing information about your academic courses

• Submitting work to some of your teachers

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a communication and collaboration app. You will be in a ‘team’ with your tutor group. Many teachers create teams for their classes or co-curricular activities.

• Quick communication with teachers and classmates

Microsoft OneNote OneNote is a digital note-taking app.

• Writing lesson notes

• Completing tasks in lessons

• Submitting work to some of your teachers

Microsoft Outlook Outlook is a calendar and email application

• More formal communication with teachers

• Calendar and diary management

Microsoft OneDrive OneDrive is a cloud storage application, integrated into Windows

• Sharing files for viewing and editing with teachers and classmates

• Storing personal files in your ‘documents’ folder

Digital Responsibility and Keeping Safe Online

You need to think carefully about how you use your Surface Pro. It is provided for educational purposes, so must not be used for games. Even more importantly, it must be used safely and responsibly. You must follow the BSN’s Responsible Use Agreement and e-Safety Policy whenever you are at school, representing the school, or using the school’s technology infrastructure. This is to protect you and to safeguard all other users.

You also have an important responsibility to keep yourself safe.

● Protecting your identity – you must never share your password or logon details with anyone. Never share personal information on social media. Be particularly aware of things like online social media quizzes – participating in these can lead to your sharing lots of personal information which can enable people to access your information or steal your identity.

● Location Services – think about turning these off to ensure you are not sharing your location with other people.

● Managing your time online – it is very easy to develop unhealthy habits, in particular around social media. It is important to set yourself time limits and a cut off point each day after which you no longer access your social media accounts. This will ensure you are able to get enough sleep and enjoy your life in the real world. Please speak to your family, your Form Tutor or the School Counsellors if you have any concerns about your social media use – or one of your friends.

● Your online reputation - you should also think about your online reputation or ‘digital brand’ –how you use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok and whatever new social media emerge in the coming years. Remember, what you post online can be accessed by others, including future employers or universities, and could cause distress or offence.

● Sharing material or images – you must take great care when sharing images of yourself and/or others, as well as content that you receive. Always think about how you would feel if your parents or guardians or teachers saw what you had posted before doing so.

How to get help

If you experience or receive something you are uncomfortable with or feel that you are being treated unkindly, please seek out help. You can talk to your parents, your Form Tutor, Head of Year, the Healthcare Team, School Counsellors or any member of staff you feel able to approach. Mr Lloyd, who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at SSV, will always be available to help you find the support you need. You can talk to us in person or send an email.

If you need to, you can also contact us via the anonymous reporting form. This is available via the Daily Bulletin and at the address below:

https://forms.office.com/r/jch3TWQQDa

Even if you think you have made a mistake or done something wrong, we will still help and support you.

If you would like more information about e-Safety, visit the Think U Know website.

Years 10–13: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/14_plus/

What is expected of me?

Behaviour & Attitude

We expect you to have a positive and purposeful attitude to your studies and school life. You have chosen to join the Sixth Form knowing that you will have greater freedom than younger students but not as much freedom as you might have at a college or university. There will, of course, be some aspects of the school you do not particularly like but we expect you to go along with them for the common good in order to benefit from the things you value.

We expect you to negotiate situations not avoid them. This is what maturity as a Sixth Form student is about. If situations arise, or demands are made of you which you do not like, do not run away from them – speak to the people concerned and see if a compromise can be reached. If necessary raise the problem with your Tutor or Head of Sixth Form. Act responsibly and you will find that staff will respond positively!

How we promote positive behaviour

We have very high expectations of the way each member of our community treats everyone else and the school environment. Our high expectations are intended to promote self discipline and develop a considerate regard for everyone in our community. We expect excellent standards of behaviour and respect for others from every member of our school.

The BSN has developed a Behavioural Code by combining ideas from staff and students – this can be found on Compass and is the responsibility of us all to ensure that it is adhered to.

Attendance and Punctuality

Your courses are designed to cover a full year and if you do not attend, then you miss all kinds of information and support. Joining the Sixth Form means that you agree to be here full time – this includes registration, tutor time, assemblies, the PSHE programme, directed study and private study periods as well as all lessons. We will write home where we have concerns about lateness or attendance.

We expect you to be punctual. Picking up a reputation for being late does not say good things about you and we may be asked to comment on your attendance and punctuality in any reference we write about you for university or job applications. If you were an adult in employment, punctuality would be a fundamental requirement of you, so get into good habits straightaway.

If you are late to school, the following sanctions will apply:

● Late 2 times – Warning letter sent home

● Late 4 times – 15-minute detention with Form Tutor

● Late 7 times – 30-minute detention with Head of Year

● Late 10 times – 1 hour detention with Senior Leadership Team

You should note that transport difficulties – other than those affecting large numbers of students at the same time such as strikes, adverse weather or accidents causing traffic jams – are not acceptable reasons for being late. You should be setting off in the morning with ample time to spare for unexpected delays.

Academic honesty

Academic honesty is an important part of our culture at the BSN. We aim to submit authentic work and make it clear when we have included words and ideas from other sources.

Please make sure that you understand and apply the following principles which are relevant to us all:

● The work you complete must be in your own words and any quotes you include should be in quotation marks.

● Include a bibliography to show when you have used the words or ideas of others.

● At the BSN Senior School we recommend using the MLA documentation style (8th edition) with particular rules for a bibliography (and in-text citations for KS4 and KS5 students).

These are some examples of academic dishonesty:

● Plagiarism (for example copying and pasting from a source; summarising someone else’s words without including the source; using another student’s work; buying or downloading an essay or paper)

● Collusion (when a student allows their work to be used by someone else)

● Duplication of work (if you hand in the same piece of work for another subject)

● Misconduct during exams

● The fabrication of results.

Any student who commits deliberate acts of academic dishonesty will be dealt with in accordance with school procedures.

● Parent(s)/ guardian(s) will be informed

● A mark of zero may be awarded or a request

It is your responsibility to:

● Produce work that is completely your own, clearly showing when any words and ideas are not your own

● Meet deadlines to ensure that there is time to check that your work conforms to the academic honesty expectations.

To help you, the school will:

● Teach and discuss academic honesty with you

● Teach research and referencing skills

● Be clear about the academic honesty expected for all assignments

● Recognise examples of good practice

● Set deadlines which allow you to correct unintentional academic dishonesty

● Address breaches of academic honesty

● Demonstrate good practice in all documents, display materials and communications.

If you ever need help or advice with academic honesty issues or referencing, please ask your teacher or the Librarian.

The Dress Code

Sixth Formers in a school which they share with other younger students are in an unusual position. They have privileges and freedoms that are not granted to those in Years 7–11. Students should come to school dressed appropriately for study. Whilst we do not have a uniform or insist on smart office-wear, we do ask that students’ dress does not cause offence to staff and other students. Therefore, the Sixth Form dress code, with which you are expected to comply, is:

● Dress for Sixth Form students (Year 12 and 13) should be smart, clean, respectable and appropriate for a safe, professional working environment.

● As Sixth Formers (Year 12 and 13), you have the freedom and privilege to choose your own clothes for school, bearing in mind that you are role models for younger students and that you are coming into a professional working environment.

● Students can wear blouses, shirts, polo shirts and T shirts with sleeves, as long as any logo on these is not likely to offend. A jumper, cardigan or sweatshirt can be worn over the top.

● Students can wear trousers/jeans of their own choice as long as they are full length, smart and clean, and not ripped. Underwear should not be visible. Shorts are permitted only in the summer term and the first half of autumn term, and must be of an appropriate length for a working environment.

● Students can wear skirts or dresses of their own choice but they should be smart with no visible underwear, cleavage or midriff and of a length that is not likely to offend others (no less than approx 3 cm above the knee).

● Footwear should be appropriate for the school environment so only smart and clean trainers or shoes can be worn, students shoes should have a heel of no more than 5cms. Flip flops or open sandals are not allowed.

● In general, jewellery should not be worn in school, for safety reasons. Students with pierced ears should wear small stud earrings, but they should be removed or covered during PE lessons. Inappropriate jewellery such as large rings, necklaces, including choker necklaces, bracelets or large earrings should never be worn

● Make up should be kept to a minimum in school.

● Hair colour should be of a natural hair colour. The style of haircut as well as beards and moustaches are judged appropriate by the Head of Year.

● Tattoos should not be visible in school.

You are to take notice of any rules given from time to time by the Head/Assistant Head of Sixth Form in relation to particular items of clothing or appearance. Sixth Form students should not need to be constantly reminded about standards of dress and appearance and should set an example to younger students. The final arbiter of what is or is not acceptable dress or appearance is the Head/Assistant Head of Sixth Form.

Mobile Phones & Devices

Personal devices may not be used in lessons. Please make sure you bring your Surface Pro to school every day. Devices of any kind must never be used to photograph or record lessons without the teacher’s specific permission.

Mobile phones can be used in the Common Room only. At all other times, your phone should be out of sight and set to silent or airplane mode so as not to disturb lessons or activities. Headphones and ear-buds must

not be worn around school, particularly when walking in the corridors and staircases between lessons.

As Sixth Formers, we expect you to lead by example. Therefore you should never have your phone or headphones out in front of younger students, for example in the corridor or Student Café.

The BSN does not allow photographs taken on the premises, or on BSN business (like school trips), to be put on public platforms without the permission of the school. It is against school regulations for any student to use images of any school-related activity or to upload these onto social networking or file sharing sites.

Moving Forwards in the Sixth Form

Your teachers will monitor your progress on a very regular basis as you move through the year. They will provide regular feedback to you and your parents. If your teachers, or you personally, feel that you are struggling in any of your subjects, we have a range of people available across the Sixth Form Team who will be able to help guide and support you.

There are two reports and two parents’ evenings for Year 12 and Year 13. These are important opportunities for you, your parents and your teachers

to enter into a dialogue about how you are performing and how best you could improve. Consequently, we expect you to read and take note of comments on reports and to attend parents’ evenings with your parents with the purpose of discussing your progress with teachers.

Moving on

Our dedicated Careers Department will work closely with you in preparation for your future destinations. There is a programme of Careers sessions as part of the PSHE lessons and the Careers department will work with you individually as well.