Harris Academy Chobham - Sixth Form Prospectus 2022

PROUD OF OURSELVES, PROUD OF OUR SCHOOL

HARRIS ACADEMY CHOBHAM IS A SCHOOL WITH DRIVE AND AMBITION

Young people joining Chobham’s Sixth Form will receive an excellent education in stunning surroundings. Our teachers are dedicated and expert. The school environment is designed to allow high level study and all of our subjects are extremely well resourced. Chobham Sixth Formers can expect to be well taught, challenged and supported throughout their studies. We recognise that the leap from Year 11 to Year 12 can be considerable for many young people. At Chobham, our tutorial and pastoral systems help ensure that students adapt quickly and securely to their post 16 studies.

Alongside academic studies, we take the wider aspects of sixth form life very seriously.

Our aim is to help all of our Sixth Formers become confident young adults equipped with excellent social skills and a sound awareness of the world around them. We will actively seek to develop effective leadership skills in all of our Sixth Form students and our aim is to help young people to build their character and resilience.

Our enrichment programme is wide ranging. It aims to be stimulating, challenging and enjoyable; giving our students plenty to think about and preparing them to be global citizens of the twenty first century. As part of the enrichment programme, students will meet experts and speakers who will motivate and help prepare them for life beyond school. Trips, clubs, societies and social events also form key parts of our Sixth Form enrichment programme.

We very much hope that you will consider joining us in the Harris Academy Chobham Sixth Form. We will aim to provide you with a challenging, inspirational and successful two years.

Michael Whitworth Principal September 2022

SINCE OPENING IN 2013, HARRIS ACADEMY CHOBHAM HAS RAPIDLY DEVELOPED A REPUTATION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. OUR SIXTH FORM IS POPULAR AND VIBRANT WITH STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVING ENTRY TO RUSSELL GROUP AND OTHER LEADING UNIVERSITIES.

FROM THE HEAD OF SIXTH FORM

As a result of excellent teaching, and strong academic and pastoral support, our young people achieve excellent results, irrespective of their differing starting points.

In the nine years since Chobham opened, 81% of our Year 13 students have accepted places at university with 17% of them attending Russell Group universities including King’s College London, UCL and LSE, and 75% of our 2022 alumni are applying for at least one Russell Group university. Other students have undertaken higher level apprenticeships and have embarked on demanding and prestigious school leaver programmes with organisations such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Mazars. All students benefit from small group tutorials with their UCAS mentor, as well as subject specific tutor groups in Year 13, and one-to-one meetings with our careers advisor to ensure that they are making the best possible choices for their futures. We also offer vocational qualifications to complement the range of A Levels currently provided which allows our young people to access an even wider range of career pathways on leaving the Academy.

In addition to securing students’ academic success, we want Harris Academy Chobham Sixth Form to be a community where our young people and their parents feel valued and where their voices are heard.

Academically, Chobham has a great deal to offer. At the heart of our Sixth Form is the belief that all students have the potential to achieve great success and we are proud of our excellent standard of teaching across all subjects. Our professional, dedicated and hardworking staff, consistently encourage and guide students of all abilities into achieving their very best academically. In turn, we expect the highest levels of effort, commitment and achievement from our students.

We also place great emphasis on student’s personal development. Opportunities abound for students to meet new people, build confidence and broaden their experiences. Through a varied and exciting enrichment programme, students are given the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge outside of the classroom.

Suzie Rees Head of Sixth Form

Harris Academy Chobham Sixth Form

welcomes students who wish to fulfil their true potential and take the next steps towards a happy and successful adult life.

A consistently high quality of post 16 teaching

Harris Academy Chobham teachers are subject specialists working in a school deemed Outstanding by Ofsted. We ensure that all of our post 16 teachers are fully up to date with the examination requirements of their subject. Our broad curriculum ensures we can meet the learning preferences, career and university ambitions of students.

Russell Group Application Support

Students at Chobham have exclusive access to Harris Experience Advanced and Russell Group+. These programmes support them to make strong applications to the most competitive universities, including Oxford, Cambridge and medical school.

Helping you to achieve all you are capable of At Harris Academy Chobham all students are supported in being the best they can be, both in and out of the classroom. Our A Level students make excellent progress, achieving higher grades than those expected of them when they began their courses.

Leadership Programme

Chobham’s leadership development programme for Sixth Formers helps prepare you for your future career and also provides you with vital skills to help manage your life.

A ‘pre university’ atmosphere

We recognise the importance of using the two years of sixth form to help prepare our students for university and their careers beyond. To this end privileges and responsibilities are balanced so that all students become more able to study independently and more confident in their social skills.

A school sixth form

Our Sixth Form gives students plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their independence however we recognise that young people between the ages of 16 and 18 still need support too. Our Sixth Form team will make sure that you take on more responsibility for your own learning gradually as you are ready to do so. You will never be cast adrift or left to study without structure.

A broad cultural enrichment programme

All students are encouraged to take part in our enrichment programme which includes guest speakers, visits to concerts, galleries, museums and sports. As well as having an interesting and enjoyable time, enrichment helps make you a stronger all round candidate for leading universities and employers. All students are also supported in reading widely around their chosen subjects.

At Harris Academy Chobham we are committed to providing all of our Sixth Form students with outstanding provision in the following areas:

The best guidance for careers and university applications

Our record in achieving Russell Group university places for our students is excellent. Chobham staff are expert in helping you through the UCAS process. The general support we offer is supplemented by specialist guidance for those applying to study law or medicine and for students applying to Oxbridge.

Life beyond school

We organise visits to high profile workplaces and the enrichment programme includes a range of inspiring speakers representing professions like banking, economics and journalism.

A dynamic community

Chobham Sixth Form is a diverse community of young people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. A mix of students who studied at Chobham in Year 11 and those who joined us from other schools at the start of Year 12 helps ensure that our Sixth Formers meet new people and make new friendships.

The Chobham Sixth Form is based upon the belief that all of our students can succeed and that, in partnership, students and the school can help all young people reach their full potential.

CULTURE AND ETHOS

We recognise that academic achievement is the most fundamental aspect of any successful sixth form and so we place great emphasis on the quality of post 16 lessons and in supporting students with their private study. We have two dedicated sixth form learning mentors whose roles are to support students in their studies.

We also recognise the importance of the wider learning environment. Sixth Formers at Chobham are provided with a high quality library and plenty of study facilities. An atmosphere of self-reliance, curiosity and hard work is encouraged. In the Sixth Form we aim to achieve a ‘pre university’ atmosphere. Students are supported in thinking about and planning for their futures beyond school with comprehensive university application and careers support programmes.

It is also important to develop young people’s wider skills and personality during their time in the Sixth Form. All students are expected to engage in sports and exercise and to carry out work in the local community.

We encourage a high emphasis on good behaviour, responsibility and mutual support between students.

Sixth Formers are encouraged to work with and support younger students in tutorials and, sometimes, in their lessons. There is a Sixth Form Committee which organises charitable events and provides leadership to students throughout the Academy. We also have a Head Boy and Girl who provide exemplary role models within the Academy as well as representing Chobham at parents’ meetings and external functions.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH TOP UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES AND ARTS INSTITUTIONS

These relationships give our Sixth Formers meaningful opportunities and access to facilities, contacts, experiences and advice that are simply not found elsewhere. We are continuing to build our partnerships all the time, but some of the organisations our Sixth Formers work with include King’s College London, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), Cambridge University, Goldsmiths, The University of East London and London Southbank University.

For those interested in the arts we have also developed links with leading theatre companies and arts institutions including the Royal Shakespeare Company and LAMDA.

EXPECTATIONS OF SIXTH FORM STUDENTS

We offer our Sixth Formers great opportunities at Chobham. In return however there are responsibilities and we have expectations which all of our students should meet. These expectations are hopefully not onerous and they help to make Chobham a better place for all members of our community. The standards we expect from our Sixth Form are also good for you as they help prepare you for what will be expected in the workplace and allow you to put something back into our community.

All of our Sixth Formers are role models for younger students in the Academy and all are leaders. Younger students will look up to you and will often take a lead from the way you behave. We expect all Sixth Formers to be polite and well behaved around the Academy. In the Library and other study areas, Sixth Formers are expected to demonstrate good learning habits. Often, Sixth Formers will find themselves working with younger students (perhaps at a charitable event or school performance). On these occasions the Sixth Formers must always be aware of their responsibility to encourage younger students and to set a positive example.

CAREERS GUIDANCE AND MENTORING

We place great emphasis on supporting and guiding our Sixth Formers as they prepare for successful futures. We believe the quality of study support and guidance students receive at Chobham sets us apart from other schools and colleges.

Each Sixth Former will have an Academic Tutor who is responsible for a small group of students and is the first point of contact for advice and support on learning and other issues. Mentoring is also provided on an individual basis and there is specialist support with the preparation of university applications, CVs and other processes our students need to follow to secure the next stage of their education or training.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Our broad range of extracurricular activities includes art, drama and debating societies and a range of choirs, bands and orchestras.

Fitness classes, gym training, tennis, chess, dance and netball are just some of the sporting activities Sixth Formers are able to try their hand at.

We want every Sixth Former to have the chance to shine. Whenever there is demand for a new club or activity, we always try to find a way to make it happen.

DRESS CODE

The Chobham Sixth Form is a professional environment and we expect students to dress accordingly. In our dress code, students come to school in business wear. This means a suit and tie or a smart dress which would be appropriate in a workplace together with a smart jacket suitable for business wear. Feedback from students’ suggests that they enjoy coming to school looking smart and professional.

IS THERE A COURSE FOR ME?

With a wide range of A Levels and vocational qualifications most young people will find a course they are eligible for at Chobham. We believe our broad and varied curriculum also provides a range of courses to interest and inspire young people.

HOW TO APPLY

All Chobham Year 11 students are entitled to enter the Sixth Form so long as they meet the entry requirements for their chosen course(s).

External candidates can access the application form on the Harris Academy Chobham website with the application form remaining open throughout the academic year. All applicants will hear from the Sixth Form team in relation to their application and successful candidates will be given the opportunity to visit the school for a Sixth Form Taster Day in June/July. Please note that all successful applicants will receive conditional offers for places at Harris Academy Chobham as offers will be subject to their GCSE results and applicants will be required to attend a meeting at Harris Academy Chobham on GCSE results day to confirm their place in the Sixth Form.

PART OF THE SUCCESSFUL HARRIS FEDERATION

The Harris Federation is a not-for-profit charity with nearly 52 academies in London and Essex. The founder and Chairman of the Harris Federation is Lord Harris of Peckham. His vision of delivering happy and successful education is brought to life by an excellent team of teachers and leaders.

The Federation regularly tops academic studies and national league tables measuring performance. Almost all Harris secondary academies are judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Harris Sixth Forms are diverse, offering students a series of very different, but equally ambitious, routes for their future. And Harris sixth formers are remarkably successful at progressing to the most prestigious universities – winning places at Oxford, Cambridge and other Russell Group universities at a rate of more than twice the national average – as well as top apprenticeships and competitive vocational courses.

We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

In addition to running schools, the Harris Federation provides high quality training and professional development for teachers throughout this part of England.

Follow @HarrisFed on Twitter to stay updated.