Sixth Form student handbook 2017

COMBERTON SIXTH FORM HANDBOOK 2017 IMPORTANT AND USEFUL INFORMATION FOR SIXTH FORM STUDENTS

Contents The Sixth Form Leadership Team

Page 3

College Contact Information

Page 3

The College Day

Page 3

Daily Timetable

Page 3

Daily Registration

Page 3

Ethos

Page 4

Attendance

Page 4

Illness/Absence Procedure

Page 5

Academic Progress and Work

Page 5

Private Study

Page 5

Working at Home

Page 6

Progression onto Year 13

Page 6

Part-time employment

Page 6

Assessment

Page 6

Course Changes

Page 6

The Tutor Programme

Page 7

Assemblies and Briefings

Page 7

Sixth Form Facilities

Page 7

Sixth Form Leadership Opportunities

Page 8

Examination Entry Policy

Page 8

Sixth Form Disciplinary Policy

Page 9

Lower Sixth Calendar 2015-2016

Page 10

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The Sixth Form Leadership Team Lorna Conroy - Head of Sixth Form Irayna Owen - Deputy Head of Sixth Form (Student Support) Stephen Leggott - Deputy Head of Sixth Form (Higher Education) Jeremy Frost - Deputy Head of Sixth Form (Leadership & Guidance) Hannah Powell - Deputy Head of Sixth Form (Most Able & Talented) Sarah Thomas - Post-16 Manager Susan Hordern - Sixth Form Administrator

College Contact Information Comberton Sixth Form College West Street Comberton Cambridgeshire CB3 7DU Telephone: 01223 265470 Email address: enquires@combertonsixthform.org The College Day The teaching day begins at 8.50am and ends at 2.50 pm. However, the college will be open for study from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm. Students are permitted to leave the college when they are not required to be in a timetabled lesson or in a meeting with a member of staff.

Daily Timetable Period 1 Period 2 Break Period 3 Period 4 Lunch Period 5 Period 6

8.50am – 9.40am 9.40am – 10.30am 10:30am – 10.50am 10.50am – 11.40am 11.40am – 12.30pm 12.30pm – 1.10pm 1.10pm – 2.00pm 2.00pm – 2.50pm

Daily Registration It is a legal requirement that you are registered at least once daily: this will be done during your subject lessons.

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Ethos o

Our Environment

We are all extremely fortunate to be able to work in an outstanding Sixth Form environment; please do all that you can to ensure we keep it in the best condition possible.

Please do not drop litter anywhere.

If you are aware of any damage, spillage or accidents let a member of the Sixth Form Leadership Team know straightaway.

o

Work Ethic

We expect all students to work hard and to the best of their ability, meeting all set deadlines. All lessons are compulsory.

o Conduct The Sixth Form is a place of learning and students are expected to behave in a manner that is polite and respectful to members of staff, the facilities, and each other. o

Dress Code

Students are not expected to wear a uniform, all we ask is that you wear something and that it doesn’t offend anyone: more seriously, we do expect that you dress appropriately for a place of learning. o

Support

If at any point in your time at Comberton you need additional support it is readily available by contacting either your tutor or Irayna Owen.

Attendance Students are expected to attend ALL timetabled lessons, including Enrichment, Tutor periods and Assemblies.

Significant mitigating factors apart, we expect a minimum attendance rate of 90%.  

Seek to make all medical and dental appointments outside lesson time; this is one reason for engineering a college day that ends by 3pm Do not make appointments for such things as driving lessons and hair appointments during the college day

Do remember that all Universities and employers will ask for attendance rates in references we supply.

Holidays should not be taken during term time.

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Illness/Absence procedure If you are unexpectedly and unavoidably absent you must contact Iain Grant, Attendance Officer, on the day of absence, either by telephone (01223 265470) or by email (attendance@combertonvc.org).You must also contact your subject teachers to ask for any work missed.

If you arrive late for your lessons or need to leave college early you must sign in or out using the book in the sixth form admin office.

If you are planning to be absent from college (perhaps on religious grounds or for a hospital appointment) you must inform Ian Grant and your subject teachers prior to the absence.

Academic Progress and Work As you are now volunteers, not conscripts, your commitment to study is assumed!

Students are expected to make effective use of private study periods and to do some homework or additional reading each night and at weekends.

For a student studying A-level subjects, 15 hours a week (outside lessons) of additional private study is a reasonable target, if you are to maximise your potential. An equivalent amount is required of BTEC students wishing to achieve the highest grades.

Students will always have work to do. You will always be able to do the following in addition to set homework tasks:         

Prepare revision summaries Read appropriate sections of textbooks Read around your subjects generally Supplement your notes from lessons Revise as you go along; make note summaries or postcards Learn–as-you-go Look at past examination papers to see how questions relate to the topics you learn Identify weaker areas and take positive steps to conquer them Use libraries and watch suitable and relevant TV programmes as well as reading quality, broadsheet newspapers

As examinations approach, the workload will increase, but there is no substitute for regular work and revision during the year.

Private Study   

The hardest challenge is invariably managing private study The library/resource centre and independent learning area are available to you from 7.30am to 6.00pm every day The library area is for quiet study only

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  

The independent study area is for productive work with consultation, BUT no food drink or idle chat during lesson times The Lecture Theatre is also available for silent private study, when not in use The Core is available for relaxation and socialising for the minority of your free time, but you are also very welcome to work in there, with network points, wi-fi and tables to encourage this

Working at Home You can never claim to have done all of your work.

Successful students seek to:        

Complete all assignments on time Re-read all notes made in lessons Read widely around the specification Set yourself learning targets and complete them Use your diary Use past papers – do additional questions Ask teachers, friends and relatives for help Feel as though you have earned your leisure time

Progression on to Year 13 In order for students to progress into Year 13 they must have achieved an appropriate standard in Year 12. For students following a BTEC course this is the completion of all the tasks set. For students studying for A-Levels it means achieving at least a C grade in the Progression Exam at the end of year 12.

Part-Time Employment This can be useful to students in many ways. However, experience suggests adherence to the following: - Students should work no more than 15 hours per week in term time - No paid employment may be undertaken during the timetabled day

Assessment Throughout the two years you will receive 4 Progress checks and one full report. These will be emailed to you and your parents.

Course Changes Once your timetable is established DO NOT make any changes, without doing the following: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Discuss the issue with your parents.

Talk to the subject teacher to establish the difficulty and assess your potential Seek the advice of your Academic Tutor Discuss the situation with Mrs Conroy or a Deputy Head of Sixth Form, who will make the final decision with you and inform other parties 5. Complete the relevant form 6

The Tutor Programme Students are supported by their Academic Tutors and the Sixth Form Leadership Team. The tutor programme provides students with regular contact time with their tutor to explore and support a variety of important activities including:      

Monitoring academic progress and target setting Applications to further education or University Financial planning Applications for employment and techniques to ensure success Student health and well-being Making a success of Sixth Form Studies and examination techniques

Assemblies and Briefings In addition to the tutor programme, students have an Assembly once a week, which will be used to support the tutor programme. Attendance is compulsory.

Sixth Form Facilities The Core     

Exclusively yours The fabric, furniture, amenities & decoration are all your responsibility Your Sixth Form fund supports this and more.

Keep it clean and tidy Respect is key

Independent Study This is a place for quiet work. Food and drink are only permitted during break and lunchtime and talking should be kept to a minimum so as not to disrupt other students’ learning.

Lecture Theatre The 180 seat Lecture Theatre is used for many different purposes. A number of lessons are taught in it, the film club runs regular film evenings in it, and assemblies also take place there. When it is not being used you are welcome to work silently in it.

Lockers Lockers are provided for students. They are allocated to individual students at the start of the year. There is a rental fee of £6.00 per locker.

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Parking Parking for motorcycles and cars is limited and only available if you have been issued with a permit. As a general rule parking permits are only issued to Year 13 students and Year 12 students who cannot easily access the college by public transport.

There is a plentiful supply of cycle racks near to the Sixth Form Centre, please remember to lock your bike securely.

Sixth Form Leadership Opportunities There are a wealth of leadership positions available to Comberton Sixth Form Students.

The Student Presidents hold the prestigious position at the top of the leadership hierarchy. They play a key role in both the Sixth Form and Comberton Village College as a whole. Working alongside the Presidents are a number of Vice Presidents and sixth form ambassadors.

The Social Committee work with Mrs Owen to organise key social events.

The Community Committee will work with Richard Waller on developing links with the community and on organising charity and fund-raising events.

Subject ambassadors play a key role within departments.

Examination Entry Policy It is our normal practice to enter all our students, at the College’s expense, for all examinations for which we have prepared them. This also applies to GCSE re-sit examinations in English and Mathematics.

Re-sit examinations are available in AS/A2-Level modular courses. Students will only be entered for re-sit examinations at parents’/students’ expense.

In the exceptional case of a student not achieving our minimum attendance expectation of 90% or failing to prepare adequately, we reserve the right not to make the entry. This will always be discussed with the student and parents who will then have the option to make the entry at their own expense.

The Head of Sixth Form can agree to enter a student for an additional examination for which the school has not provided preparation; in such a case the entry will normally be made at the parents’/student’s expense.

All students will be given a comprehensive course of study and coping skills as part of the tutorial programme.

Most students will appreciate support and encouragement from home.

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Sixth Form Disciplinary Policy.

How will we respond to serious and/or continued misconduct or lack of effort?

A student will receive a verbal warning from their Academic Tutor, subject teacher, or Head of Department.

Notification that this has been given will be sent to your Academic Tutor to log.

If the poor behaviour or lack of effort persists, the Head of Department and Academic Tutor will liaise with a member of the Sixth Form Leadership Team, and parents will be contacted. If necessary, a Level 1 Contract of Study will be negotiated, consisting of a written warning and targets for improvement. Parents will be sent a copy of the contract.

In the event of further poor behaviour or lack of effort, a meeting will be convened between the student, parent(s), a member of the Sixth Form Leadership Team and the Academic Tutor. It may be appropriate to negotiate a Level 2 Contract of Study which sets out specific conditions for the student’s continuance in Sixth Form.

Contracts of Study will be reviewed regularly.

A single serious breach of behaviour expectations could result in a student being required to remain at home pending enquiries into the incident. A return to college will be contingent upon a re-admission interview. It may be appropriate to invite parent(s) to attend this interview.

In the rare instance where a student repeatedly fails to meet the expectations outlined in the Sixth Form Code of Conduct this could, in the final instance, result in a student having their place at Comberton Sixth Form withdrawn. In this case, a student would have the right of appeal.

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Sixth Form Calendar 2017-2018 AUTUMN TERM Mon 4th September – Year 12 Induction Day Tues 5th September – Lessons start for Year 12 and 13 Thurs 14th September – Year 12 Introductory Parents’ Evening Monday 2nd October - Year 12 Transition Report Thurs 5th October – Training Day, no lessons Thurs 19th October - Year 13 Progress Check 3 Mon 23rd October – Friday 27th October – Half Term Thurs 2nd November – Sixth Form Open Evening, no afternoon lessons Thurs 9th November – Year 12 Progress Check 1 Thurs 23rd November – Year 12 Parents’ Evening Fri 1st December – Training Day, no lessons Fri 15th December – Autumn Term Closes SPRING TERM Mon 2nd January – Training Day, no lessons Tues 3rd January – Spring Term Opens Thurs 25th January - Year 13 Parents' Evening Mon 12th – Fri 16th February – Half Term Thurs 1st March - Year 12 Progress Check 2 Thurs 22nd March – Year 13 Progress Check 4 Thurs 29th March – Spring Term Closes SUMMER TERM Mon 16th April – Training Day, no lessons Tues 17th April – Summer Term Opens Mon 7th May – May Bank Holiday Mon 28th May - Friday 1st June - Half Term Mon 9th - Friday 13th July - Futures' Week Thurs 12th June - Yr12 End of Year Reports Thurs 21st July – Summer Term Closes Thurs 16th August – A-Level Results Day 10