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“The numerous opportunities provided to me at KES have allowed me to gain a place at medical school. The teachers work tirelessly to provide students with the best possible education, giving them the best possible future.” Holly Myers, studying medicine at the University of East Anglia
Contents Welcome 7 Introduction 9 Life in the sixth form 11 Your courses / Study time / Teaching facilities / Welfare and support 12 Courses and subjects 14 Entry requirements 16 How to apply 20 Cultural activites / The house system 21 Sport and recreation 22 Other opportunities at sixth form 25 The Queen’s Gold Medal 6
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Welcome
Welcome to King Edward VII Academy Sixth Form. Learning in the sixth form will no doubt present you with some of the very best days of your life. At KES Academy, we understand how to get the best from you as a student and we have a rich history of doing so. We know that you will want a balance of support and freedom, where you are guided to find your own path and ideas. University is the destination for almost all of our students and we know that we will prepare you to succeed in the world of independent learning and research. We believe that we can offer you a deeper, more diverse experience than many other centres, through enrichment, a broad range of options and the opportunity to undertake the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Learning is a gift that will remain with you for life, long beyond sixth form and university. It will enrich your career, family life and personal interests. We know at KES Academy that the syllabus for a subject is just the starting point. We offer an inspirational setting within which to explore wider ideas, share our reading, socialise and enjoy time together. I feel that we succeed in igniting a passion for learning in our sixth form students because our highly-qualified and experienced staff share this passion. I look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the King Edward VII Academy Sixth Form. Craig Morrison Executive Principal
CWA Academy Trust is a multi-academy trust founded by the College of West Anglia, an established high quality provider of education with campuses in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Our family of academies helps us fulfil our desire to establish a vibrant education system that inspires young people and supports economic development of the region. As a successful education provider we believe we can contribute to all phases of education within our local community, focussing on raising standards and improving transition and progression for every child. Like all strong families, the CWA Academy Trust family of academies seeks to offer mutual support to one another, develop shared learning and understanding, collaborate to achieve better outcomes, recognise unique qualities and differences, be positive and aspirational, focus on the successes of individuals and develop a culture of healthy competition. David Pomfret Chief Executive CWA Academy Trust
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Introduction
King Edward VII Academy Sixth Form has a proud history of supporting our students to become successful and achieve excellent examination results. This can be seen by the number of Norfolk Scholars we produce, one of the highest in the county. In addition to a programme of more than 25 courses, you can enjoy the chance to take part in enhanced leadership opportunities, as well as contributing to our house system. Building strong partnerships with parents is an essential feature of our work, and our organisational systems seek to ensure that parents are fully involved in the learning process. At KES Academy Sixth Form, you are given the support required to succeed in gaining a place at the university of your choice, including Oxford, Cambridge and other universities in the Russell Group.
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Life in the sixth form
The sixth form is part of the main academy and teaching takes place in classrooms around the academy. There is a well-equipped dedicated sixth form study room, overseen by a dedicated member of staff, containing computers and printers, with spaces for 85 students. Sixth formers are welcome in the academy library for private study, with Year 13 students timetabled for registered study periods, as are Year 12 to a lesser extent. We have student councils for Years 12 and 13 to put forward their views on the running of the sixth form and to contribute to the academy council. Students and parents can find support, and ask questions, from the experienced staff in the sixth form office, including the heads of Years 12 and 13, and support team.
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Your courses
We recognise that our students are unique and therefore aim to offer you flexibility in your choice of study programme. You have the option of studying either three or four subjects at A-level with the additional option of completing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and/or a leadership qualification. We believe this offers you the best choice in terms of breadth of study while allowing you the opportunity to focus on a narrower range of subjects should this best meet your needs. During sixth form the majority of your time will be spent in lessons and other timetabled activities, but there is also study time enabling you to follow your own research; you are actively encouraged to plan your own study time. All courses are linear, allowing you to build your knowledge across the two years of the A-level course before taking your examinations. There is an extensive range of opportunities outside of the academic courses offered. Each September we hold a freshers’ fair where you can sign up to a range of activities including: becoming a prefect and subject leader; debate club; Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a host of trips. We benefit from a number of outside speakers coming into sixth form, such as representatives from major charities or an international diplomat involved in the Middle East. We expect at least 95% attendance and family holidays should not be taken during term time. If difficulties arise please contact the director of sixth form as soon as possible.
Study time
Sixth form study is much more testing than studying GCSEs and it is vital that you commit fully. Hence, we require you to accept the following expectations: • In Year 12 the timetable will total 24 periods, consisting of timetabled periods for lessons, private study and other initiatives (either EPQ or leadership modules) • In Year 13 the usual timetable is comprised of either 3 or 4 subjects. During the academy week we require that you top your studies up to 24 periods by committing to timetabled study in the sixth form study room Homework in the sixth form is more than just completing the work set; additional reading for all subjects is essential for good grades.
Teaching facilities
The academy has excellent classroom facilities, including: well-equipped science laboratories; modern computing facilities in a dedicated sixth form study room; a well-equipped sports hall and gym; advanced technology supporting modern languages; a teaching block for maths and a pleasant, wellstocked library where you can undertake private study.
Welfare and support
You will have a personal tutor who will assist you through your life in the sixth form. Your personal tutor will help you stay on track to meet your goals, both within individual subjects and with your preparations for exams and UCAS application for universities. The wider sixth form team will work to support you and the sixth form office is always open to anyone who needs help. Like all sixth forms and colleges, KES Academy is in receipt of a bursary fund to support students from low income families. These funds can be used to help contribute towards travel costs, cost of academy trips, academy meals (using a cashless catering system), stationery and any necessary books or revision materials extra to those paid for by department budgets.
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Courses and subjects
King Edward VII Academy Sixth Form specialises in the study of A-levels. A-levels A-levels are one of the main routes to higher education and university, although they are also useful if you want to go straight into employment. We give you free choice of subjects: there are no formal option blocks. We shall advise you, when we make conditional offers from mid-January onwards, if we cannot accommodate your combination of choices. When confirming your place at KES Academy Sixth Form you will need to select at least three A-levels, you may also select a fourth option: either a further A-level, the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or a leadership qualification. When you arrive in September you will enrol and follow lessons in your subject choices. At the end of four weeks we will make you a formal offer by letter, which will be accepted by a signature from you and a parent/carer. This period of four weeks before the formal offer is made is designed to give you the chance to ensure that you have selected the right subjects for you and request changes if necessary.
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Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) In addition to your subject choices, you will have the option to complete an Extended Project Qualification. The Extended Project Qualification aims to inspire, enthuse and motivate by giving you the freedom to complete a project in a subject you are studying or in an area of personal interest. It’s a standalone qualification worth up to 28 UCAS points. It can also be taken as a component of an academic or vocational programme. As you have the freedom to select your subject, it can support a practical, work-related approach to learning or be an extension of your A-level studies. Why we offer the EPQ: • It provides you with the skills required for higher education, by encouraging independent study, critical thinking and teamwork • It can help you ‘stand out from the crowd’ when applying for university • It gives you flexibility and choice in the selection of your project topic, how you tailor it to fit your individual needs and how you present the final outcome. Undertaking the EPQ encourages you to become a confident user of, and apply appropriate technologies, in your studies. It’s ideal for improving transferable skills such as planning, research, analysis and evaluation. What universities say: “We welcome the introduction of the Extended Project Qualification and would encourage applicants to undertake one as it will help to develop independent study and research skills, which will ease the transition from school/college to higher education.” University of Cambridge “The university very much values the Extended Project Qualification and its role in preparing students for a successful higher education experience. In highly selective areas preference may be given to students with A-levels, who also offer the EPQ for entry.” University of Glasgow
Community Leadership Award You will have the option to follow the Level 2 Award in Community Leadership; a nationally recognised qualification. This enables successful learners to lead unsupervised groups of people in a range of activities and involves you attending timetabled leadership tuition sessions (one hour per week) and engaging for one hour per week in your chosen leadership activity. A level 3 qualification will be introduced for Year 13, an accreditation which also carries UCAS points. We also offer advanced leadership opportunities in Year 13, which are stepping stones for students wishing to pursue PE, sport or coaching courses at university.
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Entry requirements
We require a minimum of five GCSEs at grades A* to C in five different subjects, including English language and maths at grade 5 or above. We require four of your subjects to be at B grade/grade 6 or above. We do accept equivalent level two qualifications, such as BTEC and OCR Nationals, but they will only count as one grade as we look for achievement in five separate disciplines. We reserve the right to make exceptions to these conditions through the discretion of our governing body, who will consider any exceptional personal circumstances upon application by the student concerned. There is a further right of appeal to the Norfolk Admissions Team. For full details on entry requirements please visit kesacademy.co.uk
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Subjects
GCSE required in the subject
Minimum grade required
Art and Design: Fine Art
Yes
B
Art and Design: Photography
Yes
C
Biology
Yes
B
Business Studies*
No
Chemistry
Yes
Classical Civilisation
No
Computing
Yes
Design Technology: Graphic Products
No
Design Technology: Product Design
No
Drama and Theatre Studies
No
Economics*
No
English Language
Yes
6
English Literature
Yes
6
French
Yes
B
Geography
Yes
B
German
Yes
B
History
Yes
B
Information and Communication Technology
No
Mathematics
Yes
6
Further Mathematics
Yes
7
Music
Yes
C
Auditions may be required
Physical Education
No
Physics
Yes
B
Minimum of a grade 6 in GCSE Maths is also required
Psychology
No
Religious Studies: Philosophy and Ethics
No
Sociology
No
Spanish
Yes
B
B
B
*Important notice It is possible to study both Business Studies and Economics, but the overlap between the courses may be too significant to make them distinct options for some universities.
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How to apply
Apply online at helpyouchoose.org Applications are welcome at any time, but the first cut off is the end of the autumn term and offers of places will be made from early January of the following year. We hold an ‘Entering the Sixth Form’ evening in November, which is your opportunity to visit each subject and find out what sixth form study involves. Please check kesacademy.co.uk for times and dates.
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Cultural activities
Events and clubs vary from year to year but have included: • A weekly current affairs quiz between tutor groups • Art visits • Debating competitions between houses and an economics club • Drama productions and theatre trips, academy musicals, music-making from baroque strings to rock bands • Poetry writing • Public speaking, general knowledge and business and enterprise competitions with regular success in national and regional events
The house system
KES Academy has a thriving house system, which creates and encourages opportunity for competition for all students in the academy, including the sixth form. On entry to the academy or sixth form you are placed in one of four houses: • Edinburgh/York • Gloucester/Windsor • Lancaster/School • Keene/Thoresby You have the opportunity throughout the year to represent your house in a range of events. Competitions are usually held on a Friday afternoon, after the academy day has finished, and cover an array of activities, including: football, netball, hockey, dodgeball, table tennis and cross country, as well as the annual sports day and swimming gala. Away from the sports field, there are competitions in art, music and languages, a modern foreign languages spelling bee, chess and cooking. The overall winners each year receive the Dornay Cup, a trophy steeped in the history of the academy; there are individual prizes for achievement, participation and commitment to the house.
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Sport and recreation
At KES Academy we have a superbly equipped sports hall, a new multi-use games area and floodlit tennis courts with a tennis pavilion. Our expertise in this area is built upon a long term county-wide reputation in many sports. In football we run first, second and third teams in school leagues, the County Cup and the National U18 Cup. If there is sufficient interest we will organise a tour. In rugby we enter the National Daily Mail Cup and play friendlies, whilst in netball we enter a team (the Pink Ladies) in the local adult league. We also enter teams of girls and boys in hockey at county level and enter the English Schools’ Basketball competition. There is an expanding tennis programme for both boys and girls and we have successfully introduced a cricket academy, which provides the opportunity to gain coaching qualifications, play prestigious fixtures and attend a ten day tour to Barbados. We work very closely on joint programmes with King’s Lynn Football Club, West Norfolk Rugby Club, Pelicans Hockey Club and Fury Basketball Club. We also offer a number of national coaching and officiating qualifications in a wide range of sports. Many students take the Sports Leaders UK Level 2 Award in Community Sports Leadership in Year 12, which leads into the Step into Sport volunteer programme. A level three qualification has been introduced for Year 13, an accreditation which also carries UCAS points. We also offer advanced leadership opportunities in Year 13, which are stepping stones for those students wishing to pursue PE, sport or coaching courses at university. Students are encouraged to take the Duke of Edinburgh Award’s at Bronze and Silver levels and each year we have had a group of sixth formers who gain the Gold Award in association with the programme run at the College of West Anglia. We have developed international links and have partnered with schools in China, Nigeria and the USA. We offer opportunities to visit and experience new cultures, whilst developing leadership and coaching skills.
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Other opportunities at sixth form Creative arts
There are plenty of opportunities for you to take part in the musical and dramatic life of the academy. Lessons are available in a wide variety of instruments (orchestral and popular), from our peripatetic teachers at a very modest charge. It is hoped that competent performers will join the academy ensembles. Singers are encouraged to join the choir and musicals are becoming established in the academy. Any sixth form band will be able to play in concerts, assemblies and at gig nights. After-academy rehearsals can be arranged in the department. Drama productions take place throughout the year and sixth form students are welcome to help the younger students in their free periods.
Responsibility and service You may be chosen for the responsibility of becoming a prefect, which will allow you to contribute to the efficient running of the academy. We encourage sixth formers to be actively involved: • As leaders or participants in our house competitions • In wide ranging community service/Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme both inside and outside the academy • In playing a leading part in the many charity fund-raising activities • In a range of leadership programmes, which lead to a nationally recognised qualification We are pleased to be affiliated with one of King’s Lynn’s Rotary Clubs, who encourage charitable giving through their support of the KES Interact club. Students in the sixth form also serve the academy by training with the Samaritans to support the younger students. Sixth formers are significant role models and ‘the listeners’ as they are known, are selected from the student body. Sixth formers also help to safeguard students during breaks and lunches and as learning leaders in the classroom.
Support of charities The sixth form is active in raising money for many local causes, including the Purfleet Trust in King’s Lynn, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the Big C and Macmillan Cancer. The Interact Club, the junior arm of Rotary at the KES Academy, also raise funds for worthy causes such as Children in Need and the Samaritan’s Purse. One example of this was when senior prefects and the Interact Club organised a coffee morning and raised £2500 for the fight against cancer in a single day. Sixth formers baked and donated cakes with a group of them spending the evening before baking together in the food technology classrooms.
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The Queen’s Gold Medal
Each year the Queen personally awards the Royal Gold Medal to the student with the best A-level results, a tradition which goes back without a break to 1864. Previous winners include: • Hannah Hodges, winner in 2015, who is studying modern languages at Oxford University • Zane Tham, winner in 2014, who is studying medicine at University College London; Zane was also named West Norfolk’s student of the year at the Lynn News Education Awards • Xuesong Yu, winner in 2013, who studied maths at Imperial College London • Andrew Cole, winner in 2012, who studied medicine at University College London • Tom Clark, winner in 2011, who studied history at Peterhouse, Cambridge In 2016, 70% of KES Academy Sixth Form students achieved A*-C grades and all of our students went on to higher education or an apprenticeship in a wide range of institutions and disciplines.
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Gaywood Road, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2QB Telephone: 01553 773 606 Email: office@kesacademy.co.uk www.kesacademy.co.uk
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