park hall sixth form Park Hall Sixth Form
progress through partnership
As Principal I am genuinely excited by the opportunities that are available in our Sixth Form. Our established record of success at this level goes hand in hand with an ambitious vision for the future of the Sixth Form and the experience it offers our students. Park Hall Sixth Form prides itself on its strong sense of community and an ethos built upon teamwork and mutual respect. Our sixth formers thrive in an environment that provides both high levels of support and guidance as well as an increased emphasis on independent learning.
welcome to park hall Welcome to Park Hall Sixth Form
The role of Park Hall Sixth Form has never been more important. Our sixth formers provide important role models for students throughout the school and we encourage all of our students to ‘give something back’ to the wider school community. The school council, vertical tutor groups, sports leadership programmes and musical productions are just some examples of school initiatives that have benefited from the qualities of leadership offered by members of our Sixth Form.
A Reputation for Success Park Hall Sixth Form has a long standing reputation for offering a highly successful range of A level and vocational A level courses. Successive OFSTED inspections have recognized the good quality of teaching in the Sixth Form and the positive attitudes of our Sixth Form students. We are justly proud of our students’ success and know that we have a well established and successful approach to Sixth Form life. Our move to the new school building has meant that the breadth and quality of provision for prospective sixth formers is greater than ever before with students choosing from our widest ever range of courses.
reputation for success The Sixth Form Curriculum We update our Sixth Form curriculum every year in response to the strengths and talents of our students. Students can once again choose from a range of level 3 qualifications studying a combination of 3 to 4 A levels or a BTEC National qualification (equivalent to 3 A levels). Students may also have the opportunity to study a combination of A levels and BTEC qualifications. All such level 3 courses can lead on to study at university. Access to all level 3 courses requires the achievement of 5 A* to C grades at GCSE (including Maths and English) as well as a good record of attendance and behaviour.
These are exciting times for Park Hall Sixth Form. Our new ‘state of the art’ school building, complete with its ‘cyber-café’ for Sixth Form students, opened its doors to students for the first time in November 2008. Park Hall’s sixth formers, with their established reputation for generating a warm and friendly learning community, were uppermost in the thoughts of the school’s architects when the school was initially designed. The new Park Hall was designed in consultation with our sixth formers. A large independent study area and a separate Sixth Form Cyber Cafe entrance are just two of the features that have been incorporated into the building. A Sixth Form terrace and garden, adjacent to the cyber cafe, has also been developed to provide our Sixth Form students with an outdoor space of their own in which to work, relax and socialize.
the future is bright The Future is bright
Our current Sixth Form students have a major role to play in all aspects of Sixth Form life and the life of the school as a whole. Through marketing and promotional work; film-making and photography; sports leadership and work experience, Park Hall sixth formers are a significant and positive driving force in the school and the local community. If you want more out of the Sixth Form experience – an opportunity to work as part of a team; to make new friends outside as well as inside the classroom; and to help others benefit from your skills and experiences – then Park Hall could be the place for you.
We encourage all of our Sixth Form students to gain new experiences and develop their talents outside as well as inside the classroom. Sixth formers at Park Hall can take part in a wide range of activities aimed to support their personal development and give them the confidence and skills they need to succeed in their chosen careers.
At present we provide weekly Enrichment sessions for groups of students participating in The Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme, Young Enterprise and Sports Leadership. Other students invest their time in supporting the school through promotional film and documentary making, providing technical support for school productions and developing photography and art work for display around the school. • • • • • • • • • • • •
Extended Driving Qualification Football team Film club Young Enterprise Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award Documentary making Promotional film making School Productions Sixth Form band Sports Leadership Year 7 learning support 6th Form Committee
extra curricular Extra - Curricular Activities
Student progress is carefully monitored with students receiving regular feedback on their progress by subject teachers, form tutors and the Sixth Form management team. Individual progress grade reports are produced for students and their parents in both the autumn and spring terms, with one of these including a full written report in each subject. Each progress report is colour coded to give students and their parents a clear indication of areas where students are performing well and areas requiring further effort and support. Staff, students and their parents work together to monitor progress and set realistic targets for development. Progression to year 13 (for all level 3 courses) is dependent upon the successful completion of year 12.
monitoring progress
Monitoring Progress - Achieving Success All our students are encouraged to continue into higher education or training and our close links with Connexions ensure that students receive appropriate professional advice. Our Sixth Form pastoral team advises and guides students through every stage of the application process – giving students the very best chance of a successful application. In recent years all of our Higher Education applicants have been successful in gaining a place at university.
Students are expected to attend full time either for timetabled lessons or personal study sessions. Students will register each morning with form tutors at morning registration and subject teachers in the afternoon. ‘Enrichment’ time will be allocated during the school year for all students to take part in our highly valued team building exercises, ranging from ‘film making’ to ‘cooking on a budget’ as well as providing support for university applications and the development of revision skills. Sixth Form assemblies follow a ‘Theme of the Week’ format with themes ranging from ‘Healthy Eating’ and ‘Alcohol’ to ‘Higher Education’ and ‘The Artist in You’.
setting high standards Setting High Standards
Students are expected to make effective use of their personal study sessions. Our excellent Sixth Form study room provides students with high quality independent study facilities, a full time Sixth Form Learning Coordinator, and an excellent working environment. There are also a range of specialist rooms that are made available for independent Sixth Form use.
We recommend students do not work in excess of ten hours a week in part time employment – final results may suffer. Working weekday evenings can particularly hinder students’ ability to keep up with the work demands of Sixth Form study. Most students find it easier to work at the weekends in order to leave weekday evenings free for study.
Applying to Park Hall 6th Form To apply to the Sixth Form simply fill in the enclosed yellow application form and hand it in to the school reception. Interviews for the Sixth Form will commence in February. Park Hall students will be notified of their interview time by their form tutor and a letter home. External applicants will be informed of their interview time by letter and be given a tour of the school as part of their interview. Please come to your interview dressed smartly with a clear idea of the subjects you are considering studying. We will be happy to answer any questions and offer advice as part of the interview process. Students that bring an up to date record of achievement to the interview always make a very good impression.
Tel: 0121 748 0400 Tel: 0121 748 0445 (6th Form)
email: allenz.g@parkhall.solihull.sch.uk web: www.parkhallschool.org.uk
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