Sixth Form
Handbook 2018-19
Welcome to the Sixth Form We are deeply proud of our Sixth Form here at Habs, and delighted to welcome you to it. Your time with us in the Sixth Form – both within and outside the classroom - will be filled with opportunity, challenge and enjoyment. On the academic front, your progress over the next two years will shape your futures. On a personal level, you will make the final steps into adulthood, as you prepare yourselves for life beyond school. This handbook is intended as a practical guide and source of information about the most important aspects of life in the Sixth Form. Please read it carefully and show it to your parents. If you or they have any further questions, please address these to your form tutor in the first instance. It is a wonderful privilege to be part of the team that helps you as individuals to shape your identities and your futures. We hope that your Sixth Form journeys will be exciting, challenging, enjoyable and enriching. We are here to guide and support you every step of the way.
Mr R Amlot
Director of Sixth Form
Dr J Green
Sixth Form Senior Tutor
The Sixth Form Team Director of Sixth Form: Sixth Form Senior Tutor: Head of University Applications: Head of Enhancement & Enrichment:
Mr Amlot Dr Green Mrs Swallow Mr Pinkus
Lower Sixth Tutors
Upper Sixth Tutors
L6C1
Mr McLarin and Mr Bown
U6C1
Mr Lunn
L6C2
Mr Pinkus
U6C2
Mr Bardou
L6H1
Mr Vincent
U6H1
Dr Elias & Dr Chaudhry
L6H2
Mr Clark
U6H2
Mr Redfern & Ms Shah
L6J1
Dr Hobbs
U6J1
Mr Raatz and Mrs Baron
L6J2
Dr Joyce
U6J2
Mr Simm
L6M1
Mr Wheeler
U6M1
Mr Brotherston & Mr Osmond
L6M2
Mr Catley
U6M2
Mr Pauletto
L6R1
Mrs Edwards
U6R1
Mr Reaney
L6R2
Dr St. John
U6R2
Mr Plotkin
L6S1
Mrs Hanlon
U6S1
Mr Thompson
L6S2
Miss Harrison & Mrs Morris-Wolffe
U6S2
Dr Gannarelli
University Applications Advisers Area
Teacher
Head of University Applications
Mrs Swallow
University Applications Secretary
Mrs Wheeler
Biomedical Sciences/Veterinary Science and Dentistry
Mr Glanville
Economics
Mr Catley and Mr Raatz
English (Linguistics, Theatre Studies)
Mr Wheeler
Geography and Land Economy
Mr Cooper
History
Mr Simm
Law
Mr Lawrence
Maths
Mr Brown
Computer Science
Mr Franks
Accountancy and Finance (Accountancy and Management)
Mrs G Lyons
Medicine
Dr Randall
Modern Languages
Mr Swallow
Philosophy (PPE, Classics, Theology, Religious Studies, Psychology)
Dr Green
Politics (HSPS)
Mr Clark and Mr McLarin
Science and Engineering (Architecture, Natural Sciences, Physics)
Mr Kingdon
Physics
Dr Gannarelli
Academic life in the Sixth Form The Sixth Form is challenging and rewarding academically, with exciting new demands and opportunities. You will notice a significant step up from GCSE Level study and will need to adopt a rigorous and professional approach to your studies throughout the Sixth Form, so that you can fulfil your potential and enjoy your work.
Independent study – you will need to develop your independent study skills during the Sixth
Form. You will be expected to organise your own study time. Essays and homework may be set over longer periods of time with independent reading required and notes to be made. You will need to learn to take notes effectively in lessons and to consolidate these notes at home. Many lessons will be more akin to university-style seminars to help you take the step up to higher learning. Overall, far more initiative and discipline will be required. You will be expected to prepare for each class and to take an active role in presenting, discussing and analysing the topic that you are studying. The onus will also be on you to be proactive and to engage in dialogue with your subject teachers throughout your A Level study period about your own progress. This is all excellent preparation for university-style learning.
Private study - unless you are one of the lucky few (!) who studies Further Mathematics, you
will have a number of study periods during the week. It will be important to manage your time well. The library is always available for private study and research; you are encouraged to use it and its extensive facilities. Excellent behaviour and adherence to the library rules are required at all times here. The new Sixth Form Common Room also provides an excellent study space which is ideal for collaborative learning. At busy times of the year, you may be allowed to work in individual classrooms but must seek permission from the relevant Head of Department before doing so.
A Levels – in the majority of subjects, there will be public AS Level examinations in the summer term of your L6 year. These will take place in May and June. In the remaining subjects, you will sit a Habs paper, devised by the relevant department but also externally verified. These will take place in early May. The results of all of these end of L6 examinations – whether external or internal – will help to inform predicted grades for university applications. There will be study leave before these examinations.
Mock Examinations - U6 mock examinations in all subjects take place in the first four days of
the SummerTerm (immediately after the Easter vacation). Your parents and you will receive written feedback on the mock examinations.
Academic enhancement – a crucial part of your preparation for university will be your own wider reading around your subjects and in-depth engagement beyond the syllabus.
You will be well supported by our vibrant and diverse Enhancement and Enrichment programme which is overseen by Mr Pinkus. The L6 E & E programme teaches research and academic skills specific to your academic subjects. This will help you to develop the skills required to succeed at university. We also encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning beyond the syllabus. For example, it is well worth engaging with the university essay competitions which are available for Sixth Formers. Cultivating passion for your subjects beyond the confines of the curriculum will be a reward in itself.
Aske Project - Your Aske Project, the extended individual and independently researched project
which you write over the course of your L6 year, is another fantastic opportunity for academic enhancement. The Aske Project is a 3,000 word (or equivalent) independent study project: you will choose your own title, have the support of an advisor, research your question and present your results in a media or format of your choosing. Teachers will grade the projects as ‘pass’, ‘merit’ or ‘distinction’. All projects are passed through plagiarism software and will be failed if evidence of plagiarism is found. Distinction projects are sent to external markers who are experts in their fields. External markers select the winning project in each subject category. Pupils are provided with feedback at each stage of the project and those who have been awarded a distinction also volunteer for a viva examination.
We are very proud of the Aske Project: the opportunity it offers for independent study, research and learning is beyond doubt. When pupils fully engage with it the project can help facilitate the transformation of a university application and, more importantly, allow you as individuals to gain in depth knowledge and understanding of an area of genuine interest.
Academic progress and support – your subject teachers will give you progress grades on a halftermly basis. These progress grades are designed to give you and your parents an accurate picture of how hard you are working (effort grades) and your anticipated grades in your examinations at the end of the year (attainment grades).
Attainment Grade
Description - working at a level consistent with attainment at:
*
Above A grade at AS / above A* grade at A level
1
A grade at AS / A* grade at A level
2
A grade at AS / A level
3
B grade at AS / A level
4
Below B grade at AS / A level
Effort Grade
Description Outstanding.
O
Meets the criteria for “Excellent� plus the following: - Evidence of outstanding effort applied to a piece of work or a project - Something exceptional even by our high standards
Excellent. E
-
Focused in class at all times, makes an excellent contribution Classwork and homework are consistently excellent Homework is consistently on time / demonstrates independent study Makes every effort to engage with / act on feedback and guidance
Good. G
-
Focused in class at all times, contributes well Classwork is consistently complete and thorough Homework is consistently on time / complete and thorough Engages well with feedback and guidance
Concern. C
-
Occasionally disruptive in class, contributes little Classwork is occasionally superficial or missing Homework is occasionally late / incomplete / superficial Makes little attempt to engage with feedback or guidance
Unacceptable. U
-
Frequently disruptive in class, undermines the learning of others Classwork is consistently superficial or missing Homework is consistently late / incomplete / superficial Makes no attempt to engage with feedback or guidance
In the first week of each half term, your form tutor will meet with you individually to review your progress. Before this meeting, you should have reviewed any previous targets and set provisional targets for the next half term. As well as being proactive in setting new targets and getting the best out of yourself academically, do make the most of the support of your form tutor and subject teachers. Also remember that excellent guidance and support in study skills are available from Mr Milton, our Head of Academic Support.
Bring your own device – as Sixth Formers, you are allowed to bring your own laptop or device, with which to take notes and support your learning, into class or the Common Room. Please speak to your individual subject teachers about this. Do remember that you will still need to sit written exams so make sure that you continue to spend some time writing by hand.
Life outside the classroom
Co-curricular - the next two years are not just about studying and exams. There is an extensive
range of co-curricular opportunities available to you. Wholehearted engagement in activities is the key to getting the most out of Sixth Form life and to allowing you to develop as a thoroughly well-rounded person. You do not have to be a 1st XV rugby player, a grade 8 distinction violinist or a critically acclaimed actor to get the most out of the co-curricular events here. There is something for everyone and the programme offered outside the classroom here is the envy of schools up and down the country. We encourage you to work collaboratively with Girls’ School pupils in societies and clubs.
Leadership - In addition to the co-curricular activities which are also available to younger pupils,
you will be given the opportunity to play leading roles in committees, in clubs and in organising events, as well as within your House teams. People with initiative as leaders and flexibility as teamplayers are vital to society at large and to the world of work. Grasp the opportunities offered to you in the Sixth Form with enthusiasm, and do not under-estimate the importance of what you learn outside the classroom.
Role models – younger boys in the school will look up to you, admire you and see you as a role
model. They will notice how you appear and how you conduct yourself. Please make sure that you do yourself justice and set the right tone for the rest of the school.
Sixth Form Common Room – you now have your own communal student area, in which you can
work either individually or collaboratively. Please ensure that you look after and enjoy this excellent new facility.
Duties – all L6 pupils are expected to carry out duties during the course of the year. These will be
explained to you in more detail by your Housemaster (House duties) or Dr Green (Common Room duties). Carrying out these duties to a high standard is essential to the smooth running of the school.
Transport to and from school – even if you have passed your driving test, we urge you to take the coach as it is more reliable and often quicker than driving yourself. There is no parking at the girls’ school or at the boys’ school other than in exceptional circumstances. Parking at Aldenham Country Park is expensive and often unreliable. If you do decide to park here, you must follow the pathway through the Girls’ School. Speak to Dr Green if you have further questions about this.
Wellbeing Your own emotional wellbeing is a priority of ours and should be of yours. From the outset, it will be valuable to cultivate good habits and to develop good coping mechanisms. In particular, we recommend that you:
• Adopt an organised and balanced approach to your work: careful planning of your
time allows you to work consistently without too many late nights; this will make for a calmer experience, and will improve your learning and outcomes.
• Take regular exercise: as well as having many health benefits, raising your heart beat also has many psychological benefits – it relieves stress, increases happiness and improves the way your mind works.
• Maintain a healthy diet: the benefits of good nutritional intake cannot be underestimated; our bodies waste energy breaking down greasy, unhealthy food but thrive on healthy food. Staying hydrated is also essential. Healthy body = healthy mind!
• Sleep well: in a similar vein, high quality sleep improves productivity and wellbeing; you should build calming activities into your schedule for an hour or so before bed – reading is ideal here.
• Avoid excessive use of technology: social media is the enemy of your wellbeing! Modify your screen time and turn off all social media a few hours before bed. This will dramatically improve your quality of sleep and your sharpness the next day.
• Find ways to slow the pace: life at Habs is wonderfully exciting and fast-paced but this
needs to be balanced with sleep, recovery, restoration and time to reflect; find your own way of doing this every week.
• Talk about your issues: it is always helpful to share your concerns, whether with a friend, a family member or a trusted teacher. At school, you will always be welcome to talk to your form tutor, your Housemaster, Dr Green, Mr Amlot or Mrs Jones. Our School counsellors are available to talk about troubles and concerns, regardless of whether these have arisen within or outside the School environment. You can make an appointment directly via email (counsellor@habsboys.org.uk) or with support from a member of staff. If your concern is urgent, you can call a member of our safeguarding team at any time on 020 8266 1760.
PSHCEE Sixth Form PSHCEE is designed to give you the opportunity to discuss topics in more depth. The programme is supported by a growing range of external speakers on important or more delicate topics. Each half term there is a PSHCEE-related sectional assembly led by staff or boys, followed up by discussion in tutor groups. The direction of the topics is to look towards life beyond school, as young people in education or work, and your tutors are free to develop the topics with their own material or approaches. Key issues are flagged up by the School Council, by listening to parents and by surveying your opinions about what you would like to see in a programme. Extra topics are prepared in reaction to events or to requests by tutors and boys, examples being ‘sleep and anxiety’ or ‘preparation for life at university’.
Pupil voice We want to hear what you think! We invite you to take a lead not only in making suggestions about ways in which we can change things and do things better but also in suggesting ideas of how we can develop more and better mechanisms for hearing your views. Alongside this privilege, you will appreciate that it is essential that suggestions are made in a respectful and constructive way and that there will sometimes be reasons why suggestions cannot be taken up. The School Council is one valuable mechanism for the pupil voice but there are many others in the Sixth Form. Speaking to your form tutor will always be a good start; he or she will always be happy to pass your ideas on. Dr Green and Mr Amlot are also always keen to hear your thoughts and our doors are always open. In addition, our senior prefects meet with Mr Lock and senior staff on a regular basis. The very fact that these meetings take place highlights the fact that senior staff at the school want to have dialogue with you. So, if you have any suggestions, do make them to someone who will be in those meetings so that they can take your ideas forward.
Rules and regulations Of course, there have to be some rules and regulations. These have been carefully thought out and are designed to make the life of the Sixth Form and the whole school community work best. We ask that you read them in this spirit, understand their purpose and abide by them. Remember that you are now role models for the younger pupils and it is particularly important that you strike the right tone. Younger boys are expected to abide by these rules and so are you. All the rules you have had in the past still apply, but some points are worthy of special note:
Attendance – you must attend school every day and for the whole day. We are a school community, not a Sixth Form College. You are not permitted to come in late because you have study periods at the start of the day. You are allowed to leave on the 3.30pm coach provided you have no lesson period 7 and no after-school commitments. The same rules apply if you drive into school – you must be in school on time every day and can only leave at 3.30pm at the earliest if you have no lesson period 7 and no after school commitments. In the U6 year, you will be allowed one day of study leave the day before a university entrance test and also the day before an interview, provided your parents request this in advance.
You are not permitted to leave the premises during the day without an exeat, unless you are going to the Girls’ School with express permission from their staff and Dr Green. Aldenham Country Park is out of bounds during the day. Excellent attendance is an expectation. For your own benefit, we will be monitoring your attendance rates closely. There is a proven link between attendance and attainment.
Exeats – if you have a planned absence, your parents should: • For less than one day – request permission for absence from your form tutor in advance • For one day – request permission from Mr Amlot in advance • For more than one day – request permission from Mr Lock, using the email address HM@habsboys. org.uk • For religious holidays – fill out the form which can be found on the parental portal
Sickness/unplanned absence – for any illness or other unplanned absence, your parents should
email your form tutor and absences@habsboys.org.uk at the start of every day that you are absent.
Thumbing in and out - please ensure that you thumb in as soon as you arrive in school every day. You will be automatically thumbed out at 4pm and so you must thumb back in if you are staying on site for an after-school activity. You will then be automatically thumbed out again at 5.15pm. If you have to leave school early for any reason (eg illness, exeat etc.), it is essential that you thumb out. If you go to the girls’ school for an E&E lesson or for an organised talk, you must thumb out when you leave and thumb back in again when you return. We are responsible for your welfare and so need to know where you all are at any one time.
Form periods and assemblies – you are expected to arrive promptly and attend all form periods
and assemblies. If you need to miss a form period for a good reason, then you must inform your form tutor in advance. If you need to miss an assembly, then you must inform Dr Green and your form tutor in advance (for Sixth Form or Headmaster’s assemblies) or your Housemaster and your form tutor in advance (for House assemblies).
Dress code – we are proud of the smart appearance of our Sixth Formers. It is critical that you set an example in this regard for younger pupils. Sixth Formers are distinctive and distinguished by the wearing of formal, smart and business-like suits as follows:
• A suit of traditional formal style and cut in black, dark or mid grey, dark or mid blue; no loud stripes or checks. Suit waist-coats may be worn. • A white or pale-coloured shirt, plain or with discreet stripes or checks; no black or strong colours please; top-buttons are to be done up. • A tie of choice although garish designs must be avoided. • If a pullover is worn, it must be a v-neck in a dark shade, with no zips, buttons or hoods. • Black or dark brown formal shoes; no casual shoes, trainers or boots. • Smart coat or outer jacket for the winter. Hoodies may not be worn in place of coats to and from school. You are not permitted to wear or carry your coat around school during the school day; coats or jackets should be stored in lockers or hung on one of the coat hangers around school. • No earrings, other facial piercings or fashion jewellery such as rings are to be worn. • Hair-styles are required to be moderate: hair must be its own natural colour, lie off the collar and be of an even cut; very short or very short sides/long on top cuts are inappropriate; ‘business-like’ should be the guiding factor. • Hair bands are not permitted. • You must be clean-shaven at all times. If you arrive at school with stubble, you can be expected to be asked to shave in school and for your parents to be contacted. If you need to grow your beard for a religious reason, your parents should seek permission from Mr Amlot.
Gym – you are permitted to use the gym at lunchtime or after school, provided you have explicit
permission from a member of the PE Department. You are not allowed to use the gym during study periods, apart from on Friday period 7.
Joe’s Café – L6 pupils are permitted to enjoy the facilities at Joe’s during break, lunchtime and after school on any day but are requested to remember that other year groups are only allowed to use these facilities during one lunchtime per week so please be considerate towards them and ensure that they have somewhere to sit. L6 pupils are not allowed to visit Joe’s during lessons or study periods. U6 pupils are also permitted to use Joe’s as a place to work during study periods. This is a privilege which will remain in place provided the behaviour of the year group is mature there.
Evening Events – in the event that you are staying at school for an evening event, we will provide food for you at the Bates or at Joe’s on most occasions. If there is no food available and you are staying late, we will be happy for you to order a takeaway but the arrangements for this must be discussed and agreed with either Dr Green or Mr Amlot beforehand.
E-safety – as a school, we take our duty of care to all pupils seriously and therefore require that you should adhere to the following rules:
• You are responsible for your individual account and must take all reasonable precautions to prevent others from being able to use it. • You will only use names, photographs or recordings of any member of the School community with approval from the Headmaster. • Before you view, upload, download or post any material, you will consider carefully the implications and consequences of your actions. • If you use social networking sites outside School such as Facebook, you will use them responsibly. • As a user of the School ICT facilities, you have a responsibility to disclose promptly to your teacher or other School employee any message you receive that is inappropriate or makes you feel uncomfortable, or any knowledge you have about another pupil who is the victim of cyberbullying. • All messages, for example those on email or chat forums, should be written carefully and politely, observing the rules of etiquette. You should not assume that such messages will always be private. • You may use mobile or recording devices in lessons only with the permission of your teacher and when instructed to do so. • You should only keep School documents on the system. Staff may have access to the contents of a user’s work area for teaching and learning purposes. In addition, persons responsible for running and maintaining the School’s ICT systems are automatically permitted access to work areas when a breach of the Acceptable Use Policy is suspected by a group or individual. • No activity should be undertaken that could bring the School’s name into disrepute.
Life after Habs The concept of life after Habs probably strikes both fear and relief into your heart! You will of course receive an extensive level of support from Mrs Swallow and her dedicated team in preparation for university. See the University Handbooks for more detail. It is also well worth talking to your teachers and to boys in the year above you about their experiences in their university applications. You may also be considering taking a gap year between school and university. Mrs Nash will be happy to provide plenty of information about the options here. It is often worth giving a gap year some serious thought as it provides a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons, to gain valuable experience and to establish a sense of perspective before starting at university.
And finally - more than anything else, we hope that you thoroughly enjoy your Sixth Form years at Habs. You will leave with all our support and every good wish for the future.
Sixth Form Timeline Term
Lower Sixth
Upper Sixth
Autumn Term (first half)
• Induction Day • Parents’ curriculum & social evening • Progress grades 1
• • • • •
Predicted grades released UCAS application deadlines Parents’ curriculum evening University test application deadlines Progress grades 1
Autumn Term (second half)
• • • •
• • • •
University admissions tests Parents’ consultation evening Oxbridge interviews Progress grades 2
Spring Term (first half)
• Aske Project launched • Progress grades 3
• Progress grades 3
Spring Term (second half)
• Progress grades 4 • Reports issued
• Progress grades 4 • Reports issued
Summer Term (first half)
• Selection of prefects • Internal examinations • AS examinations
• Mock examinations • Last day of tuition • A2 examinations
Summer Term (second half)
• • • •
• A2 examinations • Founders’ Evening • Leavers’ Ball
Higher Education Evening 1 Parents’ consultation evening Aske investigations due Progress grades 2
Return from study leave Higher Education Evening 2 Final Aske Project handed in Personal statement 1st drafts due
Words of wisdom from one year down the line... “In your first few weeks as members of the Sixth Form, you’ll find your inbox will become flooded with emails inviting you to become committee members and leaders of various clubs and societies around the School. My advice to you is not to ignore or be overwhelmed by them, but rather to take as many leadership opportunities as you can in groups that interest you. Aside from the obvious benefits for your university applications, being a committee member or leader of a society provides an invaluable opportunity to develop leadership and interpersonal skills which will last you a lifetime. Don’t underestimate the positive impact your visions can have on the wider School community.”
(Tamilore Awosile – School Captain)
“The great thing about Sixth Form is the freedom you are given: the freedom to work in your free periods or to not work, the freedom to go beyond the syllabus or to not. My advice would be to use this freedom wisely; go beyond the syllabus with intellectual curiosity, work in your free periods, and take advantage of leadership opportunities available, like running or founding societies. This is what makes the Sixth Form experience enjoyable. Sixth Form can be hard and testing at times, but it truly will be the best two years of your time at the School, so enjoy it, and make the most of your time left at Habs.”
(Benjamin Schwarzmann – School Vice-Captain)
“Sixth Form at Habs is encapsulated by a Chinese proverb, which roughly translated is: ‘a bad beginning makes a bad ending’. This is true of Sixth Form as any complacency will create problems later on. It is crucial that you are organised from the offset, as not only will your subjects require more work, but you will be faced with new responsibilities. If you manage to find balance between the two, you will thrive in the Sixth Form.”
(Sam Warner – School Vice-Captain)
“Keep yourself grounded in the Sixth Form by making sure you continue to find time to do the things you enjoy. Progressing into these busy years, the increased workload can scare many boys into giving up on their co-curricular endeavours and much of their social life. In truth, as long as you use the organisational skills that Habs has taught you from your first day, and remain diligent and responsible in your working habits in the next few years, there is every opportunity to stay involved in the wider School community and to contine to play hard away from school, which is paramount for your mental and physical wellbeing.” (Guy Rapacioli – Senior Prefect i/c Common Room) “Now is the time to get ahead of the game and start reading further into your respective subjects. The library has a plethora of books, containing most of the items found on the reading lists of the top universities. Doing this will not only make you stand out at interviews, but also make your A level studies considerably easier. Study periods may just seem like an opportunity to relax, however it is those who use this precious time to get ahead of their work who succeed in the long run. Sixth Form at Habs can be stressful, but not if you make use of the opportunities available to you.”
(Purushot Sadagopan – Senior Prefect i/c Library)