Beyond the Classroom

Leadership

Joining the Sixth Form will provide you with the opportunity to take on roles with significant responsibility within the school. These are reviewed in the Spring Term prior to the appointments in the Summer Term of Year 12. Appointments are made by the Headmistress in consultation with the Head of Sixth Form and the Sixth Form Team. With the experience of earlier years still fresh in their minds, the Year 12 students become Form Prefects. Supported by the Deputy Head Pastoral, the Head Girl and the Senior Pastoral Prefect, the Form Prefects meet with their forms regularly. They form an important link in the pastoral care of our pupils and are given training in child protection. Most students are Form Prefects for Years 7-11. Other Year 12 students are Deputy House Captains and they support the Heads of House with House activities such as sport, speech and music. Every student in Year 12 is encouraged to take on a role of responsibility. In Year 13, responsibilities relate to the school as a whole. The Sixth Form Leadership Team includes a Head Girl; Senior Prefects who are responsible for academic and pastoral matters; a Head of Houses and a Senior Prefect responsible for Community Action. There are also four House Captains and Senior Subject Prefects who support the different departments. The leadership team appointments are made after candidates’ application forms have been considered and staff and Sixth Form votes have been taken into account. All Sixth Formers play a significant role in school open events and public occasions and the Head Girl and her team will be asked to speak at these events. Guidance and training is given so that they can speak with confidence and sincerity. The Sixth Form students are undoubtedly an integral part of the happiness and well-being of the school community. Through their areas of responsibility, they learn to be open hearted, reliable and innovative.

Being on the leadership team and being able to organise fundraising events has been such a valuable experience for me personally as well as being rewarding to help people and raise money for those in need. Aishy

Broader Curriculum

You will attend philosophy lessons that examine the great questions which have been addressed by humanity throughout history. These questions are considered in the light of our students’ own experience; personal freedom and justice are frequently visited topics. The lessons take the form of a Socratic dialogue, encouraging students to think critically about the world around them and to be clear about their values and the sort of person they want to be. The Citizenship Programme develops in the Sixth Form and you will be trained to take part in Model UN debates. The St James Senior Girls’ and Senior Boys’ Schools meet each year to take part in a St James Model UN Conference which always leads to lively debate!

Trips

You will have the opportunity to go on a number of trips to support your academic studies. These include a geography field trip which is undertaken with Sixth Formers from the Senior Boys’ School to carry out valuable beach and river work investigation. Year 12 biologists go on a two-day field trip to study biodiversity. We have introduced an exciting biennial trip to Berlin and in 2018 we ran our first trip to Iceland. In 2019 we introduced a trip to Auschwitz for Year 12 students.

Sport

You will have one afternoon of sport a week. As well as keeping students fit and active, sport promotes essential life skills such as team work, leadership and organisation as well as being a lot of fun! In addition to our main school sports of lacrosse, netball, athletics and rounders, our Sixth Form students have the option to take part in a wider range of physical activities including aerobics and kick-boxing or using the facilities of a local gym. We also have a very successful football team. We aim high and members of our Sixth Form have been selected to represent Italy, Wales, Scotland, England and Great Britain in lacrosse, rowing and eventing in international championships.

Performing Arts

You will have the opportunity to join one of our choirs and if you play a musical instrument you can also join one of our orchestras.

You will have the opportunity to take part in regular productions, whether on stage or behind the scenes. Each year, the Sixth Form organises a musical evening to raise money for their Leavers’ Ball. Most recently they have organised a Night at the Movies, Golden Oldies Night, a Night of Legendary Ladies, a ‘Big Night Out’ and a virtual ‘Top of the Pops’.

One of the best things that has happened to me at St James was the opportunity to go on the Summer Wilderness trip. It really made me open my eyes to the world and I believe that I fundamentally changed as a person. Maeve

The Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award

You will be able to take up the opportunity to pursue The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Silver level. As well as being a fun and rewarding initiative, many universities and employers look favourably on students who have taken the Award as it promotes physical fitness, self-discipline, practical leadership and the ability to work successfully as a member of a team. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award incorporates expeditions, volunteer work, physical recreation and developing skills.

Community Action

Community Action is a significant feature of our school. In Year 12 you can teach Latin and help at local primary schools. You can also plan and fundraise for a community service project abroad in South Africa in July which includes trekking in the Umfolozi nature reserve and undertaking community projects in a Zulu village.

Social Events

Sixth Form Dinners are held in the Autumn and Summer Terms. A female guest speaker is invited and each year group takes it in turns to be the hosts while the others help and serve the formal dinner. Apart from being immensely enjoyable occasions, these events teach students how to organise and conduct themselves at a formal dinner. Guest speakers have recently included Dr Maria Amasanti; the Founder of the Art Academy, Tanya Russell; creative director, Natasha Tomalin-Hall; film producer, Naomi Wright; science researcher, Sarah Aldous, and artists Bella Frank and Anna Jacobs.

There is also a Dinner Dance each year for Year 12 and 13 students, and a Quiz Night for Year 13 jointly with Sixth Formers from the Senior Boys’ School. At the end of the Summer Term, a Leavers’ Dinner is organised and a Leavers’ Ball is hosted to thank parents and teachers, which is funded by the students’ own efforts.