IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS
Your tutor should always be the first point of contact for any enquiry. All can be contacted through the switchboard on 01932 574900. They also have their own extension numbers.
Group Name of tutor
Head of Year 12
Mrs L Lewis
LLewis@swps.org.uk
12AA Dr A Ashraf AAshraf@swps.org.uk
12IH Mrs I Harris IHarris@swps.org.uk
12BM Mrs B Middleton BMiddleton@swps.org.uk
12NM Dr N Mercer NMercer@swps.org.uk
Head of Year 13
Ms E White EWhite@swps.org.uk
13AM Mrs S Abbes-Muslia SAbbes-muslia@swps.org.uk
13GL Dr G Limburn-Peterson GLimburn@swps.org.uk
13LA Mrs L Arden LArden@swps.org.uk
13SS Ms S Streubing SStreubing@swps.org.uk
If having spoken with your tutor you require more information or wish to discuss matters further, please contact the relevant Heads of Year. Alternatively, please direct your enquiries to the relevant members of staff as follows:
Mr C Johnston, Director of Sixth Form
Email: CJohnston@swps.org.uk
Mrs D Payne, Sixth Form administration
Email: DPayne@swps.org.uk
Mrs L Haley, Head of Careers
Email: LHaley@swps.org.uk
Mrs G Loates, Exams Officer
Email: GLoates@swps.org.uk
Dr G Limburn-Peterson, Elite & Overseas University Co-ordinator and Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary (MDV)
Email: GLimburn@swps.org.uk
Mr P Forrest-Biggs, Academic Deputy Head
Email: PForrest-Biggs@swps.org.uk
Mrs H O’Connor, Pastoral Deputy Head
Email: HOConnor@swps.org.uk
Only when this process has been followed, should the Head, Mrs Picton, be contacted. Mrs Picton is kept informed of all contacts with parents or guardians and of important
staff/student discussions. If Mrs Picton receives a communication that has not been through the process outlined above, she will pass it back to the tutor.
THE SCHOOL DAY
Monday to Thursday:
Sixth Formers can go in for lunch between 12.00 and 12.35, if they do not have a lesson during period 6, or at 12.35 with the rest of the School. Sixth formers can eat in the Atrium or the Dining Room.
The Sixth Form Centre is available after school until 5.30 pm Monday to Thursday, 4.30 pm Friday. After this time, students should leave site or wait in the pupil entrance to be collected.
After school co-curricular practices and activities Monday to Thursday will normally finish by 4.50 pm to allow students to catch school coaches at 5.00 pm.
USEFUL LOCATIONS
Map of the School
Maps of the school ground are available on Firefly at: https://swps.fireflycloud.net/calendar-and-planner-information/maps-of-the-school
Some specific locations that it may be helpful to know are:
Director of Sixth Form – Mr Johnston’s Office
This is found at the top of the back stairs entry to the Sixth Form Centre.
Heads of Year 12 & 13 – Ms White & Mrs Lewis’s Office
Ms White & Mrs Lewis can be found in the office off the Sixth Form Centre next to the silent study suite.
Exams Officer - Mrs Loates’s Office
This is situated on the first floor of the sixth form block, next to the Careers Centre.
The Careers Centre
This is on the first floor of the sixth form block and is numbered Room 251, an IT suite.
Marketing, Communications & Admissions
If you are called upon to guide a tour of the school for a prospective family, you should report to the Head of Admissions’ office. This can be found opposite rooms 102 & 103 on the English corridor.
Registration
Registration is in your form room at 8.20am prompt, and again at 15.25pm Monday to Thursday and 14.50pm on Fridays. If you arrive after 8.20am but before 8.40am, you must go straight to your form room, where you will be registered as ‘late’. If you arrive after 8.40am you must sign in at Reception and explain why you are late.
For Health and Safety reasons it is essential that you follow these instructions, otherwise you could be putting yourself and others at risk in case of an emergency. If you do not do so, you will be regarded as absent, your parents will be contacted, and your absence unauthorised. Your Sixth Form Pass may also be retracted or withheld.
One of the purposes of Sixth Form is to prepare you for life after school. Full attendance is therefore required if you are to study effectively and be prepared for university and the working world. Absences appear on your report which is seen by the Head of Sixth Form, the Head, and your parents. Furthermore, when employers ask schools for references, they often ask for total absences in your last two years.
Absence
If you are absent from school, your parent/guardian should contact the school absence line or email absence@swps.org.uk, and explain why. This needs to be done for every day of your absence unless a doctor has advised that you need to be away for a specific length of time but please let the school know when you are due back.
If you know in advance that you will miss lessons, for whatever reason, you should inform your Tutor, Head of Year and all staff whose lessons you will miss. We will also require a note from home to explain why you will be absent. Valid reasons for missing lessons might include:
• University Interviews
• Medical Appointments
• Driving Tests
• Approved Work Experience
You should not take time out of lessons for driving lessons, these can be arranged outside of school hours or in your frees.
Sixth Form Pass
As Sixth Formers, you are trusted as young adults. One of the perks of and signs of this trust is the issuing of a Sixth Form Pass at the beginning of the Spring Term of Year 12. This pass allows you to leave the school building during non-lesson periods, after signing out at Reception. This pass is a privilege and may be withdrawn at any time if it is abused, or as a sanction for poor behaviour.
You may be asked to present your Sixth Form Pass when exiting the school, so ensure you have it with you when leaving and re-entering the school during the school day.
Exeat Slips
If you need to leave school for any reason during lessons you will need to have an authorised Exeat (blue) slip. This should be authorised by your HoY, Director of Sixth Form or by Mrs Davis and Mrs Payne in the Wellbeing Room.
Sickness
If you feel unwell and need to go home you should go to the First Aid Room or the Wellbeing Room and speak with the member of staff on duty there. You must inform the School Office and sign out before leaving.
Signing In & Out
If you need to sign out during the school day, this should be done by signing out in reception. You will need to hand your signed Exeat slip (blue slip) if missing lessons to the receptionist or your Sixth Form Pass as this is needed to keep track of who is on site in case of emergencies.
Study Periods
All of you will have some study periods, during which you are expected to organise your own private study either in the Sixth Form Silent Study Room, the Library, Sixth Form IT room, or to work at your co-curricular activities. You should be using your study periods for studying and, as all the experts and resources you need are here, you should be doing this onsite.
Once you have earned your Sixth Form Pass, you can leave the premises, remembering to sign in and out at Reception. It is very important that you view the Sixth Form as a ‘steppingstone’ between the more regimented environment of the lower school and the independence of life at university and beyond. Learning to discipline yourself to meet deadlines and organise your private study, and to find the right balance between work, co-curricular commitments, and your social life, is a vital skill which you need to develop during your time in the Sixth Form.
Registration
Attending AM Registration is compulsory. Your progress and attendance are constantly reviewed by your Tutors and if there are concerns, your Sixth Form Pass will be withdrawn to give you the opportunity to keep on track academically.
Lunch
You may order school lunch through SOCs; in which case you will be given a lunch pass or bring a packed lunch (all food brought into school must be ‘nut free’) which can be eaten in the Sixth Form Centre. You may use the Sixth Form Centre kitchenette to prepare lunch; a microwave, toaster, kettles, fridge, plates, and cutlery are available, but you need to bring your own mug. Please remember though, that all these facilities are shared, so you must tidy up after yourself and put your crockery and cutlery in the dishwasher. You may leave the school premises during the lunch break but must sign out, and then in
again on return. Please note that food and drinks should not be taken into Sixth Form Silent Study Room.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones may be used in the Sixth Form Centre, but nowhere else unless a member or staff has given you permission to use your phone as part of research in a lesson. You are advised to keep mobile phones (switched off) and all other valuables on your person or locked in your locker, at all times.
Sixth Form IT Provision & Email
There are computers available in the Sixth Form Centre and off the Silent Study Room. Sixth Formers can also work in the Library, at workstations around the school and use the desktops available in the Careers Centre. If you wish to use your own laptop via the school Wi-Fi this must be PAT tested first – dates will be advertised.
We encourage all Sixth Formers to make extensive use of their school email account as a great deal of crucial information is communicated electronically. It is your responsibility to ensure that your mailbox does not reach its full capacity as you will not be able to receive emails. Please make sure you periodically delete old emails – this must be done from a computer, not your phone.
Student Cars
Students’ cars must not be brought on to the school premises at any time, nor should they be parked in the Recreation Ground next door When parking near school, please be considerate to local residents and park with care.
Code of Conduct
The School’s Code of Conduct, based around respect for yourself, for others and the environment continues to apply in the Sixth Form as we are all an integral part of a wider community, both in and out of school.
Chewing gum is not permitted on-site and it goes without saying that alcohol, cigarettes, vaping paraphernalia or any illegal substances are never to be brought onsite. Students found with these substances and products will be subject to the full Discipline and Exclusions Policy.
Dress Code
Sixth Formers may choose their own style of dress, provided this is appropriate for an educational and work establishment, sets a good example, and does not cause embarrassment/offence to yourself or other members of the school community and visitors.
Styles that are not appropriate and should not be worn are as follows:
• No strapless tops.
• No see-through tops.
• No cropped tops which expose the midriff.
• No underwear or undergarments should be visible.
• No mini-skirts.
• No ‘short’ shorts/skorts.
• No excessively ripped jeans which allow undergarments to be visible.
• No extreme piercings including stretchers and eye-brow piercings.
• No flip flops.
• Hair must be a natural colour
You should be aware that if your dress is inappropriate, you will be asked to wear a top or trousers provided by the Sixth Form Team. These will need to be washed and returned or parents will be charged for the cost of the item in their next fee bill.
On formal occasions such as Open Days/Evenings, Presentation Evenings and other similar events, business dress is required.
STUDYING IN THE SIXTH FORM
Studying at A level is certainly much more challenging than GCSE. You will need to use your initiative, do your own research, and read widely round your subjects. You will be studying your subjects in far greater depth, often with several teachers all setting work.
Bridging the gap between GCSE and A level needs to be tackled in a positive way; the secret of success in the Sixth Form is undoubtedly time management. All of you will have some study periods and must develop the self-discipline to work on your own, meet deadlines and to juggle the demands of academic work and all the other opportunities on offer. This is an essential prerequisite to surviving not just the Sixth Form but university and the world of work as well.
Homework and independent study are essential for success so, in addition to timetabled periods, it is expected that you spend 4 – 6 hours per subject per week. Students who really excel at A level are those who go beyond just doing their homework. Use the resources available to you (the Library, the Sixth Form Silent Study Area, the Careers Centre) to research your subject. Wider independent reading is essential to add breadth and depth to your studies; it marks you out as someone actively engaged in their learning and is a highly sought-after skill by universities and employers.
Right from the start your teachers’ expectations will be high, as will be yours! From the very beginning, communication with your subject teachers and tutors is key and you work in partnership to ensure you are able to achieve your potential, both academically and in all that you do when you contribute to the broader school community.
Your teachers have to decide your predicted A level grades before you submit your university applications and these are crucial in determining how a university will view your application, so your performance in Year 12 is vital. It is a huge mistake to think you can leave things to the last minute.
Sixth Form work is a challenge; indeed, it might be one of the hardest things you will ever do. However, it is also extremely enjoyable and rewarding if approached in a positive way and we are here to support you at every stage
VESPA
We subscribe to the VESPA mindset which draws together current thinking from psychology, business, and sport to inspire, motivate and support students ensuring they achieve their full potential:
VISION – know what you want to achieve.
EFFORT – understand the level of effort required to succeed.
SYSTEMS – organise learning resources and time.
PRACTICE – practice and develop skills continuously.
ATTITUDE – respond constructively to setbacks.
The SWPS Diploma
The SWPS Diploma is an exciting new qualification in addition to traditional A levels. Made up of 80 credits, the Diploma helps build the soft-skills universities and employers are constantly telling us they look for in their applicants. Beginning after October half term in Year 12 and submitted in October of Year 13, the SWPS Diploma recognises many of the additional activities students are involved with and provides an opportunity to combine these into one qualification. Whether you are an active sportsperson, a keen volunteer, part-time mountaineer, or musical virtuoso everyone has the potential to achieve the SWPS Diploma.
The Extended Project Qualification
In the autumn term of Year 12 you will be able to start an Extended Project which is designed to be a pre-university piece of research on a subject you find particularly interesting but is not covered in the A level specifications. The project is optional but could help you to prepare for your university applications and interviews as well as enrich your study. Many universities, including those in the Russell Group, are now making alternative offers to students who have completed the Extended Project.
Curriculum Enrichment & Oxbridge
All students are encouraged to attend curriculum enrichment activities offered by departments and support is organised not only for those students considering an application to Oxford or Cambridge but also for competitive courses at other top universities.
Sixth Formers are also encouraged to set up their own revision/discussion groups. Subject prefects are the starting point for this and should be able to help establish study groups. For guidance on applying to either Oxford or Cambridge, Dr Limburn-Peterson is the Elite & Overseas University Co-ordinator and liaises with departments to best support your application. If you have a real love of learning, a passion for your academic work and have Grade 9s in seven subjects or more at GCSE, you should explore whether the courses and environment offered there would be right for you.
