SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Executive Principal - Mr Andy Crofts Head of School - Mr Thomas Beecham
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL Mrs Zaira Sami
QUEST6 LEADERSHIP TEAM
Sam Cox Director of Sixth Form
Kurt Barragan Achievement Coordinator, Year 13 Catherine Bennett Achievement Coordinator, Year 12
Quest6, the Sixth Form at The Quest Academy, opened in 2014 with 60 students. It has since more than doubled in size due to consistently excellent results and a supportive environment where students flourish academically and personally.
Quest6 is a professional academic environment with a strong, academic focus. Students are expected to dedicate themselves to their studies, and in return they are fully supported by a team of expert staff.
In addition to academic excellence, Quest6 is a positive, rich and innovative learning environment where every student can achieve excellence in all that they do, in the classroom and beyond it. Students have access to a wide range of enrichment activities to extend learning in a range of contexts and promote leadership, teamwork, reflection, confidence, and high self-esteem.
Quest6 students have extraordinary success academically, personally and in their futures. Students in our Sixth Form experience first class teaching in tutorial sized classes to support the highest levels of progress.
Our tutorial programme is designed to help students develop skills such as independence, resourcefulness, initiative, problem solving and communication. Our co-curricular pathways allow students to select opportunities that will help expand their academic profile and strengthen their character.
Students flourish at university and apprenticeships after Quest6. The foundation they have gained allows them to continue to grow academically. Extraordinary success happens at Quest6, and students continue to go from strength to strength as life-long learners.
Our strength comes from strong partnerships: with our parents, the community we serve and the close links that we have with The Collegiate Trust. We bring together and harness our extensive experience and expertise to everybody’s benefit.
This prospectus will give you a brief insight into our ethos and our work. We look forward to welcoming you to Quest6.
Andy Crofts, Executive Principal, The Quest Academy
Quest6 is a highly academic sixth form with unique, tutorial style classes and a student-centred approach. In our supportive and nurturing environment, students make rapid and sustained progress and no student gets forgotten.
Quest6’s broad offer of academic courses leads students into the most highly skilled career paths. Subject specialists run exciting, engaging, and insightful tutorial-style lessons with an average class size of around ten.
The modern building is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and resources to enhance the learning experience. The excellent teacher-to-student ratio helps optimise and maximise learning ensuring personalised academic support for every single student, which contributes to our consistent track record of exceptional student progress.
A rigorous series of checkpoints throughout the students’ journeys on their courses and robust interventions enable all students to reach their aspirations of University or high-level apprenticeships.
A real strength of Quest6 is the opportunities we provide our students outside of lessons. These include visits to universities, the chance to take part in the extended research project, sports and creative arts, support for those pursuing Oxbridge or medical courses and career support to all. Students graduate from Quest6 with a set of academic qualifications to be proud of, but also a well-rounded set of skills to be successful in their chosen careers.
We are fully committed to our students finding inspiration no matter what their talents are, or where their interests may lie. Our co-curricular provision unashamedly hopes to focus on pushing students outside their usual experiences, even outside their comfort zone, nurturing a positive can-do attitude.
Challenge with support means you achieve more than you ever imagined: whether that is learning a new skill to tackling a sports challenge, or delivering a talk to your peers on a sensitive topical issue. Just as our Learning Habits are interweaved into our curriculum, so they are firmly embedded in our co-curricular provision.
Ultimately, as in all aspects of Quest6 life, our co-curricular provision is about having fun, trying something new, standing shoulder to shoulder with your friends, testing yourself as team members and leaders, and learning to appreciate your passions, limits and self. Opportunities range from sport and leisure, to the academic and community service.
Our co-curricular provision is important to our students discovering who they are and developing as well-rounded, balanced individuals. With the spark kindled, we hope that your passions will stay with you throughout your lives.
Students make exceptional progress at Quest6. A Value-Added score above zero means students have exceeded their target grades which are based on their GCSE profile. In 2018 we were the third highest provider in a 5-mile radius and have maintained strong positive progress scores each year since Quest6 opened.
The 2019 cohort of students built on the success of the previous year with over a third of all grades at A*-B and over two thirds of results at A*-C. The 2020 and 2021 cohorts of Quest6 students had their examinations disrupted due to the pandemic but nearly 40% received Russell Group university offers and all students moved onto undergraduate level study upon graduation.
Our 2022 results are the best yet with over half of our students receiving Russell Group offers for study and a range of subjects graded “red hot” by ALPS. These red-hot ALPS grades mean we are in the top 10% of schools nationally for progress. This is testament to the excellent teaching that students experience at Quest6. The academic success and destinations of our students is reflective of the extraordinary success they achieve at Quest6.
Mr Cox read Microbiology at The University of Surrey, specialising in disease prevention and epidemiology. He worked as a Scientist at Cambridge conducting in vitro research of novel and mainstream antimicrobials on a global collection of pathogenic bacteria. He then completed a PGCE at The University of Sheffield to switch from research scientist to teacher. Mr Cox teaches all Sciences at the Academy but specialises in Biology at A Level. He is a keen sportsman and musician, taking pride in competing at national competitions in racing kayaking as well as performing on cello in venues such as The Royal Albert Hall.
Mr Cox always says the most rewarding part of his life is hearing from Quest6 alumni and how they are thriving on their degrees or in their careers. He has been Director of Sixth Form at Quest6 since 2016 and finds that witnessing students unlock their full potential and go on to pursue the careers they fully deserve is one of the most gratifying aspects of the role.
Mrs Bennett attended Nottingham Trent University where she studied Geography. After starting her working life in the travel industry, she then did Teach First after deciding to start a career in teaching. In her first year of teaching, she also attained a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from University College London. Mrs Bennett is a subject specialist in Geography, with a particular interest in Human Geography and International Development.
The most rewarding part of her role is helping students gain the confidence to push themselves as far as possible and seeing no boundaries to what they can achieve or how far they can go in life. As ACO for Year 12, she finds helping students start the journey looking at University and further education opportunities particular gratifying. Mrs Bennett enjoys long walks in the countryside and travelling the world as much as possible.
Mr Barragan holds multiple degrees, having studied Law at The University of Leicester and Theology at The University of Surrey. Following completion of these undergraduate qualifications, he attended University College London to undertake his Postgraduate Diploma in Education to kick start his teaching career. Mr Barragan utilises his degrees to deliver Religious Studies and Politics. Within these A Level courses, he specialises in philosophy and Christian theology and in UK government and political ideologies. He is particularly interested in the history of ideas and their impact in society.
Mr Barragan finds leading UCAS is one of the most rewarding parts of his role because he coordinates the support for each student individually in their applications to University. The reward is having such excellent destinations for students to graduate from Quest6 and move onto as they start the next chapter of their academic journey.
Sam Cox Kurt Barragan Catherine BennettThe well-being of our Sixth Form students is just as important as their academic growth. Quest6 students benefit from uniquely tailored pastoral support, provided by the Sixth Form team, including the sixth form tutors, SEND Manager and The Pastoral Director.
Students develop their independence, resilience, and resourcefulness and ensure they make the most of their time outside of lessons to prepare for the demands of undergraduate level study. We tailor advice in all relevant areas including CV building, personal statement writing, interview preparation, mentoring and pastoral care in addition to signposting to other services, as required through the tutorial programme, activities weeks, Academy days and workshops. Students experience two seminars a week with experts in careers, universities, apprenticeships and much more.
Outside of lessons, Quest6 students also build relationships with dedicated Sixth Form tutors in groups of no more than 20. These tutors are available to assist students in all aspects of their Sixth Form experience, from academic encouragement, pastoral support and careers guidance. Every student is known as an individual, which helps in defining their aspirations and championing their well-being.
The tutorial programme has been carefully structured to help students develop their interpersonal and intra-personal skills and prepare them to be successful citizens in fulfilling careers following graduating Quest6.
Sixth Form
Our role as Head Students is to communicate and listen to the ideas of students. We also lead the year 11 prefects and year 12 house captains. We have a big role within the Student Council, house competitions and much more. We undertook a rigorous selection process to be chosen as Head Students. The process involved multiple stages including a letter, speech, student vote, year 7 focus group and a panel interview. This process has helped us, and other applicants, develop a range of skills. We are really privileged to be able to represent the student body and their views.
I am absolutely honoured that I am one of the Head Students at The Quest Academy, and it is such a pleasure to be able to represent my school in this role. I have been a student at The Quest Academy since year seven. Now, I study Sociology, Psychology and Drama in the hopes of one day becoming a respected criminologist.
I look back fondly over my time at the academy. Sports Day and trips such as when the Sixth Form attended Thorpe Park were amazing and allowed me to bond with my peers. Stand out moments also include school productions, The First Give Project, and the DofE programme.
The staff at Quest make every day more and more enjoyable, and have helped me grow in my confidence, resilience, and independence alongside many other skills.
I initially chose The Quest Academy to begin at year 12 because it seemed a caring environment that would also push me to achieve my best. Joining was an excellent decision because of the induction, ice-breaking activities and the support I’ve received from multiple teachers is incredible.
I am very happy and pleased to say I was not disappointed with my decision. All teachers were able to make this next step easier for me. I now study Business, IT and Art and hope to go on to study, information systems for business at university.
Some of my favourite moments have been the Sixth Form academic trips to London, universities and the UCAS activities week. During the UCAS week, year 12 had talks from university lecturers and personal statements masterclasses.
Quest6 teachers are committed to helping us succeed personally as well as academically. They demand the highest standards and always want the best from us and for us. The skills I have developed here will help me flourish at undergraduate level.
Quest6 students have their own branch of the Academy building including a computer suite, common room, laptops, tutorial style teaching rooms, quiet study rooms and kitchen facilities.
Students are not limited to the Quest6 area though and enjoy enrichment activities, clubs, science, sports, technology, and creative subjects in the Academy’s other facilities.
Students at Quest6 have access to cutting-edge, state-of-the-art facilities that – for at least the foreseeable future – are arguably the best that Greater London has to offer. A dedicated social study area, seminar-style teaching rooms, brand new technology as well as access to all of Quest’s new buildings ensure that current and future Quest6 students learn in a modern, peaceful, exceptional education environment.
We are immensely proud of the destinations of all our students and in particular the large proportion that are accepted onto courses at prestigious Russell Group Universities. Students experience tailored careers guidance and support through Year 12 and are bombarded with great opportunities to get involved with to prepare themselves for life after Quest6.
UCAS masterclasses and focus groups are run to give students the best possible chance of studying at their chosen Universities. The individualised student-centred approach is fundamental in helping students thrive in their interviews for University or Apprenticeships and then flourish in the next chapters of their life.
Graduated Quest6 and is now studying Film and Theatre at University of Reading.
Graduated from Quest6 and has now graduated from University of Oxford.
Graduated from Quest6 and has now graduated from University College London.
IDORENYIN HOPE AKPANHead Girl 2019-2020 and is now studying Biotechnology at The University of York
I am entirely grateful for my experience as a student of the Quest6. I would not have attained grades of such high standards if it weren’t for the guidance, the assistance, and the belief that the teaching staff had for my future as a high value individual. Whether it was firm but crucial advice with my personal statement, the attention and supervision when developing my interviewing skills or even providing me with the essential resources that contributed towards my coursework. The mentorship aided towards my personal development throughout my academic year.
Every teacher strives to bring the best out of each and every student. I know that I would not have achieved success at A Level or even received/met my offer to study History at Oxford University if I had been anywhere else. The Quest Academy shaped me into the person I am today and I would not for one moment change one second of the last seven years. Quest6 develops students into well rounded and valuable members of society.
At first, I had no plans to continue into Quest6. But after receiving my GCSE results and seeing how happy my teachers were for me, I realised that the support I’d receive at Quest6 would be unparalleled. I am immensely grateful to my teachers for all their support and also my peers. I am a big believer in competition being essential to success and having some highly motivated classmates was inspiring. My best advice is to trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to be your own person. Be confident in your endeavours, for uncertainty is hope’s worst enemy.
Graduated Quest6 in 2022 and is now studying Psychology and Education Practice at University of Roehampton
A Levels were captivating in terms of the knowledge gained and the skills honed. The teachers served as exemplary models for us to enter higher education and their constant voluntary help is something I was certain to not find elsewhere.
I’ve been here at The Quest Academy since Year 7. The last 7 years have gone very quickly! The teachers have been very supportive. I didn’t think for a moment when I started in Year 7 that I’d get three As in my A Levels. I put my success down to continuous effort and hard work, and help from all of the teachers. They’re always there and willing to help.
Graduated Quest6 in 2022 and is now taking a Gap Year
Quest6 has been an amazing experience. I think it’s a very encouraging learning environment. My advice to younger students is to try your best and do what you enjoy, at the end of the day. I’m not sure yet if I’ll practice medicine or go into biomedical research. But I didn’t think I’d be getting A*AA either! “ “
