explore your future with us

Joseph Rowntree

Sixth Form

I am delighted to introduce the Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form prospectus. I hope this will give you a taste of what we offer and will encourage you to explore your future with us.

We are proud to have a vibrant sixth form with a strong identity

and clear vision. Our aim is to inspire students to achieve what they can achieve, with a lot of fun as a sixth form along the way.

Our students enjoy high levels of academic success and personal achievement. They are stimulated to learn in a challenging but relaxed atmosphere and our ‘OUTSTANDING’ care, guidance and support (OFSTED 2007) ensures that you will be supported every step of your journey with us.

We have an excellent record of progression into higher education, with almost all students gaining a place at their first choice institution. Our students graduate from universities across the country in courses from medicine to law and social sciences to engineering. For those not wanting to go to university we offer individual connexions support and guidance.

Our sixth form students experience a different perspective on school life, with increased freedom and responsibility for their own learning. We enjoy good working relations between staff and students. These are based on high expectations and mutual respect and will help you to achieve your full potential and to enjoy sixth form life.

We are keen to offer a broad and rounded experience through enrichment lessons, personal development opportunities and social occasions. With an increasingly competitive job market, we realise how important it is to provide you with the opportunities to develop employability skills that will benefit you in the future.

As ambassadors of the sixth form and role models for younger students, we have two Student Presidents who lead the Sixth Form Committee and will encourage you to have an active involvement in sixth form life.

In addition to reading this prospectus you should talk to your teachers and any current students you may know. I am always happy to meet with you and your parents to discuss applications and offer individual advice. Whatever subjects you choose we are certain that you will thoroughly enjoy Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form and make the most of the opportunities it will bring.

Miss S E BillingeHead of Sixth Form

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Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form

“Sixth form is mint, I don’t want to leave”

Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form has a long-standing record of academic success.

We continually monitor progress towards target grades in order to help each individual to reach their full potential.

Most of our Year 13 students continue into further or higher education with almost all gaining their first choice institution.

We have a good record of successful student applications to Oxford and Cambridge Universities and to competitive courses such as medicine.

Students who choose not to continue into further or higher education are successful in entering employment or work related learning.

Students are supported in their career aspirations by offering mock interviews for university and employment and work shadowing opportunities.

We offer a wide enrichment programme and range of extra-curricular activities to broaden the sixth form experience beyond academic achievement.

We have a vibrant common room for socialising and a study area with a suite of computers, exclusively for sixth form use.

We have an excellent retention rate, due to our knowledge of students as individuals combined with the strong support and guidance that we provide.

Academic & Personal Achievement

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The Curriculum

We deliver a curriculum that encompasses an extensive mix of both traditional and vocational courses, taught by experienced subject specialists. Most students remain with us for two years although the post-16 curriculum allows the opportunity for you to follow a one-year course.

Each student’s timetable will be made up of the following:

Main subjects

Supplementary option choices

Non-taught time

Enrichment lessons and Personal Development

The course booklet will explain the main subjects in greater depth.

“I believe the Sixth Form provides a

good environment for learning”

Supplementary option choices

This allows students to choose an option to supplement their main subjects. The combination of options available will depend on the main subjects chosen by each student. This year the supplementary option choices are:

General Studies A-level

Critical Thinking A-level

OCR National Award in ICT

Sports Coaching Award

Dance

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Non-taught time

This describes those lessons where students are expected to organise their own personal study. Taking on responsibility for your own learning is all part of the sixth form experience. You can typically expect to have about six periods of non-taught time each week (depending on the number of main subjects you have chosen).

“...here the staff are not just interested in grades”

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We are keen to offer a range of enriching experiences that students enjoy, from formal enrichment lessons, volunteering opportunities and events ranging from the more contemporary social occasions to the more traditional carol service.

Students enjoy participating in enrichment activities such as sport, cooking lessons and the essential guide to etiquette in preparation for the Leavers’ Ball.

Enrichment lessons include talks on becoming independent learners or safe drivers, local universities provide an insight into student life and our former students offer their own experiences of university life or gap year travel.

Students take part in extra curricular activities such as the sixth form revue, vocal harmony group and ballroom dancing lessons.

We support charities with fundraising events including our annual fancy dress day for Children in Need.

Students contribute to the wider life of the school and the local community through paired reading, in-class support, running their own clubs and coaching sport in feeder primary schools.

These are just some of the experiences and opportunities that we offer you in the sixth form. We also register our volunteer work with v, an independent charity that supports volunteering and voluntary organisations across the UK. This allows students to log the time they spend volunteering and work towards two nationally recognised awards.

Enrichment Lessons & Personal Development

‘OUTSTANDING’ Personal Development and Well-Being (OFSTED 2007)

“Support, leadership and atmosphere are

brilliant”

Support & Guidance

We are proud of our successful pastoral care system and our commitment to support and meet the needs of every individual.

We are experienced in providing advice with applications to higher education and careers guidance. We offer an extensive programme of support and enjoy good relations with local universities and the Connexions Service.

Students have a personal tutor, who they regularly meet with individually and as a tutor group. I also work very closely with students, tutors and subject teachers and meet with individuals on a daily basis.

We monitor academic progress against target grades and work with students and teachers to achieve the best for each student. Parents are kept informed of progress at all times.

We encourage you to have a greater responsibility for your own learning and give you the increased freedom of attendance concessions. Good attendance is vital to your progress and we also monitor this on a regular basis.

We value communication with parents and hold information evenings in Year 12 and Year 13 outlining routines in the sixth form, higher education and student finance.

‘OUTSTANDING’ Care, Guidance and Support (OFSTED 2007)

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“Without a doubt the best two years of my life so far!”

We have many exciting opportunities to travel and explore different cultures in the sixth form.

The annual American Exchange gives students the opportunity to travel to California and host their exchange student in return.

In the last few years the annual Business Studies trip has taken students to Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Prague and the Religious Studies students to Poland.

We have had expeditions to Mexico, New Zealand and most recently Kenya.

Further Opportunities in the Sixth Form

Closer to home Psychology and Sociology students have been to London, Art students to Oxford, Biology and Geography students have undertaken fieldwork in North Yorkshire and Theatre students have sampled performances in London’s West End.

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The New School

National Award for the ‘Most Versatile Learning Environment’

York Design Awards ‘Best non-residential new build’We offer:

A flexible learning environment, including dedicated sixth form and outdoor learning spaces

Interactive White Boards in every classroom

Lecture Theatre with 3D filming and projection screen

Music Recording Studio

Mobile TV studio and video conferencing unit

Modern Foreign Language Laboratory

Access to over 500 computers including the sixth form computer suite, desktops, lap tops and minibooks

“If school was a marathon, Sixth Form was the lap of honour”

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The Sixth Form Committee

Jonathan Woodcock and Sophie McDonnell Sixth Form Presidents

At Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form, there is a fantastic, friendly atmosphere in our new, colourful common room.

Lessons are enjoyable as they may have a link to our future plans or it may simply be that we enjoy the subject a lot. Either way, there is the incentive to try hard. Education is further enhanced by good relationships with our teachers.

The social side of Sixth Form is considered very important too. There is the opportunity to be involved in incredible trips around the world. Furthermore, on a smaller scale, the Sixth Form Committee organises fantastic social events such as parties, ice skating, fancy dress events and much more!

Join us, for an unforgettable time at Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form!

“I feel that the staff have really understood my

son and have helped to shape

his character positively in

preparation for the next stage of

his education”

8 Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form

Admission into the Sixth Form

Each application is considered individually and we look at each student’s suitability for the courses for which they are applying.

To be successful in the sixth form you need to achieve an average GCSE points score of at least 38. This is calculated by allocating points to each of your GCSE grades as shown below.

Grade A* 58 points

Grade A 52 points

Grade B 46 points

Grade C 40 points

Grade D 34 points

Grade E 28 points

Grade F 22 points

Grade G 16 points

We encourage most students to start four main subjects in Year 12 although if your average points score is in the range of 38-43, you may be better starting with just three main subjects.

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Having Fun as a Sixth Form

Joseph Rowntree Sixth Form

Haxby Road New Earswick York YO32 4BZ

Tel: 01904 768107 Fax: 0870 0852600

Email: joseph.rowntree@york.gov.uk www.josephrowntreeschool.co.uk

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