Sixth Form Experience Curriculum Personal Development Student Support and Guidance Our Policies Summer challenge

Our Sixth Form curriculum is designed to maximise the potential of young people. Working in partnership with students and parents, we will ensure every student follows a personalised programme of study that allows them to make progress and that will fully prepare them for the future. This means that all our students will be enrolled on courses that are challenging yet appropriate for their background and ambition.

A Levels

The majority of our curriculum is comprised of A Level Courses. These are all linear qualifications, which means that all external assessment will be at the end of Year 13. To take an A Level, students must meet the individual subject requirements – more information can be found on individual subject pages. Guidance on which subjects would be most suitable for individual students will be provided at our Open Evening and throughout the application process.

All A Levels are challenging, high-status qualifications, but some are particularly prized by universities and employers. These are called facilitating subjects and provide the greatest range of possible university courses. We encourage all students to study at least 1 of the following:

  • English (Literature or Language)
  • Mathematics
  • The Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
  • Humanities (History and Geography)
  • Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish)

For more information, have a look at The Russell Group website: www.informedchoices.ac.uk

BTEC

BTECs are specialist work-related qualifications that combine practical, vocational learning with theory and subject content. They are designed for young people interested in a particular sector or industry, but who are not yet sure what job they’d like to do. All the BTEC courses we offer are Level 3 qualifications (the same standard as A Levels) and combine assessment by examination and coursework. BTEC qualifications can lead to employment, continuing study, or apprenticeships and are well regarded by universities, further education colleges, and employers.

GCSE English and Mathematics

Any students without a Grade 4 in GCSE English Language or mathematics will work towards achieving this in Year 12. Students are expected to make sufficient progress to gaining a GCSE grade 4 by the end of Year 13. Students will have scheduled lessons in the appropriate departments to support them in achieving this.

The Extended Project Qualification

The EPQ is a chance for our most able students to pursue an independent course of study, culminating in a project. This might range from a dissertation-style essay to creating a documentary, all based on their own research. Students can apply to do the EPQ in June of Year 12, with a view to completing this during Year 13. Students who are interested in doing this will be working with the Head of Year 13. This course is particularly useful for students who wish to apply to a Russell Group university.

Personal and Professional Development (PPD)

Success in post-16 education does not just depend on academic ability or previous grades. There are a range of habits, attitudes, routines and approaches to study that will have a significant effect on the results students achieve at the end of Year 13.  All students will have timetabled tutorial sessions that will help them develop the characteristics and behaviours needed to be successful. The Bicester tutorial course recognises that every individual will have different strengths and weaknesses, and so students will be supported and encouraged to engage in honest reflection and make commitments to take action to improve.

All Sixth Formers will have one hour per fortnight of Personal and Professional Development (PPD), which will cover, over the two years, a range of different areas, including:

  • Study skills, positive habits and resilience
  • Planning for the future
  • Maintaining good mental health
  • Healthy relationships, including issues related to consent, safe sex and managing conflict
  • The big issues facing our society, e.g. climate change
  • Physical health, including education about exercise, drugs, alcohol and healthy diets
  • Preparing to live independently

We have a wealth of information about further learning techniques such as Super-curricular learning and destinations on our Most Able section of our website.

– University of Cambridge – Super Curricular Learning

Non-qualification activities

The Sixth Form provides a range of non-qualification activities that will help students develop both as individuals and as members of the community. These activities will also provide regular opportunities for students to build their CV and enhance applications to university and apprenticeships.

  • Enrichment opportunities

All our students will be encouraged to participate in the extensive enrichment opportunities on offer to them outside the classroom. These will be organised by the Sixth Form and subject departments and include trips to museums, galleries and exhibitions, and the theatre. We run an annual Sixth Form Christmas trip to London, and this year we held our first Sixth Form residential trip, a cultural weekend in Edinburgh.

There are also a number of trips abroad that are organised by subject teachers, for example to Iceland and Madrid in recent years and to Auschwitz in 2019-20. Students also have the opportunity to take part in Camps International, which provides a longer period of exploration abroad. In the past students have visited Peru through this project and this year will be spending a month in Kenya.

We also work closely with several organisations that offer great experiences to young people. We have a long-standing and very successful partnership with Oxford Brookes University, particularly though the Brookes Engage Programme. We also support students taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, the National Citizenship Service and Young Enterprise.

  • Sixth Form assemblies

We believe our students should have access to a range of different ideas and debates and we strongly encourage our students to recognise the importance of democracy, and to fully engage with their role in our democratic society. Every week we hold a Sixth Form Assembly that will discuss an important contemporary issue such as mental health, climate change, Brexit, or the refugee crisis.  All our assemblies aim to provide an introduction to these topics and to promote independent, critical thought and further exploration. We also support our students to actively engage with the democratic process by taking part in events such as Parliament Week and providing guidance on registering to vote.

During the academic year, we also invite external speakers to present to our students on a range of different topics, which will then be used as the basis for discussion tutor sessions. In the last year, we have hosted talks by Jasmine Whitbread, Chief Executive of London First and former CEO of Save the Children; Professor Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care, NHS England; and Liam Maxwell, Former National Technology Adviser to the UK Government.

  • Volunteering and Charity Work

All students in Year 12 are expected to organise and complete 20 hours of volunteering before Easter. This can be in school, but the majority of our students work with a number of local organisations. Students will be expected to keep a record of their participation and reflect on their experience. Students will have the opportunity to work with a range of local, national and international charities. The Sixth Form are heavily involved with running fundraising events at the school through non-uniform, fancy dress, cake sales, sporting events and other activities. This is overseen by the Charity Committee, which is elected from the Sixth Form student body.

  • Work experience

All students in the Sixth Form will organise and undertake at least one week of work experience during their time with us, normally at the end of Year 12. The placement will help students to develop ‘soft skills’ and their general employability and to gain an insight into a field of work that interests them.

  • Student Leadership

All Sixth Form students are eligible to stand for election by their peers to the Student Leadership team. There are a number of roles available, and elected students are encouraged to take a proactive approach to their leadership responsibilities.