Sixth Form Guide 2021/22
Welcome! Congratulations! You are about to become a member of a school that has a wonderful history and reputation. ArtsEd has been educating and training performers since 1918 when Olive Ripman combined her school with that of the three Cone sisters: Grace, Valerie, and Lily. The building you will be studying in is named Cone Ripman House as a tribute to these inspirational women who brought ArtsEd into being. The building houses not only the Sixth Form, which makes up a significant part of the Day School, but also The School of Acting, The School of Musical Theatre, and various weekend and holiday classes which are part of ArtsEd Extra. You are now part of ArtsEd and are following in the footsteps of many artists who have studied and succeeded here. We hope that you will be a proud student and enjoy making your contribution to the school. Having ambitions to perform may have been unusual at your school but now you are part of an institution where everybody wants to pursue their dreams! The dedication and commitment of our students’ forms part of the unique feel of the building. The energy generated by staff and students, who love what they do, creates the unique atmosphere that is ArtsEd. We hope these next two years in the Sixth Form go on to be the highlight of your education and that your time here leads to many successes. You will be spending time studying a personally chosen course and we hope this period of your life brings with it greater personal responsibility and mature decision making, as well as new freedoms and challenges. As ArtsEd Sixth Formers you will be expected to be professional at all times. You are now representatives of ArtsEd.
ArtsEd has a simple aim: to provide talented young people with an outstanding vocational and academic education in a school specially designed for the Performing and Visual Arts.
“A School with the Arts at the Heart of an Outstanding Education”
The values that the school promotes can be summarised by the ArtsEd pillars:
Aspriation
Resilience
Teamwork
“Don’t just aim high, aim higher!”
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again”
“Alone we can do so little, together we can achieve so much more”
Self-discipline
Empathy
Drive
“Discipline, not desire determines your destiny”
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”
“Your only limit is you”
Your course ArtsEd has a unique Sixth Form, as it combines specialist arts based Advanced Level studies with vocational training in the Performing Arts. The Sixth Form is not a stage school; we expect our students to understand the importance of all their studies as part of a rich education, which will provide the widest possible career opportunities. We offer four pathways: A Level pathway BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (equivalent to 3 A Levels) in Performing Arts Practice (Musical Theatre), Performing Arts Practice (Acting) and Performing Arts Practice (Dance) Students on the BTEC courses can study up to two A Level subjects alongside their time dedicated Musical Theatre, Dance or Acting-based study. Students studying the more traditional route will be expected to study either 3 or 4 A Level subjects. All courses are managed as, and are part of, the Day School and Sixth Form. We currently offer ten subjects at A Level: Fine Art Drama & Theatre Studies English Literature History of Art History Film Studies Mathematics Music Photography Politics It is our policy for every A Level Pathway student to study at least three subjects through to the complete A Level to ensure that they have the broadest possible options for higher education. There will be an exam fee to sit each A Level examination and a BTEC Registration fee. These are imposed by the exam boards and will be added to your termly disbursements.
Enrichment Opportunities To ensure that Sixth Form vocational training is as broad as possible, we offer several innovative opportunities in addition to the core courses of study. Enrichment sessions run twice a week and involve a variety of classes in different disciplines. Classes in the past have included: Dance Stream, Musical Theatre Company, Theatre Company, Acting for Screen, Sight Reading, Yoga, Stage Combat, Show Choir, Additional Dance, Song Writing and Creative Writing. We also offer writing support skills with our specialist Sixth Form SENCO, as well as the opportunity to use Enrichment sessions for silent study.
The Dance Stream This is an exciting option to further enhance the skills of proficient dancers. The course for Dance Stream A may include classes in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and ISTD Modern and exceptional students may also be invited to attend Classical Variations classes and additional Tap classes. Contact time is usually between 3-4 sessions a week. The course for Dance Stream B may include classes in Ballet, Jazz and Contemporary. Students may also be invited to attend ISTD Modern and Tap classes. Contact time is usually 3-4 sessions a week. The Dance Stream is open to all students, although places are limited, and acceptance onto the course is via audition. Some of the dance classes may take place outside the normal timetable, and so students must be prepared to manage their time effectively.
Dance Company The ArtsEd Youth Dance Company is an opportunity for dancers in Years 10 - 13 to gain experience of performing as a contemporary dance company. The Company provides you with knowledge of how a professional company runs, from working with choreographers, rehearsing, and taking company class, through to touring new and current repertoire. Entry to the company is by audition only. Recent performances have been at The Dance Proms (Royal Albert Hall), Ignition Dance (The Lyric, Hammersmith), reFresh (London Contemporary Dance School) and U.Dance (Laban). N.B. this provision runs outside of the daily timetable and is not part of the Enrichment options.
Drama Opportunities Drama opportunities that occur outside your individual programme of study have in the past included the National Theatre Connections Programme, ISA National Drama Competition, the National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) and the ArtsEd Theatre Company. Places on these exciting projects are gained through an audition process.
Musical Theatre Opportunities Musical Theatre opportunities that occur outside your individual programme of study may include performing in the ArtsEd Music Concert, external performances such as outreach projects and the ArtsEd Musical Theatre Company. Places on these exciting projects are also gained through an audition process.
Music Opportunities Year 12 and 13 students can opt into enrichment opportunities including Show Choir (which develops strong ensemble singing skills and performs in our annual concerts) and Songwriting (taught by an industry professional). Students are also encouraged to audition for the Music Department’s two annual events: the Music Concert and Live Lounge. The department encourages musicians of all abilities and genres to audition; these events allow us to celebrate the excellent and varied musical talents of our students. For an additional fee added onto termly disbursements, peripatetic lessons are available in Voice, Piano, Strings, Drums, and Guitar. Other instruments may be available on request. Students receive one 30-minute lessons per week, and BTEC Musical Theatre students are strongly encouraged to opt for 45-minute specialist lessons to further develop their vocal skills. The Music Department facilities include classrooms and rehearsal spaces that are often available for Sixth Form use at lunch and after school. Students come together in their own time to rehearse on the school instruments and to compose on Logic Pro and Sibelius using our MIDI keyboards and new iMac computers.
BTEC Courses Disciplines are combined to create clear pathways in Acting, Musical Theatre and Dance on this two-year course. The range of options offered within our Extended Diploma is extremely varied, providing students with comprehensive industry training under professional tutorage.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts Practice: Acting Acting students study the many disciplines and styles within performance. They study both classical and contemporary theatre, as well as building directing techniques. Over the two years students complete a detailed study in using voice and movement as an actor and develop physical, devising and improvisation skills. They will research the workings of certain practitioners and the history of theatre, whilst gaining an insight into the demands of the performing arts industry. They rehearse and perform a wide range of material and become confident, versatile actors.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts Practice: Musical Theatre Musical Theatre students study the disciplines of acting, singing and dancing. These include ballet, tap and jazz, singing as a soloist and as part of an ensemble, and approaching song and text from an actor’s point of view. All of this is underpinned with research and performance-based assignments, looking at the history of Musical Theatre, the Musical Theatre industry, and studying the wide range of styles within the genre.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts Practice: Dance The BTEC Dance Course is an exciting yet challenging pathway that allows the students to perform, create, discuss, explore and understand their chosen art form. The students participate in a wide range of dance classes taught by experts in their field. Each unit has been selected with the intention of preparing dancers for further training and the demands of the performing arts industry.
Professional Etiquette and Practice of Performing Arts students at Sixth Form: • Your vocational course will require you to work independently and study outside class times. •
Attend every class dressed in the appropriate vocational uniform for that lesson (black vocational kit, which includes appropriate dance wear/black T-shirt/sweater, black jogging bottoms/leggings and black trainer style footwear; no jewellery, neat hair e.g., tied back if long). No black jeans.
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All mobile phones must be off in classrooms, unless stated otherwise. You are not permitted to take any calls, texts etc. during class times.
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No food or drink in any classroom, with the exception of water in a sports bottle.
• You must take into account this is a full-time programme of study, you must be mindful of this when taking on extra responsibilities e.g. part time jobs and when making medical appointments. We do not encourage partaking in or auditioning for professional work during term time. Your dedication to your studies must come first. • If you are absent for any class, then you must inform the teacher prior to your absence by email. If it is on the day, then this must be done at least 15 minutes before the school day begins. •
If you are absent for any class, it is your own responsibility to find out what work you have missed and catch up before the next lesson. It is not the teachers’ responsibility to contact you or remind you of this.
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If you are going to be late or absent during the class due to a Peri lesson you must email the relevant members of staff prior to the lesson to inform them of your absence.
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If you have an injury, you must notify the relevant teachers prior to attending their class.
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You are expected to arrive at least 5 minutes prior to your lesson and be prepared and ready to start the class before the lesson is scheduled to start.
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If you are late to, or unprepared to any class or scheduled rehearsal you will not be allowed to take part. You are to remain in the classroom silently. This is also applicable if wearing inappropriate vocational uniform, attending without correct resources and disrupting the professional learning environment. The procedure will be as follows:
1st late: Cannot take part in class. 2nd late: Cannot take part in class and immediate detention for that week. 3rd late: Cannot take part in class and a meeting to review your place on the course.
Should you be late under special circumstances then there will be some consideration. You must still notify your teacher in advance (at least 10 minutes)- not once the lesson has started. • Being late due to a disruption to your journey is not a valid reason. You must give sufficient travel time to your journey as preventative measures. If it is a major delay (not an everyday travel disruption) then it is your responsibility to contact your teacher informing them of this with evidence (e.g., screenshot of travel board/TFL line status) at least 15 minutes prior to the lesson starting. • When submitting written work, you must reference anything that is not your own words. Not giving the original author credit is classed as plagiarism and will not be tolerated. Do not trust everything you read on Wikipedia, collect your research from a range of resources. All work submitted, including electronic files, must be clearly labelled with your name. If sending work in an email you must write in the message body informing the recipient of the content. • Students are expected to be representatives of the school when on theatre trips; you must behave with maturity, respect and professionalism at all times. • You are expected to behave with professionalism at all times, towards your teachers and to your peers.
There is a one-off registration payment of approximately £225 for all students being entered for the BTEC Extended Diploma. The exact amount is set annually by the awarding body, Edexcel. NB: The BTEC Extended Diploma in Performing Arts Practice is a nationally recognised qualification, subject to the guidelines set by the awarding body, Edexcel. As such course content and delivery may be subject to change.
Learning Within the BTEC Acting, Musical Theatre and Dance Courses, programmes are project based, providing students with the opportunity to learn and develop skills whilst working as part of a company. Under the guidance of professional tutors (of whom either have worked or are still working in the industry), students learn through a combination of workshops, lessons, masterclasses and rehearsals. Constant reference is made to current professional practice and there are also regular theatre trips and visits to deepen their understanding of the arts. The skills you will develop over the two years will prepare you to make a smooth transition into the next stage of your career, be it university, drama school or the industry.
Assessment Assessment is varied and is based on what is expected of performers in the industry. This means researching in detail and keeping clear rehearsal diaries and video evidence or blogs that clearly analyse your performance skills. Over the two years you will be given a wide range of assignments that will require you to submit written, verbal and practical evidence. The portfolio created whilst undertaking the course will determine the final grade. Feedback is given continuously throughout the programme to ensure that the learner is able to meet their full potential. The BTEC programmes at ArtsEd are an exciting opportunity for students to work in a vocational context under professional conditions with the academic and practical guidance expected from our institution. On completion of either pathway, students will be confident performers with a clear understanding of the demands of the performing profession. The experience and contacts that ArtsEd will provide them with will remain throughout their career and put them at a clear advantage in an extremely competitive industry. There will be an opportunity for students to study two A Level subjects from a limited range of options, depending on the available study blocks.
What is the difference between studying at Sixth Form and GCSE level? The most significant difference in studying at the Sixth Form is the amount of initiative and self-motivation you will need to succeed in your studies. At this level you are encouraged to think for yourself, to develop your understanding of how your chosen subjects `work’ within theoretical frameworks, and to explore your own creativity. All A Levels contain significant amounts of coursework and/or creative projects. BTEC students are required to keep daily diaries of their learning. It is your personal responsibility to make sure that you are a `self-starter’ with these tasks. Your teachers will help you progress with your work; clearly, the more effort you put in, the more your teachers will be able to help you. In addition to the requisite schoolwork, students are expected to take advantage of the many productions and exhibitions that London has to offer. They are also encouraged to read widely and to make good use of our degree level library, in order to enhance their knowledge in their selected course of study. There will be regular reviews of your work during each term. When coursework is set you will be given opportunities to submit draft versions before the final date of submission. The draft deadlines are excellent opportunities to obtain feedback from your teacher and to make changes if needed. If you fail to submit a piece of work on the day of the draft deadline your teacher will give you a ‘Cause for Concern’ note that will be sent to your parents. A ‘Cause for Concern’ is a serious indication that you are not meeting the expectations of the school. Coursework cannot be submitted after the published deadline. We are serious about your academic development and expect you to complete work promptly, accurately and with pride. It is your responsibility to ensure you get all of your work in on time. There is a big jump between GCSE work and Sixth Form work - do not underestimate the time and self-discipline that will be required of you! However, you will receive support and guidance from both teachers and your form tutor. You will have the chance to learn new study skills in the weekly group pastoral tutorials. Attendance at these tutorials is compulsory.
Kit List Uniform can be purchased at the link below. Be sure to select the ‘6th Form and Day School’ tab. Spare black joggers must be plain without any branding. For each vocational subject, please select the kit list from either the left or the right column. https://www.yourschooluniform.com/schools/index/arts-educational-schools-london Everyone At least 2 x ArtsEd T-shirts
At least 1 x ArtsEd Black joggers
A Level Dance Black Leotard & tights OR Black sports bra
Black scoop neck unitard Dance support, belt/jock
Dance Stream Black classical ballet leotard (No mesh) Black leotard suitable for jazz Sports bras OR Black tights Pink or flesh-tone ballet tights Pink or flesh-tone canvas ballet shoes Hair accessories for bun
Black scoop neck unitard full length Black scoop neck unitard short - Optional White socks and ballet shoes or Black socks and ballet shoes Dance support, belt/jock
Tap shoes maybe required for students of intermediate standard or higher. BTEC Musical Theatre (MT) & BTEC Dance Black classical ballet leotard (No mesh) Black leotard suitable for jazz Sports bras Black tights OR Pink or flesh-tone ballet tights Pink or flesh-tone canvas ballet shoes Hair accessories for bun Black New Yorkers Tap shoes (Bloch recommended) Jazz shoes
Black scoop neck unitard full length Black scoop neck unitard short -Optional White socks and ballet shoes or Black socks and ballet shoes Dance support, belt/jock Jazz shoes Tap shoes
BTEC Acting/ BTEC MT Full-length Character Skirts Fitted long sleeve black t-shirt Black New Yorkers OR Black trainers for class Black smart shoes Black trainers
Smart black trousers White shirt Black shirt Black belt
A Level Drama Long or short-sleeved black t-shirt (ArtsEd uniform or plain black with no logos) Black Jogging Bottoms (ArtsEd uniform or plain black with no logos) Black Trainers We do not expect hair to be chemically relaxed in order to be put up into a bun or other dance style.
The Role of the Sixth Form within ArtsEd Sixth Form students are expected to provide leadership for the whole school and there are plenty of opportunities to develop your interpersonal skills. Sixth Form students help staff in the running of the school, both formally through the Sixth Form Council and informally through other school activities such as open evenings and audition days. In addition, we encourage students to lead the ArtsEd Well-Being Group, BLM Group, FemPower, a buddy system for the day school students, LGBTQ+ Club and each year we elect two School Captains from Year 13 to help facilitate this. All year groups throughout the school can devise, produce, and perform an assembly for their year group. Although there are some internal students who stay at ArtsEd, the Sixth Form is different from the Day School. As part of the Sixth Form, you are expected to fulfil your position with consideration and maturity. You will be a role model to younger students and will be representing the school in a professional manner at all times.
Staff Alongside a team of highly qualified subject specialists, many of the staff have industrial experience in their fields, as musicians, photographers, film directors, dancers, directors, or actors. They will be working to help you achieve your maximum potential in your studies, both within the group and individually. Remember that you will get out of your studies what you put in. Your teachers are there to teach and support you in a friendly and caring atmosphere but expect you to take responsibility for your progress and development. Director of Sixth Form Mark Ferrington Deputy Director of Sixth Form Amy Whiterod Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Sixth Form Leigh Brennan Senior Sixth Form Tutor Y12 Russell Clark Senior Sixth Form Tutor Y13 & Sixth Form SENCO Warren Turner Senior Leadership Team Deputy Headteacher Claire Parker-Wood Director of Curriculum and Data Management Thamir Elzubadi Director of Performing Arts Natalie Bareham Director of CPD & Community Engagement Chris Reynolds Heads of Department Head of BTEC & BTEC Acting Pathway Lead Lizzie Bellamy BTEC MT Pathway Lead & Head of Singing Giovanna Ryan BTEC Dance Pathway Lead & Head of Dance Natalie Bareham Head of Drama Russell Clark Head of English Richard Brunel Head of History Charles Payne Head of Maths Thamir Elzubadi Head of Music Lauren Ronan Head of Politics Chika Ogbonna Head of Visual Arts Charly Swingler Head of Film Studies William Reiss Head of Photography Greg Beavis Vocational Guidance Coordinator Tim Hunter-Reid Headteachers PA and Office Manager Admissions Secretary and Assistant Administrator Sixth Form and Performing Arts Administrator
Simon Bamforth Gabriella Duda Thomas Cayley
Tutorials Each Year Group is divided into six tutor groups. You will meet your form tutor every morning for registration and once a week for a group tutor session and a PSHE class. Once or twice a term; you may have an individual tutorial with your form tutor that will focus on the development of your general progress and wellbeing. Your tutor will also work closely with you to ensure that you are keeping up with your homework/coursework deadlines. If you are under-performing in any way, your teachers will communicate with your tutor about the nature of the problem and you will have an individual meeting. Your teacher will work with you to help you overcome the difficulty and will put targets or strategies in place. You will then see your form tutor again to review your progress, as often as is considered necessary to make sure you are `back on track’. What do I do if I am having problems with my studies? If you are having problems with any aspect of your studies, you should seek help from your subject teacher without delay. They will always be happy to see you in a private tutorial and to advise you. Not giving in work that you find difficult or not contributing to class discussion because you may not be clear about a topic are common problems. You should also let your tutor know if you are having specific problems and discuss what you can do about it. If you have any other problems or are unhappy about any aspect of your course you should arrange to see your form tutor. They will then liaise with the Director of Sixth Form, Mark Ferrington. Remember, people can only help solve a problem if they know it exists! If you have pastoral issues or are seeking advice, please speak to your form tutor, the Deputy DSL: Sixth Form or the Director of Sixth Form. Tutorials will also be focused on individual sessions to help you with your applications for higher education. This will include UCAS applications and mock interviews. In Year 13 there will also be time to work on auditions with allocated mentors to work on your performance pieces. All Year 13 students will be encouraged to apply for university even if their first choice is a conservatoire or specialist school to study music, dance, or drama. Many universities also offer excellent courses in these fields and in addition, give you a broader perspective.
Careers In the Sixth Form you will receive careers advice from various sources. During the first year, you should discuss your careers plans with the Director of Sixth Form, Senior Sixth form Tutors, your form tutor, and your subject teachers to seek guidance on whether these are the best and most appropriate plans for you or whether you should consider alternative possibilities. You may find that your career plans change during Year 12 as you discover new areas of interest and abilities. Some Sixth Form students wish to progress to the ArtsEd School of Musical Theatre or the School of Acting. The heads of both courses usually visit the Sixth Form to explain the audition process and to give an insight into what they are looking for when selecting students. University prospectuses are available for you to research courses in your subject or careers area. UCAS (www.ucas.com) and individual universities have very informative web pages. You are encouraged to go to university open days to give you an idea of student life, both academic and otherwise, and also to visit other establishments of higher education.
Students with Special Education Needs If a student has any identified learning difficulty or special educational need, they should make sure that the school is informed and any relevant paperwork e.g., diagnostic report or educational psychologist assessment is submitted for supporting evidence. This information is a vital component in ensuring we can support all students’ needs both in their lessons, and, in examination conditions. All evidence of Special Educational Needs should be passed on to Warren Turner (Sixth Form SENDCo and Examinations Access Arrangements Officer) by post or email to wturner@artsed.co.uk.
Lockers Lockers are allocated at the beginning of the year. These are to be used for storing work and personal items. It is not recommended to store expensive items such as jewellery in them. Please note: You need to bring a numbered combination padlock with you in order to secure the lock properly.
Timetable 8.20AM - Arrive at School 8.25AM - Registration 8:30AM - 9:50AM - Periods 1 & 2 9:50AM - 10:10AM - Morning Break 10:10AM - 11:30AM - Periods 3 & 4 11:30AM - 12:55PM - Lunch/Tutorial/Clubs 1:00PM - 2:20PM - Periods 5 & 6 2:20PM - 2:30PM - Afternoon Break 2:30PM - 3:50PM - Periods 7 & 8 3:50PM - 4:10PM - Academic Access 4:10PM - 5:30PM - Periods 9 & 10 5:30PM - The normal school day ends Performances may take place in the evenings, as do some dance classes. Please note that lunchtimes can often be used for short rehearsals towards the various shows as well as for some dance classes. As your timetable may include supervised silent study periods, you will be expected to use this time efficiently. During rehearsal periods you will need to be flexible about when you eat and drink, so be prepared! The Sixth Form and the Day School follow the same school day. Classes are made up of 40-minute periods and the Sixth Form classes are all double lessons. Year 12 students are only allowed off-site at lunchtime unless they are studying offsite or have made a previous arrangement with permission from the Director of Sixth Form. You may be given the opportunity of staggered starts and finishes, depending on your timetable and after having submitted a parental permission slip at the start of the academic year. This opportunity is a privilege that is given at the discretion of the Director of Sixth Form and may be revoked if deemed appropriate. Some classes, assessments and exams may take place at the Polish Centre at Ravenscourt Park (two tube stops away on the District Line or a 10–15-minute walk).
Library Library Times Mon – Thurs 8.00am to 7.00pm and Fri 8.00am to 3.00pm. No food, drink or mobile phone usage is permitted in the Library. You may ring the Library directly on 020 8987 6662 or email antrobus1@artsed.co.uk. Students will not be permitted to use the facility in any capacity if they have not returned an overdue Library item or paid their fine in full. The library should never be seen as a Common Room. It is a place of work.
Canteen Lunch is included in the school fees. To ensure the canteen runs smoothly, the various schools within the building each have a timeslot in which to get their lunch. The Day School and Sixth Form timeslot is between 11.30am and 12.30pm. The refectory closes at 1.45pm for food but beverages are always available. There is also a café in the canteen that students can use. Breakfast is available between 8.30am and 10.30am.
Private Study You should expect to devote a minimum of five hours of private study each week to each subject. This will include general reading as well as required homework assignments. You must organise your time carefully to ensure that you keep up with your work. You can use the library to complete different tasks to reduce the amount of time you need to spend at home. Do take full advantage of having the facility of a degree-level Library. This is especially useful if you have a long commute to school. All silent study lessons must follow these simple guidelines: • • • • • • • • •
No phones unless for specific work and you have asked the teacher. No loud music. You may use headphones, but music devices must be kept out of view. No talking after the first 5 minutes. Silent study means silent. No leaving the room to go to the library or practice room. You may go to peripatetic lessons only. You should be prepared before the lesson starts and go to the toilet in your break time. Plan ahead, if in doubt read a book. No watching box sets on Netflix or catching up with Corrie! If you are watching a film or documentary, you must be making study notes to accompany your learning. We have high expectations; you must stick to these rules.
Rules & Procedures To ensure the smooth running of the Sixth Form and to encourage mature and personally responsible behaviour there are certain rules and procedures which you must understand and follow. You must wear your Sixth Form lanyard at all times. This is for identification purposes.
Registration & Lateness Procedure On arrival at school in the morning you must swipe your I.D. card to gain entry to the school via the barriers. Regularly forgetting to bring you I.D. card and lanyard could mean that you are not admitted to the school for that day. You will not be allowed on the premises without your lanyard. You will be expected to return home to get it or purchase a new lanyard before entering the building. The first lesson begins at 8.30am. If you arrive later than this you must go, immediately, to the Sixth Form Notice board and sign in. This will be raised as an issue with you if it is more than three times in any one week or if appears to occur repeatedly over several weeks. Detentions will be given if persistent lateness occurs. It is not appropriate for teachers to be disrupted by a few latecomers, but you are expected to go to the lesson, nevertheless it is at the teachers’ discretion if you can join the class, not yours. Please note that the London Transport system, both tube and buses can be unpredictable. Problems with buses/trains are not valid reasons for lateness and you must leave home earlier than necessary to allow for any delays in transport. For your information, if you are intending to go onto further training in the performing arts, the School of Musical Theatre and the School of Acting at ArtsEd do not allow students into classes for the full day if they are late. It is therefore worthwhile establishing excellent patterns of attendance and punctuality
Absence Procedure You must not take unauthorised absences from the school. Your parents/guardian will be contacted if you are not in school without prior arrangement. This is also a Health and Safety and Safeguarding concern. If you are unwell and are unable to come into school, your parent(s) or carer must email the ABSENT email address before the start of the school day, to let us know that you will not be coming in, and to provide the reason for your absence. This should be supported by an email sent to your teachers to encourage good communication and to discuss any work you may be missing. Each individual day of absence must be supported an email from your parents/carer to the ABSENT inbox. ABSENT Director of Sixth Form
absent@artsed.co.uk mferrington@artsed.co.uk
A medical certificate from your doctor must support any illness or injury of more than three days. If you are living away from home, you must register with a local doctor as a temporary resident as soon as possible.
Taking Part in External Performances It is always our preference that pupils are in School engaging in the curriculum that is carefully planned for the number of lessons, days, and weeks in any particular half-term of study. However, we recognise that there are occasions when an external performance opportunity or sporting event might take place that would enhance the learning for a pupil and complement the work that we do here at the school. The school has clear procedures which must be followed should a parent wish their child to be absent for the above reasons. No professional auditions or paid professional work may be undertaken during school hours without the school’s written consent, requests for which must be made in writing to Gabriela Duda, at gduda@artsed.co.uk, 7 days before the absence is due to take place. Please note that each application is considered in relation to the following criteria: 1.
The merit of the project and the benefits to the pupil that the performance opportunity represents.
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The potential impact on learning time, progress, or outcomes.
Medical Appointments You may not go to the doctor during the school day without prior arrangement with the Director of Sixth Form. If you must go to the doctor/dentist as an emergency, please ensure that your parents/guardian ring or email the School Office to confirm the necessity and reason for your having to go without a prior appointment. Please try to arrange all medical appointments outside of your lessons and ask your parents to send a note to ABSENT informing them of your appointment in advance.
Fire & Lockdown Drills These are held regularly, and you will be advised of the procedure to follow in case of a fire. The fire alarm is rung every Tuesday morning at 8.30am to ensure the systems are working properly.
Dress Code Guidelines ArtsEd’s dress code is based on the expectation that students respond maturely and appropriately to the privilege of free dress. You are here to work in a professional environment and your clothing should reflect this. The 2021 Sixth Form Committee has put together guidelines for being appropriately dressed during the school day. This has been done in conversation with all the Sixth Form through tutor groups. These guidelines apply all year round. Please note, some of the following guidelines are for when students are in A Level lessons and dressed in general wear around the building. ArtsEd is not a separate Sixth Form college to the Day School, make sure to dress practically and professionally for all lessons. For all vocational classes you must wear the designated vocational uniform stated on the kit list. Remember that you are in a school and a working environment. Dress, jewellery and make-up should be appropriate to a day in school. No jewellery is to be worn in vocational classes or in performances, for health and safety reasons (studs, however, are acceptable.) Any jewellery brought into school, must be stored safely in your locker or bag. ArtsEd does not take responsibility for lost or damaged items. Tongue and hooped nose piercings are unsafe for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre training and are therefore not allowed. You may be requested to have a natural hair colour for performance purposes. Please take this into consideration if you choose to dye your hair. Leggings are acceptable wear; however, students should pay attention to density to ensure that they do not become see-through. For A Level Pathway students, visible branding on clothing is acceptable, however, there should be no branded clothing for BTEC as vocational training requires clothing to be neutral. Underwear should not be visible. (Bra cups should not be visible along with the waistband of underwear.) All tops, at minimum, must meet the waistband of bottoms. Shorts and skirts should be the length of your longest finger when arms are at full stretch, hands placed on the front of the thigh and both items are acceptable to be worn all year round. When wearing dancewear, students must wear jogging bottoms and footwear when they are moving between consecutive dance classes.
Smoking ArtsEd is a non-smoking institution. Students are strongly advised not to smoke. Students may only leave the building during lunch breaks. We do not encourage our students to smoke, however, if you must, please ensure that you are well away from the vicinity of the school building. Do not smoke in front of other people’s houses, or near local schools. You are only allowed to smoke on Acton Green Common and should not be seen by Pupils or staff. E-Cigarettes are not allowed to be used anywhere on the school premises. Anyone seen smoking with a pupil or giving cigarettes to a student under 16 will face disciplinary procedures.
Chewing Gum You are not permitted to chew gum at any time within the school building.
Food and Drink You should not eat in your classes and should only drink from a personal water bottle. Please do not walk along corridors eating or drinking. Energy drinks are banned for Day School students, and we do not encourage Sixth Form students to consume these around school. You will be asked to remove energy drinks from view.
Mobile Phones We accept that many students use mobile phones to aid their studies or to arrange work. Mobile phones may be used by Sixth Form students in Sixth Form areas. Please be considerate to the day school students who are not allowed to have their mobiles phones with them throughout the day. In class, mobile phones should only be visible if you have asked the teacher’s permission and are using it for something directly related to your studies. If you use the phone for non-study purposes, the teacher may well confiscate it the same as they would with a Day School pupil. In this case, you may collect the phone at the end of the day. Happily, this is not generally a problem with Sixth Formers as they are conscious that they have to earn the right to be treated as an adult. If you write notes in your mobile device, you must always ask permission of the teacher to use your phone while in class.
Laptops If students are using their own laptops in school, they must be fully charged at the beginning of each day. Students must be responsible for making sure their laptops are fully charged in advance for the whole lesson. Due to the volume of students working on portable devices you must not rely on using the school power supply throughout the day.
Behaviour We uphold Equal Opportunities, and you are expected to always behave in a respectful way towards your teachers and your fellow students. Bullying of any kind, physical, mental, or emotional will not be tolerated. You must conduct yourselves at all times as appropriate for a student in a school environment and we expect the Sixth Form to act as role models for the rest of the school. You will see students from both the School of Musical Theatre and the School of Acting. These students are older than you and are considered to be adults. It is important that you remember this and do not begin to emulate their behaviour or dress codes. The Tabard Pub is located very near to the school. No students are to eat or drink in the Tabard during the school day and can only frequent the Tabard outside of term time and if they are 18 years old or over.
Drugs & Alchohol Misuse ArtsEd is a strictly drug and alcohol-free environment. Any pupil found in possession of any non-prescribed substance will automatically be suspended pending further investigation. Once this is concluded the student might be excluded permanently. Anybody found supplying drugs will be permanently excluded and the police will be informed. Please be aware that random bag searches can take place at any time. The full list of ArtsEd policies can be found at the following link: https://artsed.co.uk/day-school-and-sixth-form/policies/
Academic Work Your academic work is extremely important, and you are expected to meet all deadlines for homework and to complete all tasks given to you by your teachers on time and to a sufficient standard. When your teachers set homework, you should ensure that you make a note of when it is due, using the planner, which has been provided for you. You are expected to be very proactive within Sixth Form and to take personal responsibility for your time and study management. Draft Coursework and Coursework Some subjects involve coursework, and the draft deadlines and final deadlines are vital for you to meet. Your teachers want to help you gain the best mark you can, and this relies on their advising you on improvements through your draft coursework attempts. All draft and final coursework deadlines will be published, and these will enable you to organise your time more successfully. A mature level of planning is required so that you do not become stressed because you have let work build up. If this happens you are unlikely to be able to produce work that reflects your true potential. Because of this, please note: If any student does not hand in a draft piece of coursework on time, they will automatically receive a Cause for Concern notice with a copy to parents/guardian.
Final Coursework Deadlines Coursework not submitted on time will not be accepted and no mark will be awarded. Any student who fails to hand in their coursework for health reasons must provide a medical certificate and a plea for special consideration lodged with the examination board. Disciplinary Procedure Students will be given a detention if any of the below conditions are met. These conditions are direct infractions upon the Student Code of Conduct and will result in a detentions and reprehension. • If a student is late to class three times in a half term. • If a student leaves the school premises without signing out/alerting staff. • Constant failure to comply with the Dress Code. • Constant failure to wear their lanyard while on school premises. • If set deadlines are missed or subject expectations are not upheld. • Failure to come with necessary equipment, including books, folders and stationery to all lessons and all silent study sessions. • Unauthorised absence from Silent Study sessions. • Failure to inform the school in the event of an absence. • If a student is not demonstrating professional and mannerly behaviour in class and around the building. A Sixth Form student may become a cause for concern for the following reasons: • Consistent poor attendance. • Consistent poor punctuality. • Poor attitude. • Unacceptable behaviour towards staff or students. • Quality of work produced. • Not meeting homework deadlines. • Non-production of Coursework. • Plagiarism. The teacher raising the concern will complete a Cause for Concern notice and the cause for concern should be discussed with the student with actions to resolve the problem, if possible, noted on the form. A copy will be sent to the parents/guardian, Director of Sixth Form, and the Form Tutor. The Form Tutor will discuss the issue with the student and agree on or confirm the actions to be taken. A date for a review of the issue will be agreed. If a student receives a Cause for Concern notice their parents/carers may be asked to meet in School, or via Zoom, with the Director of Sixth Form and if appropriate their personal tutor.
If a student receives a Cause for Concern notice their parents/carers may be asked to meet in School, or via Zoom, with the Director of Sixth Form and if appropriate their personal tutor. The meeting will conclude with an action plan and/or targets to be set for the student to achieve by an agreed date. If the problem does not improve by the agreed date a further meeting will be held with the addition of the Headteacher. The viability of the student continuing at the school will be discussed with the parents/carers and student, a further date will subsequently be agreed to review progress. If the problem does not improve following the second meeting the Headteacher and the Director of Sixth Form will discuss the action to be taken. At this point the student may be asked to withdraw from the school. Plagiarism Plagiarism is not taken lightly; passing somebody else’s work off as your own or not citing a reference correctly is considered as a breach of school rules and you may be disqualified by the exam board or withdrawn from the course. Remember plagiarism is not just when you directly copy words from others’ work, it also occurs when you re-word someone else’s ideas in your own work and you do not give credit to the original source. For more information, please refer to the Sixth Form Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy on our school website.
Grievance & Appeals Procedure There is a three-stage procedure, which you should follow. 1.
If you have a complaint about any aspect of your course or experience within the Sixth Form you must arrange to see your Form Tutor, who will help you resolve the issue in the appropriate way.
2.
If the issue is unable to be resolved there will be a further meeting with the Director of Sixth Form. If you wish, you may bring a friend with you to this meeting.
3.
Following this meeting, if you do not think that the issue is resolved you should ask your parents/guardian to telephone Thomas Cayley and make an appointment to meet with the Director of Sixth Form, to discuss the issue further and to try to find a positive solution.
Coursework Appeals Coursework is marked by your teacher and then sent away to an External Moderator who checks that your teacher has marked the work correctly. If the External Moderator has confirmed your coursework mark the Examination Board does not allow a further re-marking of the coursework. If the External Moderator has adjusted marks and you are unhappy about the adjustment the school may request a further re-mark. You should consult with your subject teacher about this and then the examinations officer. Externally Marked Examinations The results for the A Level external examinations are published in March for January examinations and in mid-August for June examinations. If you have received a much lower mark than predicted by your teachers, you may request a re-mark (there is a fee payable for this). As your mark could go down as well as up you have to sign a form stating that you understand the possible outcomes. All information regarding results and appeals will be made available to you on results day.
Finally, on behalf of all our teaching staff, I would like to welcome you to the ArtsEd Sixth Form. We hope you have a highly successful and enjoyable time during your studies. Do not let any difficulties build up, involve staff at an early stage so that we can work together to overcome any issues that may arise. We look forward to working with you over the next two years to enable you to realise your educational goals and nurture the high expectations you have for yourself. ArtsEd Sixth Form provides a unique and wonderful environment in which to study academically and vocationally, offering a world of opportunity. We hope you enjoy being a part of its exciting atmosphere. Wishing you much success in this exhilarating new stage of your studies. Mark Ferrington Director of Sixth Form