Supplementary information post 16 2016 2017

SIXTH FORM SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Barton Court Grammar School An Academy of Excellence

Barton Court Grammar School An Academy of Excellence

Support Inspire Achieve

Dear Student Thank you for taking the time to read our Sixth Form prospectus.

We are very proud to be able to offer an extensive range of Advanced Level courses. With such a wide range of A Level courses available, you will be able to select the combination that best suits your interests, abilities and career aspirations.

Barton Court Grammar School has a tradition of offering an outstanding curriculum, excellent teaching and learning and excellent results at A Level, so you will be joining one of the best Sixth Forms in the country.

At Barton Court Grammar School we encourage all our students to be independent learners, to contribute to the life of the School and its wider community. We are also committed to nurturing global citizenship, emphasising an education without borders.

The purpose of this booklet is to explain the process of choosing your A Levels and to provide you with additional information about the School. For full details of all the subjects on offer and the individual subject course outlines please see the full A Level booklet. This is available to download from the School website: www.bartoncourt.org or from the School Office.

We believe yours is an exciting future and together we can work towards achieving your goals.

Ms K Cardus Headteacher

Barton Court Grammar School

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A Levels At Barton Court All students are encouraged to follow an Extended Learning Programme in addition to their choice of A Levels.

Students study four subjects in Year 12. In Year 13 students can continue to study four subjects to A Level or three subjects to A Level with an Extended Learning programme.

Extended Learning Programme The Extended Learning Programme enables students to tailor their learning within the Sixth Form around their talents and own areas of interest, specifically aimed towards individual personal development.

Universities and employers are now looking for students who take on additional programmes of study outside the main curriculum offer thereby enhancing their CV and personal profile.

A popular choice is the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The EPQ is one of the components required for the AQA Baccalaureate.

The AQA Baccalaureate This is known as the AQA BACC and celebrates the achievements of well-rounded post-16 students. The AQA BACC comprises four elements which together demonstrate that students have achieved success in terms of A Levels and wider learning and enriched activities.

• Depth of study is represented by GCE A Levels.

• Breadth of study is achieved through AS General Studies, Critical Thinking or Citizenship. At Barton Court Grammar School, AS Citizenship is offered for this component.

• Independent Learning is demonstrated through the completion of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

• Students achieve personal development through enrichment activities which include community work and work experience.

This overarching qualification is graded at Pass, Merit and Distinction and recognises the wider involvement of students during their time within the Sixth Form.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) The Extended Project Qualification is a course worth approximately half an A Level as the time allocation is one year or 120 guided learning hours. It has been designed to encourage independent research, analysis, communication and presentation skills. This qualification is of particular interest to Higher Education Institutions as it has been designed to prepare students for the skills needed in degree programmes. There is no formal examination. The EPQ is designed to allow an area of enquiry selected by individual students to be followed and the results of that enquiry presented in a suitable format. Much of the work is carried out independently supported by approximately 40 hours of tutorial support.

Frequently

asked questions

about A Levels Q. What is the A* grade at A Level?

A. The A* grade has been introduced to differentiate between the most able students. The best universities, including Oxbridge, will ask for A* grades as part of their UCAS offer. Anyone wishing to study competitive courses such as Medicine or Veterinary Science should expect to be asked to achieve one if not two A* grades.

Q. When will I take my examinations?

A. You will take all your examinations at the end of Year 13. There are no longer modular or AS examinations that form part of the A Level. At the end of Year 12 there are internal examinations and you must pass all 4 subjects at D grade or higher to progress into Year 13. It is important to remember that the universities you apply to will use your “predicted” grades when you apply and these are derived from your end of Year 12 examinations. It is, therefore, essential that you achieve well in both Year 12 and Year 13.

Q. Why do some students only take 3 A Levels in Year 13?

A. Universities only make offers on the basis of your performance in 3 A Level subjects; therefore, students often look to focus on their very best subjects in their final year. However, universities expect students to be studying more than this minimum and to remain competitive, studying the AQA Bacc, the EPQ AS or continuing with a fourth A Level is recommended.

Q. What is the best combination of subjects to take for Medicine?

A. There is no “best” combination of subjects; however, it is essential that you take Chemistry and another Science. Often students will take Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics as a strong A Level combination.

However, it is essential to achieve the very best grades and so you may wish to choose a different subject in the mix in which you feel more confident of achieving the best possible grade.

Q. Can I take subjects from different disciplines, for example 2 Sciences and 2 Humanities subjects?

A. Ultimately, the final choice of subjects will be up to you.

However, it is important to realise that it is difficult to keep your options open indefinitely with A Levels and you should check carefully the full A Level booklet to see the preferred subject combinations by universities and employers.

Q. How can I find the best combination of A Levels for my preferred university course or career choice?

A. The Russell Group universities publish a booklet entitled “Informed Choices” which provides independent advice regarding essential and preferred subjects for a wide range of competitive courses. This is freely available online. If students are unsure of their future studies at this time, it is widely recommended that students opt for facilitating subjects, which are the traditional academic courses, such as English Literature, Mathematics and the Sciences, in order to keep options open for the future.

Q. Can I take more than 4 subjects?

A. The timetable may not allow you to take more than 4 subjects without clashes. Therefore, it may not be possible to study more than 4 subjects. We would also suggest that time spent on an additional subject could be better spent on ensuring the highest grades for your other subjects and developing other interests that will make you a well-rounded student.

Q. How long do I spend on each A Level?

A. You will be timetabled for 9 hours for each A Level subject per fortnight. In addition to this, you are expected to complete at least 9 hours per fortnight of further work outside the classroom, either self-directed, or set by your teachers.

Q. What is the Extended Project Qualification?

A. The Extended Project Qualification enables you to choose a subject and area that you would like to investigate and learn more about. Students opt for this because it enables them to be in charge of their own learning and pursue their own academic interests rather than having to study topics dictated by Examination Boards and teachers. Universities value the Extended Project Qualification because it demonstrates an independence of mind and develops the independent learning skills required to be successful at degree level.

Barton Court Grammar School

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Subject Entry Requirements Subject

Entry Requirements

Art

GCSE Art at grade B

Biology

GCSE Biology at grade B or Science Additional at grade A

Business Studies

GCSE Business Studies at grade B or GCSE English Language at grade B

Chemistry

GCSE Chemistry at grade B or Science Additional at grade A and Mathematics at grade B

Computer Science

GCSE ICT/Computing at grade B and GCSE Mathematics at grade B

Drama & Theatre Studies

GCSE Drama at grade B or GCSE English Language and Literature at grade B

English Literature

GCSE English Literature & GCSE English Language at grade B

Film Studies

GCSE Film at grade B or GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature at grade B

French

GCSE French at grade A*/A

Geography

GCSE Geography at grade B

German

GCSE German at grade A*/A

History

GCSE History at grade B

Mathematics

GCSE Mathematics at grade A*/A

Further Mathematics

GCSE Mathematics at grade A*

Music

GCSE Music at grade B. Grade 4/above in at least one instrument

Physical Education

GCSE PE at grade B

Physics

GCSE Physics at grade B or Science Additional at grade A and Mathematics at grade B

Politics

GCSE English Language or GCSE History at grade B

Product Design

GCSE Design Technology at grade B

Psychology

GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science Additional all at grade B

Philosophy & Ethics

GCSE RS at grade B or GCSE English Language and Literature at grade B

Spanish

GCSE Spanish at grade A*/A

Please note the following: • We aim to provide all students with their choices but this is dependent upon option numbers.

• If group sizes are not economically viable, then the course will not run.

• Occasionally Sixth Form lessons may be timetabled beyond normal learning hours to facilitate maximum curriculum choice.

• Grades A*– C at GCSE or grades 9 – 5 in the new GCSE qualifications. With the new Grade 5 equivalent to a C; Grade 6 equivalent to a grade B; Grade 7 equivalent to a Grade A; Grade 8 equivalent to an A* and Grade 9 above an A*.

Barton Court is a Thinking School

“ A Thinking School is a school that puts the teaching of thinking at the heart of learning.”

A Thinking School is: “A learning community in which all members share a common language; where thinking strategies and tools are used across the curriculum and teachers and students have sound understanding of metacognition; where all students are developing and demonstrating independent and cooperative learning skills; where the school generates high levels of achievement and an excitement and enthusiasm for learning” (Thinking Schools International, TSI).

At Barton Court we believe in “The Mediation of Thinking”. It is about entering students’ minds and dealing with misconceptions.

Students know already how to think but using the visual tools provides them with a clearer, more structured and common thinking model in order to contribute to their own thinking and to sharing their learning and thinking with others.

At Barton Court Grammar School, we are committed to the development of cognitive education and we invest time, energy and money into research, development and evaluation of a broad range of Thinking Tools and activities. Everyone in our school community is committed to developing the Thinking School approach. We are proud to say that we have embedded, with success, all the tools in our curriculum, pastoral and leadership programmes.

By using a variety of different thinking tools such as the famous Thinking Maps or Thinking Hats, we are offering fundamental and universal cognitive thinking processes to our students which will enable them to, not only reflect on their own thinking, but also be fluent in explaining the mental processes they are using.

Barton Court Grammar School

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At the heart of the School, underpinning all that we do, is our commitment to helping our students develop into critical and reflective thinkers.

We formalised this commitment by working towards accreditation as a Thinking School, which was awarded in February 2015. As part of their cognitive education, our learners make active use of a range of tools across the curriculum to extend, develop and clarify their thinking. The tools enhance our students’ creativity and give them an academic vocabulary with which they can articulate their thoughts and share them with our learning community.

We encourage students to enhance their academic achievement by developing the attributes for success that have been identified by Thinking Schools research. Our learners are taught to continuously pose questions and think flexibly to find solutions, which they communicate with clarity and precision; they also understand the value of persistence and in working interdependently. During their time with us, they are equipped with the academic and personal skills that they need to contribute to the life of the School and its wider community.

Why are we using visual tools?

• Visual tools offer students some structures through which they can be flexible, adaptable and open with their thinking and learning.

Why use Thinking Maps?

• Thinking Maps are a synthesis of the above. They provide a common language of visual tools.

• It’s all about making connections, our brain makes connections every second so it is obvious that we do the same in the way we teach and learn.

• Predominantly we are visual processors so we need to provide our learners with highly structured displays for systematically managing and organising information.

Why use Thinking Hats?

It’s a simple mental metaphor. Hats are easy to put on and to take off.

Each hat is a different colour which signals the thinking ingredient.

In a group setting The Six Thinking Hats enable each pupil’s unique point of view to be included and considered. Argument and endless discussion becomes a thing of the past. Thinking becomes more thorough (Six Thinking Hats: Strengthen Collaboration Skills, A Tool for Productive Critical and Creative Thinking).

Why use Habits of Mind (or Attributes to Success)?

The Habits of Mind are 16 characteristics found in self-directed independent, successful learners to help them decide how to cope with choices they may face on their learning journey. They provide a framework or compass for students to refer to when directing their own learning. Over time these characteristics become habit.

These habits allow the students to become flexible, continuous learners who are able to behave intelligently when encountering problems, using information efficiently, thinking critically about its source and content.

“Habits of Mind are the characteristics of what intelligent people do when they are confronted with problems, the resolutions of which are not immediately apparent.” (Professor Art Costa).

Barton Court Grammar School

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Why use Thinker’s Keys?

Why use Rich Questioning?

The majority of the Keys place emphasis upon the development of innovative and creative thinking:

At Barton Court Grammar School, we encourage both our teachers and students to use and refer to the Q-Matrix in lessons to further develop their higher level questioning and inquiry minds.

1. Creative thinking can be exciting and enjoyable. This active participation can then create a positive attitude towards the learning process.

2. The stimulation of creativity in learning heightens the emotional link with that learning. This emotional involvement boosts the effectiveness of our memory systems.

3. Developing our creative potential will strengthen our ability to cope with change. If there is one thing that we can guarantee into the 21st century, it will be the exponential rate of change that will affect the world. When our thinking is open-ended and accepting of new ideas, we become much more capable of adapting to these changing circumstances.

Effective questioning drives engagement in curricular goals and invests them in a plan to use inquiry as a springboard for meaningful and connective learning. “Rich” questions are necessary to build a plan for the learning and understanding necessary to connect personal thoughts, experiences, and research into one combining sense of knowledge. One rich question can drive an entire studentled inquiry project.

Why use Hierarchical Learning objectives linked to Bloom’s taxonomy?

Bloom’s taxonomy refers to a classification of the different objectives that teachers set for students (learning objectives). It divides educational objectives into three “domains”: informative, cognitive, and evaluative. Within the domains, learning at the higher levels is dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge and skills at lower levels.

The goal of Bloom’s taxonomy is to motivate teachers to focus on and constantly refer to all three domains, creating a more holistic form of education.

Bloom’s taxonomy is considered to be a foundational and essential element within the education community.

The Question Matrix Lower

Higher

Lower

Is

Did

Can

Would

Will

Might

What

Where \ When

Which

Who Higher

Why

How

Barton Court Grammar School

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International Baccalaureate 2016 Subject

7

6

5

4

3

2

Total

%7 – 6

%7 – 5

APS

World APS

English A: Literature HL

2

5

3

0

0

0

10

70.0%

100.0%

5.90

4.80

English A: Literature SL

0

2

2

0

0

0

4

50.0%

100.0%

5.50

4.98

French B: HL

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0.0%

100.0%

5.00

5.27

French B: SL

0

1

2

0

0

0

3

33.3%

100.0%

5.33

4.92

Italian Ab Initio: SL

0

4

3

0

0

0

7

57.1%

100.0%

5.57

4.89

Spanish Ab Initio: SL

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

100.0%

100.0%

7.00

5.10

Spanish B: HL

1

1

0

0

0

0

2

100.0%

100.0%

6.50

5.40

History Europe/Middle East – Arab-Israeli: HL

1

5

0

0

0

0

6

100.0%

100.0%

6.17

4.84

History 2 – Arab-Israeli: SL

0

1

1

0

0

0

2

50.0%

100.0%

5.50

4.67

Philosophy: HL

0

1

3

0

0

0

4

25.0%

100.0%

5.25

4.89

Philosophy: SL

0

0

2

0

0

0

2

0.0%

100.0%

5.00

4.67

Psychology: HL

0

1

2

0

0

0

3

33.3%

100.0%

5.33

4.67

Psychology: SL

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

100.0%

100.0%

7.00

4.32

Biology: HL

1

3

3

0

0

0

7

57.1%

100.0%

5.71

4.32

Biology: SL

2

2

1

2

0

0

7

57.1%

71.4%

5.57

4.24

Chemistry: HL

0

2

2

2

1

0

7

28.6%

57.1%

4.71

4.47

Maths Studies: SL

1

4

3

2

1

0

11

45.5%

72.7%

5.18

4.41

Mathematics: SL

0

0

3

0

0

0

3

0.0%

100.0%

5.00

4.38

Music Creating: SL

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

0.0%

0.0%

4.00

3.85

Visual Arts Option A: HL

1

0

1

0

0

0

2

50.0%

100.0%

6.00

4.78

Total

11

32

32

7

2

0

84

51.2%

89.3%

13.1

38.1

38.1

8.3

2.4

0.0

100

Percentages

IB Results Summary 2009 – 2016

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

No. of Students

102

115

108

80

36

29

41

14

% Students achieving IB Diploma

85

82

91

96

97

100

98

100

%7/6

26

30

35

36

47

51

55

51

%7–5

62

62

72

81

79

84

83

89

29.8

29.6

31.7

32.8

33.25

34.1

34.7

35.1

Average IB Point Score per Student

A Level Results 2016 Subject

A*

A

B

C

D

E

U

TOTAL

%A* – B

%A* – C

%A* – E

Art

0

1

3

0

0

0

0

4

100%

100%

100%

Biology

2

2

2

3

2

2

0

13

46%

69%

100%

Business Studies

0

3

9

4

0

2

0

18

67%

89%

100%

Chemistry

2

3

0

0

2

0

0

7

71%

71%

100%

Computing

0

0

1

2

3

1

0

7

14%

43%

100%

English Literature

0

4

5

9

3

0

0

21

43%

86%

100%

French

0

2

1

0

0

0

0

3

100%

100%

100%

Further Mathematics

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

2

0%

100%

100%

Geography

0

3

1

1

2

0

0

7

57%

71%

100%

Government & Politics

0

2

5

3

1

0

0

11

64%

91%

100%

History

0

0

3

5

3

0

0

11

27%

73%

100%

Mathematics

0

4

7

2

1

0

0

14

79%

93%

100%

Music

0

0

1

0

2

0

0

3

33%

33%

100%

Physical Education

0

0

1

4

1

0

0

6

17%

83%

100%

Physics

0

2

1

5

3

4

0

15

20%

53%

100%

Product Design

0

0

2

3

1

0

0

6

33%

83%

100%

Psychology

3

4

2

11

2

1

0

23

39%

87%

100%

Religious Studies

0

0

7

1

1

0

0

9

78%

89%

100%

Spanish

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

3

67%

67%

100%

TOTAL

7

32

51

55

28

10

0

183

49%

79%

100%

3.8

17.5

27.9

30.1

15.3

5.5

0

100.0

Percentages

A Level Results Summary 2016

2013

2014

2015

2016

% A*– B grades

65

55

51

49

% A*– C grades

92

84

77

79

% A*– E grades

100

100

100

100

APS / Entry

226.7

222.1

227.0

216.4

Average Total Point Score per student

933.7

925.5

851.1

791.8

Average No. of entries per student

4.3

4.2

3.7

3.7

Number of students

46

60

78

60

Barton Court Grammar School

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What Happens

Next?

If you have not already done so you should look at the full supplementary documentation on the website: www.bartoncourt.org.

Once you have a good idea of the course and subjects you are interested in you should complete the Barton Court Grammar School Application Form available via UCAS Progress (Kent Choices 4 U). If you live outside of Kent, or outside the UK, then you can apply using the application form available from the School’s website or ring the School Office: 01227 464600 and return it to the School.

Current Barton Court Grammar School students should apply by 9 December 2016. External students should apply by 10 February 2017.

(Late applications will be considered if places are still available.) Applicants will be invited to a meeting. Internal candidates will normally have their

meeting during the school day between 24 November 2016 and 1 December 2016. External applicants will be invited to a meeting by appointment during February/March 2017. Applicants are required to rank their preference of school on UCAS progress by 31 March 2016 and will receive confirmation of their place by 21 April 2017.

The induction days are on 3 – 4 July 2017. Students accepting a place at Barton Court Grammar School are expected to attend.

We look forward to receiving your application and if you have any further questions regarding opportunities at Barton Court Grammar School please do not hesitate to contact the School.

Admissions Sixth Form Admissions: September 2017

Offers and Appeals

Barton Court Grammar School is a mixed Sixth Form. The majority of our students in Year 11 continue with their studies into our School Sixth Form and priority will be given to existing students transferring from Year 11 who meet the entrance criteria. The number of additional Year 12 places available for students being admitted to the School for the first time: 60.

Offers will be made on the basis of predicted performance at GCSE, with the requirement that the above grades are achieved in the final examinations prior to entry to the Sixth Form and the pupil’s 4 chosen subjects being accommodated on the timetable, in feasible group sizes.

Admission to Year 12 will be as a result of applicants meeting the school entry requirements laid out below: • At least 8 subjects at grades A*- C at GCSE (or grades 9 – 5 in the new GCSE qualifications), with at least 5 subjects at grade B or higher (or grade 6 or higher in the new GCSE qualifications), including a minimum of grade C at GCSE (grade 5 in the new GCSE qualifications) in English, mathematics and science.

• The minimum entry requirements specified by the subjects of their choice.

Admission to Year 13 will be as a result of students meeting the School entry requirements laid out below: • All students wishing to complete their A Level study in Year 13 will be expected to attain a minimum of 4 D grades at the end of Year 12.

The admission number for external candidates will be 60, but this figure may be exceeded in the event that this and the number of internal pupils transferring into Year 12 is less than the overall total figure for the year group, which is 180.

Oversubscription Criteria Following the admission of internal students transferring from Year 11, all remaining places will be allocated to learners who have met the entry requirements for the particular course of study.

Where there are more learners seeking places than the number of places available, the following oversubscription criteria will be applied in the order set out below to rank pupils until the overall figure for the year group is reached: • Children in Local Authority Care • Current Family Association • Health and Special Access Reasons • Nearness of children’s homes to school

All offers made during Year 11 are conditional on pupils meeting the grade criteria specified and will only become firm offers upon confirmation of actual GCSE results. Offer letters will be made before the end of May 2017. Offers will be confirmed once the School has been notified of GCSE results in August 2017.

Where learners have achieved better result than the predicted grades they will be considered based on the grades achieved and ranked accordingly for any places that become available as a result of other learners failing to meet the required entry levels.

Appeals Parents have a statutory right of appeal, should an application for a place be refused, by writing to The Clerk to the Governors, Admissions, Barton Court Grammar School, Longport, Canterbury, CT1 1PH, 01227 464600.

Late applications will be considered if places in appropriate subjects are still available after all other applicants have been considered.

A waiting list will be held, ranked according to the over-subscription criteria.

Barton Court Grammar School An Academy of Excellence

Longport, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1PH Tel: 01227 464600 Fax: 01227 781399 Email: office@bartoncourt.org www.bartoncourt.org

Signature:

kcardus

kcardus (Sep 9, 2016)

Email: kcardus@bartoncourt.org