sixth form
drive and ambition
Welcome As a student, your sixth form years are very different to what has gone before. They are not just your final two years at school, they are your first two years as a young adult; when the decisions you make, the qualifications you are awarded and the opportunities you seize begin to shape your future career. As a sixth former at Harris Garrard Academy, you will have the opportunity to build upon everything you have enjoyed here in the past. You will also be able to take advantage of a range of new opportunities, and new ways of learning and discovery, in a supportive and stimulating environment. Our teachers and other members of staff ensure that all students are supported to achieve their personal best. We know that it is important to stretch our students in order to prepare them for the challenges of adult life, but we also want your time at the sixth form to be truly enjoyable. Your two years at Harris Garrard Academy Sixth Form will be filled with opportunities to go beyond the curriculum, with talented and specialist teachers supporting you as you make your way into the world of work or continue your education. With access to a wide range of partnerships with leading
universities and major employers, established through the excellent reputation of the Harris Federation, we are able to provide exciting and innovative ways to explore your talents and develop your experience. We understand that choosing a sixth form is a big decision for you and your family. We hope that you are excited by what you see in this prospectus and can see yourself excelling in our environment. Please do come along to one of our admissions events if you would like to find out more. We look forward to meeting you. Mr Christopher Everitt, Executive Principal
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Endeavour, Enjoy, Excel Our approach is embodied by our core values:
Endeavour We expect students to be committed to learning, to strive to achieve their very best and rise to the challenges and opportunities that they encounter. We support you to achieve your best through a personalised curriculum combined with a caring and supportive pastoral system.
Enjoy We want you to enjoy your learning and to know the feeling of success which comes through relentless passion and drive. We deliver an engaging curriculum with plenty of opportunities for students to be involved in extracurricular activities and to develop beyond the classroom.
Excel We believe that all students have the potential to achieve the very best outcomes. We have a no-excuses culture and we will support you to fulfil your potential; with high aspirations, drive and the ambition that is evident within all Harris academies.
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As a sixth former at Harris Garrard Academy, you can expect: • Small classes with specialist staff to ensure excellent attainment; • Additional tuition, either in small groups or one-to-one; • Masterclasses to extend your learning and challenge you;
• Two years filled with opportunities to develop your experience by working with and hearing from leading practitioners in the field you are interested in; • Teaching from talented professionals who understand that you are a young adult by the time you reach sixth form and treat you accordingly;
• A vibrant range of clubs, societies and trips; • Access to university courses and leading industry professionals; • Personalised career guidance and mentoring; • A comprehensive educational offer to prepare you for the next stage of your lives;
• A two week programme of work experience, university visits, lectures and short courses; • A team of full-time careers consultants to guide and support you as you make decisions about your future.
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Our Curriculum Our curriculum is designed to prepare you for challenging and competitive pathways. We want you to build skills and knowledge with us that enable you to access opportunities at the UK’s leading educational institutions, and to thrive in the workplace. We offer a broad range of A level and BTEC qualifications designed to fully immerse our sixth formers in their chosen pathways. Full details about individual subjects including course design, entry requirements and career progression are set out in our Course Information Booklet.
Supporting your studies Your dedicated tutor provides a daily point of contact for you, whilst ensuring you have the support you need to excel in your learning. There are opportunities to work alongside our younger students in a range of capacities. We see our sixth form students as the ultimate ambassadors for our academy; our younger students look to follow your lead.
This is available on the Sixth Form area of our website.
Our sixth formers dress as they would if working in a smart professional environment. As role models for the younger students, they are well presented at all times.
A professional approach
Excellent facilities
Your timetable will enable you to select a curriculum that is tailored to support your progression towards your chosen pathway. There will be a significant amount of contact time and dedicated study support sessions. We expect students to take full advantage of the opportunities available, including use of our sixth form study areas and learning resource centre. To enable you to make the most of your time with us, we have a range of support available through our pastoral programme and specialist careers provision.
Our building provides state-of-the-art accommodation for your chosen field of study. As a sixth former you will benefit from dedicated, newly refurbished classrooms, first class science laboratories and graphics suites, alongside music and art facilities.
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Making the most of your time with us Every term, you will be able to choose an Enrichment Course. These are fully funded and our aim is to provide activities you enjoy and which broaden your interests and experiences. They range from sailing and lifeguarding to art appreciation, learning conversational languages, sign language and cookery. In addition to your Enrichment Courses, there are dozens of other extra-curricular activities and events each week. To give you a sense of what is on offer, here are some of the most popular activities at other Harris sixth forms: • Tennis, table tennis, squash, football, netball and basketball – played competitively and for fun, with some sixth formers achieving coaching qualifications; • Charity events at home and abroad – in recent years, Harris sixth formers have contributed to and participated in building a school in India and helped to provide a refurbished ambulance for a Ugandan village; • Bands, orchestras and choirs; • Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Outward Bound; • Debating; • Mentoring of younger pupils and helping to run clubs and events for them; • An annual, always much anticipated, black tie prom.
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Partnerships with top universities and employers As a Harris sixth form, we have a wide range of partnerships with universities and other organisations. These give our sixth formers meaningful opportunities and access to facilities, contacts, experiences and advice that are simply not found elsewhere. Some of the universities our sixth formers work with include King’s College
London, Imperial College London, Goldsmiths and London South Bank University. The Harris Federation also has links with two Oxbridge colleges which help us run a mentoring scheme for students looking to go to Oxford and Cambridge.
Celebrating your success As a student in our sixth form, you will always know how you are progressing and what you should do in order to reach the next stage. Achievement will be marked every step of
the way through awards, prizes and other celebrations. Regular parents’ evenings and reports will provide a stream of feedback and advice for parents and sixth formers alike.
Harris Federation Our academy is run by the Harris Federation, a notfor-profit charity with nearly 30 years’ experience of running happy and successful primary and secondary schools in and around London. The Harris Federation has an exceptional track record with academic progress far greater than the national average. Every Harris academy so far inspected by Ofsted is rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, with the majority rated ‘outstanding’.
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The founder and Chairman of the Harris Federation is Lord Harris of Peckham. His vision of delivering happy and successful education is brought to life by an excellent team of teachers and leaders.
As well as joint working between the teachers at our academies, there are many shared experiences for our students. These include federation-wide sports days at the National Sports Centre; Harris Experience, a unique programme that readies our most able students for life at top universities; and inter-academy events such as one-to-one reading partnerships between our primary and secondary schools, World Maths Day and Debate Mate. You can follow the Harris Federation on Twitter: @HarrisFed.
Apply for a place Please see the Sixth Form area of our website for details of our open events and how to apply for a place. www.harrisgarrard.org.uk
Yarnton Way, Thamesmead, Erith, Kent, DA18 4DW T. 0208 320 4800 Email. info@harrisgarrard.org.uk  www.harrisgarrard.org.uk
@HarrisFed