Ellen Wilkinson Sixth Form Prospectus

The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

Sixth Form

MAKING YOUR CHOICE During the next few weeks, you will be considering your course of action for the coming year. The decisions you make will have a great impact on your future whatever you are planning to do when you leave school – university, training or a career.

ntry to the Sixth Form is open to all girls from The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls and we welcome applications from girls from elsewhere. Final admission will be dependent on students meeting the admissions criteria of the school.

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The Sixth Form offers excellent facilities for students and gives you the chance to get involved in a variety of interests and activities.

We provide a wide range of courses at all levels and there are opportunities for achievement in many fields.

The success of the Sixth Form is reflected in the large numbers of girls entering university, college and starting exciting careers. Whatever you want to do in life, the time you spend in The Ellen Wilkinson Sixth Form will help you to achieve your ambition.

We have always taken pleasure and great pride in the Sixth Form and the achievements of the girls and we hope that you will join us and help us to go from strength to strength in the next two or three years.

The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

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WHY CHOOSE THE ELLEN WILKINSON SCHOOL? The information in this brochure and the additional subject information you receive on the night will help you make the important decisions about where you study and what you study.

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ll girls who apply will also receive an interview where you will receive individual advice and guidance to make sure you choose the course most suited to your ambitions, interests and qualifications.

The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

WHAT WE OFFER Courses

Guidance & Support

You can choose from a wide range of AS and A Level courses as well as Level 3 BTEC Nationals. Alternatively you can take a one year Level 2 applied course in Business, Travel and Tourism or Health and Social Care with GCSEs in English and Mathematics.

You will be assigned to a small tutor group with an experienced form tutor who will monitor your progress, help you to set targets to improve your performance and generally look after your day-to-day well being. Tutors help you to make decisions about your future and will write your leaving or university reference.

It is now compulsory for any student who does not have a C grade in English and Mathematics to continue to study this at GCSE level in the Sixth Form until they achieve a C grade.

Continuity In Year 11 you are known and valued, and although the Sixth Form represents a fresh start it is reassuring to know that tutors: • Know your strengths and weaknesses • Will be better able to advise you on what you will do in the future • Will write effective references because they know you.

If you are new to the school, our tutors are here to help you make a fresh start.

Increased Freedom Attendance at all lessons is essential and you will be asked to sign an agreement that you will be punctual, attend classes and keep up with your coursework. You will also have a number of compulsory independent study lessons where you will be supervised to complete the additional work for each subject outside of the classroom. Nevertheless you will find the Sixth Form more flexible in many respects, but you will be more accountable and must be prepared to take much more responsibility for yourself and your studies.

Results We are committed to continuing the high level of achievement in all subjects and at all levels. Our excellent results and the progress made by our students speak for themselves.

YOU ARE THE SIXTH FORM When you join the Sixth Form you become the Sixth Form. hat happens there, what is organised, how it runs, depends on the contribution of each and every one of you. The Sixth Form is a fantastic community where girls develop life-long friendships and provide support and encouragement for each other. There are opportunities for students to take responsibility and to organise events and activities themselves including the traditional Christmas pantomime. The single sex environment allows girls to take risks and gain experiences that they might not elsewhere and our specialist science status means that each year a high percentage of our students go on to STEM related degree courses.

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FACILITIES There is a large modern building completely dedicated to Sixth Form use. his includes a large study area for year 12 independent study complete with a suite of laptops for students use and three classrooms with the latest digital and computer facilities.

There is also a fully equipped kitchen and toilets solely for Sixth Form use. The year 13 have a separate dedicated supervised study area with a suite of PC’s which also serves as a resource area.

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The Sixth Form Centre is linked to our new Learning Resource Centre with additional Sixth Form classrooms and break out spaces as well as providing Sixth Formers with direct access to the library and additional study areas.

The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

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ENTRY TO SIXTH FORM COURSES General entry requirements To study four AS levels you must have achieved a grade A*-C in at least EIGHT appropriate GCSE subjects including English Language.

To study three AS levels you must have achieved a grade A*-C in at least FIVE to SEVEN appropriate GCSE subjects including English Language.

If you do not obtain these grades, you can take a Level 2 Vocational course and may progress on to Advanced Level the following year.

Subject specific requirements

New Subjects It is possible to take some subjects at A Level which you have never studied before, but you will have to meet the entrance criteria and be able to demonstrate that you are well informed, academically able and genuinely interested in the subject.

Enrolment The final decision about which courses you take will be made on an individual basis, taking into account all your achievements, your GCSE grades and your hopes and ambitions. Each student will receive guidance at enrolment in August to help ensure that they are offered a programme of study that suits their abilities and ambition.

On top of the general entry requirements there are also a number of subject specific entry requirements. For example there are a number of subjects that require a B grade at GSCE. Full details of these subject specific requirements are included in the supplementary information available on the open evening and on the school website.

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The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

PREPARATION FOR UNIVERSITY An important aspect of what we do in the Sixth Form is the support we offer students in their preparation for and application to University. e provide detailed support on the practical elements of an application including advice on choosing an appropriate course, selecting a university, writing personal statements and preparing for a successful interview. We also provide a comprehensive programme of additional support sessions that provide students with specific advice on how to successfully apply to competitive courses and universities, how to gain vital work experience and planning for entrance examinations and tests. These provide our students with a competitive edge when applying and help to maintain our excellent record of ensuring EWS students are able to take that next step in realising their ambitions in life.

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We also have a dedicated UCAS advisor who ensures that students are kept informed of the range of opportunities on offer, such as specialist widening participation programmes, taster sessions and open days. They also organise specialist support for entrance tests such as UKCAT and BMAT, as well as being available all year by appointment for students to see on any aspect of their application process.

The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

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PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE As a general rule it is wise to choose Sixth Form courses linked to your best GCSE grades and subjects you feel will continue to interest you for the next two years. f you do not obtain the grades needed to start an advanced course, remember that we offer full time Level 2 courses which may lead on to an advanced course if you achieve a Merit or Distinction at the end of the year. The courses allow you to take English Language and Mathematics GCSEs and include two weeks work experience.

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There is no shortage of additional help available when you come to choose your subjects. Apart from web-based information and a variety of guides in the careers office, you can consult your teachers, the Sixth Form team and of course the Connexions Adviser who is in school at least three times a week.

Advanced level students take four or three AS level subjects in Year 12, and continue on with three of them to A2 in Year 13. There is a wide range of subjects and further details are available on the school website.

The choice of subject for some students will be very important. If you are looking for specific career progression you will need to choose your subjects very carefully and consult university course requirements, as well as thinking about which subjects complement each other. We will offer guidance on these issues at both the application interview, and the enrolment interview.

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The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Admissions Officers at universities, as well as employers, expect that students will have taken advantage of opportunities offered to them while they are in the Sixth Form.

All departments organise trips and visits to the theatre, to lectures and conferences. You will be expected to attend residential field courses in Geography and Biology.

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The Business Studies Department has run study tours to Europe; Drama, English and Media Studies include workshops, theatre and cinema visits and activity days at places such as The Guardian Newsroom and Sky and Ealing Studios. All students on Level 3 Applied courses are expected to spend one week on work experience. This is also strongly recommended for all girls who are considering applying for a vocational degree.

Broadening awareness of university and university life is also important, and information about open days, taster courses and summer schools is available. There are talks by admissions officers and visits to open days such as the GEEMA day at Cambridge, Cardiff University and Imperial College.

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The Ellen Wilkinson School for girls

Girls are encouraged to take on responsibilities whilst in the Sixth Form. These range from the Head Girl and Prefect team, to helping with the paired reading and paired numeracy scheme.

Lunch time clubs run by Sixth Formers include the Amnesty Group, the Debating Society, Film Club and Guitar club. Every Christmas Year 12 write, produce and perform the Pantomime for the benefit of the whole school. Many girls also become involved in charity and voluntary work. The Young Enterprise Project takes place each year and girls biannually take part in the National Bar Mock Trial competition at a Crown Court. One of the most popular events is the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, which attracts over 40 students each year.

All these activities are recorded for posterity in the Year Book which is produced by Year 13 at the end of their course. All of this helps to make the Sixth Form a memorable and enjoyable experience alongside the academic success achieved by so many girls.

The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

Sixth Form

T: 020 8752 1525 F: 020 8993 6632 E: office@ellenwilkinson.ealing.sch.uk

www.ellenwilkinson.ealing.sch.uk

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