Sixth Form
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome
The Sixth Form Team
Daily Routine
Games
Dress Code
Time Out of School
Studying
Approach to Academic Studies
Facilities
Laptops & Devices
Beyond the Classroom
WELCOME
From the Head of Sixth Form
Welcome to Clifton High School Sixth Form. This is a community in which we hope your child will flourish, growing in independence and confidence whilst making lifelong memories in these important final years of their education.
The step up to A level study can feel daunting, but it is also extremely exciting for our young people to be focusing on their futures and immersing themselves in learning subjects they truly love. I am confident that they will quickly realise the thrill of overcoming new challenges and engaging in pursuits that they may have never previously considered, both inside and outside of the classroom. Put simply, the next two years may not always seem easy for our students, but they are years of huge opportunity and empowerment for your child. I am excited to see how they grow and mature, ready to take on adult life with a sense of direction, self-awareness and preparedness.
Miss Katherine Rich
At Clifton High School, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional pastoral care. This is so important in the Sixth Form, as students learn to juggle varied responsibilities, to work more independently and to plan for their futures. Your child will be supported throughout their Sixth Form journey by a dedicated and experienced tutor, as well as by the wider Sixth Form team. We are a wonderfully warm and close-knit community and I am confident your child is going to excel as one of its members.
Our students will naturally view their academic studies as their priority in the Sixth Form. We encourage them to set high standards for themselves in this regard, investing in their learning and making wise choices about how they manage their time. However, we recognise that learning takes many different forms and that success depends on more than just examination results. It is for this reason that I strongly encourage your child to step outside their comfort zone during the next two years, to try new things and to take on new responsibilities and positions of leadership. They have immense potential to shape our community and to inspire others, and I know they will be keen to embrace their roles as ambassadors for our School.
I look forward to welcoming this year’s cohort and I am sure they will do both you and our School proud.
Miss Katherine Rich Head of Sixth Form
THE SIXTH FORM TEAM
Elizabeth Hodges Deputy Head of Sixth Form
Richard
Head of Higher Education & Careers
Ms
Mr
Parry
Mr Paul Ayers 12- 1
Mr Simon Francis 12- 2
Mr Andrew Hillman 12- 3
Dr Catharine Quirk-Marku 12- 4
Mr Tom Morison 12- 5
DAILY ROUTINE
The Role of the Tutor
Your child’s tutor plays an essential role in their Sixth Form journey, providing pastoral support and guidance, monitoring their academic progress and attainment, and providing an important link between School and home. This is reinforced by the Head of Sixth Form and Deputy Head of Sixth Form.
Tutors see their tutees every morning and also deliver weekly Health and Wellbeing and Futures and Skills lessons.
Your child will have the same tutor in Year 12 and Year 13, to provide continuity of care and support throughout these important two years. This can also be helpful for you, as parents, to have a consistent point of contact for any day-to-day concerns or queries.
Registration
All students are registered each morning at 8.40am by their tutor. Students should make sure they arrive at School by 8.40am at the latest each morning, even if they do not have a lesson timetabled for Period 1.
We ask that students remain on-site at all times between 8.40am and 1.00pm. If they have study periods, they can use these to undertake academic work or to schedule one-to-one meetings with staff.
There is greater flexibility after 1.00pm, to recognise the greater level of independence that we wish to afford our eldest students. The students are welcome to sign out and leave the School site at lunchtime, and if they have study periods that occur in Periods 5 or 6, they are permitted work from home during these lessons, if they prefer.
Tutor Periods and Assemblies
8.40am – 9.05am
Assemblies and tutor periods are a key part of your child’s School week, and an important aspect of our pastoral provision, giving tutors, the Deputy Head of Sixth Form, and the Head of Sixth Form time to meet and connect with the students as a group, or individually. Attendance is expected at both assemblies and tutor periods.
Typically, we have a dedicated Sixth Form Assembly every fortnight. These assemblies are used to celebrate students’ achievements, to share information about key events, and to encourage the students to engage with matters of local, national or global importance.
There will then be an additional Senior Assembly at least once a week, but typically Sixth Form students spend three mornings each week in their tutor groups. Tutors will use these sessions to provide pastoral support and guidance, and to help ensure your child starts each School day with the right mindset.
Signing In and Out
So that we can ensure the safety of our students, it is important that they follow guidelines for signing in and out when they arrive on or leave the School site.
Students should sign in when they arrive at School using the iPads located in the Sixth Form Centre or in the School Office in School Green. They should do this even when they arrive before morning registration, to ensure we know who is onsite in the event of a fire evacuation.
If students arrive late to School they should sign in using the same methods.
When leaving the School site at any time before 4.00pm, students need to sign out using the iPads, signing in again if and when they return.
They do not need to sign out if they depart after 4.00pm.
GAMES
Sixth Form Games occurs every Thursday afternoon between 2.15 and 4.00pm.
A range of options from which students can choose is provided each term. Those who are selected to represent the School in sports teams may be required to choose a particular option, in which case the Games Department staff will communicate this.
Students must commit to the same option throughout a term so that registers are accurate and to ensure that each option is appropriately staffed.
Full attendance is required at Games, which is treated as any other timetabled lesson, and students should ensure they are changed and ready to be registered in the relevant place by 2.15pm.
Those participating in sport at Coombe Dingle will be taken there at 2.15pm by coach. Coaches return to Clifton High School by 4.00pm. Students are permitted to make their own way home from Coombe Dingle if they prefer, or arrange for parents to collect them from there. This should be communicated to the Games Department staff in advance.
If your child needs to miss Games at any time, for medical reasons, a parent should request this absence by contacting Mr Shane Cloete, Director of Sport (scloete@ cliftonhigh.co.uk), and our Absence inbox (absence@cliftonhigh.co.uk). It is useful to cc Miss Katherine Rich as the Head of Sixth Form too.
Games Kit
All sports kit must be regulation, School-branded items bought from www.schoolblazer.co.uk.
Students must wear a combination of the following:
• School tracksuit bottoms, skort or shorts
• School fitness top or polo
• School soft shell or mid-layer
For more information, please refer to the Uniform Policy on our website.
DRESS CODE
As role models and leaders within our School community, it is important that our Sixth Form students are dressed smartly at all times, and appropriately for a professional, working environment. They represent our School regularly at formal and public-facing events.
Dressing for a professional, working setting also helps to ensure our students approach every School day with a focused mindset and a positive attitude towards their learning.
All students in the Sixth Form are expected to wear;
• A suit jacket, worn at all times around the School site (no denim or leather).
• Formal full-length trousers, a formal dress or skirt. Very short or tight-fitting styles are not appropriate. Casual styles including jeans, leggings or combats are not appropriate.
• A shirt, blouse or top, preferably with a collar. Cropped, strappy, sheer or halter- neck styles are not acceptable.
• Jumpers, if worn, should be of a smart, fitted and formal style. Hoodies and sweatshirts of any design are not acceptable.
• Male students are expected to wear a tie at all times. Ties are optional for all other students.
• Most jewellery is considered acceptable; however, students may be required to remove excessive amounts if deemed inappropriate.
• Smart, sensible shoes or boots. Any style of trainers is not acceptable.
• Hair should be well-groomed and natural in colour. Hair styles should be smart and professional. Protective hairstyles such as cornrows and locks associated with ethnic and cultural identities are smart and professional.
If a member of staff deems any student’s clothing to be overly casual, untidy or revealing, they will address this with the student, and it is important that this feedback is taken on board.
Students should not wear games kit to School, even on days where they have Games lessons or sports clubs and activities. They should wear regular smart Sixth Form attire into School and change on-site before their scheduled activity.
For further information, please refer to our uniform policy linked in the QR code on the previous page.
TIME OUT OF SCHOOL
Illness & Absence Notification
If your child is unwell and unable to attend School, please either telephone the School Office 0117 973 0201 or email absence@cliftonhigh.co.uk to inform us that they will not be attending School.
Please note that students cannot authorise their own absences and notification has to be made by a parent on each day that they are absent from School.
In the event that a student feels unwell during the School day, they should visit the Medical Centre for assistance. If it is decided they need to return home, our School Nurses will contact parents and the School Office to confirm that they are leaving the School site. For their own safety and well-being, students who are unwell should not leave the site without first visiting the Medical Centre.
If you would like to request an absence for your child in advance, for a planned appointment or family event, please note that requests for more than half a day out of School need to be made in writing to Mr Chris Collins, Deputy Head (Pastoral) ccollins@cliftonhigh.co.uk.
Driving Lessons
We understand that there is currently a long waiting list for driving lessons in the Bristol area, and we are keen to accommodate and assist our students who would like to have driving lessons.
Wherever possible, please try to schedule lessons after 4.00pm so that they do not occur during the School day.
Where this is not possible, please ensure lessons do not interfere with academic lessons or Games lessons, and that they occur after 1.00pm so that your child is present during Periods 1-4, as outlined previously.
Parents’ Evenings & Reports
During their time in the Sixth Form it is especially important that students are actively involved in any conversations about their academic progress. There will be two Parents’ Evenings scheduled for Year 12 students, the first in October 2024 and the second in April 2025. There is a further Parents’ Evening scheduled when your child is in Year 13, immediately after they complete their mock exams in January 2026. Wherever possible, your child should attend these meetings with you.
In addition, you will receive regular communication about their progress and attainment via written reports. Your child will always have an opportunity to discuss these reports with their tutor, and if required with the Head of Sixth Form. We encourage students to be proactive in response, setting targets for themselves based on feedback.
School Lunches
Many Sixth Form students enjoy the greater freedom we offer them in Years 12 and 13 and opt to bring their own packed lunch into School, or to walk into Clifton Village at times to buy lunch.
If students wish to purchase lunch in School, we provide a separate offering for Sixth Form students in the Walters Bistro based in the Sixth Form Centre. The Bistro is open from 9.00am until 2.00pm every day, offering a more flexible service to suit the students’ needs. It serves hot drinks and a variety of items such as paninis, sandwiches, hot snacks, pastries, crisps, cakes and fruit. The offering will vary day-to-day and will reflect seasonal demand. Contactless payment is made with a card or using ApplePay.
If students wish to have a School lunch in the Dining Hall alongside the Senior School, they can purchase a voucher from the Walters Bistro for £5.30 which entitles them to a hot meal, salad bar access, pudding and a piece of fruit.
STUDYING
Use of Study Periods
Your child’s time in the Sixth Form is one of increased opportunity and independence, and we trust students to structure their non-contact time wisely.
Typically, your child will have between ten and twenty study periods per fortnight, depending on the number of subjects they choose to study at A level.
Is it expected that most of their study periods will be used for the purpose of academic work but they may choose to schedule additional activities, support sessions or meetings in these lessons.
We encourage students to utilise the quiet study spaces in the Sixth Form Centre, which are equipped with desks, comfortable seating and ample power sockets. There is Wi-Fi throughout the building. Alternatively, they may prefer to work in the Senior Library.
APPROACH TO ACADEMIC STUDIES
As a School, we do our utmost to try to ensure that your child’s time in the Sixth Form is enjoyable, enriching and productive.
This is achieved in many ways and they will of course be encouraged to take up opportunities outside of the classroom, including attending clubs and societies, taking on positions of responsibility, volunteering and representing the School in a wide variety of pursuits. However, we expect that their key priority will rightly be their academic studies.
A level studies inevitably represent a new challenge for our students. To achieve their best they will need to spend a significant amount of time working independently on homework tasks, coursework, wider reading and academic enrichment. As a rough guide, they can expect to be set 5-6 hours of independent work per subject each week.
If your child is ever finding a piece of academic work challenging or requires additional help, please encourage them to speak to the relevant class teacher first, as this is usually the most efficient and effective way of addressing their concerns and helping them to get back on track.
Subject-based help clubs and clinics are provided regularly throughout the year, usually during lunchtimes. These offer students the opportunity to get more targeted support with a specific piece of work or key skills.
If a student needs support structuring their study periods, to ensure they are keeping up with their A level courses, they may be asked to attend supervised private study (SPS). This means that in some of their study periods we will arrange for them to work in the School Library where a member of staff will be present to help them stay focused.
FACILITIES
Sixth Form Centre
The Walters Sixth Form Centre opened in 2021, with the purpose-built common room and café opening early in 2023. It offers students a dedicated space in which to work, dine and socialise, enabling them a level of independence befitting our eldest students. It includes our bistro, a separate student kitchen, four quiet work rooms, a spacious common room and assembly space, toilets and changing rooms and an outdoor courtyard area for the warmer weather. It is our expectation that every student plays their part in keeping our facilities clean and tidy for all to enjoy.
There are lockers for students to use in the Sixth Form Centre, and we ask that they bring a padlock into School if they would like to regularly use a locker for themselves.
The student kitchen is available for all students to use at any time before or during the School day. There is a fridge in which they can keep items of food or drink, facilities for making tea or coffee, and a microwave and toaster for making snacks. Students are asked to respect each other’s items and only eat and drink items that they have brought in.
We also recommend students bring their own reusable mugs and/or cups into School, labelling them clearly with a name.
Students need to wash up plates, cutlery and cups after using them. The Head of Sixth Form may suspend use of the kitchen if it is not being kept clean and tidy.
All students need to ensure that rubbish bins and recycling boxes are used correctly, and that food and drink is not splashed or spilled on carpets and furniture.
Food and drink should not be taken into classrooms but can be consumed in common room areas.
Chewing gum should not be brought into School.
There are separate toilets for students and staff. Students should only use the toilets reserved for them.
Any matters that need to be brought to the attention of our cleaning or maintenance staff should be reported to a member of the Sixth Form team.
LAPTOPS & DEVICES
In the Sixth Form at Clifton High School, we have a ‘Bring your Own Device’ policy. This is to enable all our learners to take greater control and responsibility for their digital learning and to help prepare them for their lives beyond Sixth Form.
Below are details of devices that are suitable for your child to have while they are studying here.
As a Microsoft School, we need to ensure that each device is fully operating with Office 365, as this will be used throughout the full range of subjects taught across the curriculum. All learners can install the Office 365 suite of applications free of charge by scanning the QR code or following this link, entering their School email address and following the instructions.
Recommended minimum Laptop specifications
• Windows 10 or 11 operating system
• Wi-Fi access
• Tracking pad/mouse and keyboard
Desirable specifications
• Touchscreen
• Active stylus/pen (for making notes)
Tablets
• RAM: 4 GB
• Storage: 128 GB SSD
• Battery life: 8 hours plus
Many pupils will now be familiar with using iPads or other tablet devices and we encourage their use for note taking with the OneNote app. We would recommend that a tablet is used alongside a laptop as most subjects require extended writing, for which tablets are not generally adequate.
Mac Laptops
While we recommend a Windows device, we understand that many students may already own a Mac device, which they wish to use. This will generally be suitable for most subjects but it is recommended to check with subject teachers of the courses being studied, to ensure you are able to access all the required software.
Chromebooks
Chromebooks are not suitable for Sixth Form study and learners have experienced issues accessing and completing coursework on Chromebooks in the past.
Software
All devices will require the following Office 365 software installed:
• OneDrive
• Teams
• OneNote
• Word
• PowerPoint
Additional Software
Each subject may have its own software requirements: for example, Computer Science students will need to access programming languages. It is the School’s recommendation that you check with subject teachers of the A levels you are taking for any specialist software you may require.
Online Store
For your convenience Clifton High School has partnered with Easy4U to provide an online store where you may choose to rent or purchase a device from. There is no obligation to obtain a device from Easy4U but for more information see their online store linked in the QR code (right) or linked here.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Duties
As the eldest members of the School community, we recognise the huge potential that our Sixth Form students have to act as leaders and role models to inspire younger pupils.
There are opportunities for all students to take on light duties throughout the year, for example, by helping to monitor younger pupils in the lunch queue, helping to organise our recycling efforts, or by acting as tour guides for visitors to our School.
We hope that students will enjoy fulfilling these roles, developing important leadership, organisational and communication skills in the process.
There are three events at which we ask all Sixth Form students to assist: the Whole School Open Morning which takes place on Saturday 21st September 2024, The Sixth Form Open Evening on Thursday 3rd October 2024, and the Whole School Open Evening on Thursday 1st May 2025.
Co-curricular Involvement
A wide range of clubs and societies are offered to students, taking place at lunchtimes and occasionally after School.
In the Sixth Form, there are also more opportunities for your child to take a lead in the organisation of these, or to establish new societies focusing on issues or activities that interest them.
A full schedule of clubs and societies will be published for students at the start of the Autumn Term.
Our expectation is that every student commits to taking part in at least one weekly co-curricular activity per term. Many will relish being involved in more than this, of course.
Positions of Responsibility
There are a number of opportunities for students to take on positions of responsibility within the School, which prove to be not only hugely rewarding, but also enjoyable.
Each year we appoint a Head’s Team, consisting of Head Prefects and Deputies. Students apply for these positions by writing a letter of application, and following a student and staff vote, shortlisted applicants are interviewed by the Head of School and the Head of Sixth Form as well as delivering a speech to the Senior School. The Head’s Team shadow their predecessors before taking up their positions at the start of the Summer Term in Year 12.
In addition, we appoint eight House Captains to lead the four School Houses (Pears, Percival, Winkworth and Wollaston).
There are currently five Senior Prefect positions for which students can apply (Charities and Outreach Prefect, Peer Mentoring and Infant and Junior School Liaison Prefect, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Prefect, Environment and Sustainability Prefect and Events Coordinator). There is scope to add additional Senior Prefect positions in the future.
We also organise volunteering opportunities for Sixth Form students who wish to gain experience working with younger children. Some students choose to help by reading with pupils in the Infant and Junior School, helping with Music or Art lessons or assisting with our Adventure Programme. Younger pupils love getting to know our most senior students, and the students find the experience equally rewarding.
Anna, Emma, George, Suzannah, Kian, Millie, Max
