HEADTEACHER WELCOME
A warm welcome to St Bernard’s High School.
We are a school that is proud of its history and committed to delivering to our young people an educational experience that excites and inspires. I hope these few pages will give you a flavour of our school community and what it has to offer. The students and staff here at St Bernard’s are incredible and I feel privileged to lead such a special place of education, nurturing and fulfilment.
High expectations and educational standards alongside all-encompassing pastoral care make St Bernard’s more than a school - we are a family! We recognise and seek to further develop, deepen and nurture the individual talents and abilities of all the students we serve. We prioritise getting to know our students (and families) as we understand our role in helping and guiding our young people towards their chosen paths, enabling them to have professionally and personally fulfilling lives.
St Bernard’s is a very special place. We fully understand the importance of providing our young people with a holistic Catholic education which cherishes the spiritual and supports academic excellence across the full ability range of our school community. We are committed to living our mission statement, “Love one another as I have loved you”, as we enjoy and celebrate the strong relationships which have built and sustained our diverse community.
ALLISON MOISE-DIXON, HEADTEACHER
HEAD OF SIXTH FORM WELCOME FROM THE
Deciding where to continue your post-16 education is an important decision. When you choose St Bernard’s you will be joining a strong and diverse community within an environment which nurtures the individual.
The Sixth Form occupies a pivotal role in the life of St Bernard’s High School. We are an inclusive community where students can continue their academic studies and mature into confident and independent young people, ready to take their next steps into Higher Education, Apprenticeships or the world of work. Study in the Sixth Form is a serious undertaking and needs commitment from each student and support from their families. From day one, we encourage students to adopt a structured routine and maintain a good work-life balance by providing ample time for supported independent study during the school day. Most students study 3 A Levels or a combination of BTEC and A Level qualifications.
Some of our most recent headline figures demonstrate the excellent teaching and learning students receive here at St Bernard’s:
• 84% of our A-Level entries were graded A*-C putting us well above the national average of 76%
• Our average BTEC grade was a ‘Distinction’
• 100% pass rate in ALL subjects
Sixth Formers at St Bernard’s thrive when they immerse themselves in the wide range of leadership tasks and extra-curricular responsibilities we offer. We offer work experience in Year 12 and support students to participate in super-curricular schemes offered by top universities. These deepen students’ knowledge and help to prepare them for the rigours of Further Education. Life is busy in the Sixth Form and students have to develop independence and good organisational skills in order to succeed. Students are ably supported by an experienced team of passionate subject specialists and a dedicated Sixth Form pastoral team who are there to support each student to fulfil their unique potential.
EMILY OWEN, HEAD OF SIXTH FORM
AT ST BERNARD’S ENTERING THE 6TH FORM
All students at St Bernard’s are enrolled on a study programme, which typically combines qualifications and other activities, and is tailored to each student’s prior attainment and career goals.
Students who immerse themselves in the life of the school thrive. In addition to a strong academic base the study programme delivers valuable soft skills required for further study or the world of work. At St Bernard’s our study programmes combine the following elements:
1. ADMISSION NUMBER FOR THE SIXTH FORM
The admission numbers into Sixth Form are 150. In addition to the entry requirements the upper limit of external applicants will take account of the availability of places in subject courses, the availability of teaching staff, the suitability of group sizes for a specific subject and the pastoral capacity of the school. Applications will be refused where the school considers the size of the class or tutor groups would prevent the efficient education of a group and where it is not financially feasible or desirable for the Governors to change the school staffing or appoint additional staff.
Where more external applicants successfully meet the Admissions Criteria than there are places, the oversubscription criteria will apply.
OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA:
Preference will be given to students on the basis of:
• The best eight GCSE examination scores achieved by the applicant.
• In the event of oversubscription by external candidates the best eight GCSE grades will be raised to ensure the number of applicants matches the availability of places we have in the Sixth Form.
EDUCATION HEALTH AND CARE PLANS
Any applicant that meets the entry requirements and has an EHCP that names this school will be admitted even if that means going above the PAN for the year group.
LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN AND PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
Looked after children and previously looked after children who meet the academic entry criteria have the highest priority in the oversubscription criteria for our sixth form places.
2. ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
Entry into the Sixth Form involves meeting general entry requirements and subject specific requirements.
• The minimum entry requirement for the Sixth Form is 40 points from a student’s best 8 subjects.
• Students must have a 5 in English Language and Maths.
For GCSE qualifications the number of points equals the grade, so a Grade 9 is worth 9 points and a Grade 8 is work 8 points and so on.
In addition to the overall entry requirements for Sixth Form, each A level has a minimum GCSE grade requirements. These are outlined further within our course guide and are identified for each subject on each subject page of the course guide. There may be some room for negotiation for internal students dependent upon their marks and the number of places available on the course. External students will be expected to meet the grade requirements stated.
Students must be under 17 years of age on 31st August of the calendar year of proposed admission.
Students must be able to provide documentation in support of an application including documentation to confirm GCSE results.
External students must come on GCSE results day for a formal meeting and if successful in this meeting they will be enrolled into the Sixth Form. External Catholic students may be called for a meeting prior to results day.
All students must have made an application to the Sixth Form to be able to be considered a place, no walk ins will be accepted on GCSE results day.
We strongly encourage students to take 3 A levels, we offer EPQ and Core Maths as an extra qualification and this is enough to keep students busy as they transition from GCSE to A level. Students can only take 4 A level subjects if they get straight 7-9 grades at GCSE. Core Maths is taken as a 4th subject.
3. ADMISSION PROCESS
Application for Sixth Form is made via Applica and details of this can be found on the school website.
The closing date for applications is 21st February 2025 We will make conditional offers to students based upon their predicted grades and if they meet our minimum entry requirements. This will happen during March and April. Applicants will be expected to confirm their acceptance by Friday 25th April. Changes to subject choices can be made after this point but only if there are places within the subject groups.
All applications should be made by the closing date. We will only accept late applications if the numbers allow, this is highly unlikely so please do ensure you meet the application deadline and confirm your acceptance.
We will not accept walk in applications on results day.
4. CAREERS ADVICE AND OPPORTUNITIES, UCAS GUIDANCE AND WORK EXPERIENCE
A bespoke programme of Careers Education and Guidance is provided for our students, offering a range of experiences designed to prepare them for their options once they leave us.
5. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENRICHMENT
· PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION
A comprehensive series of lessons cover a range of topics such as: study skills, first aid, gambling, sexism and misogyny, internet safety, danger of carrying weapons, mental health and wellbeing, dementia and FGM.
· RELIGIOUS STUDIES
In line with our school ethos, students also attend regular general Religious Studies lessons where they have opportunities to explore moral and ethical issues such as euthanasia and crime and punishment. They also look at things that religious people take part in across different religions such as pilgrimage and festivals.
· EXTENDED PROJECT QUALIFICATION
Students have the change to explore a topic in depth and develop the skills needed to write an extended project based piece. This is offered to all students.
· TUTOR TIME
Students benefit from time as a group with their form tutors each morning where they complete a range of activities including careers guidance, wider academic reading, tutor review meetings, and prayer.
· ARTS LEADERS AWARD
The Arts Leaders Award inspires young people to grow their arts and leadership talents. Students will research the world of the arts and take individual responsibility for leading an arts project.
· SPORTS LEADER
The Sports Leader Award gives opportunities to lead groups in safe sporting and recreational activity, encouraging responsibility for others, developing organisational and communication skills and instilling confidence in people for whom leading groups in sporting activities is a new experience.
· ROLES OF LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
Head Student & Deputy Head Students apply, interview and then campaign in Spring Term of Year 12. The team are elected as a result of a whole school vote giving students experience of democracy and an election process. A range of roles and responsibilities allow every student to demonstrate leadership and develop the skills necessary for the workplace or further study.
· PAID ROLES
Welcome Ministry is a unique role where Sixth Form students can take on the responsibility of welcoming and ensuring the safety of students coming into school in the mornings. Academically able Sixth Form students may also be offered the opportunity to become Subject Mentors where they will work with GCSE students to provide additional subject coaching and intervention.
PROVISION CAREERS
Our careers provision enhances our students’ knowledge and understanding of the world of work, their employability skills, widen their horizons, and challenge stereotypes surrounding certain careers.
We have a dedicated team of staff who have experience and success in supporting and mentoring our students who apply to Russell Group universities, Oxbridge and companies in the City of London. We employ a Sixth Form Study Supervisor, Careers Co-ordinator and Pastoral Manager who collaborate with staff to ensure that every student has the experiences and opportunities to receive personalised support; academic, CEIAG and pastoral.
In Year 12 and 13, students continue to have access to their online careers platform which enables them to look at what their future options are and gives them access to several resources and activities to develop their post-18 pathways. Each student is also given individual and collective support with their UCAS applications and apprenticeship or employment applications. St Bernard’s High School understands that work experience is central in providing young people with invaluable insights into the world of work, helping them to develop important employability skills and make informed choices about their future. Our Sixth Form encourages a very hands-on approach and ensures that all students take part in work experience by embedding it into the school year.
We also believe a focus on super-curricular activities is not only key to expanding a student’s horizons but important in developing their academic ability. Students are encouraged and supported to apply for university developed programs such as; King’s College London’s K+ Programme, University of Reading’s Reading Scholars, Newcastle University’s PARTNER Programme, Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation. These programmes are designed to introduce students to undergraduate study, develop subject knowledge and writing skills. Participation is not only favoured by universities and apprenticeship providers due to the knowledge and skills acquired but can also result in lower entry offers to Russell Group Universities.
stbernardswestcliff.applicaa.com
