AMARE ET SERVIRE
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School is an academy in the Archdiocese of Westminster. The School has a strong Catholic ethos, a pan-London intake, a tradition of outstanding academic outcomes and a strong regard for responsible conduct, self-discipline and self-improvement among its pupils
The purpose of the School is best expressed in the words of Cardinal Manning, which appear in the preamble to our Mission Statement: we seek ‘the formation of the whole person: intellect, heart, will, character and soul.’ At a fundamental level, then, our vision for what this Catholic school should (and can) achieve is in a sense pre-packaged. Our aim is to make this ideal a reality.
We aim to preserve these unchanging ideals in the context of a rapidly changing world We want the school to be progressive in the truest sense; in other words, we must identify and retain the best of the old and graft this to the best of the new, so that the foundations on which our pupils’ progress is built are strong and lasting. This, in practice, will entail a remorseless focus on tailoring our practice to suit the multifold needs of our pupils, whatever their ability, so that their development – be it academic, spiritual, social, moral, sporting or aesthetic – is as firmly embedded and lasting as possible
This will require a blend of intellectual coherence, intelligent recalibration of existing good practice to ensure lasting improvement, energetic action and systematic monitoring to ensure that the needs of a changing intake are constantly met For the whole school community, it demands (and, hopefully, entails) unity of purpose
CHOOSING OUR SIXTH FORM
Hello future students!
The Sixth Form of CVMS is a very special place In the 30 years I’ve worked at the school, we have been graced by the contributions of the most remarkable young women and men, and it has been such a great pleasure to stay in touch with them and watch their achievements in various walks of life. Of course, of all the things that makes our Sixth Form special, the young people who study with us are the greatest element.
To isolate the most important reasons to choose our Sixth Form is hard, but in my long experience, I would say that these two years are likely to be among the best years of your life, where you will make the most treasured memories
What makes us different from most Sixth Forms is the sense of family arising from our mission and our ethos From September, you will be involved in induction activities that will help you to meet people and get a sense of the community you will be helping to form The fact that we start in the morning with form period and assemblies and that we have supervised study through the day means that you will spend most of your days together, creating and attending lunchtime clubs, or simply forging new friendships, many of which will last a lifetime. It is often said in life that you get out what you put in, and nowhere can it be seen so much as in our Sixth Form, where young adults involve themselves in so many aspects of the school and consequently flourish and thrive, learning lessons for the lives on which they are about to embark
Of course, your studies will be at the heart of this, and nowhere could you meet a more expert team of teachers than those at CVMS, who have a great wealth of experience in teaching to the highest level and preparing you for university We offer more subjects than most in the Lower Sixth, as we really want you to study the subjects that suit you best, the subjects in which you have the most talent, the subjects that you love and that will inspire and motivate you to work
I hope you’ll choose to come to us and that you get to share in all the opportunities this unique school will offer Whatever your choices and your path, I wish you all the very best for a bright future,
Miss O’Connell Head of Upper School
THE COURSES AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The table below shows the MINIMUM requirements in terms of GCSEs for entry to our Sixth Form courses. If your achievement turns out to be at, or very near, the minimum required, you should perhaps think carefully before selecting this course and seek advice.
Course 1
BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies (Double Award) with up to 2 subjects
At least six GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications up to a maximum of two). Six qualifications must be Grade 5 or above, with English and Mathematics at Grade 4 or above The specific requirements for particular subjects, as set out in the Sixth Form Prospectus, must also be satisfied.
Course 2
Four subjects, including Business Studies and Sociology
At least six GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications up to a maximum of two). Six qualifications must be Grade 6 or above, with English and Mathematics at Grade 5 or above The specific requirements for particular subjects, as set out in the Sixth Form Prospectus, must also be satisfied.
Course 3
Four subjects
At least six GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications up to a maximum of two) Four qualifications must be Grade 7 or above and a further two must be Grade 6 or above; such qualifications must include English and Mathematics. The specific requirements for particular subjects, as set out in the Sixth Form Prospectus, must also be satisfied
Course 4
Five Subjects
At least six GCSEs (or equivalent qualifications up to a maximum of two) Four qualifications must be a Grade 8 or above and a further two must be Grade 7 or above; such qualifications must include English and Mathematics The specific requirements for particular subjects, as set out in the Sixth Form Prospectus, must also be satisfied
Firstly, the predicted grades you provide on your application, which are confirmed by the current school, will be used to decide whether the minimum level of attainment has been met Once GCSE results are published, actual grades will be used The ability to meet the minimum level of attainment does not guarantee a place in the Sixth Form
THE BLOCKS
We offer a BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Business Studies, equivalent to 2 A Levels and accepted by universities as such. Pupils will be expected to take at least one additional A Level subject with this.
Applicants for Course 3 or Course 4 must choose either four or five subjects respectively Those choosing Course 2: A-Levels in Business Studies and Sociology should choose an additional two subjects. The entry requirements for subjects are set out on the next page. The entry requirement for progression from the Lower Sixth to the Upper Sixth Form is subject to a pupil achieving at least three grade Ds in their summer examinations; the results of which will be used to inform their UCAS Predicted Grades
Subjects offered are shown below Each subject must be chosen from a different Block:
Block 1
5
SUBJECT REQUIREMENTS
The following subjects may all be started without having studied them previously:
AAQ - IT: Data Analytics
Business Studies
Classical Civilisation
Computer Science
Economics
Drama
Music
Philosophy
Physical Education
Politics
Psychology
Sociology Theology
As a general rule, however, you may not start an A-Level subject unless you have achieved at least grade 6 at GCSE There are also additional requirements in the following subjects:
For ART, you must have at least Art grade 6 at GCSE
For BIOLOGY, you must have at least Biology 7 or Combined Science 77, and Mathematics grade 7
For CHEMISTRY, you must have at least Chemistry 7 or Combined Science 77, and Mathematics grade 7
For CLASSICAL CIVILISATION, you must have at least English grade 6
For COMPUTER SCIENCE, you must have at least Mathematics grade 7 or Computer Science 7
For DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY, you must have at least Design & Technology (i e Resistant Materials or Graphic Products) or Engineering 6
For ECONOMICS, you must have at least English 7 and Mathematics grade 6
For ENGLISH LITERATURE, you must have at least English grade 7
For FURTHER MATHEMATICS, you must have at least Mathematics grade 8
For GEOGRAPHY, you must have at least Geography, English and Mathematics grade 6
For HISTORY, you must have at least History and English grade 6
For LATIN, you must have at least Latin grade 7
For MATHEMATICS, you must have at least Mathematics grade 7
For MUSIC, you must play an instrument/sing to a standard equivalent to at least Grade V Associated Board standard and also have passed the Grade V Theory Examination or GCSE Music grade 7
For PHILOSOPHY, you must have at least English grade 6
For PHYSICS, you must have at least Physics 7 or Combined Science 77, and Mathematics grade 7
For POLITICS, you must have at least English grade 6
For PSYCHOLOGY, you must have at least Combined Science 66, and Mathematics grade 6
CURRICULUM
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School is highly acclaimed for its outstanding academic results In addition, we encourage pupils to develop their own interests and achieve far more than just examination success
The Curriculum as outlined may be subject to amendment from time to time in the light of governmental reform and other requirements.
We offer a wide choice of subjects:
Art Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Classical Civilisation
Computer Science
Design Technology
Drama
Economics
English Literature
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
French
Further Mathematics
Geography
History
Latin
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
Physical Education
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Religious Studies (Theolog
Sociology
Spanish
All pupils take Core R E Sixth Form sport is available, though not compulsory Opportunities are provided for all Sixth form pupils to undertake Community Service
CATHOLIC LIFE
We are a Catholic community, committed in our Mission Statement to the vision of the School as a spiritual building whose cornerstone is Christ and whose foundations are the Apostles and Prophets It follows that our community must be one of love, all of whose members honour the Christ they find in one another.
Each person in the School, no matter what his or her worldly status, deserves to be treated with the respect and, indeed, reverence due to one created in the image of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
At Cardinal Vaughan, our school motto is Amare et Servire, so love and service are key elements of the School ethos We encourage our pupils to accept leadership roles and demonstrate love and service in action to ensure that the Catholic school ethos is carried across all areas of school life.
"This outstanding Catholic school is committed to the formation of the human person, as evidenced by the comprehensive enrichment programme that supports the taught curriculum ” Catholic Schools Inspectorate, 2024
"Cardinal Vaughan offers young people a first-class Catholic education and a wonderful preparation for later life Our leavers go on to a wide variety of top universities and carry with them impressive personal qualities which ensure that they are equipped to continue developing as Catholics in an increasingly complex world: I am proud that we encourage our pupils to regard their faith as a gift to be actively nurtured rather than passively received "
Aaron Cosgrove, Headmaster
OFSTED OUTSTANDING
The school was inspected by Ofsted in 2021 and was found to be Outstanding.
'Pupils grow and flourish in every way here. They are extremely proud to be part of this strong and caring school community. Leaders and staff have very high expectations for all pupils. They work together to help pupils develop into well rounded individuals who love learning and achieve highly
Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional They treat each other and staff with dignity and respect Pupils share the aspirations leaders and staff have for them and value their support. Pupils want to be the best they can be, both at school and in the future.
Pupils told inspectors that they feel happy and safe here If pupils do have concerns, they know who to speak to They are confident staff will listen to them On the rare occasions when bullying occurs, staff are swift to deal with this effectively
Academic study is balanced with pupils’ wider development. Leaders encourage all pupils to broaden their experiences They offer plentiful extra-curricular activities to enrich pupils’ learning This includes a huge variety of clubs, musical opportunities and overseas trips
Leaders provide a rich and extensive curriculum for all pupils. They have high expectations and challenging standards. These apply to all areas of school life. Pupils achieve highly in all their subjects This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged '
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
Cardinal Vaughan has an extensive programme of extra-curricular activities, from sports teams (including football, rugby, netball) to a globally renowned Music Department which includes a dedicated Sixth Form choir, our increasingly important Eco Club, and Model UN to name a few Recent trips have included South Korea, Naples, Galapagos Islands, and Ecuador
Students are encouraged to create and run their own clubs, which in recent years have included a drama club, classics club, debate club, philosophy club, feminist society, a school newspaper and a very lively prayer group
Sixth Formers are also encouraged to take part in our charity programme, which involves working with local businesses and charities to raise money and materials for those less fortunate (including Mary's Meals and local food banks), as well as helping to arrange and staff our annual Senior Citizens Tea Party and help volunteer at Vaughan Parent's Association events
Our annual musical is also a highlight, with Sixth Formers taking on the lead roles each year, and running the production team
We also now work with partner primary schools such as St Joseph's (Cadogan Street), where Sixth Form students will visit and provide workshops for the pupils
Alongside the many extracurriculars in the Sixth Form, there are also leadership opportunities Members of the Sixth Form have a responsibility of vital importance to discharge within the School, in which they lead by example. Many members of the Upper Sixth are appointed as senior or assistant prefects; beside their vital contribution to the community, we believe that this will help them to develop qualities of leadership and responsibility
TESTIMONIALS
"If I have learnt anything from my 7 years at The Vaughan, it would be how lucky I am to have been taught in an environment with talented and ambitious people who share goals similar to mine Finding a perfect work to fun balance and enjoying every moment with friends, old and new, has made every moment here delightful. This alongside amazing teachers who don’t just teach for the exams, but for life, has set me up in the best possible way for the future ”
LEAVERS DESTINATIONS
ADMISSIONS
To begin the online application process please use the QR code below
The application process is online The first stage is to register using the link below Year 11 applicants, rather than their parents, should complete the online application Parents will be updated regularly
You will need details of your most recent predicted grades for your online application If you are Catholic, you will need to upload your baptism or reception certificate and a Certificate of Catholic Practice (CCP). You can start your online application and upload these documents later as long as you do so by the end of November.
To start your application please visit https://cvms applicaa com/year12
You will find it easier to do this on a laptop or PC rather than a mobile phone
