PROVISIONAL GENERAL CALENDAR EVENTS
Year 12
September Pupil Admin Day
October
Year 13
Pupil Admin Day UCAS –Conservatoire deadline
Sixth Form Information Evening
International University Fair
International University Fair
UCAS - Early entry deadline
November Art/Photography Mock Exam
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Exams
Work Experience
Destinations Day
UCAS internal deadline
Gala Dinner
Parents’ Evening
UCAS Evening
Apprenticeship Evening
Aspire/Early Entry
Parents’ Evening
Mock Exams 1 UCAS – application deadline
Mock Exams 2
Apprenticeship Evening
Exams
MFL Speaking Lifers’ Assembly Information Evening
Art/Photography exam
Prize Giving Summer Ball
UKUniversity&Apprenticeship SearchFair-Northampton
A B S E N C E R E P O R T I N G
If students have a planned absence during the School day, please contact the School in advance. Students not able to attend School owing to illness should contact the School through the absence email address absence@wellingboroughschool.org with reasons and estimated day of return. If students are feeling unwell during the School day, they should report to the Medical Centre initially, who will then triage the issue and contact home if required.
T H E A S P I R E P R O G R A M M E
The Aspire Programme has been developed to prepare students for the most competitive university courses. Beginning in Year 10, weekly sessions offer discussion, wider reading suggestions and study skills. In Year 12 and 13 support is focused on UCAS applications, including test preparation, interview practice and building a strong personal statement. Students are offered the opportunity to visit cultural sites, cultural events and museums. For those interested in Oxbridge, we also arrange trips to Open Days.
A T T E N D A N C E
Students are expected to attend School on a full-time basis. Lessons start promptly at 8.45am finishing at 4.10pm. Study leave arrangements apply in Year 13 during the mock and public examinations. Year 12 students are expected to attend the Sixth Form Centre for all private study periods, throughout the Michaelmas term. However, all Sixth Form students may use private study time for activities such as driving lessons and organised volunteering, as long as they seek permission in advance from the Head of Sixth Form. After Christmas provided students’ reports indicate that they are on track with their learning, students may choose to go to Houses, the Library/Study Centre or remain in the Sixth Form Centre for private study. Students who are not on track will be directed to work in the Study Centre or subject areas, providing the opportunity to catch up and focus on their studies. From the start of the Lent term of Year 12, students may arrive for Period 2, if they do not have a lesson or other timetabled activity (including speakers or other enrichment sessions) in Period 1 and may sign out at the beginning of Period 6, if they have private study during this time. Students must sign in and out of School at Main Reception on these occasions. Parents must inform the School if they do not wish their son or daughter to use the Sixth Form signing out privileges. In Year 13 students are also expected to be in School every day. They may also arrive for Period 2 or leave the School site for home study during Period 6 if they have no remaining lessons but they must sign in and out at Main Reception. Once they have signed out, they may not re-enter the School site. Permission to leave the site can be rescinded if expectations of student performance or conduct are not met.
During lunchtime, students can sign out of School to visit local eateries, this must be on foot and not by car or motorised vehicles.
In certain circumstances absence may be granted where it supports students’ learning or future destination plans.
This includes:
Attendance at open days
Representation at an external academic competition or sports team
A work shadowing or work experience opportunity
One driving lesson per week or driving test appointments
This list is not exhaustive, and permission must be sought in advance.
Absence for the following will not usually be authorised:
To attend part time jobs and employment
For holidays
B U R S A R I E S
The School offers means-tested bursaries for students joining in Year 12. For full information, please see the School website and contact the Admissions office for the details and submission dates (Bursaries - Wellingborough School). Funding may be available to attend courses which will support university studies and apprenticeships post 18, applications for this need to be made to Mrs Arber (Head of Careers) in the Careers office.
B U S T R A N S P O R T
The School operates 5 bus routes covering Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire and provides a shuttle to and from Wellingborough Train Station, twice a day. The services provided are private and for the use of Wellingborough School students only; members of the public cannot, and do not, use the services. We are always investigating new potential bus routes and urge you to pass on any requests you may have. Bus passes are available on a termly basis only; costs and timings can be viewed here.
C A F É
The Loft is the Café available for the Sixth Form Students to access at break and lunch times. The Loft is found on the floor between the Dining Hall and Sixth Form Centre. Payment is either by preloading onto ParentPay or contactless card.
The Loft is a space for socialising and study, and the normal expectations of student courtesy and conduct, and rubbish disposal, are required. Any abuse of said facilities may result in access restrictions being put in place.
C C F
The Combined Cadet Force is an integral part of the School’s offer; students already involved in the CCF can continue to be involved whilst in the Sixth Form and students who haven’t been involved before can join the CCF when they join the Sixth Form. If students opt to be part of the CCF during their time in Sixth Form this will be in leadership positions. CCF is undertaken on a Wednesday after School from 4.10. Further d t il b f d b th Fi fl d th S h l b it B d th Cl
C O N D U C T E X P E C T A T I O N S
Exemplary conduct and attitude is expected in the Sixth Form. Respectful treatment of staff and fellow students is required at all times, as is the adherence to the rules and expectations of the Sixth Form and School in general.
D E S T I N A T I O N S
A range of activities will take place throughout the two years of Sixth Form; information is provided on the three major routes: apprenticeships, university, and employment. Alongside this we also provide guidance and information on further education, gap years and other more specialist post 18 courses and institutions. Guidance is presented from our in-house team as well as invited specialists in a range of fields and areas. Parent specific information is also provided via a number of after-hours meetings and presentations.
Students who are early entry UCAS applicants for medicine and Oxbridge etc, should make themselves known by completing the P18 destinations section on Unifrog. They will then be contacted very early on in Year 12 and specialist support will be offered via our ‘Aspire’ programme.
D E S T I N A T I O N S D A Y
Destinations Day includes UCAS Day for those considering a university route as well as alternative careers path information for students considering other routes such as apprenticeships. Destinations Day allows the students to delve a little more into their options, whether that be university, apprenticeships, school leaver programmes and gap years. We welcome a range of supporting speakers and organisations as well as a range of OW's, who help us to tailor the day to the current cohort’s needs.
D R E S S C O D E
Wellingborough Sixth Form is a working environment and as such we expect students to dress in smart tailored suits. Breaches of the code will fall under our behaviour and conduct expectations.
Sixth Form Uniform
Make-up in the Sixth Form must be natural. Single colour nail polish is permitted but fake nails should not be worn.
Facial hair is permitted but must be neatly groomed. Students can wear one pair of small hoop earrings and one single set of stud earrings or two sets of stud earrings. Cartilage earrings are not permitted in School. Jewellery should be neither excessive nor ostentatious.
Plain black, navy, or dark grey tailored suit (skirts or dresses must be knee length) Smart business attire, single colour, collared shirt/blouse(House and School Prefects may wear patterned shirts/blouses) shirts should be worn with a School tie, Sixth Form ties can be purchased from the School shop. Plain dark V-neck pullover or cardigan with no logos. Quarter zip jumpers are permitted. Games kit is the same as for the rest of the Senior School and can be purchased from the School shop or nearly new shop.
Plain navy or black coat/jacket with no visible logos. School/House scarf. move their ties, tights and jackets. ool allocated games and sports kit for PE,
D R I V I N G L E S S O N S , V E H I C L E U S E A N D P A R K I N G
Students may use their Private Study periods for driving lessons; this should be no more than one double period per week. Students must sign in and out of School as normal for these periods. Students must not drive on or off site unless they have passed their test, for insurance purposes. Once students have passed their theory and practical tests, they may apply to bring their own vehicles into the main School car park (Application for permission to use own transport to and from school). Students must park in the designated ‘Sixth Form Parking’ area. Permission must also be sought for students transporting other students in their vehicles; this can be found on the form above. Students will then be issued a permit which they need to display in their vehicle when parked in the School grounds. Students may not use their vehicles to drive off site at lunch or between periods unless they have an authorised appointment. Full guidelines can be found in the Guide to the School. Any breach of the expectations may result in the vehicle being banned from the site. Learner drivers are not allowedtodrive ontoor offthe School site.
D U K E O F E D I N B
U R G H
The School offers students the opportunity to undertake the Duke of Edinburgh Award; those already involved with the programme can continue to complete this within the Sixth Form. Students who haven’t previously undertaken the award can go straight to the Gold Award. Further details and links to the Duke of Edinburgh website can be found on our Firefly page. eDofE introduction Wellingborough School (fireflycloud.net)
E M A I L
Email is the main form of communication within School. As such students are expected to check their email on a daily basis. Invites to meetings/presentations etc will also be forwarded via email and the calendar function.
E N R I C H M E N T ( A C A D E M I C )
The Sixth Form academic enrichment offer is sent out as a digital brochure to Y11 students. Most Year 12 students are expected to choose one option (an exception is made for those with significant additional commitments such as a 4th A level); in some circumstances students can select more than one option.
F I R E D R I L L S
A full briefing and practice will be provided about fire drills and evacuation routines. On hearing the alarm, students should make their way out of the nearest exit and proceed in a calm orderly manner to the bottom Astro court to assemble in Houses. The full details and map can be found here Fire Evacuation Wellingborough School (fireflycloud.net). Students will also be expected to take part in annual lockdown drills following instructions briefed beforehand
F I R E F L Y
Firefly is our central information point for School life. The application is available via any internet enabled device; however, it is also recommended that you download it to a phone or other mobile device. Firefly has both a student and parental portal, with information to support a student’s life in School, including timetable, examination entry i f ti h k d l d d S h l ti
G A L A D I N N E R
This event takes place in the Lent term of Year 12. Student volunteers organise and plan the event, taking on the different roles for the evening and controlling the budget for the dinner. The diverse nature of the roles required means that there are opportunities for everyone. Guidance, support and training is available, for example, the Chefs follow a 6week programme on cooking and preparing meals. All money raised from this event goes to charity.
G A M E S L E S S O N S
All students within Sixth Form have timetabled Games lessons on Tuesday afternoon; students may select from a range of options. Students who are not able to attend Games on medical grounds must attend Off Games in the Study Centre where they will need to sign in with the supervising member of staff
H O M E W O R K A N D
I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D Y
Homework is a required part of students’ studies and its completion to the required standard is expected. Homework tasks set by teachers are posted on Firefly. Subjects will outline where completed work should be submitted, either by hand, email or via assignments in Teams depending on the task being completed. A level students should expect to spend around 5 hours per subject each week on independent work outside of lessons. This will include homework but should also include further reading, independent practice and reviewing previous learning. Guidance and suggestions for independent k t b l t d t id f l b f d Fi fl i th bj t i
L U N C H
Students may leave site at lunchtime but must sign out and back in again at Main Reception. During the lunch break students must walk and may not drive off site. Students who have private study during Period 4 may leave this period at 12.30 to go into lunch and join the main lunch queue. After 12.40 students need to go into lunch at the allotted year group time for that day. At all lunchtimes all students must enter through the doors by the Headmaster’s lawn and should not use the Quad or Senior Walk doors to enter or transit the Dining Hall.
M E N T A L H E A L T H A N D
W E L L B E I N G
The nature of Sixth Form study may be stressful at times for students; for some it can be a more challenging experience. The School has a Wellbeing team who can provide support or signpost to external support if required. The Guide to the School has details on how to access this support; students can also speak to a member of staff who can advise them on how to access the available support
M O B I L E D E V I C E U S E
Students are expected to follow the AUP policy when using mobile devices. Whilst moving around the School site, mobile devices and headphones should not be used. Mobile device use in class requires explicit permission from the teacher.
P
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E N I N G S
Parent/teacher evenings take place as per the whole School calendar. All consultations
P R E F E C T P R O C E S S
During the Lent term the Prefect process is launched to all Year 12 students. Students may wish to apply for the position of House or School Prefect. There is a rigorous selection process, the dates and details can be found on Firefly Prefect Application Information — Wellingborough School (fireflycloud.net)
P S H C E
During Year 12 and the Michaelmas term of Year 13 students will have a timetabled PSHCE lesson each week. These lessons are tailored to the needs of the cohort and include topics such as sexual health, post-18 options including UCAS and Apprenticeships and driving safety. The Unifrog platform, to which all students have access, supports a number of PSHCE lessons.
R E P O R T S
Parents and students will receive reports on their work, attainment, and engagement throughout the two years. The reporting schedules can be found on the School calendar and accessed via Firefly.
R E W A R D S
Student rewards are recorded on ISAMS by the students' teachers. These are assessed every half term by the Head of Sixth Form who will allocate the top 15 students in each year group a Golden ticket to a set value which they can then redeem in The Loft or at breakfast.
S A F E G U A R D I N G
The safeguarding of students is paramount. If students have a concern or issue or have been involved in an incident that has or is putting them at risk, they should report to a member of the safeguarding team as soon as possible. The safeguarding contacts in the Sixth Form are:
Mrs Ryder – kry@wellingboroughschool org
Mrs Baxby -
sjb@wellingboroughschool.org
Miss Livingstone – jml@wellingboroughschool.org
As part of Wellingborough School’s commitment to ensure our students have the broadest possible education, we run an External Speaker Programme. Once every half term a guest is invited into the School to deliver a lecture to the Sixth Form. Previous speakers have lectured on a variety of topics from toxic masculinity to adventuring in the Arctic. The Speaker Programme changes each year, responding to issues in the news and in society and participation in the Speaker Programme helps strengthen our Sixth Formers’ university and apprenticeship application, contributing to their wider academic learning.
Time
08:30–08:45
08:45–09:40
09:40–10:35
10:35–10:55
10:55–11:50
11:50–12:45
12:30–12:45 12 45 13 50
Activity
AM Registration
Period 1
Period 2
Break
Period 3
Period 4
Notes
Warning bell at 08:40
Warning bell at 10:50 S C H O O L D A Y
Lunch for Sixth Form on Private Study
Lunch
S T U D Y A N D W O R K A R E A S
The Sixth Form provides students with specific space for work during private study periods, all of which have different expectations for use.
The Sixth Form Centre including the breakout rooms - Quiet working environment –snacks may be consumed and there is a kitchen area for making drinks. No meals or food purchased from fast food establishments is permitted. Students must not leave any mess or rubbish; bins are provided and a dishwasher.
The Sixth Form Centre IT room – Quiet working area – no food or drinks to be brought in or consumed.
The Sixth Form Centre - English library – Quiet reading area – no food or drink to be consumed or brought in.
The Study Centre and Library - Silent working space – no food to be consumed or brought in.
Other subjects also have study space allocated for students, for example, the Art block. Students should speak with subject teachers for specific terms of use for these areas.
All spaces will be open during normal School hours, unless an event has been arranged, students will be informed if this is the case:
S T U D Y P E R I O D S A N D
E X P E C T A T I O N S
Each student following three subjects is allocated two formal study periods per subject over the fortnight timetable. Students are expected to access one of the formal study and workspaces during these times for the completion of subject related work.
As a student’s time in the Sixth Form progresses this requirement may be relaxed to allow students to study at home with permission during Periods 1 and 6. However, this relaxation can be removed or refused at any time if a student’s level of progression or attendance is shown to be falling below expectations.
T E A C H I N G
The School prides itself on the standard of teaching that we deliver in support of Sixth Form student’s studies. Communication between the School and students and parents is key, and we would ask that in the case of any issues or questions specifically linked to a subject, that the subject teacher involved is contacted in the first instance.
Each subject will outline the resources, links and homework expectations for that subject, together with an overview of how the subject is taught and assessed. For a general overview, please look at the subject area on Firefly.
U C A S
All students will be expected to create an account in UCAS in May of Year 12. This allows us to centralise all personal information from students to support references for any destination. Log in details and tracking guidance will be provided for all students at this time. The likelihood of success for any application is enhanced by meeting the internal deadlines set by th nd check applications in plenty of time for submissi
