Year 13

Welcome to Year 13, the most important year of your school career and your final opportunity to achieve the grades on your BTEC or A Level Courses.

It is the culmination of thirteen years of schooling!

As a school, we have two very clear priorities for Year 13:

• All students should aim to maximise their achievement. Whatever grades they received or how many units they completed in Year 12, we expect all students to work towards the next grade up. If you are on a C, work towards a B. If you are on a Merit at BTEC, try to get a Distinction.
• All students should complete an application to university during the autumn term. If a student is unsure about whether they want to go to university, they should still write their application. If you don’t write an application, then you cannot change your mind if you decide you want to go! The school has a team of staff who will support students in the UCAS process.

UCAS 

THE INTERNAL DEADLINE FOR MOST UCAS APPLICATIONS IS 16th December 2024. 

It is essential that all students meet this deadline in order that we can check your application and prepare your reference in time for the UCAS deadline in January.  We would like to get ALL applications processed and sent off as early as possible: the sooner they go off, the sooner you will start to get offers.  Any applications that are submitted late may be sent to UCAS without being checked.

If you are applying for medicine, dentistry, veterinary science or to study at Oxford or Cambridge Universities, the deadline is in early October. The school will only support applications to these courses for students who have an excellent GCSE profile and whose predicted grades show that they have a genuine chance of success.

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY 

Students and parents are reminded that universities and employers often ask for references throughout Year 13, including on results day in August, which will include questions about attendance and punctuality.  The school can only say that attendance is “outstanding” if it is over 95%.  Poor attendance and punctuality in Year 13 can seriously affect your future plans.

All students must arrive at 8.45am ready for registration at 8:55am. You must be in school on time.

HOMEWORK & DEADLINES 

Homework will be set regularly by teachers.  All homework tasks must be completed on time and to the best of your ability.  This is essential if you are going to achieve your target grades.  You must enter all homework in your homework diary, even if you are recording it elsewhere (such as your phone, Google Classroom or in your folders).  The diary is a tool to help you to organise your workload, and also for your parents, ATL and other staff to monitor what homework is being set.

STUDY TIME 

In order to be successful at this level students must spend time outside of lessons completing research and private study. This should be between 5 and 9 hours per A Level, or around 15-20 hours for a BTEC course.  All students have non-contact time built into their timetable. This time should be spent in the room allocated on your timetable; you must not leave this room at any time. Students must also be spending time at home engaged in their studies.

COMMUNITY & CULTURE

Loxford Sixth Form is more than just BTEC and A-Level grades.  The school is a community, and the Year 13 students are expected to act as role models for younger members of the school.  There are a number of social and charitable events during the year, and lots of opportunities for you to volunteer within the school.

In recent years, Loxford sixth formers have raised thousands of pounds for charities such as Great Ormond Street, Cancer Research, Shelter, Macmillan’s, Barnardos and Wings Of Hope.  Our students have run ICT classes for pensioners, hosted coffee mornings and bake sales, taken part in charity sporting fixtures and organised several charity balls and assemblies.

Students are encouraged to develop skills and experiences outside the classroom.  Some of our students have volunteered for St Johns Ambulance, Police Cadets and taken part in the local youth parliament.  Other students have secured part time employment that allows them to develop key skills that employers and universities value.

Throughout the sixth form, there are opportunities for students to visit museums, galleries, theatres and other places of interest in order to develop their cultural awareness.  Students may attend evening lectures or taster days in their chosen subjects at local universities as well as residentials.

Please note that permission to attend extra-curricular activities will only be given if attendance to school is above 95%.

PSCHE 

Personal, Social, Citizenship and Health Education is part of your legal entitlement during the sixth form.  Lessons are compulsory.

DRESS CODE 

Loxford has a strict dress code which all members of the sixth form must follow.  Male students must wear a formal shirt and tie with a suit, or blazer and trousers.  Female students should wear a suit, or a blazer with formal trousers or a knee length skirt.  Jeans, leggings, tight trousers, see through tops and trainers are not allowed.  Students may be sent home to change if they attend school inappropriately dressed: the school will make the final decision about what is acceptable dress.

PARENTS’ EVENING

It is essential that all parents and students attend Parents' Evening.  This is the final chance for parents and students to meet with subject teachers, form tutors and other staff to help them prepare for their final deadlines and examinations.

ASSESSMENT & TRACKING

Parents will receive formal “tracking” information at three key points in the year.  This will assess how well students are doing, including the BTEC or A-Level grades that they are currently working at. Parents and students should use this information to help them plan their work and revision, by comparing the present grades to their target grades and any entry requirements for their university choices.

Some parents will be contacted by the Achievement Team Leader after tracking to discuss their grades, and to be placed on a Student Success Plan.  These interventions are intended to help students to achieve their target grades.  Any parent who would like to discuss the tracking information, or discuss their son or daughter’s progress at any time, should feel welcome to contact their form tutor, subject teachers or ATL.

Ms Qureshi.

Achievement Team Leader