Our Sixth Form (Key Stage 5 provision) is located at the school’s Hollow Lane site. It is a provision for young people between the ages of 16-19. Students may access the Sixth Form for one, two or three years depending on their personalised pathway and Transition plans. The transition process is embedded throughout the students’ programmes, and families and carers will receive support during their time in the department specific to this. Students will also be supported with Careers Education and Guidance.
Our Sixth Form aims to develop the skills necessary to ensure a smooth transition from our school to further education, employment, training and social or health care provision. Most of our Sixth Form students come from our school and may stay for up to three years, depending on their transition plan.
As with most student admissions into a Post 16 setting at this time, entry into Ellen Tinkham's Sixth Form department will require an application form to be completed and a selection process will follow before a student place can be confirmed. We highly recommend families in Year 11 spending time in the Autumn Term visiting alternative Post 16 providers, attending Transitions Fayres and speaking to their CSW Representative to be able to make an informed choice of the most suitable Post 16 provision for their young person. If families feel Ellen Tinkham's Sixth Form department can deliver the right educational pathway for their young person, a completed application form will need to be submitted to us by the end of the Year 11 Autumn Term. A copy of the form is below and an FAQ.
WHY CHOOSE OUR SIXTH FORM?
The Sixth Forms core aim is to prepare students for adulthood (Preparation for Adulthood agenda) and this runs throughout the curriculum and individual learner outcomes linked to their Education, Health and Care Plan Annual Review Home-School Agreement targets, ensuring that students reach their full potential. There are two curriculum pathways: Engagement Path and Subject Specific Path. These pathways continue to offer strong emphasis on developing communication and life skills and transferring and applying these in real-life context, where appropriate, pupils’ access nationally recognised qualifications in BTEC Pre-Vocational Skills and Functional Skills English, Maths and ICT. Further information about the Sixth Form curriculum can be found in our Curriculum Policy on our Policies page.
At the heart of the Sixth Form is its links with the local community, for example businesses, colleges and community groups. The curriculum encourages students to be active in their local area and where possible, learn in the community, allowing students to foster and maintain strong supportive networks that can continue beyond their school years into adulthood. This is achieved through work experience, travel training, supermarket visits, arts projects and enterprise. Our enterprise activities have included a pop-up staff café, fundraising events and making custom clocks!
With an extensive vocational and Careers & Enterprise Programme at the Learn to Live Federation, students are able to extend their cooking, gardening, enterprise and work-related learning skills. Our facilities, including a Sixth Form Common Room, allow students to apply their household and independent living skills in an age-appropriate learning environment. Students also take part in regular food shopping sessions linked to the purchase of ingredients for their Cooking Lessons and snack times, where they are encouraged to use their money, social and teamwork skills whilst accessing the local community on the local public service bus. When able and appropriate, students also undertake Independent Travel Training. These lessons allow students to develop life skills which are also transferrable to the world of work.
Students, with their parent carers, are supported in planning their transition from school through a comprehensive programme as outlined in our Careers & Enterprise Programme. All Sixth Form students take part in school-based work experience which involves working alongside staff members in different job roles. Once ready, some students also take part in meaningful community-based work experience and are fully supported by our staff which allows students to get their first experience of work.
The students develop their citizenship and global awareness through fundraising, charity events, volunteering and PSHE. We also have an active School Council where students can experience and understand the democratic process and take part in decision making that will impact not only on themselves but the whole school community. Sixth Form also lead on improving our school environment, for example, collecting and sorting recycling across the site.
Educational visits to a variety of venues are used to enhance and support the curriculum e.g. to places of interest, places of worship and places to prepare for adulthood. Visitors are invited into school to support teaching and learning. Students also take part in visits to local employers and businesses in order to develop vocational skills. Local employers are also encouraged to visit the school and to deliver workshops.