SIXTH FORM POST-16

ACE togetherA S P I R E • C R E AT E • E X C E L

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your interest in the GEMS Wellington Academy Sixth Form. This

is the first Year 12 brochure the academy has produced, as our first cohort

approaches the end of Year 11. The term Sixth Form is widely used in the UK to

denote Years 12 and 13. As a British curriculum school, we have decided to use this

term to describe our post-16 phase. Our Sixth Form offer is underpinned by some

core principles:

» Accessibility: alongside our AS and A level courses we will also be offering

International AS and A levels and BTEC National qualifications. This will

ensure that students of all abilities and interests can select a combination of

qualifications which they will find accessible and give them access to Higher

Education institutions and the workplace.

» A commitment to skills and service alongside the acquisition of knowledge.

Sixth Form students will be expected to develop an awareness of their social

responsibility and contribute to their own community and/or the broader

community in which the academy is situated.

» Greater responsibilities and freedoms for our Sixth Form students. Student

leadership will be an important part of what we expect from our Sixth Form

students, but alongside this will be greater freedoms, so that students are

prepared for the independence they will enjoy at university.

There will be an initial meeting early in the new school year, open to both current

and prospective students and their parents. This will enable them to understand the

differences between the various courses on offer and ask any questions. The Sixth

Form Options Evening will be held later in the year to help guide students in their

choice of subjects. Subject teachers will be available to give more detail about course

requirements and how likely it is that students will be able to successfully complete an

A level course in their subject.

We look forward to talking to you about our exciting plans for our Sixth Form and

seeing you at one of our presentation evenings.

Kind regards,

Colin Callaghan

Principal

AS & A LEVEL

Unlike the other Wellington schools in

the GEMS group, we will be offering AS

& A level rather than the IB Diploma. A

levels have been described as the ‘gold

standard’ of post-16 examinations and

they are accepted as an entry qualification

into all the best universities around the

world. A levels are particularly well suited

to students who have particular strengths

in 2 or 3 areas of the curriculum and wish

to study them further in greater depth.

The A level is examined at the end of

Year 13. The AS level is a standalone

qualification taken at the end of Year 12

and cannot be counted towards the A

level. Assessment is 100% examination at

the end of Year 13.

INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL

International A levels are also

recognized by all the top universities

worldwide. International A levels are

similar to A levels but they have a

more flexible, modular structure than

A level and the syllabus content is

designed to have greater international

relevance. Unlike AS level, international

AS level modules can be retaken to

try to improve a student’s score. The

AS is half the content of the A level

and counts towards the final A level

result. It is taken at the end of Year 12.

Assessment is 100% examination.

BTEC NATIONALS

BTECs are career-based qualifications

designed to give students the skills they

need to move on to higher education

or go straight into employment. They

can be combined with AS and A level

to help develop a range of practical

knowledge and skills which help student

prepare for and progress in their chosen

career. Classroom teaching combined

with project work and practical,

work-related activities help to develop

students’ behavioural skills, which can

include teamwork, creative thinking and

presentation skills, so fit well with the

WEK Learner Profile. More employers

and Higher Education institutions than

ever before are choosing BTEC-qualified

candidates for their academic and

practical knowledge and skills. They are

designed to be taught over two years

and carry UCAS tariff points which are

used for university entry.

The Year 12 timetable for Muslim students includes two compulsory lessons of Islamic Education. Students registered under Arab passports will study Arabic for three lessons per week and complete the Ministry curriculum and subsequent internal assessments.

Deta i ls of

a l l the courses

offered are

provided in

our Sixth

Form Options

Booklet,

which is

produced

during the

winter term.

A summary

of the three

d ifferent

qual ifications

on offer.

INTRODUCTION FROM THE PRINCIPAL THE CURRICULUM

COMPULSORY CORE 1 (SERVICE)

SPORTS LEADERSHIP

ENVIRONMENT

PEER MENTORING

READING SUPPORT FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS

SUBJECT SPECIFIC SUPPORT FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS

PERSONAL CHOICE (WITH SCHOOL AGREEMENT)

SCHOOL NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE

WORLD CHALLENGE/ INTERNATIONAL AWARD

COMPULSORY CORE 2 (SKILLS) YEAR 12

EXTENDED PROJECT QUALIFICATION

GLOBAL FUTURES

MATHS/ENGLISH GCSE RETAKE

WORK EXPERIENCE

FOOTBALL ACADEMY

YEAR 13

UNIVERSITY AND CAREERS

UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS

In Year 12 students who have not attained a C grade in Maths and English will be

required to retake them. In Year 13 Compulsory Core 1 & 2 will continue until the end

of Term 1.

The Academy

wi l l offer

two d istinct

pathways

so that a l l

students can

access a

post-16 option .

For both

pathways

there wi l l be

a compulsory

core consisting

of two parts:

GEMS WELLINGTON ACADEMY POST 16 PATHWAYS

YEAR 12

3 OR 4 AS LEVELS OR INTERNATIONAL

AS LEVELS

(18/24 PERIODS)

YEAR 13

3 A LEVELS OR INTERNATIONAL

A LEVELS

(18 PERIODS)

YEAR 12

1 OR 2 AS OR INTERNATIONAL

AS LEVELS

OR 1 BTEC NATIONAL

YEAR 13

1 OR 2 A LEVELS OR INTERNATIONAL A

LEVELS

OR 1 BTEC NATIONAL

BTEC NATIONAL

BTEC NATIONAL

BTEC NATIONAL

BTEC NATIONAL

COMPULSORY CORE 1 & 2

COMPULSORY CORE 1 & 2

YEAR 12

COMPULSORY CORE 1

(2 PERIODS)

YEAR 13

COMPULSORY CORE 1

(2 PERIODS)

YEAR 12

COMPULSORY CORE 2

(2 PERIODS)

YEAR 13

COMPULSORY CORE 2

(2 PERIODS)

Entry Requirements

The standard requirement for entry onto Pathway 1 is 6 GCSEs at grade C (4/5), with B (6) grades in the subjects to be studied

at A level. Students not reaching the minimum requirement will follow Pathway 2. Exceptions may be made, but only after

consultation and agreement with the Secondary Principal.

Students wll study a minimum of three and a maximum of four subjects in both Year 12 and Year 13.

PATHWAY 1 PATHWAY 2

A LEVEL SUBJECT CHOICES

Subject Available if GCSE not studied?

Arabic For fluent speakers

Art and Design Upon consultation with Head of Art

Biology No

Business Studies Upon consultation with Head of Business Studies

Chemistry No

Computing Yes

Drama and Theatre Studies Upon consultation with Head of Drama

Economics Upon consultation with Head of Economics

English Language No

English Literature No

French For fluent speakers

Geography Upon consultation with Head of Geography

History Upon consultation with Head of History

ICT No

Mathematics No

Further Maths No

Media Studies Yes

Music Upon consultation with Head of Music

Physical Education No

Physics No

Product Design No

Psychology Yes

Spanish For fluent speakers

Availability of A level subjects is dependent on sufficient demand.

SELECTING COURSES

» Consider subjects you enjoy and currently do well in. Give some thought to

choosing subjects that you have not studied before but don’t be tempted to

choose them just because they are new. Make sure you have the skills, knowledge

and aptitudes which are suited to the study of those subjects.

» Listen to the advice of your teachers.

» Don’t choose a subject because your friends have. Choose what’s right for you.

» Research which subjects are required or are of benefit for the career you wish

to pursue. You don’t want to discover that you can’t access the career you want

because you don’t have the right A levels.

» Ensure that you do not exclude yourself from any university courses that you

may wish to pursue (for example by having too few full A levels or the wrong

subjects).

EXAMINATIONS

Examinations will take place in January

and/or June, depending on the course

and qualification. There is a fee for each

examination a student takes which is

met by the parents of the student. The

fee varies from subject to subject and

qualification to qualification.

FOOTBALL ACADEMY

In addition to offering PE A level and

BTEC sport and Exercise Science, we

will also be running a football academy,

which will give a minimum of two hours

of additional football coaching from

UEFA qualified coaches. For players, the

objective will be to help them achieve

the highest level possibly attainable

given their footballing ability,

while emphasizing the importance

of scholastic education in their

development as a footballer, student,

and leader in the community. The aim

is to develop an elite football team

capable of competing with the top

schools in the UAE and to give our

academy players the opportunity to be

selected for elite squads outside WEK.

The academy will have use of our two

full size astro football pitches, two large

sports halls and fully equipped fitness

suite as necessary. The academy will

be run by Dubai City Football Club and

selection for the academy programme

will be made by DCFC coaches working

with our own specialist PE staff. Dubai

City Football Club is an elite high-

performance football club and academy

whose mission is to deliver first-

class market leading pro football club

programming for aspiring and gifted

football players. GEMS Wellington Al

Khail will be the first and only GEMS

School to have a Licensed Professional

Football Club partnering, supporting and

operating in their school.

BTEC NATIONAL SUBJECT CHOICES

We wi l l be

offering these

in a range of

curricu lum

areas includ ing

Art & Design,

Computing, Med ia,

Enterprise and

Entrepreneursh ip,

Performing Arts

and Sport.

FACILITIES

Sixth Form students will have access to

the full range of facilities the academy

has to offer. This will encompass all

ICT facilities, including the Apple Mac

suites; the library; the fitness suite

and a dedicated quiet room for study.

They will also enjoy sole use of the

Sixth Form Centre, a large space which

is equipped with a range of facilities,

chosen by the students themselves,

where Sixth Form students can enjoy

their free time. This area has a kitchen

area with microwave, fridge and tea and

coffee making facilities.

PRIVATE STUDY

One of the major differences between

the Sixth Form and other Key Stages is

that private study time is built into each

student’s timetable. This means that

not all tasks set by Sixth Form teachers

need to be completed at home. Students

who organise their time well can often

get much done during the school day.

The WEK Learner profile has become

an established part of the academy’s

teaching and learning process. Its aim

is to encourage students to become

independent learners, who can find

out things for themselves and engage

critically with information to make

informed judgments. These skills

become particularly important in the

Sixth Form, where both the volume

and quality of the work a student does

outside the classroom has a direct

bearing on the outcome of the course

they are studying. Working hard is

important, but working effectively

is equally important, otherwise

students may put in long hours without

necessarily getting the greatest benefit.

The degree of flexibility a student

enjoys as to when and where (s)he

studies in school will be dependent on

attitude to work and on demonstrating

the ability to make efficient use of time

outside the classroom.

SUPPORT

Sixth Form study is quite different from

that in other parts of the school and

the transition from Year 11 to Year 12

can be challenging for many students.

Here at WEK, we will have in place a

strong system of pastoral support and

counselling to ensure that students

have someone to turn to if they are

having difficulties with their work, need

university of careers advice or if things

happening outside school are having

an impact on their ability to do their

best work in school. A senior member

of staff will have responsibility for the

oversight of all areas of the Sixth Form

and each student will be part of a small

tutor group. The tutor will be a member

of staff with experience of teaching in

the Sixth Form. This member of staff

will be the first point of contact for both

parents and students and will aim to get

to know them well over the two years

of the Sixth Form.

At the start of Year 12 students will go

through a Study Skills course to prepare

them for the differences between Year

11 and Year 12.

CRITICALTHINKERS

• RE

SIL IE

NT • LEARNERS •

R

ESPONSIBLE • RESPEC

TFUL

REFLECTIVELEARNERS

INDEPENDENTINQUIRERS

RISK TAKERS

TEAMWORKERS

The WEK Learner Profile drives

everything we do in the Academy. It

tells our students how we want them to

develop as learners and it informs the

teaching and planning of our staff. Its

influence does not stop at the classroom

door. We want and expect our students

and staff to apply the principles of the

WEK Learner Profile to everything they

do in the school.

The three words at the centre

of the WEK ‘flower’ remind the

members of our community of our

basic expectations: to be respectful,

responsible and resilient. This applies

to teachers, parents and support staff

as well as students. When students

understand these expectations, they

know how to behave appropriately in

different situations, so there is no need

for a long list of school rules.

“Relationships in school and pupils’

respect for each other’s culture are

outstanding. Behaviour is excellent

throughout the school.”

(BSO Inspection report 2017.)

The petals of the WEK flower,

developed with our students, highlight

the five key learner attributes we

want our students to develop. These

are widely regarded as necessary

for students when they move on to

university and the workplace, where

they will be expected to make informed

decisions independently. These are

introduced to students from FS1 so that

they become fully engrained as students

move through the school.

THE WEK LEARNER PROFILE

+971 4 512 9100 registrar_wek@gemsedu.com gemswellingtonacademy-alkhail.com

Al Khail Road, Exit No.18, Dubai, UAE Established 2013