sixth form prospectus 2012
DESCRIPTION
Sixth Form prospectusTRANSCRIPT
sixth form
prospectus
King Edward VI School
Wilton Road
Southampton
SO15 5UQ
Tel: +44 (0)23 8070 4561
Fax: +44 (0)23 8070 5937
Email: [email protected]
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Your time in the Sixth Form is a bridge between compulsory schooling and
higher education. King Edward’s has the experts on hand to advise you, whether
you want to apply to read history at Oxford or go to Music College, develop a
career in the law or take a chance on the stage. With highly professional careers
and higher education advice, together with the energy, industry and drive of our
students, it is no surprise that almost all proceed to study at university, with over
80% in the top 25 institutions.
The Sixth Form at King Edward’s is hard work but it is also fun. You will make
friendships that can last a lifetime and create memories that should sustain you
in whatever you go on to do.
The Sixth Form is one of the most exciting times in your education
– an opportunity to explore new ideas and challenge yourself. For
the first time you can choose what you really want to study and the
curriculum at King Edward’s offers you the chance to engage, in depth,
in the sciences, the arts or to create a mix to suit you.
Beyond your studies you will have the chance to embrace experiences
which will prepare you for university and the world of work. You will learn
to lead others and to develop the teamwork and presentational skills
which will give you the confidence that is a mark of our students. You will
be able to explore new horizons; perhaps an exchange visit to the USA or
Spain, an expedition to Alaska or field work in the jungles of Mexico, the
chance to participate in a new sport, direct a play or record your own music.
welcome
AJ Thould HEAD MASTER
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
King Edward’s Sixth Form has an outstanding record of academic
achievement. As you study for your AS and A2 levels, you will need to
be self-motivated and committed but you will always have the security
of inspirational teaching to support you in your work and your future
choices. Whatever your subjects, you will be encouraged to think
for yourself and to question and debate in a way that develops and
stretches your mind. Much of the teaching is close to that which you will
experience at university with a seminar approach and plenty of time for
reflection and discussion. You emerge at the end of the Upper Sixth as
an informed, articulate and confident individual.
You can also seek out further challenges amongst the opportunities
available via the Extended Project, Foundation Studies, Open Forum and
the wide range of academic and other clubs and societies. You can choose
to hear from speakers with a vast array of experiences, improve your
cooking, learn Mandarin or develop your IT skills.
think
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Sixth Form tutor groups are small and comprise Lower and Upper Sixth
students. Individual attention is therefore a feature of the guidance on
offer within the intimacy of a group of ten to twelve tutees. Your tutor
will assist as you put together your university application or consider
the options for work experience or perhaps a gap year. The Sixth Form
offers freedom of choice and autonomy in many respects but you will be
guided along your gradual path to independence.
In the Sixth Form at KES we will nurture you and encourage you to
develop your individual talents and skills alongside your academic
studies. Although the focus will be on your academic progress we will
actively encourage you to take part in sporting, cultural, co-curricular and
charitable activities. These will contribute to your enjoyment of the Sixth
Form and also allow you to acquire personal skills such as leadership,
teamwork and self-motivation, thus providing you with an education in
the broadest sense of the word.
nurture
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
You can become involved in creative arts in the Sixth Form whether
or not your academic subjects include them. The School offers a first
class set of facilities including a fully equipped theatre, recording
studio, recital rooms, art workshops and purpose-built dance studio
and allows students of all levels to become involved, develop their
creativity, showcase their talent and perform. Each year there are
opportunities to participate in musical ensembles, drama productions,
concerts, art exhibitions, dance workshops, master classes and related
trips. Every other year this culminates in the impressive Arts Festival
in which Sixth Formers play a vital role in the management and
organisation.
As a Sixth Former you are invited to take a lead in inspiring younger pupils
with your creative talents. The Music Department relies on the talent in
the Sixth Form to lead and improve the standards of its musical groups
whilst each year the Drama Department actively encourages and supports
Sixth Formers in producing and directing performances.
express
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
The range of co-curricular trips on offer at King Edward’s ensures
that learning at KES is not solely confined to the classroom. You will
explore the wider world around you and these experiences, which will
challenge your resilience, adaptability and independent thinking, will
develop a whole range of finer personal skills. At the same time these
trips will create unique memories and be a tremendous amount of fun.
Each year students take part in international expeditions and trips. In
recent years groups have been trekking and glacier climbing in Alaska,
diving in Mexico, visited art galleries in New York, played netball in the
Caribbean and taken part in a cricket tour of Sri Lanka, to name but a few.
You may also explore destinations closer to home with field trips to places
such as Wales or Devon or language exchanges to partner schools in
France, Germany or Spain.
explore
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
King Edward’s is committed to charitable and partnership projects
both at home and abroad. As a Sixth Former you can become involved
in organising a myriad of fund-raising activities helping to make a
difference to the local community and further afield. Charitable work
is an important part of the ethos of KES and each year the School raises
thousands of pounds for good causes through its annual calendar of
events and activities. On a personal level, involvement will allow you
to take part in unforgettable lifetime experiences from which you will
also gain an enormous sense of satisfaction and self-fulfilment.
Every summer a team of Sixth Formers travels to South Africa to work with
the Goedgedacht Trust, north of Cape Town, to support its programmes
assisting the local population. Closer to home, the Summer Camp team
accompany a group of young carers on an activity-packed holiday to
Swanage. Partnerships with local schools also play a key role as senior
students help junior school pupils in a variety of projects.
serve
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Developing a healthy sense of competitiveness, learning the value of
team work and shared endeavour and good communication are all
wider skills that you can learn through sport and physical activity.
The School offers outstanding sporting facilities with a comprehensive
range of indoor and outdoor facilities for netball, rugby, cricket, tennis
and hockey on the Hill Lane site and at the Wellington Sports Ground.
The senior school teams across all the major sports compete at regional
and sometimes national level and further opportunities to take part in
dance, sailing, fencing, golf, basketball and other sporting activities are
also on offer through co-curricular clubs or the games programme for
Sixth Formers. Regular overseas tours are also a feature of the sporting
experience at King Edward’s.
Sport is readily accessible to those for whom it is just good fun at King
Edward’s whilst the best athletes are also fully supported in their efforts
to reach their full sporting potential.
compete
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
Outside of the classroom there is something in which all students
can participate. King Edward’s offers over 50 co-curricular clubs and
societies many of which are run by Sixth Formers allowing you to
develop leadership and organisational skills as you become a positive
role model for pupils lower down the School. These clubs also enable
you to try something new, mix with others from outside your usual social
circle and bring a healthy balance to the inevitable stresses of a busy
academic timetable. Break dancing, rock academy, politics, creative
writing, hospital visiting or debating….the list of what you can take part
in is endless!
There is also a flourishing Duke of Edinburgh programme. Each year,
the scheme tests the physical and mental endurance of hundreds of
students, with between 25 and 30 gaining their Gold award. We have our
own specialist centre for expeditions on Dartmoor but we use a range of
different environments to help you acquire the experience you need.
participate
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
The vast majority of Sixth Form students leaving King Edward’s will
continue into Higher Education. On average over 80% proceed to one
of the top 25 universities with10-15% of each cohort taking up offers at
Oxford or Cambridge. The Student Guidance staff will provide support
and help with your university applications and subsequent interviews
and organise visits to prospective universities.
Advice is available from a specialist Gap Year Co-ordinator for those
students who decide to take a year out. We will also continue to help you
with your university applications during your year out to ensure that you
are fully prepared for when you return.
At King Edward’s we are proud of the very broad education that we provide
for our students enabling them to move into adult life as confident,
motivated and mature individuals who have an understanding of the
world around them as well as a portfolio of excellent academic results.
succeed
www.kes.hants.sch.uk
prospectus