1. Strathearn School Belfast
L6 Information Evening
2008

2. AIMS OF L6 INFORMATION EVENING
To give parents an understanding of the
6th form experience
To help parents offer practical support
to their daughters
To strengthen the home school
partnership

3. PROGRAMME FOR THE EVENING
Introduction Mr Manning
Pastoral Mrs Myers (Head of 6th Form)
Assessment Mrs Connery (VP)
Careers Mrs Hearst (Careers Adviser)
Conclusion Mr Manning

4. Website - Bulletins

5. The differences Forms 4 & 5 Form 6 9 GCSEs All timetabled
Directed study
Homework
4 / 3 AS Levels & 3 A2
Careers & IT classes
75% timetabled
Independent Study
Supervised Study
Privileges
Common room
Lunch time

6. PASTORAL – MRS MYERS Form tutor Head of sixth form – Careers staff
essentially a supportive role
pastoral and academic
Learning support – Mrs Atkinson
Careers staff

7. BEING IN SIXTH FORM Privileges and opportunities Responsibilities
Role models

8. HOW TO SUCCEED Attendance and punctuality Discipline and organisation
Proactive approach

9. EARLY WARNING SIGNS Missed deadlines Disappointing marks
Loss of control

10. REPORTING AND ASSESSMENT MRS CONNERY

11. AS and A Level Courses Timing Name of exam Number of exams
Qualification
May/June
of L6
(2009) AS
(1st half of
full A-level)
2 modules per subject
level A
of U6
(2010) A2
(2nd half of

12. ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING IN L6
Late Nov: Short report, based largely on ongoing work in class and at home
Jan: Mock Exam (1 Week)
Late Feb: Full report
Mar: Parent consultation evening (26 February)
May/June: AS examinations
Aug: Results –Thursday 20th August

13. U6 Preparing for A2 exams in Upper Sixth
Offers by Universities and Colleges –
consider first AS results
Estimated final A level grades

14. ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING IN U6
Late Nov: Short report, based largely on ongoing work in class and at home
Jan: Mock exams
Late Feb: Full report
Mar: Parent consultation evening, by invitation
May/June: AL examinations
Aug: Results

15. Form L6 Subjects September Ar Tl Gg ICT Et October Ar Tl Gg ICT MS Et
November
Ar Tl ICT MS Et
December
Ar Tl ICT MS Et Bi
January
Ar Tl ICT Mu MS Et Bi
February
Ar Tl Bi ICT Mu MS Et
March
April
Ar Tl Bi Mu ICT Et
May Ar

16. Form U6 Subjects September Ar Tl ICT Et HE October
Ar Tl ICT MS Bi Et HE
November
Ar Tl HE ICT MS Bi Et
December
January
Ar Tl ICT MS Mu Bi HE
February
March
Ar Tl ICT MS Mu HE
April
Ar Tl Mu ICT
May Ar

17. SIXTH FORM CAREERS PROGRAMME MRS HEARST

18. TIMETABLE This is a taught programme of 1 period per
week over almost 4 terms
Personal Career Plan
Where am I now?
Where do I want to go?
What do I need to do to get there?

19. PREPARATION FOR THE WORLD OF WORK
Job advertisements
Preparation of a CV
How to complete an application form
Brief introduction to interview skills,
including telephone interviews
Appropriate behaviour in the workplace
One week of work experience from 26
Jan to 30 Jan with a thorough debriefing
and the compilation of an evaluation

20. OPTIONS AT 18+ Further education Direct employment Gap year
Higher education

21. HIGHER EDUCATION Self assessment techniques Speakers
Students attend talks and courses
provided by professional organisations
Use databases on our school computers
(detailing several thousand courses)

22. CHOICE OF UNIVERSITIES
We use prospectuses, DVDs, CD
Roms and websites especially
We encourage use of our Careers
Library
We bring in speakers from various
universities

23. CHOICE OF UNIVERSITIES contd.
We encourage attendance at Open Days
of the local universities
We provide information on other Open
and Information days but attendance is on
an individual basis
Higher Education Convention in March at
the King’s Hall for L6
Considerable focus on Personal
Statements

24. BY THE END OF L6 EACH PUPIL SHOULD HAVE:
A list of 6 – 10 possible courses for
further investigation
A first draft of her personal statement
During the summer holidays we
encourage the girls to discuss the
various options with their parents.
Students should also try to visit university
campuses where there are courses which
interest them

25. U6 TIMETABLE list of choices are checked and discussed
Each girl is interviewed by her careers teacher – final
list of choices are checked and discussed
Girls attend Queen’s University Open Day in early
September
Girls attend Higher Education Fair hosted by Methody
17 October deadline for completed UCAS forms
- Oxbridge and medical applications earlier
November to March girls receive conditional offers (or
rejections)
Girls can hold one firm and one insurance offer
Presentation on student finance

26. SOUTHERN IRISH UNIVERSITIES
These applications are dealt with separately and have a much later deadline than UCAS

27. MOCK INTERVIEW EVENING
Monday 24 November 2008

28. WORK EXPERIENCE before end of October if possible
Students and parents to make initial contact –
before end of October if possible
We deal with all formal correspondence – insurance
forms etc
We have an existing databank but often the most
successful are arranged personally
Exceptions – medical placements which are
coordinated centrally. Mrs McCracken will speak to
these girls soon
Anyone who could help with any placements please
contact me

29. CONCLUSION Strong peer pressure Maintain the work-relaxation balance
Each girl is different
Strong peer pressure
Maintain the work-relaxation
balance