1. Welcome to St Aidan’s and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form
Year 13
Pastoral Parents’ Evening
2018

2. Expectations, support and monitoring
Applications and Planning for Post-18 options

3. The story so far… Year 12 September: induction, settling in.
October: ‘Driving Test’
November: Senior Tutor review
December - January: formal assessments in subject lessons (grades reported)
February: Year 12 Parents’ Evening
February to April: tutorial periods focus on Careers, university, apprenticeships, gap years
May: external assessments for Applied courses and ‘mock’ exams in school (grades reported)

4. The story so far….Year 12 cont.
June: Careers Conference: presentations and workshops from employers and universities
Personal Statement workshops, research and drafting
June/July: review of Year 12 and plans for progression with Senior Tutors
July: Enrichment trips, Open Day visits and work experience
August: results for externally assessed Applied courses

5. What happens in Year 13? Study becomes even more challenging
Planning for Post-18 options is a focus alongside academic work
Applications and offers for university, apprenticeships, gap year programmes
Expectations of independent study increase: need to review Year 12 work continuously alongside new content

6. Support Structures for Students and Parents
September/October: UCAS Grade predictions and application
October: Parents’ Evening
December: ‘mock’ exams
January: Applied General course exams in some subjects
February: Report home to parents
March: Progress Review/final grade projections
March-April: final NEA/Coursework deadlines
May/June: A Level and final Applied course examinations
August: Results and guidance on destinations

7. Responsibilities and Expectations
To value one another at all times – dignity of everyone
Commitment to studies
Communication: with peers, teachers, Senior Tutor, parents
Behaviour and appearance in school: setting an example
Behaviour and appearance in the local community: representing the Association (e.g. not smoking, vaping, littering)
Driving and parking responsibly
Punctuality and Attendance

8. Attendance Affects achievement Affects well-being
Is essential for safeguarding
Is required throughout the school day – from 8.45am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 3.35pm
Should be punctual in registration and lessons
Is closely monitored
If concerns arise, these will result in home-school dialogue, formal warnings and contracts
Ultimately, students may be withdrawn from courses or from the Sixth Form.

9. Private Study
Students will have Private Study on their timetable to support study habits and attitude to learning. During these sessions students must swipe in to register and work in the Library or Sixth Form Study Centre. There is an expectation that students will bring to these sessions work which they can do independently.
Students have other opportunities during the school day to see staff or work in department areas.

10. Home Study Leave
After UCAS applications/ October half term Depending on record of attendance, effort, reliability Positive attitude and study habits established One half-day session per week Formal agreement between student, parent and Senior Tutor Student to sign in or out (safeguarding) May be rescinded

11. How to achieve your potential
Learn from mistakes of Year 12
Organisation and time management
Independent study, extended learning and consolidation
Work consistently: don’t leave it too late!
Effort: attendance and deadlines
Work with teachers and Senior Tutors; involve your parents/carers
Review targets and performance regularly
Identify active learning and revision strategies; practise, practise, practise!
Be resilient
Look ahead: aim high

12. Destinations 2018 In the Association:
73% of Year 13 went on to Further or Higher Education
17% to Gap Year
10% to Employment/ Apprenticeships
Of those going to university:
74% gained a place at their first choice institution
15% were accepted for their second choice
11% were made offers through Clearing
46% obtained a place at a Russell Group/1994 university

13. The students should now have…
Attended the careers tutorials in year 12.
Visited a University and had the University application process explained
Decided what they want to study.
Know what grades are required for the course they have chosen.

14. The choice of university.
Do they teach the course you want. Research specifics.
How is the course taught. Contact time/coursework/exam based
Close/far away from home?
Campus/City University?
How is the university rated?
How is the course rated?
What grade/points tariff are they asking for?
What grades are you predicted?
You are allowed 5 choices.

15. Predicted grades. Subject teachers decide on the predicted grades.
This is based on prior attainment, performance and effort.
Students who have been predicted a BCC should look for courses that require similar grades.
Why not predict all students A*A*A*?
If students are not at this level, we are giving them an unrealistic expectation.
Universities like evidence that the student is capable of these grades.
One of the 5 measures. How many are successfully getting to university?
Discredit the school
Teachers are always instructed to be as positive as possible.

16. UCAS Application Students should have logged on – sheet provided.
They will now be producing their personal Statement.
A Personal statement is:
A 4000 character description of the student’s achievements and experiences. It is the most important aspect of the application.

17. What to include: A reason why you have chosen this particular course.
A reflection on what you have studied and the skills acquired in each subject. 60/70% of personal statement.
A section explaining any roles or responsibilities in school.
A section explaining any roles or responsibilities outside of school.
A brief conclusion outlining the contribution you can make to the chosen university.

18. Other applicants Medics/Dentists/Vets/Lawyers
Universities like the majority of the statement to link to relevant experience. Quantification and reflection.
Where was your placement?
How long?
What did you observe – procedures/how staff interact with each other and with patients/clients. What did the student get from the experience?
Oxbridge
Candidates need to demonstrate wider reading and demonstrate that they are moving beyond the curriculum.

19. Deadlines 27th September. Oxbridge/Medics/Dentists/Vets
18th October. All other UCAS applications

20. If you have applied… You can view your application in Track.
You will be sent an alert if there is any movement.
Some Universities and colleges may contact you to tell you that they are considering your application. Not all of them do this, so don't worry if you don't hear from some of your choices.
The time it takes to reply can vary – don’t worry!
using your Personal ID and the same username and password you used to apply. Your username is printed on your welcome letter.

21. If you have offers.
Hopefully you will receive 5 offers and you will soon begin the process of replying to them.
If you have your offers, the ball is in your court!
Universities will be chasing you to accept them as firm choice – do not feel pressurised into accepting offers.
Guarantee accommodation. What does this mean?
Post applicant days.
Informal interviews - a way of reselling the course to them

22. You should be able to answer these Qs.
Why this course?
Why this subject/career area?
Ask about personal statement
Academic interests - wider reading?
Subject specific questions - there are quite good examples in the Heap guide 
Why this university?
Extra curricular?
Career plans?

23. Replying
Replying to Offers letter - sent to you when you have received decisions from all your choices and have received at least one offer. It asks you to reply to your offer(s) by a given date. Check the date.
Universities have to have made a decision by 2rd May. If so, reply by 6th June
Think carefully before you decide which offers to accept because once you accept an offer, including an insurance offer, you are committed to that course (or courses).

24. Firm Acceptance: Unconditional offer Conditional offer
Your firm acceptance is your first choice - this is your preferred choice out of all the offers you have received. You can only have one firm acceptance. This can come in the form of:
Unconditional offer
you are agreeing that you will attend the course at that university or college, so you must decline any other offers.
Conditional offer
you are agreeing that you will attend the course at that university or college if you meet the required grades. You can accept another offer as an insurance choice. Most will be this type of offer.

25. Insurance acceptance:
If your firm choice is a conditional offer, you can accept another offer as an insurance choice. Your insurance choice can be conditional or unconditional and acts as a back-up.
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INSURANCE CHOICE IS LOWER THAN YOUR FIRM CHOICE!!!
Do you really want to attend the insurance choice?

26. Decline
Once you have decided which offer to accept firmly, and which (if any) to accept as an insurance, you must decline all other offers.
If you don't want to accept any of the offers, you can decline them all. You will then be eligible to use Extra or Clearing depending upon your circumstances.

27. What if I change my mind or receive no offers?
If you have not received any offers or if you do not want to accept your offers then all is not lost! You can still apply for more choices using Extra from 25th February
EXTRA
Am I eligible:
Yes if :
You have already made five choices
Received decisions from all these choices.
Either had no offers or declined all the offers you have received.

28. How to use UCAS EXTRA
If you are eligible for EXTRA a button will appear on your TRACK screen.
EXTRA opens 25th of February.
Course search will tell you which courses still have vacancies.
Before you apply try to contact the university to see if they will consider you.
Choose a course and enter the details in TRACK – the application will then be sent.

29. UCAS EXTRA
If you are offered a place you can choose whether or not to accept it.
If you accept an offer you are then committed to it so research your choices carefully.
If you decline an offer or your application is unsuccessful then you can apply for a different choice through EXTRA
One at a time.

30. Results day!
If you do not meet the required grade for your Firm or Insurance choice you can find a course through clearing.
What is clearing?
All courses with spaces will be advertised.
I will be in the careers department helping you with this.
Also quite a lot of students often do better in A Level than expected (its true!) and so they can also trade up using adjustment.

31. Contact details St Aidan’s and St John Fisher Associated Sixth Form
Tel:
Website:
Weekly notices will be ed to
parents and students every week
@staidansandstjohnfisherassociatedsixthform
@stjohnfishercatholichighschool
@SASJFSixthForm
@sjfchs
sasjfsixthform