Letter to parents and carers of Year 12 students

Dear Parents and Carers of Year 12 Students

 

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. ” Aristotle.

Year 12 students have recently had a series of mock examinations and are currently receiving feedback from these. I hope that the results and report will boost our students’ confidence that they are on track to achieve their potential. The outcome of these exams will help inform Year 13 course choices and, looking ahead, university choices, predicted grades, and individual action plans. Progress is best made when we collaborate, and students have been encouraged to communicate effectively with their teachers. Where there appears to be a question mark over whether students have demonstrated the potential to succeed at full A level in summer 2023, we will be working with them, and will also communicate with parents and carers where appropriate. We would be reluctant to support students continuing with a course with little chance of it leading to a qualification.

 

All A levels are now linear and so the next formal assessments in November will cover work from Year 12 and Year 13.  In assembly this week, I advised students to put perhaps a week aside in the summer break to build in consolidation / revision of Year 12 work to ensure a strong start in September.  Additionally, they should build this into their weekly routine next year (without being repeatedly advised to do so by teachers) and assessments next term will assess how successful this has been.

 

Also in assembly, we talked about ways that students can involve themselves in a range of activities that enrich the Sixth Form experience for themselves and the new Year 12s when they join us in September. At that time, they will be the most senior members of our student community.  This year, we have run twenty societies, at lunchtime and afterschool – and these are all student-led. We will be relying on our current Year 12s to carry forward this tradition next term.

 

In terms of ‘what’s next?’ – students are busy researching their options about courses, universities and alternatives and involving themselves in activities to test, challenge, inform and support their future ambitions.  There will be much personal statement (re)drafting. The message I give students is ‘you have never been through Year 13 before – we have’ – they should come to the Sixth Form Office with anything that is a barrier to them progressing, with applications or other issues. Our Year 13 PHE and assembly programme helps prepare our students for more independent living after they leave us, and we will have an assembly early next term to outline our on-going and planned support / preparation programme.  The focus will be on what we will cover and what they can do to help themselves prepare.  Respect, of yourself and others, in actions and words, is at the heart of our support programme.

 

Please get in touch if you have any queries regarding this letter or any other matter. We wish all students and their families a happy, healthy and relaxing summer break – full of variety and balance.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Mrs Lennon
Head of Sixth Form.