BGS Sixth Form A-Z Guide

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Introduction

  • Use this guide as a quick way of finding out key information about Sixth Form life.
  • If you spot something that you think should be included, feel free to send an email to a member of Sixth Form staff.

A

  1. Absence - If you are going to be absent from school, then your parent/carer needs to notify the school as soon as possible and provide a reason for the absence. An email can be sent to [email protected]. For any a pre-planned absence (excluding a holiday request) you must email [email protected]. Please attach where appropriate, a screen shot, letter or email of any appointments. Proposed Absence emails should be completed at least 48 hours in advance of an absence.
  2. Academic Issues - Any issues with academic subjects you should discuss with the subject teacher and/or Head of Department first but do remember your Form Tutor is also there to give academic advice.
  3. Academic Support – The academic challenges faced in the Sixth Form require greater determination, commitment and engagement from all students. Support is available in the form of a Personalised Learning Plan, PLP and will be monitored by a member of the Sixth Form Team.
  4. Assemblies - These are compulsory for all Sixth Form students and take place fortnightly for each year group in the Main Hall, 08:55 – 09:10. Please register with your tutor first at 08:50.
  5. Attendance - Always aim for 100% attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to catch up on any missed work. When in school you are expected to tap in on one of the lanyard readers either in reception or in the Sixth Form Centre. You must get an attendance mark for AM and PM registration (if not in a Period 4 lesson or supervised study lesson tap in on one of the readers). Failure to use the readers correctly negatively affects your attendance score; poor attendance can be of detriment to the references that we are asked to provide for future employment and academic applications. Attendance below 95% is a real concern and directly correlates with academic underperformance. See section on lateness.

B

  1. Bullying - If you are experiencing bullying in any form at school, please see your Form Tutor in the first instance and then Mrs Shales for any further support and guidance required. Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and we will work to achieve this together.
  2. Bursary Fund - The 16-19 Bursary Fund is available for students who need additional financial support during their Post-16 studies. It can help to pay for trips and visits, open days, Sixth Form clothing or equipment. Details and the application form can be found on the school website.

C

  1. Careers - If you need guidance about careers, see Mrs Elliot. You will find her office in the Turing Centre.
  2. Contact – If parents/guardians/carers need to contact school then please use
    1. [email protected] for academic matters and curriculum matters
    2. [email protected] for pastoral matters and concerns
    3. [email protected] for queries concerning Sixth Form admissions
  3. Cover Lessons - If staff are absent for lessons please check the daily Student Notices to see if a cover supervisor has been deployed. If they have, then please stay in your teaching room. If no cover is possible, then please relocate to your allocated supervised study venue to register and collect the cover work.

D

  1. Dress Guidelines - these can be found here.
  2. Driving – Where possible Driving Theory and Practical Tests should be booked outside of lesson time. If this cannot happen, then please complete a Sixth Form Proposed Absence Form and this absence will be authorised. Please note that students should not miss lessons for routine driving lessons.
  3. Drugs and Smoking Policy – Drugs (illegal substances) and alcohol are not allowed on site and the dealing/use of such substances at BGS could result in an exclusion and a police record. We are also a non-smoking site (this includes e-cigarettes/vaping) and it is not permitted anywhere on school grounds. Please read our full Drugs and Alcohol policy here.

E

  1. Email - Sixth Form students have a BGS School email address that is used by the Sixth Form team and their subject teachers for communication.
    1. You can log into your email from any Internet-enabled computer at this page.
    2. Students should only use their School email for contacting their subject teachers.
    3. Sixth Form students should check their student email account daily.
    4. When contacting a member of staff via email please use formal language.
  2. Engagement Grades - These are grades given to you by your subject teachers for engagement whilst in the Sixth Form, engagement grades are recorded and updated at regular intervals throughout the school year. The engagement grade is used as an indicator of the following attitudinal elements:
    1. Commitment and application
    2. Enthusiasm, motivation and, at the highest level, a curiosity for learning
    3. Determination to complete work
    4. Contribution to the positive learning ethos of the lesson
    5. Independence
  3. In order to reflect and promote the importance of these elements our ethos is to refer to, make explicit and promote them in our conversations with students. We encourage you as to discuss these elements with your parents.
  4. The grade indicators are:
    1. ++, +, =, -, =. The = grade is the default starting point for any BGS student.
  5. Equipment - Basic equipment (paper, pens, folders, file dividers, highlighters, calculator) should be provided by you as the Sixth Form student.
  6. Enrichment - Takes place on Wednesday afternoons during Week 1. Students select their Wednesday afternoon activity from options including various sports/fitness, volunteering, work experience or the BGS Programme. Participation in the Enrichment Programme is a requirement of Sixth Form. If you plan to leave site for your enrichment activity you will need parental consent to do so and will need tap out each week.
  7. EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) - Students can apply to complete and submit an EPQ in Year 13. The EPQ is awarded UCAS points worth half an A-level and it can boost your total overall UCAS tariff points when applying for university. Year 12 EPQ lessons will teach you study skills, referencing, use of data etc. in addition to informing you about the EPQ itself, choosing and refining a research title and preparing you to complete. EPQ is delivered as part of the Enrichment Programme. Students apply for the EPQ at the end of Term 2.
  8. Exams - Exams give an indication of how you are performing academically. There are exams at numerous points throughout Year 12 and Year 13. For Year 12, Final UCAS Predicted Grade (FUPG’s) in June. Year 13 sit Mock A-Level exams in January. There will be other internal tests during the year.
  9. Extreme Weather Closure Procedure - Please see the main school website with regard to communications to parents re: extreme weather and closure.

F

  1. Fire & Fire Drills - If the fire alarm goes off, please head quietly and calmly to the tennis courts where you will line up in Form/Tutor groups as directed.
  2. First Aid - First aid can be found at Reception or by asking any member of staff to call a first aider.
  3. Food On the School Site - Food can be purchased in the Chill, Gecko or the designated Sixth Form café. Students are responsible for clearing up their own rubbish/recycling. Food and drink should not be consumed during lesson time.

H

  1. Homework - Students use Satchel One for all subject work set by subject teachers. Please check your account regularly either on a computer or mobile phone. We advise the use of a diary or planner (hard copy or digital) to assist with your personal planning and organisation. If you forget your Satchel One username or password, you can recover these here.
  2. Holidays in term time - If you need to apply for a holiday during term time for a specific or exceptional circumstance (family wedding/bereavement etc.) please collect a Leave of Absence form from the main foyer or print off from the school website here.
    1. This should be completed and submitted to the HoSF or Deputy Head Pastoral and you will subsequently be notified of the outcome of the application by email.
  3. House System – You will be allocated membership of one of the four houses.
    1. These are Behn, Meitner, Rorschach and Tinbergen.

I

  1. ICT – You will be given a network login so you can access IT across the school. Remote access is available from the BGS website. We have computers in the Sixth Form areas available for use but you are welcome to bring your own laptop in to work on if you choose. Student WiFi is available across the school site. Contact [[email protected] IT support] with any IT user issues. Students should also read the ICT Code of Conduct.

L

  1. Lanyards - These must be worn by Sixth Form students at all times for safeguarding reasons. We need to know you are permitted on site. You will have your photo taken at the start of Year 12 for your lanyard. If you forget your lanyard, you must sign in with Mrs Nicholls/Mrs McCrudden or Mrs Everist. If you lose your lanyard, please see IT staff.
  2. Lateness - You are expected to be on time for school. Arrive no later than 8.40am ready for form time at 8.50am.
  3. Lost Property - Any found items are sent to lost property storage. If you have lost an item, you can enquire at Reception.

M

  1. Mobile Phones - Sixth Form students must remain in line with the rest of the school’s students when on the school site regarding the use of mobile phones.
    1. Please read the Student Bring Your Own Device policy before connecting your own equipment to the School network.

N

  1. Non Examination Assessment (NEA) - This is the name given for coursework which is completed as part of your course at school, before the exam season. Not all subjects have NEA.
  2. Open Days/Interviews - If you wish to attend a university open day or have a job/apprenticeship/university interview that falls on a school day, then please complete a Sixth Form Proposed Absence form at least 48 hours in advance.
    1. These can be found in the SFC, SF Admin office and on the Sixth Form Intranet page under 'downloads'.

P

  1. ParentMail - We use ParentMail as our payment method and for sending out electronic forms. This is used to pay for trips, books, clothing and topping up lunch accounts. Current students will already have ParentMail from earlier years. New students are automatically added to ParentMail once their details are added to SIMS. Any issues with ParentMail please contact [email protected].
  2. Part-time Work - Part time work is a good opportunity for earning money and gaining additional skills, however more than 10 hours per week of part time work will prevent you from being able to complete all the work that is required when undertaking 3 A-Levels.
  3. Prefect – You will have the opportunity to apply to become a Subject Prefect, Form Prefect, Senior Prefect or Head Student.
  4. Punctuality - This is a really important skill in the Sixth Form. You must be on time for all your lessons which will set you up for success in the workplace. Lesson punctuality is recorded on the registers and will be discussed with you if poor punctuality becomes a persistent problem.

R

  1. Reporting – You will receive summary reports and one full report after the Term 4 Assessments in February. Your report will contain various grades alongside engagement grades for each subject.
    1. Attainment Grade - Grade achieved in assessment or examination
    2. Projected Grade - This is the A-Level grade that, in the judgement of your subject teacher, you will achieve in the actual examination if you continue to work as you are doing currently.
    3. Base Target - This is the grade that you should attain in your A-Level examination based on your prior average attainment at GCSE.
    4. Aspirational Target – You have the opportunity to set yourself a more Aspirational Target. If amended, this should be no lower than the Base Target and in many cases is higher, although it can be the same as the Base Target. This is the target grade against which your performance in formal assessments will be compared over the remainder of the year.
  2. Resilience - The ability to get back up again and to be reflective following a setback is a key characteristic of successful people. Learning to build your resilience will serve you well and make you more likely to be successful Post-16.
  3. Role Models - Always remember that Sixth Form students are the most senior students at school and are looked up to by their fellow younger students. As Sixth Formers you should support and guide those students around you. The rest of the school observes the Sixth Form attitudes and behaviour and will follow your lead. Embrace your position as a role model within school and lead the way in displaying the positive attributes that the school aspires to for all its students.

S

  1. Satchel:One – School’s homework and messaging portal.
  2. School Day
    1. Tutor Time: 08:50 - 09:10
    2. Period 1: 09:15 - 10:15
    3. Period 2: 10:20 - 11:20
    4. Break: 11:20 - 11:40
    5. Period 3: 11:40 - 12:40
    6. Lunch: 12:40 - 13:30
    7. Period 4: 13:30 - 14:30
    8. Period 5: 14:35 - 15:35
  3. Signing in - If you arrive at school too late to attend form you will need to sign in on a reader either in reception or the Sixth Form Centre. Failure to do so will negatively affect your attendance score.
  4. Signing out - If you need to sign out to leave the school site during the day, please see Mrs Nicholls/Mrs McCrudden or Mrs Everist relevant authorisation/permission card before you tap out on a reader.
  5. Sixth Form Agreement - This is the agreement between you as a student and us as your Sixth Form provider, outlining the commitment we make to support you Post-16 and your commitment to abide by our Code of Conduct. All students undertake this commitment at the start of Year 12.
  6. Sixth Form Centre, SFC - This is the main study space for the Sixth Form and is a social working space and a café. Whilst this space is the most social of the Sixth Form areas you should still be conscious of those around you who are working and keep noise at a respectful level.
  7. Sixth Form Centre 2, SFC 2 – This is located above the Chill and is where Year 12 have their supervised study periods.
  8. Sixth Form Centre 3, SFC 3 – This is located adjacent to the main SF Admin Office near the Hall upstairs.
  9. Sixth Form Intranet – This can be found here, and contains everything relating to the Sixth Form, available both in and out of school.
    1. Use your network username and password to connect.
  10. Student Progress Review (SPR) meeting – Regular one-to-one 20-minute meeting with your form tutor scheduled across the year
  11. Student Review Day, SRD - This is an opportunity for your tutor to comment on your academic progress and is usually held in March. You will attend with your parents/carers.
  12. Student Teacher Consultation Evening, STCE – An opportunity for you and your parents to meet with subject staff following Student Review Day.
  13. Study Periods - When you are not in lessons, you have several supervised study periods on your timetables. You are expected to work in silence, independently and manage your time efficiently. Think carefully about how to use this study time effectively. Students are able to BYOD, bring in your own device for study periods.
  14. Subject Change - If you wish to change a subject at the start of Year 12, you need to see Mrs Hawkins, Manager of UCAS and Careers or Mrs Shales, Head of Sixth Form. We recommend that you make any subjects change requests before October Half Term unless in exceptional circumstances.

T

  1. Teams – Microsoft Teams was used for setting work during the 2020 lockdown period. In the event of any future localised lockdowns, the system will be used again.
  2. Transport - School transport can be arranged via Lincolnshire County Council through their school transport website. Post-16 bus travel is no longer free.
  3. Trips/Visits - As part of your course you may go on trips and visits to enrich your learning. Some trips are compulsory and some will be voluntary. Trips should be paid for via ParentPay.
  4. Truancy - Truanting lessons is not acceptable at Sixth Form and is in breach of the Sixth Form Agreement. You are expected to attend all of your timetabled lessons and remain on the school site for your study periods. If you are unwell whilst at school, you should immediately notify a member of the Sixth Form team BEFORE leaving site.
  5. Tutor Groups – There are 10 tutor groups in both Year 12 and Year 13. As the first point of contact every morning, the tutor’s role is crucial in monitoring student wellbeing. Tutors are there to support you to progress academically and socially. A tutorial programme is also provided. Tutors are also responsible for overseeing a student’s UCAS Personal Statement.

U

  1. UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service is how you apply for a place at university. Please see the UCAS website for more information.
  2. Unifrog - This is the platform we use to support Sixth Form students with their choices Post-18. You can shortlist universities, write your personal statement and search for apprenticeships here. It is re-launched to Year 12’s in the Autumn Term and you continue to work on it for the remainder of your time in Sixth Form. Log in here.

W

  1. Wellbeing - Your wellbeing is important so take care of your mind and body. Being mindful, living and learning in the moment without the mind being full of thoughts that distract and divert attention from focused learning is the key to success. Hydration is important for effective learning. To stay hydrated we recommend you bring a reusable bottle to school which you can fill up at the water fountains around site.
  2. Work Experience – Students can organise work experience placements during the enrichment periods in week 1. Where possible we encourage students to participate in relevant work experience outside of term time. However, we appreciate that this is not always feasible. Students who secure placements/shadowing during term time need to request the time off which is normally granted following a parental letter.
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