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Assembly and Tutorial System

In addition to their subject lessons students have a compulsory weekly tutorial and assembly period and can enrol for enrichment studies and other extracurricular activities such as masterclasses.

TUTOR TIME

Students are organised into tutor groups. There are twelve in each year with around 18 students in each. Their tutor is a member of the teaching staff and is the first point of contact for students and parents. They deliver the tutorial programme.

The first part of the autumn term is spent on induction into the sixth form for the new Year 12 group whilst the focus for the Year 13 is looking at higher education and progression post-18.

As the year progresses the tutorial programme is designed to cover issues under the following broad headings and is also responsive to particular current affairs and events:

STUDY SKILLS
  • Independent Learning
  • Time management
  • Creative Thinking Session
  • Revising for exams/assessments
  • Practising for exams/assessments
  • Preparing for the exam day itself
  • Managing anxiety and stress and relaxation techniques
  • File Checks
CITIZENSHIP: SOCIAL & POLITICAL AWARENESS
  • Induction into main aims of our school and its policies
  • Charities such as Crisis at Christmas, Save the Children & Young Minds
  • Discussion on issues such as homelessness/refugees
  • National and local policies and law
  • Human rights issues
  • Ethics/Morality
  • Green issues and sustainability
  • Speaking up for what we believe in and freedom of speech
  • Debates focusing on current political/social issues
  • Visits by MPs talking about current issues
PROGRESSION & CAREERS
  • Line Manager Pip Schofield and Progressions & PSHEE Coordinator Lucy Cracknell
  • Using ‘Unifrog’ the online careers and HE platform
  • Using our school Careers Hub to access opportunities
  • CV writing and interview techniques
  • Why go on to Higher Education?
  • Information on UCAS applications
  • Information on applying for Higher Level Apprenticeships
  • Past students to talk about their experiences
  • Individual mock interview with volunteer professionals 
  • Gap year talks
  • Career interviews for all students who request them
  • Writing personal statements for UCAS
  • Access to the Brokerage: Internships and Training Courses
  • Year in Industry: Gap year work
  • FutureReach: Gap Year and Summer Internship Programmes
  • Higher Education Conference
  • Careers Conference
HEALTH, RELATIONSHIP & SEX EDUCATION
  • Child abuse
  • Eating disorders
  • Drug education
  • Smoking
  • Sex education topics such as AIDS/HIV
  • STDs/contraception
  • Consent
  • Gender Awareness
  • Health education involving mental health
  • Alcohol and its effects

Our Tutorial programme is managed by our Progressions & PHSEE Coordinator, Lucy Cracknell

ASSEMBLY

Every Monday morning we hold a sixth form assembly which all students are expected to attend unless they have an out of grid subject lesson.

Speakers are invited from all kinds of professions and backgrounds to come in and talk to our students. We hold stimulating debates and encourage our students to think about current and diverse issues. 

We have been very fortunate to have had in the past many interesting, thought provoking and sometimes controversial talks.

Speakers have included Alan Rusbridger - Journalist; Tim Spector - Professor of genetic epidemiology; Katherine Woolf (ex student) Professor of Medical Education Research at University College; Ramon Bloomberg - Writer/Filmmaker; Bunny Schendler - Animator; Cornelia Parker - Artist; David Nellist - Actor; Ismail Einashe (ex-student) Journalist; Gus Casely Hayford - Former Director of the National Museum of African Art; David Nicholls - Author; Simon Leigh MSc – Drugs & Addiction; David Schneider - Actor