Guidance and Support
Guidance and Support
By choosing to study at Blythe Bridge High School Sixth Form you will receive the same high standards of guidance and support as you did in main school from a team of skilled Sixth Form tutors, specialist teachers and support staff. We continue to provide an IAG service and we have cultivated strong links with Staffordshire, Birmingham and Keele University. Students are offered extra support and assistance with applications to Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities, including visits and meetings with admissions tutors.
The Induction Program
The aim of the Sixth Form induction program is to help students adapt quickly and effectively to the demands of being a Sixth Form student. You will explore a range of skills and have opportunities to develop your team work and communication. Lesson ‘tasters’ will help you to make your mind up about the courses you wish to study and there are plenty of opportunities to integrate with other year 13 students.
The Tutorial Program
The tutorial program consists of sessions exploring topics such as study skills, time management and organisation, mentoring, guidance and target setting, as well as careers guidance and university applications. This enables students, in addition to academic entitlement, to gain key skills to become more effective and independent learners.
The role of the Sixth Form Tutor
“As a tutor, my role is to act as a facilitator and instructor and friend. My job involves more than checking as to whether or not your homework has been completed or whether you are late. One aspect of my role that I particularly enjoy, is taking a genuine interest in the quality of the experiences that you receive, I help students learn to balance an active school, work and social life. My door is always open to students to come and have a chat, to celebrate any successes, as well as helping to deal with any problems and concerns.” “I feel very privileged to be a Sixth Form tutor here. The relationship between staff and students is one based on respect, and for me it is always a pleasure to see students mature into well rounded, independent and responsible individuals.” – Mrs S Bawn, Sixth Form tutor
Mentoring
One of the key roles of the Sixth Form tutor is to meet with tutees on an individual basis in order to target high levels of achievement. During these sessions, you will discuss ways of raising your performance, set targets and an action plan to achieve those targets. These sessions reflect our commitment to improving your educational experience. In addition, subject teachers will review your progress with you and help you set challenging targets.
Work Experience
Students are encouraged to complete a week’s work placement during their Year 12 Programme of Study. The activity provides important information and valuable skills for students and tutors to use on applications and references for employment or university.
Higher Education
The majority of our students progress onto University, gaining places at a variety of institutions to do a wide range of courses. For many of you, one of the main reasons for studying at Post-16 is to gain the qualifications needed to allow you to go onto Higher Education. At Blythe Bridge High School Sixth Form, Higher Education guidance is an integral part of our tutorial programme. We provide access to Higher Education Conferences and information on student life from representatives from local Universities as well as one-to-one tutorials on writing your personal statement. Students are supported with interview and portfolio preparation and staff offer advice and support on results day to help with decisions. Visits are organised to a range of universities to help assist students when making choices regarding Higher Education.