Page 4 - Sixth Form prospectus 2020

THE SIXTH FORM AT KESWICK SCHOOL

Keswick School’s Sixth Form offers courses that will take you on to the next stage of education
post 16. The vast majority of our Sixth Form students take advanced level courses (A level or
equivalent level 3 vocational courses) and go on to university or to higher apprentice training or
degree level apprentice training: see post 18 destinations page at the end of this introduction.
Most of our Year 13 leavers go to university. Students join Keswick School Sixth Form from our
own Year 11 and from other academies, schools and colleges.

Why should you choose the Sixth Form?

There are many different ways of developing your education post 16. If you have the ability to
further your education, then undoubtedly you should take the opportunity. More young adults
are continuing at school or college and then going on to higher education or degree level
apprentice training. Estimates suggest that more and more of the jobs available in the future will
require the thinking skills, adaptability and flexibility that can only be gained through higher
education.

The ethos of Keswick School Sixth Form

To enter the Sixth Form you must be able to fulfil the entry requirements for the particular
courses you wish to take, and be prepared to commit yourself to the ethos of the school. Our
expectations of you, and what you can expect from us, are clearly set out in our Home-School
Agreement pack. At Keswick School you will continue to be part of or join an 11-18 all-ability
school, and it is expected that you will be a role model for the younger pupils.

Our standard offer for advanced level study

All A levels are linear: this means that assessment will take place at the end of the two years in
final examinations. Although some A levels, and equivalent level 3 vocational qualifications, may
retain a coursework element, this will usually form only a minor part of the overall assessment and
the major weighting will be on the final examinations. Many subjects rely entirely on final
examinations.

Following the recent qualification reform, universities have made statements setting out their
positions. After a review of these, and analysis of the demands of linear subject specifications, our
usual offer for a student’s programme of study in our Sixth Form will be:

1
3 advanced level courses and an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), or 3 advanced level
courses and core maths.

All universities will make their conditional offers based on 3 A levels or equivalent, and we see the
EPQ as a way of giving our students an extra edge in their applications (see the section on EPQ).

A small number of students may take 4 advanced level courses: this will be allowed only at the
discretion of the Head of Sixth Form, and you will need to achieve grade 7 or higher at GCSE level
in at least 3 of the 4 subjects to be studied. If you do not study one or more of these subjects at
GCSE level, this will need to be discussed with a member of the Sixth Form team before an
application is made.

1
In this prospectus, “advanced level courses” is used to refer both to A levels and to two year level 3 vocational
courses.