6 Pillars of Sixth Form

In the sixth form students choose their own individual path and specialise in their chosen fields of study. Complementing their academics, our students take advantage of the extraordinary range of opportunities we offer.

 

The 6 Pillars of Sixth Form framework captures the essence of what it means to be a St Swithun’s sixth former, embracing a complete, holistic education which will leave students well placed to thrive beyond their time at school as they achieve widely, and in doing so, build confidence and resilience. We ask all sixth-form students to engage in meaningful pursuits in each of these six areas, recording their achievements as they go, and reflecting upon them. We have regular assemblies in which students share best-practice and share their reflections on recent endeavours. Achieving in each of the 6 Pillars helps our students to develop as well-rounded individuals.

Some of the opportunities available for student achievement are shown below. While these are popular, and in some cases compulsory pursuits for our sixth formers, this is not an exhaustive list and we pride ourselves that whatever a student’s interests are, they can be explored to the depths of their curiosity with the support of their teachers. Sport, music and drama are all vibrant areas of school life. The standard of our teams, acts and ensembles is very high and we love celebrating their achievements. 

 

leadership
  • School officer roles
  • Head of a society
  • Leading roles in school plays or sports teams
  • Ivy Leadership
  • House Award
  • House Leadership roles
CONCERN FOR SOCIETY
  • Charity events
  • School forum
  • Societies with social focus such as MUN & HeroSoc
  • Environmental initiatives
  • Volunteering in primary schools, care homes & hospitals
  • Cooking for the night shelter
EMPLOYABILiTY
  • Mock interviews
  • Internships
  • Work experience
  • Workplace visits
  • CV writing and online profiles
  • Interview preparation course
  • Career networking events
  • Beyond St Swithun’s careers talk
  • Enterprise competitions including Tycoon Challenge and Young Enterprise
CHALLENGE
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • St Swithun’s Challenge
  • Three Peaks Challenge
  • Outdoor pursuits
  • Public speaking course
  • Performing through sport, drama, music
  • Green Power engineering
SCHOLARSHIP
  • Academic enrichment programme
  • Speaking at academic lunches
  • Reading groups
  • External group competitions
  • Essay competitions
  • MOOCs
  • Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
  • Debating
WELLNESS
  • Bespoke financial wellbeing course
  • Use of the school Wellbeing Hub
  • PSHE programme with external speakers
  • Wellbeing learning in form time, sport, music & drama
  • Fun events including socials, cabaret evenings and Swithun’s Live concerts

 

Several aspects of our provision set a St Swithun’s sixth form experience apart from others. Through the Ivy House Leadership Award, as well as our school officer teams, sports teams, societies and House system, we provide leadership opportunities for all our students, not just a chosen few. We also go further in preparing our students for the world of work through our employability programme, which includes interview training with HR professionals, a mock interview evening, regular career talks, industry networking events and workplace experience for all our students, ranging from media multinational companies to private equity firms. In the sixth form, all our students engage in scholarship through a myriad of opportunities, most notably our academic enrichment programme, open to all students, which hosts seminars, reading groups and visiting experts each week. Our students participate in many academic competitions, including debating, enterprise and Model UN.

Co-educational collaborations with local schools are frequent. In the sixth form, promoting the wellness of our students is a cornerstone of our provision. Alongside first-class pastoral care, we have a highly innovative programme that helps our students to safeguard their own wellbeing in school, and beyond.  All our students have access to the online wellbeing hub, and these resources are used as part of the form programme to help students understand how they can look after themselves, and each other. Our PSHE programme covers issues such as road safety, online safety, sexual health and building healthy relationships, often with talks from visiting speakers.

Alongside Jane Portas OBE, we have pioneered a Financial Wellbeing course looking at the risks and opportunities in a typical financial life journey, helping our students prepare for financial independence beyond school. Performance and achievement, be it on the sports pitch or music hall, help our students remain positive, and supportive of each other.

Above all, we believe in the power of fun, and its ability to promote positivity. We have regular co-educational social events with nearby schools, alongside concerts and House outings where laughter can be heard in abundance.

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