B I S H O P D O U G L A S S S C H O O L I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E 1I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E

BISHOP DOUGLASS SCHOOLS I X T H F O R M

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Being the best we can be

Diversity withrespect

Supporting each other in our Catholic community

B I S H O P D O U G L A S S S C H O O L I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E 3

Bishop Douglass School has its own well regarded Sixth Form with results consistently good or outstanding year on year.

Making the choice about where to continue your studies after GCSEs is an important decision and we are delighted that Bishop Douglass Sixth Form is one of your options. We hope the information contained in this prospectus will answer some of your questions and help to inform your decision.

Our Sixth Form is a large, vibrant community that prides itself on an inclusive and positive approach to personal development. It is overseen by a dedicated Head of Sixth and a team of experienced tutors. As well as over 30 academic courses to choose from, a wide variety of enrichment and extra-curricular activities are also available to students. Applicants can have con� dence in our commitment to quality teaching tailored to the demands of examinations as well as to individual learner needs.

We have high expectations and look for prospective students who have good attendance (in excess of 95%), punctuality and behaviour records and a positive work ethic. There is a smart Sixth Form dress code – suitable for an o� ce environment – which all students are expected to follow.

Students tell us that they enjoy being in the Sixth Form, they appreciate the pastoral system and the support they are given and that they value the preparation for Higher Education programme, which is part of the Sixth Form o� er. We hope that you will choose Bishop Douglass if you are looking for a more supportive environment.

The Governors have made a commitment to securing the highest quality of support to ensure good results. A feature of our success is the lengths we go to support students through provision of extra lessons including 1:1 tuition and small group tutoring.

I hope that you will decide to invest in your future by making an application to join our Sixth Form.

Martin Tissot, MA, MBA, NPQHHeadteacher

WELCOME TO BISHOP DOUGLASS

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER

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A thirst forlearning

A hunger for achievement

A passion forsuccess

B I S H O P D O U G L A S S S C H O O L I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E 5

The aim of the Sixth Form is to provide an enriching education that is tailored to the needs of the individual student. Part of this process is the con� dence that students show in the

support and guidance that they receive from a dedicated and committed team of teachers.

This aim is achieved through a broad and balanced curriculum which gives students of varying abilities the opportunity to enhance their learning and develop a range of skills, as well as allowing them the space and time to mature as individuals and to contribute fully to the wider community. Students are supported in their choices. All prospective students either from this school or from other schools should be assured that the school has a thorough process to help you make realistic and appropriate choices.

A strong emphasis is placed on pastoral care within the Sixth Form. Each student starting in Year 12 is assigned a form tutor with whom they spend the � rst 20 minutes of the school day. In addition to tutor time, the form tutor meets individually with each student to set targets and discuss both academic and personal progress.

Students have use of a common room and two dedicated private study areas, one of which is the library. All these areas are well-equipped with computers and resources available for student use.

Compulsory private study is part of every student’s commitment to learning and all students are allocated supervised study time in one of the two dedicated private study areas.

Students can participate in a number of trips including Auschwitz, the Bank of England, Kew Gardens, The New Designers Exhibition as well as visits to plays, shows and galleries.

THE AIM OF THE SIXTH FORM

“The curriculum is innovative and � exible so that it meets the needs of students exceptionally

well and promotes their outstanding social, moral, spiritual

and cultural development.”

Ofsted September 2013

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“Teachers plan many additional activities

and support programmes to help

students to make very good progress.”

Ofsted September 2013

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Bishop Douglass has a focussed and structured Sixth Form designed to ensure high quality teaching and learning to achieve the best possible outcomes for students.

Students are encouraged to learn by:

• Being resilient and resourceful

• Being responsible for their own learning

• Being well organised and well equipped

• Re� ecting on their own learning

• Being interested and motivated in lessons

• Recognising and achieving success

• Being challenged and stimulated

• Understanding the task

• Being con� dent, feeling secure and aware of boundaries

TEACHING ANDLEARNING PHILOSOPHY

Students will be supported by committed teachers who are:

• Responsible

• Learner focused

• Adaptable

• Challenging

• Experts in their � eld

• Organised and e� cient

• Passionate about their subjects

• Inspirational

• Good communicators

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“The school’s promotion of

students’ social, moral, culturaland spiritual

development is outstanding.”

Ofsted September 2013

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Hard work and private study are essential criteria for academic success and all prospective students should be very clear that between 16 and 20 hours of study

per week outside of lesson times will be necessary for success with their courses. There are clear implications here for part- time employment as recent studies have shown that employment in excess of six hours every week leads to a signi� cant drop in the level of the � nal grades achieved.

There is also a varied programme of enrichment activities to which students can subscribe. It is felt that these opportunities are vital in developing self-con� dence, community awareness, leadership skills, self-esteem and softer ‘transferable skills’. They also help prepare young people for the world of work and life in general. Emphasis is placed on sixth formers adopting leadership roles within the school.

The positive contribution the sixth formers make to the ethos of the school and the in� uence they have over younger students is greatly valued and many are prefects.

AN ENVIRONMENT OF COMMITMENT

The Sixth Form re� ects and contributes to the Catholic life of the School and students are asked to respect this and to actively support it. All Sixth Form students attend Core RE

or AS RE. In Core RE students explore important questions related to how faith, ethics and spirituality can be relevant to people in society, and also to themselves as individuals. The course is accredited by NOCN in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Westminster. Students can receive Level 2 or Level 3 accreditation. Gospel values and spirituality underpin everything we do in the Sixth Form and re� ects what is best about it.

A CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

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“The sixth form is good. Students make consistently

good and sometimes exceptional progress because they bene� t

from high-quality teaching and a

relevant curriculum.”

Ofsted September 2013

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Sixth Form students have the advantage of studying only those subjects which really interest them. They study, in many cases, in smaller groups of like-minded students

where the rewards of learning are high. However, the demands of studying at this level are also high and students � nd that this takes more, not less, of their time.

As well as formal class work and homework students are expected to undertake independent study or background reading related to their chosen subjects, in the library, Sixth Form study area or the common room and much of this is supervised.

ACADEMICLIFE

The Sixth Form represents a new beginning but students continue to bene� t from the excellent standard of pastoral care at Bishop Douglass School. Tutors are highly

experienced in catering for the speci� c needs of post-16 students. Consequently they are in a strong position to advise students on the various pathways whether that be an application to university, a gap year or employment. There is also a bespoke programme of support for students applying to Russell Group Universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.

The pastoral programme in the Sixth Form is geared towards the needs of young adults and covers issues such as study techniques, preparation for university and managing � nances, and a range of moral, social and ethical issues.

There are many extra curricular activities including community projects, sports clubs, sports leadership, MathsMakers and participation in the school’s musical ensembles and dramatic productions.

PASTORAL CAREAND ENRICHMENT

“The school is calm and orderly. Students enjoy coming to

school and show high levels of courtesy and respect to each

other and their teachers.”

Ofsted September 2013

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“Students in the Sixth Form make good

progress and exceptional progress

in some subjects, for example in BTEC

courses and in Advanced Level

courses in physics, chemistry, biology

and further mathematics.”

Ofsted September 2013

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For progression to A Level from GCSE students must have a minimum of 5 A*-C grades at GCSE in 5 di� erent subjects including English Language and Mathematics. BTECs are

only worth 1 GCSE and only 2 BTECs can be counted as equivalencies. Subject speci� c or additional course requirements can be found on the relevant subject insert.

For progression to BTEC Level 3 Vocational Courses from GCSE students must have a minimum of 4 passes at GCSE at grade C or above or the equivalent. Candidates are expected to have at least a grade D in English Language at GCSE.

Students not meeting requirements for A Levels or Level 3 Vocational Courses will be able to choose from our Level 2 Vocational courses and will retake both GCSE English Language and GCSE Mathematics. Students on this pathway will need to secure at least a merit in their Level 2 BTEC subjects to progress onto the Level 3 vocational programme the following year.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

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SUBJECTSAVAILABLE

“There is a wide range of vocational and academic choices

in the Sixth Form.”

Ofsted September 2013

Level 2

Business (BTEC)

Construction (BTEC)

Engineering (BTEC)

English (GCSE)

ESOL

Health and Social

Care (BTEC)

Mathematics (GCSE)

Science (BTEC)

Level 3

Art and Design (AS/A2)

Biology (AS/A2)

Business (AS/A2/BTEC)

Chemistry (AS/A2)

Design and Technology (AS/A2)

Drama (AS/A2)

Engineering (BTEC)

English Literature (AS/A2)

Film Studies (AS/A2)

French (AS/A2)

Further Mathematics (AS/ A2)

Geography (AS/A2)

Graphics Communication

Health and Social Care (BTEC)

History (AS/A2)

ICT (Cambridge Technicals)

Mathematics (AS/A2)

Media Studies (BTEC)

Music Performance (BTEC)

Physics (AS/A2)

Psychology (AS/A2)

Science (BTEC)

Sociology (AS/A2)

Spanish (AS/A2)

Sport and Exercise Science (BTEC)

Religious Studies (AS/ A2)

B I S H O P D O U G L A S S S C H O O L I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E 1I N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C EI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E

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Headteacher: Martin Tissot, MA, MBA, NPQH

Hamilton Road, East Finchley, London N2 0SQTelephone: 020 8444 5211 • Fax: 020 8444 0416

Email: schooladmin@bishopdouglass.barnet.sch.uk

www.bishopdouglass.barnet.sch.uk

BISHOP DOUGLASS SCHOOLI N P U R S U I T O F E X C E L L E N C E