Speakers– George Murray Head of Sixth Form– Ian Humphrey Head of Year 12– Lily Byham EPQ Coordinator– Pete Marlow Careers Advisor

YEAR 12 PARENT INFORMATION EVENING

A tribute to 

Hollis May‐Suteau

A tribute to 

Hollis May‐Suteau

GCSE Results

• English & Maths: 5+ 48%; 4+ 68.8%

• Attainment 8 score of 48.0pts

• We are extremely proud of the students’ fantastic results

A Level Results

• 100% A* ‐ E• 52.4% A* ‐ B• 35.4 Average Point Score• In other words, students are ‐

• getting excellent results• getting onto 1st choice University courses• gaining high quality apprenticeships

Linear A Levels

• All exams at the end of the two years.  • Assessment is mainly by examination 

• English language, English literature, history, geography and modern foreign languages have some coursework

• Progression to the second year of study will depend on summer mock exam results at the end of year 12. 

Data Collections

• Based on tests in assessment weeks and mock exams (Jan)

• Synoptic tests (Spaced Learning)• Available on Go4Schools (are you registered?)

DC1 – 17 Oct 2017DC2 – 12 Dec 2017DC3 – 25 Jan 2018DC4 – 22 Mar 2018

Kingdown School Targets 2017 to 2018Every student:…will… attend everyday, 

be on time, be equipped, work hard and be nice, do homework

…is learning how to succeed in tests/exams…is able to learn from their mistakes…is challenging themselves…is fully involved in school life e.g. Sponsored Walk, trips, clubs,   teams, House events.

“For every 10% below 95% attendance your potential achievement will drop by one grade.”(PIXL 2016)

ATTENDANCE

“All students with >98% attendance achieved at or above target grade”(Kingdown School 2016)

ATTENDANCE

• Every student is allocated a professional tutor as well as a pastoral tutor. 

• Meets their students once a week to review their academic progress.  

• Work alongside the student and subject teachers to develop their knowledge and key skills required to be successful.  

• Throughout Yr 12 they provide UCAS advice and support along with employment and apprenticeship opportunities.

Professional Tutor

Study Support

• Timetabled• Independent Study• Resources available• Reduce workload/ anxiety• Reality of the adult World

• From the end of this term, all students will have sessions on options after Kingdown and will be made aware of the process of applying for Higher Education though UCAS.

• This will be done through their Professional Tutor.

• Every pupil will know where to find all the relevant information located on the school VLE and the UCAS website.

UCAS

• Parents are encouraged to play an active role in supporting our sixth form students through the UCAS process.

• There will be another evening in Year 13 to talk through the finance of University in advance of them making their final decisions on their offers.

UCAS

• Year 12:– October/November: Start to consider University and other

routes forward post 18– April: Attend HE Fair at Trowbridge college– June: Start to commit to a course, register with UCAS and plan

Personal Statement– June: Futures day – Post18 talk from Richard Wiltshire– Summer: Attend University Open Days

• Year 13:– Mid October: Send off application– Focus of forums/Professional tutors: Practical skills

UCAS: Basic Timelines

UCAS: What can I do now?

• Think about what will make you stand out– Work experience– Roles of responsibility– Evidence of involvement

• If you are considering Oxbridge/Law/Medicine start looking into:– Summer schools/Sutton trust– Pre med/law courses

• An individual project of the student’s choosing.

• 30hrs taught skills.

• Around 120hrs individual work (research and producing

artefact).

• Either produce a 5000 word essay.

• Or artefact and 1000 word essay.

• Presentation on the chosen topic.

Extended Project Qualification

• Worth half an A level (more than an AS).

• Improves individual study skills which will benefit other

subjects.

• Work on something that is really of interest and/or further

study.

• Looks great on UCAS/something different to talk about at

interviews.

Extended Project Qualification

Post‐18 Options

Year 12 Parent Information Evening

Peter MarlowKingdown School Careers Advisor

So … what are the options?

Higher Education (University)

Apprenticeships

Employment

Gap Year

Further Education (College)

Higher Education

• A degree will be essential for some career paths and beneficial for accessing many others

• Applications are made through the UCAS website. Support with this process throughout Y12 & Y13

• Financial aspects to consider:– Annual fees – Most universities charge £9,250/year – Loan repayments don’t start until earning at least £21,000/year

– Scholarships and bursaries are available to help

UCAS timeline• Year 12 from now onwards: initial idea exploration

Good website : https://university.which.co.uk/• Year 12 summer term: Start to draft personal statement; school work experience week, HE fair

• Summer / autumn 2018: Attend uni open days• Year 13 autumn term: Complete personal statement and submit UCAS application

• Deadlines for September 2019: January 15th 2019 (earlier deadline of 15th October 2018 for Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary) 

Factors to consider in degree choice

• Degree content – Modules of particular interest, work placements / year in industry, employer links

• Future career options with this degree• Graduate destinations and employability

– Unistats website ‐ https://unistats.ac.uk/• Entry grade / subject requirements • University location • University standings

Be open‐minded and systematically research all the options

HE study abroad

• Becoming a more popular option– Tuition fees can be cheaper (or even free)– Can be viewed positively by future employers– Different cultural experience / broaden horizons

• “HE Study Abroad” event at Warminster School (11th October 2017) – Still time for any interested Year 12s to sign up!

Apprenticeships• Apprenticeships are paid employment with training,leading to relevant qualifications for the job

• Over 250 types of apprenticeships within a widerange of industry sectors

• Key benefits of apprenticeships: – Receive a wage, don’t incur student debt and get paid holidays

– Earn more as you become more skilled and experienced

– Get trained and gain new skills and qualifications

– Have employment contract and can often lead to permanent 

work afterwards

Levels of Apprenticeships

DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP – LEVEL 5

HIGHER APPRENTICESHIP – LEVEL 4

ADVANCED APPRENTICESHIP – LEVEL 3

INTERMEDIATE APPRENTICESHIP – LEVEL 2

Where to look for Apprenticeships• Main vacancy portal – ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ website

• Contacting employers directly – speculative approaches

• Via network personal of contacts

• Via work experience placements

• Through training providers / college apprenticeship teams

• Organisation’s own recruitment websites

Taking a Gap Year

Number of different options to use the year wisely:• Paid work • Work experience• Voluntary work (UK‐based or overseas)

• Travelling (often overseas; with friends or with an organisation)

Reasons to take a gap year

• Build up more experience and develop new skills (e.g. learn a language)

• Save some money• See the world, have some fun• Increase confidence and independence• Thinking time/direction if unsure of what to do • Take some time out of education

Careers support on offer at Kingdown

• 1:1 careers guidance appointments with Mr Marlow• Weekly Professional Tutor sessions• Employability skills help (CV review, interview skills)• Careers and opportunities monthly bulletin / new 

Twitter feed @KingdownCareers• Year 12 work experience week – July 2018 (to help 

develop and test career ideas)• Resources online on Kingdown Careers Companion site 

(accessible via school website under ‘School Links’)

• Homework– Maintain dialogue– Quiet place to work– Help with organisation

• Discuss outcomes from Data Collections• Contact with Head of Department

– xx@kingdown.wilts.sch.uk• Awareness of key dates• 16-19 Bursary• Target grades• Go4Schools

WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR SON/DAUGHTER

• xx@kingdown.wilts.sch.uk• Mr Murray – MR• Mr Humphrey ‐ HU• Mrs Colliss: JLC• Mr Marlow – PMM• When should you get in touch?

– To ask for support– To inform us of personal circumstances– If you have any concerns of queries

CONTACT WITH 6TH FORM TEAM

• 17th October – Data collection 1 sent home• 1th December – Data collection 2 sent home• 12th December – Year 12 parents evening• January – Year 12 Futures day 1• 4th January – Mock exams begin for year 12• 19th January – Data collection 3 sent home• 23rd March – Data collection 4 sent home• 25th April – Wiltshire HE Convention• 25th May – Data collection 5 sent home• June – Year 12 Futures day 2• 26th June – Mock exam week• 3rd July – Work experience week• July – Year 12 Futures day 3• 13th July – Data collection 6 sent home

KEY EVENTS