Life in Sixth Form

Excellence for All is at the core of our mission and purpose here in Priory. Our Sixth Form is therefore organised to ensure that we meet the needs, interests and aspirations of all of our young people. We offer a range of general and applied courses which offer progression routes to higher education and employment.

SIXTH FORM AT PRIORY

Students who wish to continue their education beyond GCSE have a wide range of courses to choose from here at Priory. Whatever your interests and aspirations there is something here for you.

Most of our students in Sixth Form study at least three A levels (or equivalent) throughout Years 13 and 14. A smaller number of students enrol on our 2 A level package. If you enrol on a course at the beginning of Year 13, our expectation is that you will continue to study that course for the duration of your time with us.

We also offer a range of enrichment programmes, trips and activities, which help you to develop a range of skills, promote the integrated ethos of our college and make the provision in Sixth Form an enjoyable and enriching experience for you.

Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care is at the heart of everything we do here in Priory, and this is no different when it comes to Sixth Form. We aim to ensure that you are supported through the challenges of academic study at this level, and our Sixth Form pastoral team work closely with parents / carers and the wider community to ensure the highest possible quality of care for all of our young people. Pupils are supported by our Leader of Sixth Form, form tutors and a study supervisor.

CHOOSING YOUR PROGRAMME OF STUDY

We understand that the decision about which subjects to study may well be a difficult one for you. We have an exciting range of courses on offer at Priory, so making your choices does mean that you will need to give it careful thought.

One of the most important things to remember is that you are putting together a combination of courses for your Year 13, which will help you to achieve your goals and not just a collection of subjects.

You will need to :

Read the details about the subject specifications very carefully.
Talk to your subject teacher/s about the subject at Sixth Form Level. Do not assume you know about a subject just because you have done it at GCSE.
Look at the content and pattern of assessment.
Talk to your teachers about your choices.
Be aware of your predicted grades at GCSE and read the Entry Requirements for each subject carefully.
Talk to the Careers Teacher

EXPECTATIONS - WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS AT SIXTH FORM?

We know that the key to success at sixth form is centred on consistent, challenging hard work. Many of you may find that to succeed as a sixth form student you will need to work substantially harder than you did at GCSE.

Sixth Form study is significantly more challenging than GCSE and you will need commitment and resilience to succeed. Importantly, you will be expected to show far greater initiative in directing your own studies outside of the classroom. However, you should not be disheartened by this challenge, we see every year where students commit resolutely to their study they are typically very successful.
What is especially valuable about developing independence as a learner now is that it will equip you with the skills you need to be successful at university or at work. The reality of the world beyond school is that you are expected to work incredibly hard without supervision. Therefore by developing those skills now you ensure your future success.

The very best Sixth Form students are proactive and are likely to do things such as:

Read around and ahead in their subjects.
Seek advice from teachers and Year 13 students about books and online resources that are especially valuable.
Do their revision week by week (creating the revision notes and questions for each topic as they go through the course and not as a mad rush at the end).
Redo essays and assessments to improve them after getting feedback without being asked to do so.
Support their peers and work cooperatively.
Use their tutor time and independent time wisely to plan their learning and think ahead.
Organise their time carefully so that they meet all of their deadlines.
Attend lessons and revision sessions with questions and ideas ready to discuss having read ahead in advance.
Expect to find the work challenging, but realise that it is only through perseverance that you can succeed.

PASTORAL PROGRAMME

Our sixth form pastoral programme covers a diverse range of topics, including dealing with bereavement, drugs and alcohol abuse, wellbeing, personal finance, road safety, time management, and study skills. We work with a number of external agencies to allow experts advice and guidance.

STUDY SUPPORT

We are privileged to have our dedicated Sixth Form Centre, run by a sixth form supervisor who is available to support specific learning needs to enable students to succeed.

Here we offer our sixth from pupils a study and recreational areas. Pupils can make use of The Hub area during break and lunch, and also one period throughout the week as a little down time for their hard work.

CAREERS

Careers support and guidance is an integral part of the 6th form timetable. Pupils are guided through progression pathways including applying to University/College, preparing for interviews, student finance.

Many of our pupils go on to university here in Northern Ireland or elsewhere throughout the United Kingdom. Others secure employment or Higher Level Apprenticeships in one of the many growing industries here in Northern Ireland.

CELEBRATING PUPIL SUCCESS

We strongly believe in celebrating all types of pupil success. Throughout the year we have regular celebration of success assemblies, whereby we share pupil success. This can be for both academic and non academic success. Pupils love to be recognised and awarded a certificate.

SIXTH FORM FORMAL

Our 6th Form pupils enjoy celebrating their time at the College by attending our annual 6th Form formal. This is a always a fantastic evening attended by both 6th Form pupils and staff.