In order to create a collective identity for all our sixth form students on both sites a uniform will be worn. This will consist of a tie, grey jumper and black shoes, smart black skirt or trousers (no denim) and white shirt or blouse. The tie will reflect the colours of the West Coast Sixth Form logo and the logo will also feature on the jumper. Orders can be placed from January via the sixth form website.
Putting on a full range of courses at sixth form is very expensive, that’s why not every school offers them. But we recognise that a school the size of The Whitehaven Academy should be offering courses for students post-16. That’s why we’ve introduced a range of new courses that we believe will appeal to students and we’re also offering them the chance to continue studying at Workington if they wish. Over time we want to increase what’s offered at both sites.
We’re still working on the exact details of travel arrangements, but we are very clear that for anyone at Whitehaven wanting to study at Workington, or the other way around, free transport will be made available between the two campuses.
We understand that what you choose to do after GCSEs is a big step. That’s why we want to give you as much information about options as possible. We’ve started that by telling everyone that from September we’ll be the West Coast Sixth Form with a wider choice of subjects on offer. Your teachers will keep in touch with you about your options and we’ll be having sixth form open evenings at Workington on January 15th and Whitehaven on January 22nd.
Following on from your application you, alongside your parents/carers will meet a key member of the sixth form team to discuss the courses and they will offer advice and guidance on your choices.
After accepting your place, you will be invited to our induction programme which takes place in July. During this time you will have two lessons of each of your chosen courses and be given some work to complete over the summer break. This will ensure that the courses chosen are of interest to you and you are capable of coping with their demands.
All students will have classes scheduled throughout the week and are expected to stay on site during study periods. This allows them to take advantage of the study areas which are available on both sites and the expertise of staff available within the school. The only exception to this will be students who are studying towards an extended diploma who will have a one day per week work placement. As with attendance at sixth form, this is an expected requirement.
It is very important that students take their studies seriously, including the responsibility to attend regularly and punctually. We monitor student attendance and contact parents when attendance falls below our expectation of 97%.
We expect a high level of attendance due to the heavy workload within sixth form, gaps in knowledge from absence can be very challenging to address.
Within each campus additional super-curricular and extra-curricular activities will be available, dependent upon student interest, in order to ensure everyone has the opportunity to follow their own interests and prepare themselves for post-18 opportunities, either within higher education, apprenticeship or the world of work.
Current opportunities within school include debating club, John Muir award, Sixth Form garden, Superbia and the leadership group. These are also complemented by additional out of school experiences including visits to universities, social events and subject specific visits. This has included Physics students experiencing the world-famous Hadron Collider in Switzerland and ICT, Media and Business students joining a business conference at Disneyland Paris.
All work placements for students on an extended diploma will be brokered by the West Coast Sixth Form team. Employers will contribute to the learning of the students so must be aware of their commitments. The sixth form will also ensure that each placement satisfies health and safety regulations and has employers’ liability insurance in place. Attendance will be monitored during these placements.
Applications will be accepted from the first open evening at the Workington campus on Wednesday January 15th. Forms can be collected from this event or downloaded and completed from the website. Completed applications should be returned before the closing date 31st January. Following this, students and their parents/carers will be invited for an interview and guidance meeting where they can discuss options with a key member of the sixth form team.
The bursary offers financial support to students who would otherwise be unable to continue with post-16 study. It offers households with an income of less than £25,000 financial support towards equipment to ensure they are not at any disadvantage in their studies. Students who wish to apply for the 16-19 bursary will find the application form on this website. In order to process the application, we will require evidence of household income as explained on the application form. We advise that students and their parents/carers complete the form and submit on GCSE results day so arrangements can be made prior to the beginning of term to support students with necessary uniform and equipment.