Sixth Form6Prospectus 2014

Comberton

‘The new Sixth Form is outstanding. In a short time, it has become firmly established.’Ofsted 2013

A Message from the

HeadDear Prospective Student,

Thank you for showing an interest in our Sixth Form. We are guided by the simple notion of ensuring academic excellence -

providing the best personal opportunities possible and offering the highest levels of care for all our students, but also finding

time to make sure we enjoy ourselves.

With 350 students, we are large enough to provide the broadest of opportunities, yet

small enough to know all of our students well.

We believe we have something special here that offers outstanding Sixth Form

education, a judgement that was confirmed by Ofsted inspectors in March of this year:

do please come and test this judgement for yourself at our open evening on

Thursday 7th November.

We look forward to meeting you then.

PHILLIP EVANS

HEAD OF SIXTH FORM

6

6The

Comberton Sixth Form Experience

The Students’ View

“Being a Comberton student you are known to the Sixth Form staff as an

individual and not just someone else in the crowd. The class sizes make it

easier to get to know people quickly and the wide range in teaching

methods means that lessons are fun as well as interesting.”

LILY FREEMAN

(ST BEDE’S INTER-CHURCH SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE)

“The combination of a state-of-the-art building, which has a real contemporary feel to it, and the

devoted, conscientious and excellent teaching has made my CSF experience

so enjoyable.”

ANEESH SHARMA

(COMBERTON VILLAGE COLLEGE)

“Such a positive and happy environment where, with the full support of all of my

teachers, I have really been able to flourish.”

MEGHAN PEMBERTON

(DAME ALICE HARPUR SCHOOL,BEDFORD)

• Specialistteachingroomsequippedwithhigh-specification

furnitureandthelatestICTprovision

• A180-seatlecturetheatrewithhigh-specificationprojection

equipment

•Anexclusiveindependentstudyareaequippedwiththe

latesttechnology

•SixthFormstaffbasefromwhichadditionalstudysupport

canbeaccessed

•Amodern,dedicatedSixthFormlibraryandresourcecentre

•Cutting-edgeICTfacilities

•24-houraccesstoonlinelearningmaterials

•Amoderninternetcaféwithwi-fiaccess

•Wi-filearningzonesthroughout

•SpecialistPerformingArtscentreforMusic,ArtandDrama

•Darkroom,digitaleditingsuiteandsound-recordingstudio

•FullyequippedspecialistA-LevelSciencelaboratories

•State-of-the-artSportsSciencelaboratorywiththelatest

performanceanalysisequipment

•Adouble-court-sized,fullyequippedgymnasium

•Afitnesssuite

•Aspecialistdesignstudio

Comberton Sixth Form students have exclusive use of state-of-the-art facilities built at a cost of £10 million, ensuring one of the best equipped Sixth Forms in the country.

Outstanding Facilities

Students benefit from:

Your Path to Success

We offer a wide and flexible range of programmes, each carefully

constructed to help you maximise your Sixth Form experience and

realise your ambitions.

Naturally,yourALevelorBTECcourseswillsitattheheartofyour

chosenpathway,witheachoneenhancedbyarangeofpopular

combinationsandoptionsdesignedtomeetyourindividualneedsand

provideopportunitiesforacademicchallenge,breadthofstudyand

personaldevelopment.

Foreliteathletes,ourSportsAcademiesoffertheuniquepossibilityto

combineacademicandsportingprogrammesinawaythatbalances

top-qualityeducationwithoutstandingcoachingandtraining

opportunities.

Forfurtherinformationonallourpathways–anddetailsabouttheir

individualelements–pleaserefertoourcoursebrochurelocatedon

thewebsitewww.combertonsixthform.org

‘The quality of teaching in the Sixth Form is outstanding’

Ofsted 2013

HonoursYear 12: 5 AS Levels

Year 13: 4 A Levels at A2 or

3 A Levels + Extended Project Qualification

FlexiYear 12: 4 AS Levels

+ either General Studies

or Critical Thinking

or Extended Project

Qualification

Year 13: 3 A Levels at A2

AQA BaccalaureateYear 12: 4 AS Levels

+ General Studies

or Critical Thinking

Year 13: 3 A Levels at A2

+ Extended Project Qualification

+ Enrichment Diary

A-Levels or Level 3 BTEC

Your Subject Choices

A-LevelsArtandDesign

Biology

BusinessStudies

Chemistry

Computing

CriticalThinking

DramaandTheatreStudies

Economics

EnglishLanguage

EnglishLiterature

FilmStudies

ForeignLanguages(including

French,GermanandSpanish)

FurtherMaths

GeneralStudies

Geography

GovernmentandPolitics

History

HumanBiology

ICT

Maths

Music

MusicTechnology

Philosophy&Ethics(Religious

Studies)

Photography

PhysicalEducation

Physics

ProductDesign(Graphics)

Psychology

BTECBTECNationalLevel3courses

in:

Business

Science

Sport

Pre-UGlobalPerspectivesand

IndependentResearch

Sports AcademiesGolf

Rugby

Squash

Your Subject Choices

Cambridge Pre-U Year 12: 4 AS Levels

+ Pre-U Global Perspectives

Year 13: 3 A Levels at A2

+ Pre-U Independent Research Report

Sports AcademiesYear 12/13: A Levels

or Level 3 BTEC

+ either AS General Studies

or Critical Thinking

or Extended Project Qualification

(optional)

+ Specialist Sports Coaching

BTECYear 12/13: BTEC Sport or Business or Science

+ AS General Studies (optional)

+ Extended Project Qualification (optional)

A-Levels or Level 3 BTEC

For more information please visit our website www.combertonsixthform.org

6Course Entry

RequirementsOur Sixth Form seeks to provide appropriate courses and routes for committed students seeking to engage in higher-level study.

Wewillneedtobeconvincedthatyouareseriousaboutwishingtopursue

higher-levelstudyandarecommittedtoworkingappropriately.Youwillneed

tohavethefollowingminimumGCSEorequivalentqualificationsforour

differentcourses:

Honours pathway

•MajorityofGCSEgradesatAorA*

toincludeaminimumofAgradesinsubjectsstudiedatA-Level

Pre-U pathway

•Aminimumof5A*/AgradesatGCSEin

additiontothestandardentryrequirementsforA-Levelsubjects

AQA Baccalaureate pathway and Flexi pathway

•Aminimumof5Bgrades(withatleastCgradesinMathsandEnglish).

•MinimumofaBgradeinsubjectstobestudiedatA-Level

•MinimumofGCSEgradeAisrequiredforPhysics,Chemistry,Biology,

HumanBiologyandComputingorGCSEgradeAAincoreand

additionalscience,andatleastGCSEgradeBinMaths

•MinimumofGCSEAgradeisrequiredforMaths

•StudentswishingtostudyA-LevelPhotographyrequireaminimumofa

BgradeinGCSEArtortheproductionofanapprovedportfolio

BTEC

•Aminimumof5CgradesatGCSE,includingMathsandEnglish

(ifalevel2BTECformspartoftheofferameritordistinctionwill

berequired).StudentswhohavestudiedGCSEPErequireaminimum

ofaCgrade

Sports Academies

•Standardminimumcourseentryrequirements

(seeabove)plusexcellenceinchosensport

Pleasenotethatvocationalqualificationsaretheequivalentofone

GCSEandamaximumoftwowillbeconsidered.

Admissions policyWewilllookatthefollowingfactorscarefully

whenconsideringyourapplication:

•Yoursuitabilityforthecourseofstudy

•Yourschoolorcollegereport/recordof

achievement

•Yourestimatedoractualexaminationgrades

•Yourabilitytocontributetothelifeofthe

SixthForm

•Therecommendationofyourpreviousschool

orcollege

•Theavailabilityofplacesonthecourseof

yourchoice

•Anyrecognisedmedicalorspecialneedsyou

mayhave.Inthecaseofover-subscription

prioritywillbegiventostudentswhohave

astatementofspecialeducational

needwhichnamesCombertonSixthForm

Criteriausedinthecaseofoversubscriptionof

firstchoiceapplicantsareasfollows:

1StudentsinCare,alsoknownasLookedAfter

Children(LAC)andchildrenwhowerelooked

afterbutceasedtobesobyreasonof

adoption,aresidenceorderorspecial

guardianshiporder.

2StudentswithasiblingatComberton

VillageCollegeatthetimeofadmission.

3StudentswhoattendCambridgeArea

Partnership(CAP)schoolsorwhocurrently

livewiththeirparent(s)orcarer(s)inthe

LocalAuthoritydefinedareasservedby

theseschools.

4Studentswhomakeanapplicationfrom

outsidetheCAP.

EntrytoCombertonSixthFormwillnotbeby

formalinterview,butaninformalguidance

meetingwillbeheldtoadvisestudentson

appropriatecourseselectionand

expectation.

Weaimtointerviewallappropriatefirstchoice

applicantswhomeettheadmissionscriteria.

Secondchoiceapplicantswillbeinterviewed

dependingontheavailabilityofsuitablecourses

and,intheeventofoversubscriptionina

particulararea,thecriteriaabovewillbeapplied.

Forfurtherinformationanddetailrelatingtothe

admissionspolicy,pleaseseetheCombertonSixth

Formwebsite.

6Applicationprocessfrom

starttofinish 2013

OpenEveningThursday7thNovember

DecemberApplicationmadethroughyourschoolorcollege

2014

JanuaryFriday31stJanuary deadlineforapplication

EasterConditionaloffersissued

MayInformationpackissuedtoallsuccessfulapplicantswithcoursedetailsandinductioninformation

AugustContactthecollegewithyourGCSEresults

Two-daypost-resultssurgerywiththeHeadandDeputyHeadofSixthFormtoresolveanyproblems

SeptemberTwo-dayinductionfollowedbycommencementofcourses

Supporting you to SucceedThetransitionfromschooltoSixthFormandbeyondisan

excitingtimeandonewhichbringsmanychallenges.Wewill

supportandguideyoueverystepofthewaytobridgethe

dividebetweenschool,universityandemployment.

SixthFormLeadershipTeamTheHeadandDeputyHeadsofSixthFormandourPost-16

Managerwillbeonhandtoensurethelevelofsupportyou

needisavailablewheneveryouneedit.

AcademicTutorTeamWhenyoujoinusyouwillhaveyourownacademictutorwho

willhavededicatedtimebothtogettoknowandtosupport

youduringyourtimeatCombertonandalsotoprepareyou

foryournextstep.Youwillhaveregularandformalisedone-

to-onemeetingswithyourtutortodiscussyourprogress,

helpsolveanyproblemsthatariseandagreetargets.Your

tutorwillworkcloselywithyou,yoursubjectteachersand,if

appropriate,theStudentSupportTeam.Thisensuresthatthey

haveathoroughunderstandingofallyourneedsandcanoffer

youthebestadvicetohelpyoutoachievethehighestpossible

levelsofsuccessinallareasofSixthFormlife.

StudentSupportTeamTheSixthForm’sStudentSupportTeamconsistsofexperienced

counsellorsandyouthworkerswhowillliaisecloselywiththe

SixthFormleadershipteamandyouracademictutor,aswellas

accessinghelpfromarangeofoutsideagencies.Thisensures

thatyoucanreceiveallthespecialistsupportyoumayneed

duringtheimportantSixthFormyears.

StudentGuidanceTeamFurtherguidancewillbereadilyavailablefromavarietyof

otherprofessionalsincludingtheCareersandHigherEducation

Adviser,theLibrarian,LearningResourceManager,Connexions

andtheCollegeNurse.

ApplyingtoUniversityOuraimisthatyouwillleaveusasamatureadult,readyto

makethemostofalltheopportunitiesthatcomeyourway.

Thelargemajorityofourstudentswillcontinueontohigher

education.WewillhelpyouateverystageoftheUCAS

processfromarrangingvisitstouniversities,selectingcourses

andwritingpersonalstatements.Wewillalsosupport,with

interviewpractice,alluniversityentryprocesses,including

Oxbridgeandmedicalcourses.

CareersGuidanceIfyouchoosetoentertheworldofworkafteryourtime

atCombertonSixthFormwewillprovideyouwiththe

information,supportandguidanceyouneed.One-to-one

careersguidanceinterviewsandinformaldrop-insessionsare

availableaswellasopportunitiesforwork

experience.Ourlinkswithlocalemployersandbusinesses

ensureweareinthebestpositiontosupportyou.

6Helping you to LearnBecomingamoreautonomousandself-reliantlearneris

ofvitalimportanceforanysuccessfulSixthFormstudent:

skillsthatareessentialforthenextstepsinlife,beithigher

educationoremployment.Tohelpdeveloptheseskills,advice

andsupportisofferedtostudentsfromtheoutset,starting

withtheinductionprogrammethenfeaturingintutorgroup

sessionsthroughoutthetwoyears.Inaddition,further

guidanceisreadilyathandalongwithaccesstoresourcesand

facilitiesthataresecondtonone.

PrivateStudyWearefortunateinbeingabletooffer350privatestudy

spacesforourstudentsfrom8amto6pmeveryday,thereby

guaranteeingastudyspaceforallstudentsatanytime.

IndependentStudyCentreOurpurpose-builtindependentstudycentreoffersstudents

ampleopportunitytoengageinprivatestudythroughoutthe

day;thisspacious,lightandairyspaceisaperfectenvironment

forstudy.Aswithallspaces,wi-fiaccessisavailableatall

timeswithsoftwarethatallowsstudentstoaccessemail,the

internetandlearningnetworksusingtheirownelectronic

devices.Inaddition,wehaveeasyaccesstostand-alonePCsas

wellasmobilenetbooks.

LibraryandResourceCentreAlsoopenfrom8amto6pmdaily,theLRCispermanently

staffedbytwolibrarianswhoarealwayshappytohelpand

guidestudentswiththeirresearchandprivatestudy.Thelarge,

modernstockofbooks,newspapersandperiodicals,electronic

subscriptions,DVDsandCDsallowsthefullestaccesstothe

widestpossiblerangeofresources.Theavailabilityof50

ready-accessPCsand60individualnetbooksallowsready

availabilityforallstudentsatalltimes.

StudySkillsSupportOurdedicatedstudyskillsteamareonhandtoprovide

tailoredsupportinanalysingindividualstudents’needsand

providingstudyplanning.Theyalsoofferdiagnosisand

assessmentforstudentswithparticularlearningdifficulties.

Bothgroupandindividualsupportisoffered,coveringa

varietyofneedsincludingdyslexia,dysgraphiaanddyspraxia.

P

Trips and Enrichment

P

Life Outside LessonsNotonlydowebelieveinprovidingafirst-classacademic

experience,wewillalsooffernumerousopportunitiesforyou

todevelopyourpersonalandsocialskillsthroughanextensive

rangeofenrichmentopportunities.Whetheritberugby,Latinor

learningtodrive,youcanbeassuredyourinterestswillbemet.

Youwillalsohavetheoptiontotakeonextraresponsibility

throughtheStudentLeadershipprogramme:thiscouldinclude

beingontheSixthFormStudentCouncil,runningSixthForm

socialevents,peermentoring,orcoordinatingcharitywork.

StudentsattheSixthFormwillhaveaccesstothestate-of-the-

artsportingfacilitiesavailableonsiteandbeyond,allowingthe

opportunitytotakepartinawiderangeofcompetitiveand

socialsportingactivities.

Wealsoofferarangeofresidentialanddaytripsdesigned

toenhancebothacademiclearningandsocialorsporting

development.TheseincludetheDukeofEdinburghGold

expeditiontoSwitzerland,visitstoourpartnerinstitutionsin

MozambiqueandSouthAfrica,andaskitripto

theUSA,alongsidenumerouslocalandinternational

subject-basedtrips.

Thereisanextensiveprogrammeofsocialeventsorganisedby

thestudentleaders.ThisincludestheSixthFormBall,charity

events,bandevenings,barbecues,quiznightandfilmnightsas

wellasavarietyofdramaandmusicproductions.

‘In both the Upper and Lower Sixth, progress is strong as a result of

excellent teaching.’Ofsted 2013

A-Level Results 2013Subject Total

Sitting % A*-C % A*-E

Art&Design 13 85% 100%

Biology 21 90% 100%

BusinessStudies 18 94% 100%

Chemistry 15 87% 100%

Computing 3 67% 100%

Drama&TheatreStudies 4 75% 100%

Economics 17 88% 100%

EnglishLanguage 13 85% 100%

EnglishLiterature 20 70% 100%

FilmStudies 3 100% 100%

French 4 100% 100%

Geography 22 95% 100%

German 1 100% 100%

Government&Politics 5 100% 100%

History 20 95% 100%

HumanBiology 2 100% 100%

ICT 4 75% 100%

Mathematics-Further 6 83% 100%

Mathematics-Mechanics 2 100% 100%

Mathematics-Statistics 27 81% 100%

Music 1 100% 100%

MusicTechnology 3 33% 100%

Photography 11 100% 100%

PhysicalEducation 3 33% 100%

Physics 11 82% 100%

ProductDesign 2 50% 100%

Psychology 35 74% 100%

ReligiousStudies(Philosophy&Ethics) 16 81% 100%

Spanish 5 100% 100%

Totals 307 85% 100%

Comberton Sixth FormWest Street, Comberton, Cambridge CB23 7DU

T 01223 256470

www.combertonsixthform.orgenquiries@combertonsixthform.org

www.bainesdesign.co.uk A57233

‘Students leave the college as very well-rounded young people ready for the next stage in life.’

Ofsted 2013

Open EveningThursday 7th November 6.30-9.00pm