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Welcome

Welcome to Our Lady’s Catholic Mixed Sixth Form. Our centre is a vibrant and innovative setting where we prioritise learners academic progress, whilst providing excellent pastoral support. Students are offered a wide variety of A Level and BTEC subjects delivered by highly experienced subject specialist teachers who provide outstanding teaching. The expert subject knowledge they have coupled with regular, specific feedback ensures that our students achieve excellent results in their courses.

Our Lady’s is regularly amongst the top sixth form centres in the local area for Value Added. We are very proud that each year many students are successful in gaining admission to top Universities and Colleges. Our Lady’s Sixth Form has an exceptional progress score, putting us in the top 5% of schools in England for value added. Students leave our sixth form to pursue careers in Medicine, Engineering, Law or Finance, whilst others enter the fields of healthcare, technology or the creative arts. Whatever their ambition, students enjoy first class advice and guidance to support them as they progress during their two years with us. Students benefit from individual support when making their applications to university. All have the opportunity to receive a Google Chromebook to help them in their studies. We have dedicated ‘next steps’ time to ensure that students have access to prestigious internships and work experience opportunities, as well supporting them to gain places in competitive summer schools and programmes such as the Sutton Trust, the King’s College K+ programme, and the Social Mobility programme.

We are a supportive and nurturing community, where student mental health and wellbeing is central. Students have daily contact with our dedicated sixth form pastoral team, which gives them the opportunity to discuss any concerns they have, and ensure that they remain happy and secure in their studies. The Catholic ethos and values of Our Lady’s enables students to reflect upon the ways in which we treat each other, and encourages them to think about their place in society, their wider responsibilities and purpose. Students who do not come from a faith background or are of other faiths appreciate this and believe that Our Lady’s helps their personal growth into adulthood as well as giving them opportunities to come together as a community.

Students come to Our Lady’s to gain high grades in their A Level and BTEC qualifications and obtain entry to the university course of their choice. Our aim is to help each individual student succeed in their aspirations and so achieve the best possible grades.

 

Mr D Bailey 

Head of Sixth Form

 

Sixth Form Course Booklet

Online Application Form

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the entry requirements for Our Lady’s Mixed Sixth Form?

Your course choices will be personal to you, so it is difficult to specify general entry requirements. Whatever courses you choose, the most important requirements are:

  • an enthusiastic and positive approach to your studies
  • a commitment to being part of Our Lady’s community and meeting the high expectations we have of our students
  • full time attendance and punctuality

Each course has its own entry requirements and so it is important that you check the course details carefully.

If you haven’t got a Grade 4 in GCSE English or Maths when you join the Sixth Form, you will be required to continue your studies in these subjects and resit these qualifications.

How many courses should I choose?

The Sixth Form Team will advise you carefully about the right number and types of courses for you.

Can you guarantee that all the courses that I choose will be available?

The courses in this brochure are our ‘offer’. Whilst we would love to run all of the courses, sometimes we are not able to. Decisions about whether to run courses will depend on the number of students who opt for them. If we are not able to run a particular course for any reason, we will let you know as soon as possible and advise you on choosing a different course.

How do I apply to Our Lady’s Sixth Form?

External candidates simply complete the application form on our website. 

Will I have to come for an interview?

Yes, we will write to you to let you know the date and time.

Where can I get advice about which courses to choose?

A number of factors might influence your choice of Study Programme:

  • you might have enjoyed or been good at a subject at GCSE

  • you need a particular subject for your chosen career path or university course

In addition to these factors, you should also bear the following in mind:

  • some subjects are much harder at Level 3 than at GCSE
  • research carefully which Level 3 subjects and qualifications you need for your future plans Check with university admissions if you are unsure or visit the UCAS website

Speak to current students and attend our Open Evening to meet teachers and get honest and informed advice and guidance

Entry onto Level 3 courses is based on whether you have the right qualifications at GCSE to be able to cope with the demands of the subject at Level 3.

Each course has a different entry requirement, so you need to check these carefully.

The decisions you make now will affect the university courses open to you and, in an increasingly competitive market for places, your choices really do matter. Universities need to know that students are well-prepared for the academic rigour required to study at degree level. Some universities will require you to have studied a particular subject at A Level and many prefer that students have included at least one ‘facilitating’ subject as part of their Study Programme.

These are:

  • Mathematics
  • Further Mathematics
  • English
  • Physics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Geography
  • History
  • Modern Foreign Languages

By choosing one or more of these subjects, you are keeping as many options open as possible. We know that it can all seem a bit overwhelming, but there is plenty of support available to help you to make the right choices.

 

Documents

Sixth Form Documents Date  
Sixth Form Criteria for Admissions September 2023 22nd Nov 2022 Download
Sixth Form Dress Code 21st Jul 2023 Download