The Vale Academy Sixth Form Commitment
At The Vale Academy Sixth Form, we are extremely proud of the achievements of our students, both with respect to their academic performance and in terms of moving on to take up places at prestigious universities and on higher-level apprenticeships. We are committed to ensuring that all our students fulfil their true potential and succeed at the highest standard and towards this end we provide every student with a bespoke learning pathway. This in turn is linked to a personalised programme of academic mentoring which is supported by an experienced sixth form tutor. The ethos at The Vale Academy Sixth Form is also very strong and we form a tight-knit community where staff and students know each other well and where mutual support is valued.
In addition, we fully believe in developing the whole person, with the emphasis on academic excellence being enhanced by a variety of additional enrichment opportunities. Our aim is to develop every student’s wider skills and abilities to ensure their continued success beyond the sixth form as they mature into well-rounded and independent young adults who are fully equipped to take on the challenges of further education and employment.
In particular, we make the following commitments to all our students:
- We will deliver high-quality lessons and outstanding teaching, involving a wide range of learning opportunities and focused academic mentoring to enable students to access the highest grades in their chosen subjects.
- We will provide each student with a personal tutor and a programme of individual support and guidance to cater for their non-academic as well as academic needs and aspirations, including a focus on life skills. Towards this end, there are weekly year group meetings linked to a tutorial-based pastoral programme. In addition, we offer access to individual and confidential guidance and counselling through other professional organisations, including the careers service.
- We will ensure that all students have access to wide range of enrichment activities to supplement their programmes of study and enhance their learning. This may include work experience placements, the possibility of undertaking an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification), participation in educational visits and residential courses and attendance at talks and presentations by visiting speakers. The Progression Module forms a key element of the pastoral programme and provides useful knowledge of finances and the development of useful employment skills.
- We will provide students and parents with regular analysis and reporting of academic progress through the course review system. This includes holding progress meetings with teaching staff and tutors. We will ensure that students are fully aware of their potential, of how well they are doing and of what else they need to do to achieve at the highest level
