Sixth Form

Welcome to the 6th Form

Our mission at St Catherine’s Catholic School has remained the same for generations, in its unique provision of solid foundations of academic, spiritual, and personal growth so that girls and young women can access exceptional outcomes. Whatever the future holds for our students, there is provision here for them. They go out and into the world, as resilient, independent, and motivated, ready for the next challenges, and eager to face them.

St Catherine’s Catholic School’s academic record is excellent, with students consistently making exceptional progress; the wider approach to education ensures opportunities for clubs, charity, and travel, both national and international. The result is well-rounded, articulate, passionate students confident in their mission in life.

Visitors comment on how students are engaged, lively, and enthusiastic about all elements of their academic and spiritual journey and students joining the Sixth Form will find a community that is ambitious and future-focussed.

Why St Catherine’s?

· An opportunity to continue making progress in the school that has consistently provided the best progress in Bexley for all students

· An opportunity to continue your learning journey with friends, teachers, tutors, and support staff that have secured your wellbeing, spiritual growth, and academic progress for the past 5 years

· Course choice, with the broadest GCSE curriculum in the Bexley Borough continuing towards A-Level studies

· An established subject-specialist teaching staff, with a consistent track record of outstanding results

· An opportunity to define the character and ethos of the Sixth Form for all future students, as the pioneers of a new chapter in school history

The Application Process

Timeline

· 6 November - Sixth Form Open Evening

· 7 November – Sixth Form Application Form opens

· 12 December –Sixth Form Application Form closes

· 17 December – Mock Results and Predicted Grades

· 12 January - Sixth Form interviews begin, running until 26 January

· 5 February – Sixth Form offer of places, conditional on GCSE results

· 20 August – GCSE results day, confirming places

Subjects

We offer a wide range of A-Level courses, outlined in this prospectus. The content is taught over a two-year course, with formal examinations at the end of the course in Year 13.

Furthermore, Child Development is an AAQ. AAQs have been developed in collaboration with universities and employers to ensure they meet entry requirements for higher education and employment.

Religious Education - A Level
Art & Design - A Level
Biology - A Level
Business - A Level
Chemistry - A Level
Computer Science - A Level
Early Childhood Development - AAQ
Economics - A Level
English Literature - A Level
Environmental Science - A Level
Geography - A Level
History - A Level
Maths - A Level
MFL French - A Level
MFL Spanish - A Level
Photography - A Level
Physical Education - A Level
Physics - A Level
Psychology - A Level

Entry Requirements

Subject entry criteria and requirements are laid out in the Sixth Form Prospectus, in the subject sections, to ensure students have the necessary foundations to access the course, and continue to make progress. We also require a minimum of grade 5 in English Language and Maths, where these subjects are not a requirement for a particular subject course.

Sixth Form Life at St Catherine’s Catholic School

Catholic Life

Sixth Form students will elevate their access the Chapel and Chaplain, as moral and spiritual leaders of the student community. The Chapel will continue to be a haven, for spiritual and social needs, unique to a Catholic Sixth Form, with its range of services, retreats, and voluntary opportunities for students of any faith and none.

Core Religious Education & Philosophy, as a requirement for a Catholic Sixth Form, will ensure that all students have strong understanding of complex moral and spiritual matters, around justice, science, religion, relationships, and other faiths. Students will also elevate their understanding of their curricular studies to ensure a capacity for complex approaches in lesson, exams, and future interviews.

Transition to A-Level Studies

We recognise that there is a significant transition to post-16 studies from GCSE. Students should expect a comprehensive programme in place to make this process as smooth as possible, including a team-building day, transition days, skills workshops, a parent-focussed curriculum information evening in November and additional support in the first term to ensure that students feel settled, match the pace, and contribute to wider student life.

Pastoral Support

Sixth Form students will form part of a tutor group and have an assigned tutor from our very experienced team who will take them through both years of their studies. The tutor will be the first point of pastoral support for the students and for communication between home and school.

The tutor will guide them in the transition to Sixth Form studies, through choosing a future pathway and the UCAS process. Tutor time is a vital part of our school culture and ethos, to support and monitor the academic progress and well-being of students.

Student Leadership Teams

Sixth Form students to be role models for our younger students, with opportunities for leadership in running events, representing the school, and carrying out fundraising. Formal leadership roles will be available, carrying significant responsibility and are very rewarding. They provide the students with the opportunity to lead a team, develop public speaking skills and work closely with the Sixth Form and Senior Leadership Team to improve and develop our school.

Personal Development

The exceptional academic outcomes at St Catherine’s are a product of the ethos, which drives towards independent, passionate, and responsible students. This ensures stand out in competition for places in the workforce, at university, and in training programmes. They form friendships, transferrable skills, and broaden their understanding of the curriculum in a range of pursuits outside the classroom. Sixth Formers are encouraged to introduce new clubs or ideas. Existing opportunities include:

Music groups, concerts etc.
University visits
Debating Society
Drama productions
Sports and games
Subject-specific seminars and trips
Well-being Ambassadors
Student mentoring
Taster lectures
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Voluntary work
Sixth Form Yearbook Committee
Young Enterprise
Charity fundraising

Enrichment

Students will choose from sport enrichment activity or volunteering. These activities are designed to offer students the chance to develop skills outside the standard curriculum. Sports options vary from year to year, but can include activities such as football, gym, badminton, basketball and netball. Volunteering is also encouraged as an enrichment option and can be arranged independently or through school-based programmes such as lower school mentoring, reading support, peer mentoring, Well-being Ambassadors, or departmental subject support. Personal and social development programmes and employability courses will also form part of the enrichment process.

Private Study

Sixth Form students will have private study lessons on their timetable each week, vital for the independent learning needed to be a successful Key Stage 5 student. According to research, successful A-Level students are maintaining a habit of 20 hours of private study a week as a minimum; independent study time is a fundamental part of Sixth Form life. For Year 12, some of this time will be directed as supervised study, to support the students in developing effective study habits. Furthermore, work in subject areas on coursework or receiving individual support from their teachers will form part of the learning outside of timetabled lessons. The remaining private study time will be managed by the students, offering an exciting and challenging way to learn, developing intrinsic motivation to work towards thier goals.

Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

Students in Sixth Form will have work experience and internships facilitated over the course of their study, to prepare them for future career and study choices.

Calendarised time, support in securing placements, and application coaching at school will ensure students aspire to challenging and rewarding experiences in the world of work.

3rd Level study

The dedicated CEIAG programme in Year 12 and 13 will prepare students for UCAS applications, university visits, early entry for specific courses, and guidance on the different funding streams for university operate. The Sixth Form Passport scheme will include stamps for attending open days, lectures, and preparation sessions.