Sixth Form

Sixth Form (Year 12 and Year 13) 

All students enter Year 12 with good GCSE results which allows access to A Level subjects. The normal offer is three A Level subjects with some students supplementing A Levels with EPQ and/or Sports Leaders qualifications. The only alternative qualification that is offered in Sixth Form at Kings Priory School is C-TEC Sport and Physical Activity. The usual route for the majority of students leaving school after Year 13 is mainly, but not exclusively to university, though an increasing minority are choosing an apprenticeship.  

Impartial advice from the NT Connexions team continues in Year 12, where all receive a second 1-to-1 interview with a Careers Advisor. The advisor is able to offer further impartial advice about the range of Post-18 options available to the students as they prepare for their next steps.

Impartial advice on apprenticeship pathways also continues. Workshop sessions are run for those who are not considering University to offer additional support alongside the impartial expert advice from NT Connexions.

Students are given access to range of options post-18. These options are delivered through a mixture of timetabled sixth form Personal Development lessons, assemblies, visiting speakers, in-house and external careers events.

Activities include: 

• Regular talks from university outreach teams on a range of university issues, including the application process, accommodation and finance
• Dedicated support for Oxbridge, medical and early bird applications is built into the university advice programme with at least one KPS student making a successful application every year in the school’s existence. Interested Year 12 students are given the opportunity to attend a Residential visit to the University in the Summer Term.
• Talks from employers on the degree apprenticeship route

Additionally, students are provided with several set-piece events in Year 12. These events are intended to act as inspirational springboards for students’ ambitions: 

• In the spring term a careers fair is held in school co-ordinated by the whole school careers lead, careers co-ordinator and the School’s Enterprise Advisor who work with North Tyneside and other local businesses to highlight the broad range of opportunities available including non-university and employment routes. This helps support our students to make informed choices on their future after leaving KPS.
• In early June, building on the prior opportunities in Year 10, preparation for work experience, apprenticeship and university applications is further supported with a second mock interview day attended by over 20 local employers, where the whole cohort are able to experience a ‘live’ interview with real employers and gain valuable personalised feedback.  
• In Mid-June, all Year 12 Pupils attend the annual UCAS Fair at the Utilita Arena.
• At the end of June, Year 12 students undertake a work experience placement of between 2-5 days. This is normally sourced directly by the student themselves in an area of specific interest to them. The school can also help a student needing help securing a worthwhile work experience in Year 12. The Year 12 work experience builds on their more general work experience week in Year 10. Although there is a notional work experience ‘window’, flexibility is given to students who wish to secure meaningful work experience, such as with the NHS, that falls outside the window, earlier in the year.
• In July a UCAS Conference is held in school with local universities, ex-students and other school contacts helping to deliver general advice about university life and precise advice about their degree area. The application process is begun on the back of the conference, usually held in the July of Year 12.

Students in Sixth Form are allowed five school days in total across Year 12 and Year 13 for visiting universities. If possible, university open days should be attended on a Saturday and for attendance at north-east universities this is expected. Permission to be absent from school must be requested from the school and then agreed by the school. A record of the total days absent from school for university open days for each student is held by the Sixth Form Administrator. 

Details of university open days and other career opportunities, such as medical experiences are regularly displayed in the Sixth Form building and extensively on the Sixth Form year group Google classrooms.