SIXTH FORM LIFE
Welcome to Sixth Form
This handbook has three purposes — to explain the practical details of Sixth Form life, to introduce the people who will help you and to set out the expectations of Headington Rye Oxford Sixth Form.
If you’re in the Year 13 embarking on the challenges of UCAS and aiming at exam success next summer, this year will feel exciting and, at the same time, reassuringly familiar. If you’re in the Year 12 it will all feel very new — new buildings, new friendships and some new teachers. After taking the summer to refresh and revitalise yourself, you will have arrived, we hope, with new ambitions, new expectations and a real excitement to explore the rich diversity of intellectual and other experiences on offer.
Headington Rye Sixth Form will be at the hub of Sixth Form life. Your study periods will be spent in a space that suits your study habits and then you can relax with friends across both year groups in the common rooms. With the Head of Sixth Form and Heads of Year all based in the building and with Mrs Palin (Sixth Form Administrator) on hand too in the Sixth Form Office, you have a range of expertise and listening ears here to support and encourage you to achieve your very best. Your Form Tutor will, of course, be your rock through the year ahead and they will oversee all aspects of your academic and personal development and provide daily help and guidance as you navigate the exciting waters of Sixth Form life.
Headington Rye Oxford is about a well-rounded educational experience. We want to prepare you for both life's joys and its occasional challenges.
At the heart of the Sixth Form is the academic focus of your intellectual study. A Levels and BTEC are the qualifications that set you up for life. They are your passport to university admission and are well-understood and valued by employers. As a community, we all pull together to support you in achieving your very best and to encourage you to think beyond the confines of your chosen subjects.
We will help you to explore new ways of thinking and new ways of understanding our society and cultures. A healthy mind, however, requires a healthy body and your fitness and well-being are vital too. Whether in team sports or through an individual fitness programme, your physical activity is as important as your mental activity, so that you can both work and play hard.
The Headington Rye Oxford vision for Sixth Form education is a broad one and you will be expected to develop your skills and abilities further by embarking on an exciting and diverse range of activities. You can find out more about the opportunities on offer here, where you can develop your teamwork, demonstrate your initiative, practise your communication skills and learn to manage yourself and others effectively — all skills that are vital to success in your life beyond school. Now is the time to try something new!
Remember, we are all here to help you on this exciting journey, as you prepare yourself for your adult life to come. Please do talk to a member of staff about any concerns or anxieties you may have and get ready for an exciting, fulfilling and rewarding year ahead. The Sixth Form team is very much looking forward to getting to know you, helping you and then watching you, metaphorically at least, take flight.
