6th Form
6th Form Curriculum Overview
INTENT (What we want to achieve)
The flexible and adaptable nature of the 6th Form’s learning environment and curriculum will equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate life beyond school. By embracing the principles of Preparation for Adulthood, students will further develop their core skills and choose their own route through various option choices. Students will work towards recognised qualifications on accreditation pathways specific to their individual needs.
Students are encouraged to keep themselves safe and regulate their emotions in appropriate ways. They have many opportunities to develop physical skills through activities aimed at improving health and Wellbeing. These opportunities build greater awareness, self-confidence, self-esteem and recognition of their own strengths and interests. Students will continue to build successful relationships, social skills, and Communication strategies to maintain connections with others beyond school. Achievements are celebrated together during our annual awards event.
Promoting Independence and developing work skills in the Community are key elements of the 6th Form environment. Accessing community-based learning opportunities ensures the can access local services outside of school. We have high aspirations for our students, empowering them to lead fulfilling and meaningful adult lives.
IMPLEMENTATION (How will we do this?)
Our 6th Form delivers a motivating, broad and balanced curriculum. The curriculum supports students to utilise and build on the skills they have acquired through school and apply them to real life situations.
Each student’s learning journey is personalised and mapped through a Destination Pathway document. All students work towards accreditation in the core subjects of English and Maths whether through NCFE Functional Skills (English & Maths) or Equals (Moving On – Literacy & Numeracy).
Students are also encouraged to select from a variety of options that complement the core curriculum. These options are student-led, providing an opportunity for students to take ownership of their learning and pursue personal interests. The range of options is intentionally broad and subject to change in response to the evolving needs and interests of our students. We use AQA Unit Awards scheme for some of these options due to their flexibility and accessibility for our learners. These awards are also progressively tiered to provide challenge. Where appropriate, additional options for our learners with more complex needs are delivered through Equals.
More information about the AQA Unit Award scheme can be found on the following link:
AQA | Programmes | Unit Award Scheme
Broadly speaking, our students follow three main routes within the 6th form that are adapted to meet their individual needs. These routes are flexible, and students can transition between them depending on the progress that they make.
Please click on some examples of these routes on the Destination Pathway documents below:
Route A – DESTINATION PATHWAY (PRE-FORMAL)
Route B – DESTINATION PATHWAY (SEMI-FORMAL)
Route C – DESTINATION PATHWAY (FORMAL)
Across the curriculum students are encouraged to have positive attitudes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and explore a range of leisure activities. For example, students access the community based ‘Work it with a circuit’ fitness programme for adults and young people with additional needs. Some students also access the local leisure centre for swimming, football and tennis. Whereas our students with more complex physical needs access hydrotherapy, yoga, and story massage alongside their individual therapy plans.
As part of our Adventure Curriculum, we have a team of students who enter the Ten Tors (Jubilee Challenge) this is an amazing challenge across Dartmoor National Park and includes overnight camping. There are additional challenges for students unable to access Ten Tors to achieve their ‘pioneer’ badges.
All students explore the world of work through internal or external work experience placements. The 6th form run a Pop-up café in the local library and prepare meals and snacks for staff and students every Friday. There are several enterprise projects through the year for students to sell arts and crafts in the local Pannier Market, Dunelm Mill or our very own 6th From Shop. The curriculum is supplemented by class visits and visitors coming in to talk about employment, students also access career guidance throughout their time in the 6th Form.
Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) is key to the development of our students. The learning that takes place within the 6th Form is tracked against the PfA toolkit. Please click on the link below for more information regarding Preparation for Adulthood (PfA)
https://www.ndti.org.uk/resources/preparing-for-adulthood-all-tools-resources
IMPACT (How do we know it is working well?)
As a result of the 6th from curriculum our students will have:
- Developed as learners showing evidence through appropriate accreditation in English and Maths along with the opportunity to pursue personal interests through flexible option routes.
- Developed socially, morally and be reflective future adults who will be active members of the Community.
- The ability to Communicate their feelings and wishes, thus taking more ownership of the choices they make now and in the future.
- Developed self-confidence, self-esteem and a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
- Shown progress through their personalised targets within their EHCP’s throughout their time in the 6th
- Built on existing skills showing progress in a wide range of contexts and settings including the local and wider Community.
- A better understanding of their Health and Wellbeing through access to physical activities and self-care routines.
- Become even more Independent through the application of the Preparation for Adulthood principles.
- Experienced meaningful work experience and have a good understanding of their next steps in employment either as a student, volunteer, employed or for our pre-formal students as an employer.