What can I study in the Bennett Sixth Form?

There are a very wide range of courses which students can study in the Bennett Memorial School Sixth Form. The vast majority of our Sixth Form courses are A level courses. In addition to A levels we offer three diploma courses, in digital media, sport and physical activity and health and social care. These diploma courses are the equivalent to two A levels. We also offer the Cambridge Technical in ICT, which is equivalent to studying one A level. It is normally expected that Bennett Sixth Form students will also complete a Level Three Extended Project in year 12.

You can view our courses using the navigation on the left of this page.

Linear A levels
Linear A levels are designed to be taught and learned over two years. All of the knowledge, understanding and skill that you learn will be assessed at the end of the course, at the end of Y13. In all A level subjects what you have learned will be assessed in a series of final examinations in the summer of 2024. At Bennett the only AS courses offered are a standalone mathematics AS and the Extended Project Qualification.

L3 Diploma Courses
Bennett offers three L3 Diploma courses, in digital media, sport and physical activity and health and social care. We also offer an OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate in ICT. In all cases the courses are studied over two years and students are expected to produce coursework which contributes to an assessed portfolio throughout both years of the course. There is also an examined element. Digital media, sport and physical activity and health
and social care courses take up the equivalent of two A levels of time in a student’s curriculum, ICT takes up the equivalent of one A level.

We offer the widest range of A Levels and other courses locally, which meets the needs of a full range of aspirations and interests. Find out more by watching the videos below.

The Bennett Sixth Form is built on success. The vast majority of Bennett students are at the School for seven years, and when they begin their Sixth Form, they do so having achieved outstanding GCSE results in year 11.

Those high expectations continue in the Sixth Form, where Bennett students achieve excellent A Level grades, including a large proportion with A*, A and B, in challenging academic subjects. This happens because of the school’s strong shared ethos and values, our absolute belief in the potential of every student to achieve, our expectations of hard work and commitment, excellent teaching, good pastoral care, careful monitoring and support and opportunities to take part in a wide range of co-curricular activities.

Those students aiming for high grades achieve them in the Bennett Sixth Form: our record of success is established. Ours is also an inclusive Sixth Form, and we offer the widest range of A Levels and other courses locally, which meets the needs of a full range of aspirations and interests.

At Bennett we believe that there is no ceiling on the hope that God gives us to lead fulfilled lives. The Bennett Careers Programme is underpinned by this; we aim to support each individual student to have a full understanding of the careers they may prepare for in their adult lives in the information, advice and guidance which is shared with them.

Our Careers Leader is Mrs Rebecca Malone, Assistant Head and Director of Sixth Form. She can be contacted by email [email protected] or by phone 01892 521595.

We believe our students are best prepared for the many different careers and jobs they may undertake as adults through our traditional, knowledge-based curriculum. Students also receive more bespoke information about the world of work and careers information through our PACE Curriculum in Y7 to Y11 and through our tutor time programme. We work with organisations such as BeReady and CTF Pathways to provide up to date and relevant information to students.

Alongside the taught provision in PACE lessons the academic year is punctuated by a range of specific events which focus on careers. This is particularly the case when our students reach the Sixth Form. Y12 students benefit from a Futures Day hosted in school in term 6. We welcome speakers from a wide range of universities and sectors of employment to speak to students at this event. Additionally, Y12 and Y13 students are able to listen to representatives from a range of apprenticeship providers at our annual Apprenticeship Evening. Please do get in touch with our Careers Leader Mrs Malone using the address above if you are interested to represent your organisation at these events or within our wider careers provision across the school.

Our Careers provision is summarised below:

• Visiting speakers provide exposure to the world of work.
• Developing work-place awareness and people skills through volunteering in the Duke of Edinburgh programme from year 9 onwards.
• A week of work experience in years 10 and 12.
• PACE programme covers personal health and social education necessary for working with others and employability as well as the citizenship aspects of economic self-sufficiency and contributing to the common good through work and tax contributions.
• Advice and guidance at year 8 into 9 and year 9 into 10 curriculum decisions’ evening. This includes consideration of the appropriate correlation between curriculum areas and careers.
• Y11 students have an individual advice and guidance appointment with a colleague with good knowledge of Careers, in order to support students to make informed decisions about their Sixth Form courses.
• Entrepreneurial opportunities promoted annually through the Young Enterprise Programme and annual assemblies.
• PACE programme in Y12 covers life after school and students write personal statements and compile qualification and experience portfolios.

Further information about the school’s careers programme can be accessed by contacting Mrs Rebecca Malone.

The impact and success of the careers programme can be seen in the school’s destination data. The school monitors the quality of its careers provision against the Gatsby benchmarks. Further information about this can be found here:

http://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance

Date for next review: November 2021