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WELCOME TO 6TH

WELCOME TO
OUR SIXTH FORM

Welcome to the Robert Napier Sixth Form. Our Sixth Form students are highly valued and an important part of our school community. We look to them to be leaders and role models, demonstrating excellence in all they do.

We know that choosing where and what to study after GCSEs is a very big decision, therefore, we are proud to offer our students the opportunity to study in a mature and supportive environment with dedicated specialist teachers. We offer a large and diverse set of Level 3 qualifications, which will consist of 16 subjects including Academic, Applied and Technical Awards. For further information regarding Performance Data, please click here.

To assist students both during their time here at Robert Napier, and after they leave us, we offer three clear areas of support: -

ACADEMIC

The primary support is academic. Advanced level study brings new challenges and expectations with a greater focus on independent learning and wider reading. We offer personalised support to each student through the Sixth Form Leadership Team, as well as through class teachers, tutors and pastoral teams to ensure that each student is equipped and able to meet those challenges head on.

NON-ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

Alongside the academic support provided to students with their three subjects, the non-academic enrichment programme includes high quality support with careers; offering advice and guidance on the next steps that our students take. Whether our students progress to higher education, apprenticeships or employment, we help them to develop the skills and experience that will allow them to achieve their goals and aspirations.

SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

Finally, we also understand the importance of an active and engaging social scene for our young adults. Therefore, in consultation with the Junior Leadership Team (JLT), we organise regular and wide-ranging activities to balance the stresses associated with Level 3 academic studies.

We believe that such a wide-ranging support package rivals most other Sixth Forms in the area and contributes to the development of well-rounded young people who can make meaningful contributions to society as a whole.

Mr G Bouffard

Head of Sixth Form

INTENT
IMPLEMENTATION &
IMPACT

INTENT

Our intention is to ensure students make outstanding progress and that the curriculum removes any potential barriers to learning. We want students to be able to follow their own interests and use their talents to the full and have designed a curriculum to enable this to happen.

We are ambitious for our students and ensure they have the knowledge and skills that will make them successful, not only in school, but in life.

It is our intention to ensure students have secure foundations for progression into Higher and Further education and Apprenticeships. From Year 7, students receive careers information with a clear focus on the Gatsby benchmarks.

IMPLEMENTATION

Students at Robert Napier follow a very broad and balanced curriculum. The Arts, Sport and Personal Development are valued highly.

Development of language and building knowledge are integral to curriculum planning. Subject Leaders, who are experts in their subjects, carefully construct a curriculum that promotes a deep understanding of a wide range of topics. Teachers plan learning that allows students to embed and recall knowledge through techniques such as interleaving of topics and spaced practice. This builds firm foundations for progression to the next level and exam success.

Extensive and appropriate support and challenge are embedded into our provision, ensuring at Key Stage 3 that students are emotionally ready to make excellent progress, and at Key Stage 4 that students are prepared for life after school through our alternative curriculum for selected students.

We are very pleased with our wide offer of vocational and academic qualifications in the Sixth Form– all at Level 3. 100% of our students who leave us at Post-18 leave with successful destinations, whether that be applying for university or higher-level apprenticeships and/or professions.

In addition to carefully constructed and challenging curricula plans, students also have opportunities to engage with enrichment activities, which are in addition to the taught lessons. Our Personal Development & Wellbeing programme continues with a focus on next steps and being able to be a contributing member of society. With a particular focus on oracy, wellbeing, personal development and British values.

IMPACT

Our students are ambitious and aspirational and ready to take their next steps. Nearly all students (over 98%) complete Key Stage 4 and engage in further education (usually staying in our Sixth Form), apprenticeships, or training, very few are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) at the point of leaving us. Over 70% of Sixth Form students go on to competitive universities, and nearly all others gain high quality jobs or apprenticeships.

In addition, we also see the impact of the wider curriculum by the number of opportunities offered and taken up by students. These include Bronze, Silver and (first time in 2019) Gold, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, sports teams, arts clubs, various musical opportunities, coding clubs and various trips far and near to generate an understanding of their position in the world and a further enjoyment of learning.

KEYSTAGE 5
DAY

Students joining the Sixth Form can study either 3 or 4 subjects and have the opportunity to engage in enrichment activities. Most students study a combination of Academic and Vocational qualifications. A typical student day would consist of registration with our Personal Development & Wellbeing programme, three taught lessons and two supervised study periods.

KEYSTAGE 5
SUBJECTS

DRESS
CODE

16-19
BURSARY

BACKGROUND

The 16-19 Bursary Funding Grant was introduced by the Government in September 2011/12, replacing the old EMA payments, and has since undergone some changes but the basic principle remains the same. Funding is ringfenced and should be used to provide financial support to young people who face significant financial barriers to participation in education or training post 16. There are 2 elements to the funding:

Vulnerable young people (those in care; care leavers; young people receiving Income Support and young people receiving both Disability Living Allowance and Employment Support Allowance) – up to £1200 per year
The rest of the fund is allocated to schools, colleges and training providers so that they can identify and support the young people who need it with a Discretionary Bursary.

REQUIREMENTS FOR 2025/2026

We need to ensure that our existing practices are compliant with the Funding guidance for the current Academic Year. We need to ensure we can provide full supporting evidence for each application and the award that is made is per the funding regulations document:

‘In all circumstances, the institution must retain original documents including, for example, attendance records, enrolment records and learning agreements. In considering how long these documents should be retained, all documentation that underpins funding claims or returns must be treated as financial and legal records.’

These are the core elements we need to comply with as per previous, and the revised 21/22 guidance:

The discretionary Bursary must now be supported by a School (Trust) Policy or Statement set in line with the new funding rules. It must identify how the fund will be used, the eligibility criteria, and any Terms and Conditions that are set. It must also be compliant with the Equality Act 2010.

Application forms must clearly state the criteria for making an application and the type of supporting evidence required. Deadline submission dates must be clear but flexible for in-year changes to circumstances. They must state awards are not guaranteed and include a declaration to be signed by the student/parents making them aware a false submission could result in prosecution.

Institutions must ensure they assess the individual students needs when awarding the Bursary funding on a case-by-case basis. We cannot make flat rate payments.

This also applies to Vulnerable Student payments who should only receive the amount they require to participate in their education programme and not just get the full £1200 because they fall into that category.

Eligibility Criteria must be clearly identified; supporting records, to evidence this has been reviewed and confirmed for each application, must be retained for inspection by auditors.

We should not make monetary payments to individuals as far as possible but should instead purchase the resources required on behalf of the students once they have been approved,

‘ESFA does not recommend that large or lump sum Bursary payments are made to students’

Any Bursary Funding Grant not spent within the year of allocation may be rolled forward to the next academic year but may not be carried forward for longer than 1 year. Unspent funding in excess of this period must be reported to the ESFA by 31st March each year and they will recover the unspent funding. enquiries.esfa@education.gov.uk

We are entitled to use up to 5% of our Bursary Funding to cover administrative costs

Students in receipt of Bursary Funding must be identified on the school census or by completing the ILR (Individualised Learner Record)

The Bursary Funding Grant and Allocations will now form part of the Annual Audit.

OTHER GENERAL

If in exceptional circumstances we need to make a payment to a student, this should be done via a BACs payment and only to the student’s own bank account. If the student cannot manage their own funds or is unable to administer their own bank account then in these exceptional circumstances, we need to ensure we are confident with whoever has been assigned to manage the Bursary on behalf of the student.

We should make payments conditional on agreed standards of attendance and behaviour

Payments should be stopped if a student is absent for 4 continuous weeks or more (excluding holiday periods) or have withdrawn from their programme of study.

Any complaints/disputes regarding bursary applications should follow the school’s own complaints procedure. The ESFA will only get involved if there is an allegation that the criteria or content of the Bursary Fund Guide 2021/22 is being disregarded.

We are able to draw down additional funding for Vulnerable Groups from the SBSS where we identify a new student who meets the criteria during the academic year, if required, but should offset with any unused funding where possible.

The DfE will be undertaking an annual survey to understand how institutions are using the funding and the effectiveness of the new methodology for the discretionary Bursary allocations.

Schools are responsible for investigating any instances of fraud in relation to Bursary Fund applications and if fraudulent or misleading information has knowingly been supplied and a payment made, it is the school’s responsibility to try to recover the payment from the student. Significant attempts of fraud should be reported to the ESFA.