Handbook for Students

2009-2010

Congratulations on taking the first steps to a better future. Towers Sixth is one of the largest and most successful sixth forms in Kent offering a wide range of courses to suit all needs.

You are about to embark on a challenging programme of learning. The more you get involved with the sixth form here, the more you will achieve both academically and socially. Our committed and extremely professional staff are always on hand to assist and support you in your future goals. Our aim is to enable you to achieve the qualifications and develop the skills you need to leave here with the best possible opportunities for your next steps, whether it is University, further study or full time employment.

The following pages will give you details about the support we offer you and also guidelines for the behaviour and conduct we expect. Please ensure you sign and return the contract in this booklet.

TERM DATES

· Term 1 – Mon 7^th Sept** – Fri 23^rd Oct

· Term 2 – Mon 2^nd Nov – Wed 18^th Dec

· Term 3 – Mon 4^th Jan – Fri 12^th Feb

· Term 4 – Mon 22^nd Feb – Fri 1^st Apr

· Term 5 – Mon 19^th Apr – Fri 28^th May (May Bank Holiday Mon 3^rd May)

• Term 6 - Mon 7^th June – Fri 22^nd July

** Please be aware that this is a flexible start date – you will be notified by letter what time/day you are expected to attend.

PERSONAL ADVISOR

As a student in the Towers Sixth, you will be allocated to an Advisory group with your own Personal Advisor. Your Advisor is there to provide support for you throughout your time here in the sixth form. It is compulsory to attend advisory time each and every day at 10.35am as this will be the main way of communicating important information to you and taking a register of your attendance. Assemblies take place on Mondays in the Enterprise Centre in advisory time.

LEARNING COMMUNITIES

If you are staying on at Towers you will hopefully stay in your current Learning Community. If you are joining us for the first time you will be assigned to a Learning Community of either Harvey, Weil, Barton or Furley. There will be a number of Learning Community events/activities throughout the year.

COURSE CHOICES

Most of you will have already made your course choices but some of these may change as a result of your results in August. You will only be able to start a level 3 course if you have four or five grade C’s in different subjects. If this is not the case then we will arrange a programme of study that will enable you to gain more skills and qualifications to go onto a Level 3 course the next year.

It is important that once you have started your courses in September you are happy with your choices. You will be allowed until the middle of September to change your mind, but after this time you will have to stay on the course for the full academic year.

ACADEMIC PROGRESS

Your academic progress will be monitored very closely you will receive an annual report and a review every term that will give your current grade and Attitude to Learning. If you fail to show the dedication and commitment to your studies then we reserve the right to charge you the examination fees to sit the subject.

TARGET GRADES

In order to give you a minimum target grade in every subject you are studying, you will need to bring a copy of your exam certificates with you on the first day. You may also need to take a new CATs assessment test at the start of September. This is not a test you can revise for but is designed to help give you and your teachers set some targets to work towards. It is vital that you complete this test.

UNIVERSITY AND CAREERS

Mr. Davis is the Aim Higher and Life Choices Mentor. If you are considering going on to University at the end of your time here you should see him for advice and guidance with the process of applying. Mr Davis will also give you advice on your career aspirations and put you in contact with additional agencies such as Connexions who may be able to assist further.

EXAMINATIONS

The school will pay for your examination entries. It will also pay for you to take one re-sit. If you wish to re-sit the examination more than once then you will be charged to do so. It is imperative that you attend all your examinations. Failure to do so will result in you being charged for the examination fees.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT + AEN PROVISION

Should you feel the need to speak to someone other than your Advisor about a problem you are having (not necessarily about your work) you can speak to Mrs. Baldock who is located in the room adjacent to the Study Room. If you have additional needs and have received help in the past, we will try to continue this during your 6^th Form education. Mrs. Baldock will attempt to arrange for your needs to be met.

HEAD BOY/GIRL ROLES (and Deputy/Assistant roles)

· To act as a role model for the whole of the school and to promote the ethos of the school

· To lead the team of ‘lead students’.

· To perform one duty per week and to arrange the duty rota

· To represent the school at events and open evenings

· To monitor the performance of the ‘lead students’ and bring any problems to the Ho 6^th

· To encourage and assist in organising events for the 6^th form and school as a whole

SMOKING

The school has a no smoking policy. If you wish to smoke you may do so outside of school. You are requested to walk down the Faversham Road, but MUST NOT congregate outside the school gates. If you are seen smoking on the school site you may be told to remain at home until an interview can be arranged with the Ho6^th to discuss this issue.

DUTY TEAMS

Each advisory will be on a rota for ensuring that the 6^th form area is kept clean and tidy at key points in the day. You will be expected to be available to assist your advisory at break, lunch and after school (for 5 minutes) ensuring that there is no litter in any of the rooms upstairs and that all the seats are replaced under desks. Of course if people are considerate with their litter and replacing their chairs you will have little or nothing to do in these times!

DRESS CODE

We want to give you the chance to be treated like young adults along with some freedom of choice in your dress code. However, we feel it is important to set some guidelines. You should wear SMART CASUAL clothing and there are to be no beach shorts or combat trousers for boys and for girls, skirts and shorts must be an appropriate length.

NON-CONTACT TIMES

Research, coursework and homework are a vital part of your studies, due to the structure of your timetable you will see that you have several ‘free’ periods throughout the week. These periods should be used to further your progress. Please take full advantage of the time allotted to further study as experience has shown us that those who do not utilise this time well tend to have to rush doing their coursework etc at the end of the year and this has had an impact on their grades.

Those of you on level 3 courses should expect to devote approximately 5+ hours per week per subject and those on level 2 courses should be prepared to spend 3+ hours per subject per week.

STUDY ROOM

The sixth form Study room is quiet place for work only. It should be used for study and not as a social area. To protect the computers please ensure there is no eating or drinking in the room at any time. Please respect others in the room who are trying to concentrate. Chairs should be put back under desks after use. Mobile phones must be turned off and MP3 players must not disturb others. It is not an extension of the common room so please do not treat it as such.

COMMON ROOM

You will be expected to keep the common room tidy. Remember that it is an environment used by all sixth formers and therefore please be responsible for your own rubbish. Please do not take any food or drinks out of the common room area, as this becomes a health and safety issue. We have invested a lot of money in a new facility for you this year, please respect it otherwise we will be forced to close it or withdraw the facilities we provide for you.

STUDENT COUNCIL and STUDENT VOICE

The Student Council has been created to give students a voice. As a Student Council member you will have an opportunity to represent your peers and discuss issues that are of interest. You will have a forum where your views will be listened to and you will contribute to decisions made about your sixth form. We will also conduct on-line surveys to gather your views and improve our provision for you.

INTERACT

Here at Towers 6^th we believe in sending you into the world of HE or work as a well-rounded person. We run a charitable enterprise called Interact in conjunction with the local Rotary Club. Not only does this give you valuable experience outside of the school setting, but also gives you something to add to your CV that will impress your potential employer/university.

PLANNER

On your first day you will be given a complimentary planner/diary for you to note down homework/coursework assignments and ensure that you are fully aware of the work assigned to you and the date it is due.

TOWERS SIXTH TEAMS

We encourage all of you to join a Towers Sixth Team. These are run for students, by students in order to give you the opportunity to enrich the school, sixth form and yourselves – as well as being a good item to add to a CV!

This is your opportunity to get involved in such things as social events planning, the yearbook committee or things like recycling or running charitable events. If a team does not exist for something you feel strongly about then you are encouraged to create your own.

PARKING

Currently there is NO provision for parking on the school grounds. Pupils who drive to school will have to park in the roads nearby. Unauthorised cars found to be parked in reserved bays or blocking the access roads will be clamped or towed away. Please note that the visitor’s bays are for visitors not pupils.

TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES

There are many trips arranged throughout the year and in addition there are several social gatherings such as the Christmas party and the summer ball. Keep an eye on the notice boards and make sure you attend your advisory to keep up with what’s happening and when.

SPORTING FACILITIES

In addition to plenty of after school clubs you will be allowed several sessions a week to use the gym and astro-turf. See the PE staff for further details.

PLAGARISM

It is essential that all of your coursework is your own effort. Copying parts or even all of someone else’s work is called plagiarism, and if you are caught you will be marked down or even disqualified. Copying from any of these sources is considered plagiarism:

· The internet/Books/Computer programs/Your friends or family

Sharing research and ideas is ok but you must write up the assignment yourself. Quoting from others work is ok but you must always say where it comes from and who wrote it.

FIRE ALARM

If you hear the fire alarm you must:

· Stop what you are doing immediately

· Listen to the instructions given to you by your teacher if you are in a lesson

· Leave the building by the nearest safe exit

· Make your way to the assembly point designated by your teacher

· Do not run

· Do not re-enter the building

· If you are in the study room or common room you must make your way to the tennis courts and await a member of staff who will take charge of you and ensure you are registered.

MOBILE PHONES AND MP3’S

The use of mobile phones and MP3 players during lessons and in the study room is strictly forbidden. Not only is it rude but it is also distracting to other pupils, the teacher and also distracting YOU!

Now for the heavy bit……..!

Attendance to all lessons and advisory sessions is compulsory and vital to your academic progress. According to Government statistics if you miss 3 weeks (15 days) of lessons over the year your grade could drop by up to 18% and if you miss 5 weeks (25 days) of lessons your grade may possibly drop by up to 33%. Your attendance will be monitored on an ongoing basis and an attendance report published every term. Attendance at lessons must be at 95% or higher or your place in the sixth form may be jeopardised and you could be asked to pay for your own exam fees. Unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with in a similar way to the attendance procedure outlined below. If you are unwell and are unable to come to school, please telephone the school by 8.45am on every day of absence: 01233 634171 x209 (Mrs. Lawman) If at any time during the day you need to leave school due to illness etc. please see Mrs Lawman and make sure you sign out at the sixth form reception desk. You must bring a letter from your Parent/Guardian to explain you absence on your first day back.

ATTENDANCE MONITORING - 5 STAGE PROCESS EXPLANATION

Should a teacher, Head of department or your advisor feel that you are not attending your lessons or that your effort has fallen below an acceptable standard, you will be placed on the 5 stage process:

Should these steps not result in an improvement we reserve the right to remove you from the Sixth Form. as you can see you will be given quite a few chances to conform to the rules. Please be aware that conforming for a few weeks will not re-set you to stage 1. Should you have been on stage 3, for example, and been ok for a few months before letting yourself slide back into bad habits, you will start again on stage 4!

Contract, to be signed by student and parent and returned to Mr Leddington – Head of sixth Form

We........................._(Name)............................................. (student)

..............................._(Name)............................................ (parent/carer)

have read and agree to follow the rules and guidelines published in the above Student Guide. We agree that any breach of the rules may result in a loss of privileges, detention or exclusion.

In addition to the rules listed in the Induction Guide we also agree to the following:

· I agree to attend all my examinations

· We agree not to take holidays during term times

· We agree attendance is to be at 95% or higher (unless authorised by absence notes)

· I agree to attend Advisories and Assemblies, Flexible Learning Days and PSHE days

· We agree to let the school know before 8.45am on every day of my absence

· We agree that all coursework deadlines must be met

· I agree to attend any work placements when required to do so for vocational courses

Failure to comply with any of the above could result in us being charged for examination fees and my position in the sixth form being jeopardised.

Signed.......................................................................Student Date.....................................

Signed.......................................................................Parent/Carer Date..............................

Map – Ground Floor:

Timetable

	Period 1 (8.55 – 9.45)	Period 2 (9.45 – 10.35)	Period 3 (10.35 -10.55)	Period 4 (11.15-12.05)	Period 5 (12.05-12.55)	Period 6 (13.45-14.35)	Period 7 (14.35-15.25)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Timetable

	Period 1 (8.55 – 9.45)	Period 2 (9.45 – 10.35)	Period 3 (10.35 -10.55)	Period 4 (11.15-12.05)	Period 5 (12.05-12.55)	Period 6 (13.45-14.35)	Period 7 (14.35-15.25)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday