For parents with children leaving school next year, navigating the world of further education can be difficult. With so many routes to choose from, it’s important to find a provider that can help them study towards their future aspirations and gain the confidence they need to thrive.
Offering 26 courses, Newent Community Sixth Form does exactly that and much more. Students can choose to study A-Level and BTEC courses in a range of subjects, including mathematics, sociology, psychology, media studies and health and social care And the Sixth Form also offers a Level 3 Cambridge Technical qualification in Information Technology. The Sixth Form also offers Cambridge Technical qualifications with a great range of subjects.
Academically more than half of the student body achieved A*- C passes in 2023 and there was a 100 per cent pass rate for vocational courses.
Dedicated teaching
Ian McCarthy is the Director of Sixth Form along with Deputy Director Ian Britten. Both are vastly experienced Sixth Form leaders.
Mr McCarthy said: “One of the strengths of Newent Community Sixth Form is the broad range of subjects on offer for the students. We run traditional A Level subjects as well as BTEC and the Cambridge Technical qualification.
“In recent years we have had students accessing a variety of courses and vocations – ranging from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Russell Group Universities and apprenticeships. This year we have a student in the process of joining pilot flight school!’’
Open Evening
Parents and prospective pupils can come along to the Sixth Form Opening Evening on January 18, 2024, between 6pm and 8pm. They can meet the Sixth Form teaching staff and current pupils. Most students stay with the school from Year 11 but more and more are joining the Sixth Form.
Serving Newent and its surrounding villages, as well as Gloucester, the Forest of Dean, and Herefordshire, Newent Community Sixth Form is very special, with small class sizes, allowing teachers to know their students.
It also has academy status and offers many opportunities for pupils who strive for excellence and achieve a great set of results. For 58 years students have thrived in this incredibly caring environment thanks to the school’s HEART values (honesty, excellence, accountability, respect and teamwork) and today is no different.
With more than 70 students, Newent Community Sixth Form boasts excellent facilities, a high standard of teaching, and brilliant pastoral support for learners. Students are given all of the help they need to help them progress to their next steps in education, including career advice and guidance on university, training and employment opportunities.
Personal development
Outside of the classroom, the students are given a wide range of opportunities for personal development. The Duke of Edinburgh Award at Gold Level is available to all Sixth Form students including the opportunity to carry out their assessed expedition in Norway.
Furthermore, the Sixth Form Student Leadership team plays an active role in student voice delivering assemblies to the main body of the school, fundraising for charities and also arranging visits to a local care home.
This year Sixth Form students have also carried out work within the Newent Community. Recently the Sixth Form student leadership team organised a visit to Sheppard House that gave a group of students from Year 7 to 10 the opportunity to support their activity hour visitors in a range of ways from playing dominoes, card games, puzzles and even joining in with their group activity dancing to George Ezra.
The Sixth Form student leadership team have also raised hundreds of pounds for Breast Cancer Awareness and Children in Need through bake sales selling their home-cooked goods.
Testimonials
Students who attended the Sixth Form have also left glowing testimonials about their courses, teachers and resources at the school.
One pupil said: “I joined Newent Sixth Form because after attending secondary school here I knew that I could not find friendly faces, excellent teachers and better resources elsewhere.”
Another said: “Joining Newent Sixth Form in Year 12 from a different school has been a brilliant decision. The teaching staff have been very supportive, enabling me to settle in and feel comfortable in the environment.”
Mr McCarthy added: “We support students with their future aspirations and drive them to achieve the very best academically to give them the best platform for life after Sixth Form.’’
The full breadth and richness of the school’s approach was also recently recognised as it renewed its status as a Music Mark School, thanks to its high-quality music education provision. Sporting alumni, meanwhile, include Wales and Lions rugby player Alex Cuthbert, Plymouth Argyle footballer and captain Joe Edwards, fellow professional and former Wales under-21 international Stuart Fleetwood, and Vicky Holland, a Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning triathlete.
For more information
To celebrate its success and showcase opportunities for future students Newent Community Sixth Form will be hosting an open day on January 18, 2024. To find out more about what’s on offer for prospective students ring (01531) 820550 or email: [email protected]
To find out more about what Newent Community School has to offer for your child head to the website.
