Sixth Form Student Leadership

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

All students will have the opportunity to undertake additional roles and to become involved in the rich and varied nature of the school community.

THE SIXTH FORM LEADERSHIP GROUP

The team of Sixth Form Leaders provides leadership within the Sixth Form and the school in general. To be part of the Sixth Form Leadership Group is a well-earned privilege, and applications and appointments are made soon after October ½ Term in Year 12. All who show initiative and enthusiasm are encouraged to apply.

The posts are: Senior Ambassador, Peer Mentor, Peer Educators, Reading Ambassador, Club + Societies Ambassador, Younger Years Mentors, Working Party Ambassador and Breakfast Club Ambassador

PEER-MENTORS

We have strong ethos of community spirit at The Douay Martyrs captured by ‘Walk With Me’. Therefore, we encourage Sixth Formers to become mentors as this not only allows them to contribute to The Douay Community but also allows them to gain several transferable skills such as empathy, communicating and prioritising. Students have the opportunity to become a Reading, Mental Health, Math and Pastoral Mentor, for which they will be provided comprehensive training for.

SUBJECT REPS

In the Autumn term of Year 12 students are encouraged to apply to represent one of their subjects as a Subject Rep. The new Year 12 students in September are encouraged to seek subject specific advice and support from these Subject Reps who are then in Year 13. Core Subject areas have an expectation that these reps also set up Clubs for KS3 and KS4 students for subject support.

Extracurricular opportunities

The Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School Sixth Form provides a huge range of extra-curricular opportunities in the Sixth Form. One of the main features is that Sixth Form students are encouraged to help lead and run clubs and societies, both within the Sixth Form and for students in the lower school. New initiatives of this kind are always valued.

Sport, music, drama, debating, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise are just some of the opportunities on offer.

Sixth Form sports teams play regular fixtures against other local schools, and the highlights of House Music, House Cultural Day and Sports Day are also eagerly anticipated each year. Again Sixth Form students play a key role in leading these House events.

Opportunities to work with younger students as mentors in literacy, numeracy and anti-bullying will be publicised or students approached directly.

Further details of extra-curricular opportunities shall be published on the Sixth Form notice board.

Prep

Students who are not performing as expected against their target grade on each tracking – shall be expected to attend Prep (extended school hours and Timetabled supervised study periods). This period of Prep runs between tracking periods. Subject guidance is given by subject teachers to enable progress to be made. Only on their recommendation are students released from Prep.  Prep can also take place in periods where students are not timetabled for a subject lesson, and this independent study session can be turned into a supervised study session.

Driving to school

Students who wish to drive a car, motor-cycle, scooter or moped to school must do so at their own risk.  Note – there are no parking options on the school premises.

Paid employment

Many Sixth Form students seek some employment either in the evenings or at the weekends. Balancing this with studying proves difficult for some students, but the time management skills involved are important. This is especially true for those who will go on to university where similar arrangements are likely.

We recommend that students work no more than 4 hours per week in order to ensure that their studying is not adversely affected. This figure has been shown in national studies to be about the maximum most students can sustain whilst still achieving their academic potential.

Remember that your future employments and earnings potential are much more dependent on your academic qualifications than on your part time job. Do you want an extra £20 a week now or an extra couple of hundred pounds a week in the future?

Under no circumstances should students be doing paid work during school hours, 8.30am - 3.40pm, Monday – Friday.