A Sixth Form course is designed to develop maturity and a sense of responsibility within a framework where guidance is available and high standards are expected. All students are expected to maintain high standards of work, courtesy, and self-discipline and take a pride in their appearance. Poor attendance and or punctuality is not acceptable.
To ensure that every student maintains a good standard of work throughout his or her time at Oldbury Academy, we provide a number of support activities.
The Tutoring System
Every Sixth Form student will be part of a tutor group with an assigned tutor who has responsibility for overseeing their students’ progress. Discussing progress and working on applications to university or other destinations are undertaken in conjunction with the tutor and our dedicated Careers Manager. Our Student Welfare Officer additional support to students as and when needed. In addition, there is a Head of Sixth Form and an Assistant Head of Sixth Form who have overall responsibility for the welfare and academic progress of students.
Private Study
Some Sixth Form students will have a number of periods per week when they have no specific lesson commitment – this time is to be used for private study. The Sixth Form Hub is available for private study, and students are expected to ensure that everyone can study in a quiet and calm atmosphere. These sessions help students to organise themselves and make space for social activities at other times. Unlike the main school, the Sixth Form Hub is open until 5pm Monday to Thursday.
Monitoring and Target Setting
Each student is set a series of personalised target grades based on their previous academic performance. Achievement against these targets is compared to actual performance on a regular basis. Where current achievement is below the target, a series of study strategies are agreed to ensure that necessary progress is made. This process ensures that students are focused throughout their course; that they remain well motivated and retain a sense of realism about their academic performance and possible career options.