Life at ATA Sixth Form
Student life at the Academy is vibrant and goes hand in hand with high aspirations and expectations. The emphasis is on achievement through dedicated teaching with strong pastoral support. We recognise that transition into the sixth form can be challenging as well as exciting and full of opportunities. To help you in this process we ensure that you have a full range of support services available to you such as one to one interviews as well as open access to our sixth form advisory team.
An environment to excel
Ashcroft aims to provide for you the best possible working atmosphere. Students attend our sixth form to achieve good grades and this is certainly what they do. It is therefore important to set the right ambience for learning. Students can work undisturbed in the study centre or more informally in the baseroom. In addition there are 2 libraries providing additional study facilities and an art studio for those taking A level/IB art. Students have a responsibility to work, and a right not to be disturbed. To encourage a work ethic, in addition to rules and regulations there are incentives to study apart from the key one which is self motivation to succeed.
We have a “student of the week” award and credit students with vouchers for the time they spend in designated study areas, including the art studio.
Extracurricular opportunities
In Ashcroft Sixth Form so much learning takes place outside the classroom through student independent learning and a range of enrichment activities which comprise the super curriculum. There are those enrichment activities that are specifically linked to curriculum areas and those that are focused on developing a wider range of personal and social skills. These are some examples of subject enrichment:
Art: UCL Accelerate in Architecture, The Saatchi ARTiculate and Art competitions, and the Courtauld History of Art 3 day course experiencing life at a leading university.
Biology: Speed Networking to understand varying university and career progression opportunities
Business Studies and Economics: Leadership and management training workshops. Opportunities to enable and enhance the skills of thinking strategically and planning effectively through a series of team based activities.
Chemistry: Spectroscopy in a Suitcase linking theoretical and practical chemistry
Computing and ICT: Visit to Institute of Education, University of London, Big Hitters lectures featuring major ICT / technology organisations and companies.
Performing Arts: ‘The Platform’ and ‘A Night at the Movies’ to enable students to organise and perform in live concerts.
English: Corpus Christi essay writing to support university applications
Geography: Visits to Iceland and Morocco to enable students to live geography in unique environments
Government and Politics: Visits to Parliament to experience practical politics
History: Visits to National Archives to develop independent research skills
Law: Law debating group and the production of the Ashcroft Law Journal.
Mathematics: STEP activities involving higher level problem solving in preparation for Oxbridge applications
Modern Foreign Languages: French cinema to experience and practice translation through subtitles and dubbing.
Physics: British Physics Olympiad linking physics to real world physics applications using creativity and problem solving.
Psychology and Sociology: Enrichment conference and visit to Vienna to enable students to gain a firsthand insight into the founding of psychology and a deeper understanding of socialisation and identity.
Travel and Tourism: Visit to British Airways to gain a deeper understanding of customer service provision including coping with hazards
These are some examples of enrichment opportunities to encourage development of a wider range of personal and social skills:
Nike training club focusing on high intensity training to help empower females
Model United Nations to promote international mindedness and conflict resolution
Debating Matters to help students develop presentation and research skills and make “think on their feet”
Paired reading and mentoring programmes with students in the lower school to develop communication and empathy skills
Taking part in choir, musical ensemble, music lessons and use of the recording studio
Careers morning for girls to embolden and empower girls to achieve, aspire and improve self-confidence
Visits to Poland to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of world events including the holocaust, to Kenya to assist with projects to provide better education for children and to Iceland and Morocco to experience Geography 'in reality'!