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Ofsted Good Rating

Student Support 

In the sixth form, students value the level of tailored support and guidance that they receive from staff about all aspects of their learning and development.

- Ofsted

At The Sutton Academy Sixth Form, we are very proud of the support and sense of community we offer our students, and we believe it is this which sets us apart from other providers. In a recent survey of our student body, 99% of young people felt that the academy helped them settle well into the sixth form and sixth form work.

Course Guidance 

Course Guidance:

During the application process to join our Sixth Form, all students receive extensive support and guidance to ensure they choose the right course for them which will support them in achieving their career aspirations and interests.   This includes Destination Interviews with a member of the Academy Leadership Team followed by an opportunity to experience sixth form life and to sample lessons.  

Academic Mentoring 

Every student within our Sixth Form follows an academic mentoring programme with a dedicated and experienced member of staff. Students meet their mentor at least twice per half term, with a view to supporting them to reach their full academic potential.

Students and parents receive tracking updates on how they are performing in their individual subjects regularly, as well as ongoing feedback from teachers on how to improve their grades.

Attend to Attain 

We believe excellent attendance to Sixth Form is vital, as it prepares students for the future, as well as ensuring that they are given the best possible chance to achieve in their studies. Nationwide statistics show that for every percentage a young person’s attendance drops, the lower the chance of them achieving their target grades. As such, attendance is a key focus of mentoring appointments, and students are made aware of their own attendance record every four weeks with a follow up conversation with a member of staff to look at reason for absence and strategies to improve. Any student who is absent for any reason has two weeks to catch up the work they have missed with support from their teachers.

Applying for University 

Any student wishing to apply for university needs to apply through UCAS. Introduction to UCAS begins in the Spring Term of Year 12, with drop in sessions, university visits, Higher Education Week, and support with completion of the application form right up until the January deadline in Year 13. 

Students attend 4 bespoke workshops in collaboration with Shaping Futures and University of Liverpool throughout the year.  They also provide revision skills sessions along with study sessions.  

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement supports your application to study at a university or college. It’s a chance for you to articulate why you’d like to study a particular course or subject, and what skills and experience you possess that show your passion for your chosen field.

How to write it

Your personal statement should be unique, so there’s no definite format for you to follow here – just take your time. Here are some guidelines for you to follow, but remember your personal statement needs to be ‘personal’.

  • Write in an enthusiastic, concise, and natural style – nothing too complex.
  • Try to stand out, but be careful with humour, quotes, or anything unusual – just in case the admissions tutor doesn't have the same sense of humour as you.
  • Structure your info to reflect the skills and qualities the universities and colleges value most – use the course descriptions to help you.
  • Check the character and line limit – you have 4,000 characters and 47 lines. Some word processors get different values if they don’t count tabs and paragraph spacing as individual characters.
  • Proofread aloud, and get your teachers, advisers, and family to check. Then redraft it until you’re happy with it, and the spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct.