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Sixth Form

Personal Development Programme

Personal Development Programme

By the end of Key Stage 5 many of our students will be leaving home for the first time and preparing themselves for living independently. The personal development programme in tutor time and form period aims to prepare students with the habits needed for success in their current studies, whilst also preparing them for a life beyond school both academically, personally, and professionally. Over the course of the two-year programme students will be prepared with through the following topics.

Unit

Content

The A Level Mindset

Students will be prepared for the transitions between phases, and equipped with the study strategies of high performing students:

  • Year 12 induction programme, delivering sessions on the study habits of successful students to reinforce the message of effective working practices.
  • Making the leap from GCSE to A Level.
  • Leadership and public speaking at Stretford Grammar School.
  • Effective revision and retrieval practice
  • Taking notes and plagiarism
  • Making the leap to Year 13
  • Stress, sleep and the emotional side of learning
  • Responding to failure
  • Post mock action planning

Post 18 Preparation

We will start preparing students for making informed choices about the next stages in life beyond the Sixth Form. This includes:

  • Super and extra-curricular activities
  • Types of University and Apprenticeships
  • The UCAS application process
  • Personal statement writing
  • Practising job interviews
  • UCAS final checks
  • Proof reading and standard English
  • Interview language and practice
  • Making the firm choice for UCAS
  • Applying for student finance
  • Results Day
  • Student budgeting
  • Life at university including making informed decision about safety, health and relationships
  • Gaps years and volunteering
  • Apprenticeships

Professional Values

An important part of our ethos is our preparation for the professional world of work. To prepare for the work place we cover topics such as:

  • Sexual Harassment and the importance of challenging harmful behaviour
  • The Equality Act 2010 and the workplace
  • Respect and workplace policies including data protection, harassment, cyber security
  • Rights and Responsibilities at work including the role of trade unions
  • Applying for work experience and writing a CV
  • Responding the job market
  • Professional ethics
  • Applying for postgraduate jobs and employability
  • Safe online footprints
  • Work experience (students are expected to undertake this at the end of Year 12)

Life Beyond School

To equip students to prepare them for the demands of life in modern, diverse Britain we ensure students are familiar with such issues as:

  • Misinformation and fake news
  • Political parties and democracy
  • What makes a good argument
  • Safe travel
  • Child safeguarding, grooming and radicalisation
  • Mental health and seeking support
  • Adult finance – mortgages, debt, credit, insurance
  • Mental health at university
  • Personal safety at university
  • Gambling and debt
  • Coercive control and healthy relationships
  • Homophobia
  • Challenging stereotypes
  • Safe driving

Global Issues

To build students’ cultural awareness of current affairs, and to give the opportunity for discussion around global issues, we take a sample of contemporary topics and provide a forum for students to explore these and to understand the facts behind the headlines. These vary according to current world events but has included Srebrenica Remembrance and Genocide Awareness, and the Conflict in Ukraine.

Academic Talk

We believe that public speaking is important both professionally and academically. Conveying ideas to others is an important aspect of life in post 18 education and the world of work. Students will participate in discussions around scheduled Tedtalks during our Friday tutor time schedules, and students will also deliver a presentation on an academic or personal topic of their choice.

Leadership

Our Sixth Formers are inevitably role models for the rest of the community. Being a school means there are plenty of opportunities to develop the necessary qualities to lead others.

Last year the vast majority of our Sixth Form undertook at least one leadership role within the community. These have included, but are not limited to:

  • The Sixth Form Leadership Team led by our Head Students
  • The Model UN https://www.un.org/en/mun
  • School Council Leaders
  • Subject Mentors
  • Reading Mentors
  • ISOC
  • Charities representatives
  • Mental Health First Aiders
  • #beeheard leaders

Outside Speakers

Students will listen to outside speakers as part of this programme. These speakers will vary but will also include professionals in the world of work and apprenticeship providers.

Speakers/Events that have, or will take place this year, for the current Sixth Form are:

Gambling with Lives https://www.gamblingwithlives.org/

Safe Drive Stay Alive (visit to Middleton Arena to learn about the consequences of unsafe driving) https://safedrivegm.co.uk/

Domestic Violence and Coercive Control (Sarah’s Story) https://innovativeenterprise.co.uk/portfolio/domestic-violence-sarahs-legacy/

The role of trade unions – guest speakers from Unison

Political parties and democracy – local councillor representatives from the Green Party, the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour

Democracy – Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Speaker of the House of Commons

Qaisra Shahraz MBE - founder and executive director of the Muslim Arts and Culture Festival and Muslim Women’s Arts Foundation.

The importance and value of volunteering for all – Muslims Around the World charity https://matwproject.org/

HE+ Higher Education Conference held at Old Trafford

Just Like Us https://www.justlikeus.org/