Views From The Common Room
“Students are incredibly proud to be part of the school’s Sixth Form. They particularly value the strong relationships that they have forged with their peers and the staff.”
OFSTED 2023
INTRODUCTION
Choosing Tarporley Sixth Form College is a decision that you won’t regret. This section of the website is written by our current students for our prospective students and gives you a real insight into the day to day life of our Sixth Form.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SIXTH FORM STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM
Here at Tarporley Sixth Form, student life is very much valued and student wellbeing is of paramount importance. The smaller class sizes and close-knit community means that there is a friendly, inviting environment throughout the College. From the inter-tutor rivalries during the sporting events, to the amusing costumes on dress up day, the experience you will have at Tarporley is like no other.
As Student Life Leads, we are here to help your move from High School into Sixth Form as smooth and easy as possible. Below, we have gathered advice from current students, it will offer a real insight into student life at Tarporley. We’ve included information about the university application process (UCAS), volunteering opportunities, extra-curricular clubs, study periods and frees, charity week, our Conway residential, leavers prom, DofE, sport, mental health support and the Sixth Form Magazine, TERM.
STUDY PERIODS
Over the course of your 2-week timetable, you will have 9 registered study periods where you are required to stay on site and use the study room to complete homework, revise, and work on your UCAS application. These are here to help guide your study, and there will be some flexibility for Year 13s to use this time to work from home. Taking place in the study room in the sixth form building, these periods are extremely beneficial and key in getting ahead in your A-Level subjects.
FREE PERIODS
Different to study periods, free periods offer the opportunity to relax, leave the college site and go into the village. We also have the sixth form common room, with sofas, a TV, a range of games (including chess, Uno and connect 4), the café and outdoor area, where you can spend your free time. You are not required to work during these periods, however, you may choose to study, especially in the lead up to assessments and exams. Over the two-week timetable, you will have an average of 12 hours of free time.
SIXTH FORM EVENTS
DRESS UP DAY
Every year just before the Christmas holidays, we host a Sixth Form Fancy Dress Day. A day which is highly anticipated in the Sixth Form calendar with students preparing and planning their outfit many weeks before. It is such a fun day, with lots of laughs. We even make it lightly competitive and there is an award for the best costume of the year.
CHARITY WEEK
Every year, Sixth Form dedicates a whole week to raising money and organising activities in order to raise money for charities chosen by the students themselves. These activities include the infamous ‘Sixth Form valet day’ auctions, where the lower school has the opportunity to bid to have a Sixth Former follow them around for the day, doing whatever they want. Another activity that consistently raises lots of money is the Sixth Form dress up dress down day, where you’ll have the opportunity to come to College dressed either in your pyjamas (dress down), or dressed to the nines (dress up). Year after year these events raise lots of money for the chosen charities, as well as having a laugh along the way!
CONWAY RESIDENTIAL
Many others and I would agree that the Conwy trip was extremely important for making friends and having a smooth transition to the Sixth Form. The wide array of team building exercise provides a judgment free environment for introduction and conversation. Not only this, but the amount of free time that the teachers allow the Sixth Form Students means that you can relax with your friends between the different activities. The Conwy centre also offers a wide array of different experiences so there will always be something that will suit you!
YEAR 13 PROM
The Prom is a perfect end to your two-year journey here at Tarporley Sixth Form. Planned and organised by the Prom Committee and Mrs Helsby, the beautiful, scenic venue is Peckforton Castle and our students and staff always have a wonderful evening. With awards, gifts, a meal and a beautifully decorated room, the Prom gives all students a marvellous memory and the chance to say a final farewell!
MENTAL HEALTH
As Mental Health Leads we’re here to support you with your wellbeing and any difficulties that you may face, recently having put together a team which will undertake Mental First Aid training provided by CAMHS. We’re also committed to raising the awareness of Mental Health and this is a regular feature of our PSHE Days. We also support a number of Mental Health Charities, including the George Heath Foundation and Young Minds #HellloYellow day.
VOLUNTEERING
During Year 12, the school gave us as Sixth Formers the opportunity to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities through a ‘Careers Fair’. There was an assortment of events and volunteer groups available for us to apply to. Iddenshall Care Home was the one I chose. I volunteered in the Care Home on a weekly basis. As a result of this experience, it has given me a greater understanding of the care system, as well as allowing me to gain valuable work experience. There are so many benefits which came from my time at Iddenshall, the most significant being the transferrable skills I have acquired whilst working there, such as patience and dedication. This gave me plenty to talk in my personal statement for my UCAS application. I would encourage everybody to take advantage of such events.
KELSALL WELLBEING HUB PARTICIPATION GROUP
For the last few years, Tarporley Sixth Form students have had an active research and task group which carries out the work requested by Kelsall Wellbeing Hub. This centres around improving the wellbeing and mental health of young people in our community. Students have conducted research, surveys and presented to the board of trustees. The effect of this work has led to the creation of clubs and the introduction of a beautiful garden as well as a great volunteering opportunity for our students.
NOTABLE ENRICHMENT COURSES
Tarporley Sixth Form run a series of enrichment courses, throughout the year, that fit into the Wednesday afternoon enrichment programme. These include: British Sign Language, First Aid and mental health first aid courses and a Teaching English as a foreign language course.
BAR MOCK TRIAL
Bar Mock Trial is a national competition and regarded as very prestigious by universities. It has been identified as a unique enrichment opportunity for those students who are looking to study Law or, for any participants, to boost their extracurricular participation and soft skills. Students who take part are encouraged to think critically, build arguments and boost their confidence. Through enabling students to interact with legal professionals, the competition helps develop employability skills. The experience will help students develop a sound knowledge and understanding of the role of Law and the justice system in our society. The regional event takes place at Chester Crown Court.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
DEBATE CLUB
Debate club is the perfect opportunity to learn how to form a compelling argument, improve you critical thinking, and gain confidence in public speaking. In this volatile climate it is more important than ever that we educate ourselves on the topical issues, for example, systemic racism, climate change and religion. It is crucial we challenge our predisposed views in order to enable evolution of society and debate club is the perfect opportunity for you to do this. Taking the skills, you will learn here are transferrable into university life and participation in extracurricular clubs is something highly valued within your UCAS application.
DIVERSITY CLUB
We celebrate the differences within our community with diversity club on a weekly basis. This is a unique opportunity to discuss lots of different issues surrounding equality and diversity. At the club you will find a wide range of people across the spectrum that will welcome and support you, so don’t be afraid to come on down and join the fun.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD AWARD
Gold DofE is the perfect addition to your extracurricular activities during Year 12. Following on from the Bronze and Silver Awards which are competed in lower school, the Gold award is a step up, involving a 4 day expedition including a wild camp, 12 months volunteering, 6 or 12 months of both a physical and skills section and finally a 5 day residential stay. Over the course of completion, Duke of Edinburgh teaches you skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience, all are an asset for your future careers.
SPORT
Within Sixth Form, there is a great variety of sporting activities you can get active with. Firstly, we have the Sixth Form Football and Hockey Team that compete in Cheshire and Chester competitions. The Kings 7-a-side Football tournament is a well known competition which we compete in annually and is great fun. Internally, the Sixth Form ensure that students get a break from the stress of the A-Level curriculum by hosting light-hearted inter-tutor events which are also lots of fun, many compete and some spectate. Another fantastic resource that is provided is the school gym. Sixth Formers have an exclusive time slot after school on a Wednesday that many Sixth Formers last year utilised and maintained to the fullest. Lastly, we have the much-anticipated grudge basketball match between Year 12 and Year 13. You can view this incredible spectacle for a charitable donation (which goes a long way in the Sixth Form Charity Week) and watch the two years battle it out for the bragging rights of Sixth Form.
TERM MAGAZINE
Term is the Tarporley sixth form magazine. It is a successful, inspirational stalwart of sixth form life at Tarporley. It encaptures the most positive elements of the ethos of the sixth form and continues to be prominent in national competition ‘The Shine Awards’.
“Term is more than a school magazine” has been a quote which has remained with me ever since our first issue. Its ability to captivate its readers and gain national recognition at ‘The Shine Awards’, in London, suggest the statement to be accurate.
Term was a great opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and build stronger relationships with my peers, learn transferable skills and get my creative vision published and appreciated throughout Sixth Form.
We as young artists, writers and photographers have the power to speak through our magazine and highlight thought provoking issues, which are rarely seen in our mainstream media, with a Term twist. Despite the role of Editor being initially daunting, the gratifying opportunity of attending the Shine school media awards was like no other; our magazine won best design, highly commended for best magazine and highly commended for best business and marketing strategy. It was labelled “An outstanding and visionary entry” by the judges and only scratches the surface of what makes Term so special.
EPQ
An EPQ is an additional AQA qualification that equates to half an A Level. It involves studying a topic outside of your syllabus, so it is quite a lot of extra work. The topic you choose is something you are passionate about and you research it entirely independently, with guidance from your supervisors – Mrs McMillan, Mr Brownley or Mr Gibbons. The final outcome is a detailed Production Log, a 5000 word report and a presentation on your findings. Universities approve of this qualification and many offer reduced university offers, dependent on the final grade. Tarporley has a legacy of attaining the very highest grades for the EPQ and the skills you acquire, such as referencing and research skills, are really valuable during an undergraduate degree. If you want an additional academic challenge, then the EPQ is for you.