Admissions

Timeline for admissions

Majority of our students enter Sixth Form in September at the start of Year 12 and will come from a local secondary on completion of GCSEs. As a guideline for this process the timeline usually follows: 

Date

Activity

November

Sixth Form Open Event: Students and parents are encouraged to discuss their future choices and pathways with subject specialists and the Sixth Form Team.  Presentations by Staff and students. 

October to January

Applications: A simple online form to be completed.

February to April

Interviews: Students will be invited for interview with a member of the Sixth form team to discuss their future pathways and choices. 

June

Sixth Form taster lessons: Students are encouraged to attend sample lessons led by teachers.

 

Please visit our School Calendar (What's On) for specific dates.

If you would like any further information about our Sixth Form, please contact our Sixth Form Student Manager, Mrs Tracey Cole (tcole@henrybox.oxon.sch.uk or 01993 848104). 

 

Curriculum Provision

Our KS5 curriculum is designed to lead to applications for university and apprenticeships.  Students can choose from 2 learning pathways which cater for a range of abilities and interests.  The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) will also be offered to students who wish to study it.  The EPQ is a project-based qualification that attracts UCAS points and is well received by universities and employers as it demonstrates high levels of independent learning. Details of this will be delivered to students in September of year 12. We recommend most of our students to enrol on 3 A levels when they join us. We can now offer greater flexibility regarding a mix of A levels plus Level 3 BTECs and/or EPQ. A very small number of students may elect to take a 4 A level option.  Each student will be invited for a supportive interview to discuss the type and number of subjects with the Sixth Form Team.

Learning Pathways

Students can choose from 2 ‘learning pathways’, both of which have been designed to access either university or apprenticeships.  If students are exploring the idea of university, the following websites will help to explore the range of different subjects and entrance requirements:

UCAS: http://search.ucas.com/

Which University: http://university.which.co.uk/

Russell Group university: http://russellgroup.ac.uk/

For those students interested in an apprenticeship, the following websites are useful:

Oxfordshire Apprenticeships: http://www.oxfordshireapprenticeships.co.uk/

National Apprenticeship Service: https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships A Level Pathway

A Level Pathway

This pathway is designed for students who achieve a minimum of 5 subjects at grade 5 including/as well as grade 4 or above in English and Maths. Students study A levels and EPQ only and choose 3 subjects from boxes A-E. The entrance criteria for this pathway are dependent upon which A levels students choose as each subject has varying entrance requirements (please refer to the subject information). 

This pathway is designed for students who achieve a minimum of 5 subjects at grade 5 including/as well as grade 4 or above in English and Maths. Students study A levels and EPQ only and choose 3 subjects from boxes A-E. The entrance criteria for this pathway are dependent upon which A levels students choose as each subject has varying entrance requirements (please refer to the subject information).

Combined Pathway

This pathway is open to students who would prefer to study a more vocational course alongside A levels. Students can choose from a combination of A levels and BTEC Business Level 3 offered exclusively at The Henry Box School.  To access this pathway students, require a minimum of 4 subjects at grade 4 including/as well as grade 4 or above in English and Maths. Students will need to have achieved the individual entrance criteria to access their chosen subjects (please see course information).

Business BTEC 

We currently offer a BTEC business course which is worth 2 A levels. This course is very popular with our students as it offers real world learning and less emphasis upon final exams. A combination of A levels and Level 3 BTECs is the fastest growing learning pathway at present.  On average 26% of university undergraduates access university with at least one Level 3 BTEC. This combination is also suitable for students wishing to access higher level apprenticeships and university degrees whilst being able to keep their options.

Sixth Form Support

The Sixth Form Team will be in school on GCSE results day and the following morning.  If you have any questions or you have fallen slightly below the entrance criteria, please come in to speak to a member of our team who will be here to support you.  If we feel that we have a pathway that is suitable for a student who falls short of the entrance criteria, we will do our best to accommodate them. The specific needs of each student will be dealt with on an individual basis and our decision will be purely based upon what is best for each learner.

 

GCSE English and Maths Retake

For some students who access Sixth Form, it might be necessary to re-sit English and Maths.  The Department for Education has stated that a pass grade for students sitting English and Maths is set at a grade 4.  However, they have termed grade 5 as a ‘good pass’. We would recommend that any student who has not achieved a grade 5 in either Maths or English consider re-taking in order to obtain this grade as it may become an important threshold to have achieved in the future. Students who do not achieve our minimum entrance criteria of grade 4 for both English and Maths will receive a separate programme to help them successfully retake and pass in Year 12.

 

How to Apply

Please follow the link below to our online application form. If you have any problems filling out the form please email Mrs Cole, our Sixth Form Student Manager: tcole@henrybox.oxon.sch.uk

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Please follow the link below for all A Level performance tables.

A Level performance tables