Into the Sixth

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Following a range of events over the last two weeks, our current Year 11 students are feeling informed and supported with their decision making and preparing to continue their successful journeys with us into KS5.

New Subjects Assembly

Leaders of subjects that students have not yet have experienced at Key Stage 4, gave an overview and flavour of these courses.

Breakfast meetings

Mr Base, Head of Sixth Form, invited students to the Sixth form café and introduced them to the setup of Sixth Form, discussed the subjects on offer and gave an overview of the application dates and process.

Student fair

Year 11 students were able to ask questions directly to current Sixth Form students and to hear first-hand what it’s really like to study in the Verulam Sixth Form.

Online Information

As we are currently unable to invite prospective students and parents in to the school, we have been recording a series of short films and 360o tours for us to showcase our fabulous Sixth Form.

Teaching staff have been recording overviews of their subject and explaining what new students can expect from their courses in terms of content, experiences and prospects.  As our best ambassadors, Sixth Formers themselves have also been recording their thoughts about studying here.

These videos will be available on our website later in December to further support students with their A-level/BTEC choices and help us welcome another great cohort of students in September 2021.

Open Evening

There will be a live on-line open evening on 6th January at 7pm.

 

For further information, please see the Courses Offered page in the Sixth Form section of our website.  You can also download the subject information booklet here.

We look forward to receiving applications once the application window opens on 6th January.  Deadline for applications is 5th February 2021.

Annual Balloon Debate

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‘Black History Month’ has been chosen as our theme for this year’s Verulam Balloon Debate.

Students have been researching Black History Icons and holding their initial debates in Form groups.  Form group winners now move on to represent their House in the Year group debate finals this week.

During the debates, the audience is invited to imagine that the speakers are flying in a hot-air balloon which is too heavy and rapidly losing height.  With students speaking on the behalf of the icon they have researched and chosen to represent, each speaker has to make the case why they should not be thrown from the balloon!

Balloon debating at Verulam introduces students to concepts they will use in more formal debates and public speaking in future.  The debates help students to gain experience in thinking creatively, and quickly, to generate relevant arguments.  With listening skills being as important as speaking; students have to compare and contrast ideas as a group, considering different opinions before attempting to reach a consensus.

Ms Stockman-Black, who is organising the event, said “I am incredibly proud of the enthusiasm with which Verulam students have approached this important debate. The quality of debate in Form time has been very high and I look forward to hearing the finalists present to their Year Group on the last day of term”

Results of the debates will be published in Verulam Voice.