Enrichment

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Whether it be in the pursuit of an additional qualification in volunteering or the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments, or as a member of the CCF or the Sports Leaders programme, opportunities for self-direction are in abundance. Recognising the value and importance of communication and leadership skills in the workplace, we expect the Sixth Form to take a leading role in all areas of School life and actively promote opportunities for mentoring their younger peers and assisting with the leadership or enrichment activities.

Activities and Volunteering

Our comprehensive activities programme gives pupils the opportunity to enjoy enriching pursuits that extend and develop their skills, pushing the boundaries of their capabilities. Each term, they are given the freedom and flexibility to choose from an extensive range of activities; whether they are creative, academic, curious, active or simply looking to try something new. Every Wednesday afternoon, students take part in their chosen activity, through a variety of clubs, forums and societies. From Critical Thinking to Cardiovascular Training, Shooting to Sustainable Fashion – there is an activity for every passion.

Our Lower Sixth Form students can also opt to do a short course in Volunteering and Service on a Wednesday afternoon, combining the more practical aspect of volunteering, in which students find their own placements, and build a portfolio of written theory work. Our volunteering programme not only cultivates independence and self-discipline but also strengthens the community spirit that characterises all that we do at Sutton Valence. Some examples of recent volunteering placements include:

Assisting in care homes for the elderly
Teaching assistant in primary, preparatory and nursery schools
Working in charity shops
Work within charitable organisations doing administrative work
Undertaking gardening projects within organisations such as schools and care homes where such projects are not affordable for the institution
Litter picking around the village
Students have also worked at various sports clubs and other venues on a voluntary basis outside of School time.

Extended Project Qualification

To enrich and enhance our Sixth Form students’ UCAS applications, we offer them the chance to undertake an optional Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Designed to be fully driven by the students themselves, the EPQ study facilitates a more mature approach to learning, in which the students can choose the topic of study and carry out independent research to support their final submission. Their project can be a 5000-word written report or an artefact, such as a film, play script, lecture, exhibition or a piece of art.

Once the EPQ has been completed, the respective projects are presented to their peers, where they can review their findings throughout their EPQ journey.

Next Steps Online Course

At SVS, we recognise that each person has a different trajectory. We pride ourselves on our bespoke preparation programmes that are tailored to the needs and aspirations of each individual. Our extensive platforms, including our own, in-house online course Next Steps and award-winning careers provision, ensure that all our Sixth Form students are ready to progress onto their next steps, whether they decide to apply to university, an apprenticeship, direct employment or take a gap year.

Our Next Steps online course equips students with the skills required to succeed in post-18 application processes and complements a broader programme of preparation for life at university or in the workplace. We host partners offering apprenticeship schemes and students enjoy access to our national and international gap year connections. As a partner School with InvestIn education, our students partake in CV writing and interview workshops, in addition to receiving guidance on career management and enhancement.

We prepare our students for Higher Education from the start of the Lower Sixth through a range of internally-delivered talks by external speakers from Russell Group universities. Our connections with the University of Cardiff and the University of Sussex allow us to provide bespoke coaching on personal statement writing. Students enjoy access to a one-to-one career counselling service to assist them with course identification, university selection and application.

Students applying to Oxbridge, in the Medicine and Veterinary Science field or to the USA partake in a supplementary two-year preparation programme, which prepares students for wider reading, application preparation, academic enrichment and interview practice.

Practical Life Skills Sessions

A Sixth Form education at Sutton Valence extends well beyond the classroom. Our mission is to prepare our students for the opportunities and challenges of life as an adult in the 21st Century. From cookery classes to road safety, wellbeing sessions to first-aid training, yoga to self-defence, Sixth Form students benefit from a bespoke enrichment programme that gives them the practical skills to start their adult lives after School.

Our practical skills sessions complement a broader PSHE programme that is appropriate and specific to the needs of 16 to 18-year olds. In addition to a team of dedicated and suitably-qualified internal staff, we welcome external speakers who share their own life-changing experiences.

This Sixth Form provision also seeks to challenge students to think critically and with a global outlook. Our programme equips students with the skills to think and act like responsible adults in society, teaching them political literacy, digital safety and resilience, as well as environmental and social responsibility.