Welcome to Year 12 at Loxford School
Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.
Whatever you have achieved so far, however easy (or not) you have found your studies-things are about to get a lot more challenging.
Study at Level 3 (AS-levels or BTECs) is intended to stretch and develop you far more than anything you have encountered so far.
This is a GOOD thing. We hope you will develop many new skills and character traits during your time in the sixth form.
Some of the key skills we want you to develop are:
Independence – to read widely, to pursue topics deeply and follow your own interests
Students who achieve top grades do NOT do what they did at GCSE and expect to get the same results. Turning up to lessons and doing the set homework alone will not get you a decent grade. You need to read extensively around your subjects. You are expected to complete seven hours of private study per subject per week in addition to your lessons.
Resilience – to enjoy difficulty, to embrace challenge, to learn from feedback even when it hurts!
You need to develop a growth mindset.; a state of mind which sees difficulty as an opportunity to learn and grow and which welcomes feedback, even negative feedback, as a source of useful information which can lead to improvement. This is one of the hardest things to do but is key to successful learning and a fulfilling life!
Assertiveness – to ask questions, to challenge (sensitively) other’s ideas, to ask for what you need to succeed
It is not enough to sit passively in lessons, making notes and never saying anything. You need to contribute and you need to ask questions. At level 3 you are generally in smaller groups and your teachers will expect you to be much more active participants. Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers to go over difficult concepts, to clarify points or to give you time to practise difficult skills. Adult learners do this far more readily than teenagers and it helps them to make progress. Be assertive – as politely and maturely as possible!
Responsibility – to realise that YOU are responsible for your own learning and success and manage your time accordingly
You have NO free periods. You have STUDY periods. During study periods you must be in one of the study areas. The study areas are the Library, The Sixth Form Library, The Silent study room, or the Quiet Study Room. If you are anywhere else you are in the wrong place and will be challenged. All privileges – to manage your own study time, to leave the building to study etc. are dependent on you demonstrating the maturity to act responsibly. Those students who show they are not yet responsible enough to deal with this will have their study time supervised.
Supporting your success
My job is to ensure your success. I am committed to doing all I can to help you achieve all you are capable of. I am very excited to be your new Achievement Team Leader at such an important time in your lives. You will need to work extremely hard over the next two years to get where you want to be.
It will be worth it.
I am here to help so talk to me about anything I can do to help make you successful. Be good – Work Hard!
Ms. J. Price
Achievement Team Leader
PEER MENTORING through the “Achievement Mentor” scheme at Loxford!
The aims of this scheme are:
To be positive role models for younger students
To support year 12 students in their ongoing personal development/support their UCAS statements
To support key stage 3 and 4 students in and out of lessons i.e. helping them with their homework, shadowing them in class, developping their social skills.
This scheme is a very successful scheme which has been running for three years now. This has enabled stronger relationships across all key stages as well as positive contribution to the school community.
Ms Price, Ms Alleyne and and Mr Curcio support the coordination of this programme.
Achievements and review of progress of all mentees will be recognised in a brief, informal award presentation at the end of each term.
Year 12 Pastoral Team
MiCommunity Intergenerational Project
On Tuesday mornings Loxford welcomes 10-12 older members of the local community. A group of year 12s support them as they learn how to use a pc; sometimes for the first time. This project is delivered in conjunction with Age UK Redbridge with the idea that young people make a volunteer commitment to support an older learner. Our students have never known a time when they did not use a computer but for older people this is a new technology that they want to use but need support to do so. This is where we step in and on a one-to-one basis support our older learners from using a mouse to doing the weekly shopping online. This is a wonderful project that allows the generations to mix and get to know each other and from which everyone benefits.