What We Offer
Subjects
Enrichment activities
sports academies
getting ready
admissions
SIXTH FORM CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
We are very proud of our Sixth Form Centre of Excellence at Treorchy Comprehensive School! A high percentage of our Year 11 students stay on for further study and we are delighted to welcome a number of students from other Rhondda schools and further afield into Year 12 every year.
Our newly refurbished Sixth Form Centre has dedicated Sixth Form facilities on the ground floor with extensive IT provision and areas for study and socialising. Sixth Form students also have use of their own coffee shop.
GETTING READY FOR THE SIXTH FORM
SIXTH FORM PROSPECTUS
OPTIONS BROCHURE 2024/25
APPLICATION FORM
PASTORAL TEAM
WHY CHOOSE TREORCHY COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL?
WHAT WE CAN OFFER
The Sixth Form at Treorchy Comprehensive School is very well-established and has a proven track record of supporting Post-16 students in maximising their potential and successfully making the transition to Higher Education, apprenticeship, employment and further study.
The Sixth Form is very successful and there are currently approximately 350 pupils in Year 12 and 13. A large team of dedicated Sixth Form Staff ensure that we get to know each student very well while they enjoy the benefits of developing independence and making new friendships within a supportive, learning environment.
The Sixth Form team consists of a Director of Sixth Form, two Deputy Directors of Sixth Form, a Sixth Form Administrative Assistant, a WBQ Co-ordinator for KS5 and a team of Learning Coaches all of whom are on hand to support pupils in making the transition from KS4 to KS5 and for the duration of their Sixth Form study.
Unlike a college, at Treorchy Comprehensive School you will build strong relationships with the Sixth Form team and your subject teachers and be supported and guided by your Learning Coach who will meet with you daily. Class sizes are often smaller than at college which means we are able to tailor lessons to individual pupils.
From a parent and pupil perspective, Sixth Form gradually introduces independence to students. As parents, at Treorchy Comprehensive School you will be fully informed of attendance throughout the year, regular progress and wellbeing meetings are held between pupils and Sixth Form staff and progress is reported half-termly.
Many of our pupils have attended Treorchy Comprehensive School throughout their secondary education but increasingly we are welcoming new pupils to our Sixth Form from a variety of backgrounds and settings. Joining an established school can be daunting but the Sixth Form team makes every effort to ensure that there is support both academically, pastorally and, most importantly for the student, socially, for this transition to be seamless.
At Treorchy Comprehensive School we can offer you a Sixth Form experience which is challenging, varied, interesting and rewarding. We offer numerous extra-curricular, volunteering and leadership opportunities to ensure your CV stands out from the crowd.
SUBJECTS
The Sixth Form is an open Sixth Form which welcomes students of all abilities. However, it is important students are committed to an acceptable attendance, punctuality and behaviour record as this will give them the best possible chance of success as they embark on the next stage of their learning.
Post 16 study is demanding and students will need to have demonstrated their ability to cope with the courses they are considering. Entry requirements for all courses are noted in the options booklet. As part of the option process, all students applying to the Sixth Form will receive an interview at the beginning of Year 12. The focus of the interview is to reflect on students’ potential options and their commitment to Sixth Form study. This interview is an important part of the Sixth Form induction programme.
As a guide, students would be expected to obtain grades A*-C at GCSE/Pass BTEC L2 in the subject they wish to study at AS level/BTEC L3, but students should confirm with their teacher the minimum grade required. It is possible, in some instances, to study a subject in Years 12 and 13 that has not been studied in Key Stage 4 e.g. Business, IT, Engineering. In these cases the overall GCSE performance of the student will be taken into account when deciding suitability for the course.
All Post-16 pupils are required to study the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate in addition to their chosen option subjects.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
During their time in the Sixth Form, students are encouraged to participate in as wide a range of extra-curricular and Enrichment activities as possible. The aim is to build confidence by allowing pupils to have new experiences and also to take on leadership roles. Sixth Form pupils make a huge contribution to supporting the learning of younger pupils through their coaching roles in Reading Support, MAT mentoring, and Prep sessions to name a few. Sixth Form pupils also chair many of the school working parties such as the Eco and Food and Fitness Committees as well as leading the School Council, Senedd Ysgol. In addition, charity events form a large part of the Sixth Form community and Year 13 students organise the Sixth Form Ball which is certainly a highlight of the school year.
Our Sixth Form Stars programme recognises and rewards the contribution that our Sixth Form students make to the wider school community.
The enrichment activities offered by the school include:
Buddy System
Careers Events
Charities Committee
Charity Work
CLSA Coaching Award
Combined Cadet Force
Community Involvement
Customer Care Workshop
Debating Society
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Eco Committee
Employability Skills Workshop
Engineering Education in Wales
Fair Trade Committee
Food and Fitness Group
Football Academy
Maths and Science Peer Mentoring
Music and Drama Productions
Netball Academy
Orchestra and School Band
Peer Mentoring
Performing Arts Activities
Pupil Voice
Reading Support
Reading Support
Rugby Academy
Senedd Ysgol
Seren Hub and MAT Activities
Sixth Form Ball Committee
Sporting Activities
UCAS Events
SPORTS ACADEMIES
Our Post 16 sports academies allow pupils to undertake designated timetable sessions in Football, Rugby or Netball. These sessions run in conjunction with option subjects pupils have chosen to study.
- Football – Coach Mr Mabey
- Rugby – Coach Mr Chris Jones and Mr Neil Boobier
- Netball – Coach Mrs Roberts
Pupils have full use of the Strength and Conditioning facilities during their free lessons and can also use those facilities before or after school.
Our elite performers (County, Regional, International) manage to uphold their commitments to their relevant elite sport pathway as well as completing their studies with us. We often liaise with various agencies on player development discussing training programmes, skill development and performance workload.
The sports academy sessions cover the following areas:
- Development of individual skills, fitness, team tactics and strategy
- Coaching, game planning, periodization and player profiling
- Regular fixtures and entry into Welsh Cup and League competitions
YEAR 11 TRANSITION
The jump from Year 11 to the Sixth Form is a big one. To support our pupils and those from other schools with this transition, we organise a number of events throughout the year in order to provide the pupils with as much information as possible relating to the courses we provide, the skills and qualifications that will be needed to access these courses, and what is expected of pupils in the Sixth Form in terms of work ethic, behaviour and involvement in wider school and community activities.
We run Year 12 Open Evenings where pupils can tour the school, viewing our extensive facilities, and meet the members of staff in departments and learn more about the courses that we offer and the support we provide.
These events are in addition to activities organised throughout Year 11, designed to develop pupils’ independent and interdependent skills, thus preparing them for the learning demands of the Sixth Form.
For further reading and support, there are a number of useful documents attached to the links below for pupils and parents to peruse at their leisure; the prospectus and options booklet detailing our extensive curriculum offer and the comprehensive package of support we offer our pupils, our Head Boy and Girl’s responses to your frequently asked questions, a transition workbook to further develop learning skills required for work in the Sixth Form, and information on our pastoral team. We hope you find these useful.
UNIFORM
Information on our Sixth Form Uniform can be found here. It can be purchased from the U Design or Top Stitch stores. A link to the U Design website can be found here. The contact details for Top Stitch are given below.
Top Stitch
59A Gelligaled Rd, Ystrad, Pentre,CF41 7RQ
Tel: 01443 423336
EDUCATION MAINTENANCE ALLOWANCE
Information relating to the Education Maintenance Allowance can be found here. Within this site you can find out if you are eligible for the allowance, how much you could get and how you go about applying. Lists of possible evidence you may need to support your application, together with all the necessary forms are also included.
ALPS
ALPS is part of the schools KS5 Holistic Tracking Programme.
ALPS is a National Target setting platform, run across both Wales and England which use National DfE dataset to set Minimum Expected Grades or Targets for all Year 12 & 13 students
This means that all Students in Years 12/13 will be given a Target or Minimum expect Grade for this year which has been set by an outside agency.
ALPS are based on your individual prior attainment and how ALPs predicts you will perform by the end of your current academic course.
To view an introductory video about ALPS for students click here
To view the Subject Assessment Plan for Year 12 click here
To view the Subject Assessment Plan for Year 13 click here
CONTACT US
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Joanna Murray, Director of
Sixth Form on 01443 773128 or by email at the address below.
6thform@treorchycomp.org.uk
ADMISSIONS
We welcome applications from all students who would like to join our Sixth Form. You can apply to the school directly by completing the application form here. We are accepting applications currently for the academic year 2022/23.
If you require further information on what we offer, or would like to visit the school please contact our Director of Sixth Form, Mrs Joanna Murray on 01443 773128 or 6thform@treorchycomp.org.uk.
There is no minimum entry requirement to join the Sixth Form at Treorchy but the options guidance given to students will depend on the qualifications they have gained at GCSE as well as their career aspirations. Individual subjects will have entry requirements which you will need to have met prior to commencing the course. These are listed in the subjects section of our prospectus.
In certain circumstances, students who do not meet the listed criteria may be admitted to a subject at the school’s discretion.