A warm welcome to the School Sixth Form, whether you are new to the school or moving up from Year 11. You are joining an exciting, demanding, international community. For everyone, entering the Sixth Form is a significant Welcome move. This diverse group of over 400 students enables a variety of rich relationships to flourish, while everyone’s perspectives are challenged and broadened. The IB Diploma Programme allows each student to specialise in his or her chosen areas, and provides opportunities to develop independent work habits and personal interests, and to contribute to Sevenoaks School’s rich history of service by getting involved in activities serving the community. All this will help provide a foundation for life beyond school. You will be given more detailed information during your first days here at Sevenoaks, but we hope this handbook will give you an idea of the ethos, opportunities and responsibilities that await you as a member of one of the UK’s largest Sixth Forms.

from the

Sixth Form Sixth Form Divisional Heads, left to right: Paul Harvey, Lizzie Seetharaman, Matt Edwards (Head of Sixth Form), Vanessa FitzGerald 4 team 5 Welcome from the Your School Captains first few Welcome to the Sixth Form at Sevenoaks School. There are some incredible opportunities waiting for you – this is a time for you to explore any and all of your academic and co- curricular interests, form great friendships, and add to a vibrant school community. From debating and Model United Nations to the Sennocke Consort choir, rugby and rock climbing, there will be plenty to do, both inside and outside of the classroom – manage your time, days and everything will fall into place. We’re sure you’ll find enough to keep you busy – busy doing the things you enjoy. Good luck!

Theo Duke and Sachi Gwalani, You are treated with School Captains, Summer 2020 a greater sense of at individuality and independence. Sevenoaks

You will have lots of questions when questions; ask your tutor, your teachers, you arrive at Sevenoaks, such as how to fellow students, the Upper Sixth in your find classrooms, contact staff, or join in tutor group, the Head of Sixth Form or with activities. Divisional Heads, everyone! You will find them more than willing to help. This is to be expected, and although there is a great deal of information in this You will also find plenty of information on booklet, you do not need to remember it the school intranet, Firefly. all. It is important that you keep asking

6 7 Frequently

Asked Questions

What happens on the first day This first day is to get you used to the I don’t know anyone at Sevenoaks What does my tutor do? of school? campus and one another. You are a large School. How do I make friends? Sixth Form and we are keen to get you Tutors monitor your academic progress You should have received information mixing as soon as possible! Don’t worry about this – we deal with lots and general welfare. Each tutor has about Induction, but all you really need to of new students each year; about a third responsibility for small groups of both remember is: come to the Pamoja Hall on What if I want to change my IB choices? of the Lower Sixth are new to the school, Lower and Upper Sixth Form students. Thursday 3 September in uniform and with and everyone is new to this exciting and Tutors get to know you well and can offer a pen at 09:00, if you’re new to the school, On the afternoon of the first day, we get vibrant Sixth Form, so you’ll find plenty of all kinds of advice and support throughout and at 09:30, if you’re currently in Year 11. all the staff you need to speak to in one people keen to make friends. In the first your time in the Sixth Form. You will have place, so you can discuss appropriate few weeks of term we arrange various lunch with your tutor on the first day and The Sixth Form leadership team – changes with them. The changes may not events, such as the Freshers’ Ball, to help they will give you your timetable and Dr Edwards, Ms Seetharaman, Mrs all be possible, but we will do our best to boarding and day students mix and get to other important information, and talk you FitzGerald and Mr Harvey – will explain accommodate you. know each other. through everything you need to know. how the rest of the day will develop.

8 9 Academic A TYPICAL LOWER SIXTH TIMETABLE Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat

Matters 08:30 Register, tutor meetings, assemblies Private Private 09:00 Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson We run a two-week timetable, so lessons will study study vary between Week A and Week B, but this Private Conversa- Private 09:55 Lesson Lesson Lesson gives you an idea of the pattern of the week. study tion class study

10:50 Break

Private 11:15 Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson study

‘Friday 4’ 12:10 Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson Lunch lecture

13:05 Lunch

Private 14:20 Lesson Lesson Sports Co- study Sports Private curricular 15:15 Lesson Lesson study

• Every day begins with registration with your tutor. • On most Tuesdays and Thursdays you have assembly. • All Sixth Formers do sport on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons. • Thursday afternoon is dedicated to Service, CCF (combined cadet force) or a creative activity. Like your sporting activities, this counts towards the CAS (creativity, action, service) component of the IB. • Once a fortnight, the Lower Sixth attend a talk by a visiting speaker in the Friday Period 4 slot. These talks cover a wide variety of topics of relevance to young adults from general well-being to Higher Education advice. • Private study periods are spent working quietly in the Library. • Language conversation classes and optional lessons such as music and drama are arranged during study periods. • The official school day ends at 16:10 and many students will then be involved in a variety of co-curricular activities such as sports practice, play rehearsals and student-led societies.

11 You’ll be able to study the subjects you love in meticulous detail.

Private Study Periods and Homework regular routine at home or in your boarding Perhaps the most obvious difference house. As a guide, you should be working between the pattern of work in the Sixth for two to three hours each evening. Your Form and earlier stages of school is tutor will be able to help you organise the necessity for students to develop a work diary managing your weekly The Academic Routine independent study habits. schedule. One of the most important aspects of You will generally be set assignments over Private study periods take place in the any student’s life in the Sixth Form will a longer period than you have encountered Library, where pupils are supervised and be academic progress. Establishing a previously. Each week, you will be set up everyone gets on with work in silence. committed and effective pattern of work to four hours of homework for each HL The school will do everything to support will be the first priority. In the first half subject and two hours of homework for your academic endeavours, but a large part of the , your tutor and each SL subject. teachers will offer plenty of advice on how of your success will come down to the way to develop good study habits. You will need to combine appropriate use you manage your own time. This is what of private study periods at school with a makes Sixth Form work so rewarding. 12 13 Pastoral Matters

PASTORAL CARE Just as important as your academic progress is your general welfare. If, for whatever reason, you are not happy at school, you are unlikely to perform to the best of your ability in the classroom or take a full part in the activities that will make your Sixth Form years so rewarding. Refer to the next page for guidance on who is responsible for monitoring your academic progress, and who you can turn to if you Your tutor is your have worries or problems or just need first port of call for someone to talk to. all aspects of your school life and you should make full use of them. 15 Just as important as your academic progress is your Your Tutor available to discuss any problems or worries you may have. Just send an email general welfare Your tutor will be an extremely important to book a time or drop by their offices in part of your Sixth Form career. Tutor groups the Sixth Form Global Study Centre. meet every morning. Your tutor closely monitors your academic progress, and The Pastoral Deputy Head your teachers will consult your tutor if there are any concerns. Your tutor will also The Pastoral Deputy Head, Miss Tebay, go over your grades and reports with you has overall responsibility in the school for before they are sent to your parents. He every student’s personal welfare. Through or she drafts your university references regular meetings with the Heads of Sixth and will continue to act as your referee Form, she is consulted and advised of after you leave. students who have problems. She is also available to talk to any pupil who Equally importantly, your tutor is has any concern. When her door is open, responsible for your day-to-day welfare. just drop in. If you have a problem your tutor can discuss the matter with you, advise, or Teachers suggest someone else you may like to consult. In short, your tutor is a lot more Very quickly you will build up a relationship than just an administrative pen-pusher with individual teachers. The majority of (although they do quite a lot of that as your subject teachers are also tutors and well!). Your tutor is your first port of call if you feel there is something you would for all aspects of your school life and you rather share with a teacher than anyone should make full use of them. else, you should not hesitate to do so.

The Head of Sixth Form and Health Centre Divisional Heads Open Monday to Saturday 08:00-17:00 All the tutor groups are allocated to one If at any time during the school day of the four Sixth Form divisions: Edwards, you feel ill, you must report to the Duty FitzGerald, Harvey and Seetharaman. Nurse in the Health Centre. Only with her You will sometimes hear these teachers agreement may you go home or to your referred to as the Div Heads (short boarding house. The school doctors have for Divisional Heads).Their role is to a surgery for boarders, with times posted work closely with your tutor and, if in the Health Centre. The nurses and doctor you’re a boarder, your housemaster or offer a completely confidential service. housemistress to support you. They also ensure that all students, boarding and day, are dealt with fairly. They are always

16 17 Co-curricular School Counsellor Worship If you would like to discuss any concern At Sevenoaks, members of the boarding in complete confidence, you may choose community have the opportunity to worship to talk to the School Counsellor, Caroline on Sundays within the context of a local Matters Clarke-Wooster, or one of her colleagues. church community, according to their own Appointments can be made by calling at religious tradition. We have established the Health Centre. Times when they are links with local churches which will offer a available are posted prominently on school warm welcome to members of the school. The service activities noticeboards. You could write if you prefer: Details of places and times of worship are reflect the school’s there is a box in the Health Centre, or you available upon request. For those of faiths can email Caroline Clarke-Wooster: other than Christianity, the school has links belief in the two [email protected], with places of worship for Jews, Muslims, fundamental or telephone 01732 467707. Hindus and others. Please ask the Pastoral values of breadth Deputy Head for further information. of educational experience and acquiring a sense of You are joining an social responsibility exciting, demanding, and civic duty. international community.

18 seasonal representative sports will tend Please contact the Director of Sport if: CCF CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES to have priority over your time, but those You wish to change your Tuesday or The CCF is a uniformed organisation Sevenoaks offers an exceptional range of who do not play in a school team have a Saturday activity, or if you have particular comprising three sections: the Royal co-curricular opportunities. Tuesday and wide range of sporting options to choose sporting interests or problems. Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. Members Saturday afternoons are set aside for sport from and coaching is available to help carry out wide-ranging and challenging and Thursday afternoons for VSU, CCF or improve standards, making the activity Service and Creative Activities activities, which develop leadership and creative options. more enjoyable. There are school teams in team-working skills. A strong commitment athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, On Thursday afternoons all pupils in the Outside the timetable there are numerous is expected. Transfers from the CCF section cross-country, football, hockey, netball, Lower Sixth join a service team or the CCF opportunities for music, drama, sport, clubs can only take place at the end of a term. and societies. It is worth reading the Clubs rugby, sailing, shooting, squash, swimming or take part in a creative activity. As well as and tennis. All have strong fixture lists. helping you to fulfil the IB’s creativity and and Societies Booklet carefully! We hope Creative Options you will make the most of the opportunities Many of our teams enjoy success at service requirements, these compulsory available; they are an important way of regional and national levels. The timetable activities reflect the school’s belief in the There is also a range of creative activities, developing yourself and your interests. for training allows students to participate two fundamental values of breadth of from debating current affairs in the in more than one sport per term. Other educational experience and acquiring a Model United Nations to photography Sport sports on offer include aerobics, climbing, sense of social responsibility and civic to filmmaking. These are stimulating fencing, fitness, golf, judo, volleyball and duty. The options will be explained to you courses and may be of particular interest The Physical Education and Sport ultimate frisbee. on the first Thursday of term, when you will to those who do not do a creative activity programme is designed to provide sign up for the activities you would most elsewhere. Commitment and reliability is expected every pupil with an opportunity to gain like to do. We will try our best to give you from all members of school teams. experience in a wide range of sporting the option you most want. Other Opportunities activities. We hope this will be enjoyable Practices should be attended, and any match commitments honoured as a matter We have outlined a fraction of what and promote a feeling of wellbeing, as well Service Activities as allowing those who show ability to excel of course. Teachers in charge of teams is available! Music and drama are in their chosen sports. should be notified well in advance (at least The Voluntary Service Unit was established exceptionally strong and there are three school days) if you have an authentic in 1960 and continues to provide a range opportunities for those who wish to pursue Participation in sport is compulsory reason to miss a match. Similarly, with of projects with local primary schools, these at a high level and for those who every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon such a complex sporting programme, it elderly people and disabled people. There simply want to take part. In addition there throughout the Lower Sixth year. The is very important to follow the correct are opportunities to do community service is a wide range of clubs and societies. If procedures. in the evenings and at weekends as well your particular interest isn’t covered, it is as on Thursday afternoons and there are easy to set up your own club if you want: also international service trips. just contact Dr Rainbow, Deputy Head Co-curricular. The school also offers opportunities to volunteer to help at parents’ evenings, take prospective pupils on school tours, run workshops for primary schools – the list goes on! – all of which count towards the service element of CAS.

20 21 OPPORTUNITIES FOR INITIATIVE AND Sixth Form Committee The School Campus LEADERSHIP In the Michaelmas term there will Many of the opportunities for personal be elections to form the Sixth Form Committee. This student body acts as a and Facilities development at Sevenoaks will come about through initiatives you take and sounding board and conduit of opinions relationships you forge. You will soon in the Sixth Form. The Committee meets notice that you are treated with a greater with members of the Sixth Form leadership sense of individuality and independence team every week to share its opinions, by staff and pupils alike. You will have a and often invites members of the school’s chance to adopt leadership roles in many Senior Management to its meetings in settings, including: order to find out about (and have a say in) aspects of the school. Prefect team Mentoring Much of the day-to-day administration of the school is provided by the school’s Each year Sixth Form students choose to prefect team. Serving as a prefect involves train to become peer mentors. This enables a whole range of challenges from assisting Upper School pupils to be available to talk with many routine tasks (like managing to any member of the school from the the lunch and tuck shop queues) to Lower School up. Some mentors will also helping at school functions as well as focus on issues such as bullying and peer setting an appropriate tone of behaviour pressure. This has been a very successful for younger students. Many will also play venture that has brought benefits to the ambassadorial role of meeting visitors, all involved. guests and prospective students and their parents. A large part of your We believe that the vast majority of the success will come Lower Sixth can benefit from the down to the way you responsibility of being a prefect. Some prefects are elected to the position of manage your own Senior Prefect by Sixth Form students time. This is what and staff. makes the Sixth Form so rewarding.

22 Key buildings Reception, car parks Sports facilities Boarding Houses and entrances Almshouses (Sevenoaks Place) 16 Claridge House 10 Athletics track 25 Aisher House 41 CCF 34 Manor House: Reception 9 Bailey Tennis Centre 31 Girls’ International House 3 Classics 7 Froy Gates 30 Duke’s Meadow courts 27 International Centre 40 Cottage Block 14 Pedestrian underpass 32 Duke’s Meadow pitches DM1-7 Johnsons (along Oak Lane) 43 Estates Office 35 Duke’s Meadow car park 28 Lower Astro pitch 39 Park Grange 42 The Flat 21 Duke’s Meadow entrance 33 Park Grange pitches PG1-2 School House (along Oak Lane) 44 Global Study Centre 22 Solefields Road car park 36 Post Office tennis courts 45 Sennocke House 2 Old Head’s House 13 Sailing compound 37 Health Centre 12 Sennocke Centre 29 Johnson Library 19 Top Astro pitch (Plumptre pitch) 38 L Block 8 Little Theatre 5 Lower School Common Room 6 Modern Languages/Dining Hall/Art 20 Old School 15 Sackville Theatre 26 Sans Block 11 Science & Technology Centre 23 SEC 18 The Space 24 St Nicholas Church 46 Swanzy 17 Talbot House 4 Temple House and Annexe 1 screen where students work together on presentations and other group projects. Computers, printing facilities and a collection of textbooks are available in the Common Room for Sixth Form use.

On the ground floor of the Global Study Centre is a cafe which is open for Sixth Form students throughout the day and serves a variety of hot and cold drinks, paninis and snacks. This provides an alternative space for relaxation or Dining Hall independent study. Day students may have school breakfast The Library and ICT services and supper with the boarders but only The Library is a quiet place for research, The staff offer individually tailored advice by prior arrangement (a minimum of 24 The Library is open 08:00-20:30 Monday reading and study, so please respect the with in-depth individual interviews as well hours). There is a charge for all extra to Friday (17:00 on Fridays before Exeat rule of silence. No food or drink may be as an extensive programme of seminars, meals. Lunch includes a choice of around weekends) and 08:00-16:00 on Saturday. brought into the Library. lectures, workshops, interview and four hot dishes, salads, soup, and desserts, examination training sessions and step-by- The Johnson Library is extremely well Sixth Formers have access to school including fruit and yogurt. step advice on applications and gap years. stocked with a broad selection of different computers in the Library and Global In addition, students are offered advice on books, journals, online resources and other Study Centre and Technology department, work experience, internships and university Sevenoaks School reading materials. You will be given an although many students choose to work on scholarships, and are invited to attend the is committed to induction early in the Michaelmas term, but their own laptops. the best way to familiarise yourself with Careers Fair in the . All students are required to read and sign providing the best the range of resources is by regular visits During your Lower Sixth year, there are an ICT code of conduct form and are given facilities for its and asking the staff for help if you need it. Higher Education and Oxbridge information access to the school network and wifi. students. The upstairs gallery offers space and evenings for students and their parents, and a series of Higher Education talks computers for quiet study, reserved for the Higher Education Department Sixth Form Common Room Sixth Form during private study periods. during the Friday 4 slot in the Lent term. There are more tables downstairs and a The Higher Education department makes The Common Room is located on the comfortable seating area with magazines the university application process clear, The Repro Centre top floor of the Global Study Centre and newspapers. efficient and successful. and contains a large social space with Based in M15/16, Repro sells stationery comfortable seating for Sixth Form Photocopying is available, charged via Staff offer expert guidance on subject at competitive prices and offers greyscale students to use for relaxation outside your student ID card. Book buying and choices and careers, and have links with and colour photocopying, binding, A3 of lesson time. In addition there is a magazine subscriptions are also available, higher education institutions around the copying and laminating. Pupils are allowed separate silent study area and also a room although a letter from a parent or guardian world. A US universities specialist is also to purchase up to £90 on their student for collaborative learning with a large is required. Always ask if you need help. available. card, which is charged termly.

26 27 Lost Property RESPONSIBILITIES AND Opening times are advertised in the daily OPPORTUNITIES school bulletin and calendar. As freedom over your daily school life All lost property is sent to the Lost Property increases, so you will develop greater Room in the Sans Block (behind Cottage personal responsibility. We aim to support Block). This is run by the Pastoral Deputy this by publishing and maintaining a clear Head and parents. Unnamed items are framework of school rules in order to kept for a few weeks and then disposed of. promote safe, appropriate behaviour for It is essential that all possessions are the benefit of all. Your tutor will go through marked and labelled. The school cannot the key rules at the start of term, but it is be held responsible for mislaid articles. important that you make yourself familiar Expensive items of property should be with all the rules, which are published in insured. Bags and other property must not the Sixth Form section of Firefly. be left around the school campus after We should like to highlight some 18:30. Mobile phones must be clearly, conventions of interest to Sixth Formers. It indelibly marked. is important for us to know that you have read these so that misunderstandings do not occur. For that reason you will sign a If you are absent through illness, please allowed to attend up to two university open form indicating that you are familiar with make sure your parents contact the School days during your two years in the Sixth the guidelines published here and on Office on the first day of your illness (for Form, but are encouraged to attend others Firefly at the start of Michaelmas term. boarders, this is done by matrons). If you during holiday periods. Boarders who live are off games through injury or illness but abroad may be permitted to attend an Registration & Absence still at school, a parent (or matron) must extra open day by their Divisional Head. send a note or email. During PE sessions Registration and requesting absence from you must report to the Library to work. If you wish to miss one day of school for school or sport a personal reason, your parents must If you wish to miss school for a legitimate write at least a week in advance to your Every school day begins with registration activity arranged by the school (such as Divisional Head, who will give permission in Tutor Group Meetings at 08:30. It is a county sports fixture or an academic only in exceptional circumstances. For extremely important that you make sure course) then you must complete the Leave longer periods of absence or absences that you see your tutor each morning so that of Absence form on Firefly and inform staff extend into the holiday a written request we know you are in school. If you are late whose lessons or activities you will miss. must be made to the Deputy Head Pastoral into school, you must sign in at the Main There is a special procedure to follow at least a week in advance and always Office in Manor House before going on to before any travel arrangements have been your usual commitment. If you fail to do for students who make requests for absence to attend university open days. booked. Students absent during the school this you must expect a sanction – knowing day cannot attend a school event in that you are in school is vital to us. You will be informed of this early in the Lent term of the Lower Sixth. You are the evening.

28 29 WHO’S WHO

Mr Jesse Elzinga Headmaster Miss Theresa Homewood (TMH) Senior Deputy Head Mr Tim Jones (TCJ) Deputy Head (Academic) Dr Adrian Rainbow (APR) Deputy Head (Co-Curriculum) Miss Helen Tebay (HPT) Deputy Head (Pastoral) Dr Matt Edwards (MTE) Head of Sixth Form Mr Paul Harvey (PXH) Divisional Head, Sixth Form Ms Lizzie Seetharaman (LUS) Divisional Head, Sixth Form Mrs Vanessa FitzGerald (VJF) Divisional Head, Sixth Form Mrs Wendy Heydorn (WJH) Director of Higher Education and Careers Mr James Emmitt (JCE) Director of Physical Education and Sport Mr Christopher Dyer (CHD) Director of Music Mr Gavin Henry (GEH) Director of Drama

To contact any of the above people, you can use the three initials in brackets, followed by @sevenoaksschool.org (eg, to contact Dr Edwards, use [email protected]) Sevenoaks School, High Street, Sevenoaks, TN13 1HU Telephone +44 (0)1732 455133 Fax +44 (0)1732 456143 Email (Sixth Form Team): Ms Lizzie Seetharaman [email protected]; Mrs Vanessa FitzGerald [email protected]; Dr Matt Edwards [email protected]; Mr Paul Harvey [email protected] www.sevenoaksschool.org