Page 26 - Sixth Form Handbook 2020-2021

A C A D E M I C
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UCAS and beyond
You may already have your sights set on a particular university course and even a career, or you may have absolutely no idea which direction you will take Your Form Tutor and the PSHE programme will introduce you to the wealth of opportunities available to you after Headington, including travel and gap years, university education and the world of work Headington VI has its own Careers Room where you can pursue further research in these areas and Mrs Barrett, the Academic Director of Sixth Form, and Ms Lyn Cockshott, Head of Careers, are on hand to offer further advice
In the Spring Term of the Lower Sixth you start to investigate the courses and institutions where you hope to study You will be shown how to make the most of the e-resources available and you will need to plan ahead so that you can decide which university open days you would like to attend
In the Summer Term of your Lower Sixth year, you will start your university application (UCAS form) You will need to make a firm decision, too, about whether you wish to make an application to Oxbridge or abroad Mr James Stephenson will be able to guide you through the wealth of options available overseas Mr Nichols will offer guidance regarding the range and nature of extra university admissions tests you may be required to take You will write your personal statement and your application will then be completed and submitted at the beginning of the Autumn Term in the Upper Sixth
By March of your Upper Sixth year you will have received replies from the institutions to which you have applied and will choose one firm and one insurance offer, which will usually be conditional upon your final exam grades
Your Form Tutor, Head of Year and the Directors of Sixth Form will assist you through every stage of this process You will also receive detailed guidance on how to write a personal statement and how to fill in the UCAS form Lower Sixth girls and their parents should also attend the Higher Education Evening All students also have a Higher Education mentor
Ultimately, these are your decisions about your adult life and we aim to offer you a wealth of expertise upon which you can draw You need to take the initiative — be inquisitive, be ambitious and remember to ask for, and to listen to, advice