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Entry into Year 13 for Existing Students

Entry into Year 13 for Existing Students


1.   Statement
2.   Aims
3.   Related policies
4.   Progression for entry into Year 13
5.   Procedure
6.   Summer Improvement Programme for re-entry
7.   Further queries

Appendix A: Progression Application for Existing Students Entry into Year 13

1. Statement
Ashbourne is a selective College providing a university-style learning environment in which students are encouraged and supported to take responsibility for their own academic success. Students moving into Year 13 must have the academic foundations to achieve competitive A level grades for university applications or equivalent alternatives.

Students are expected to follow Ashbourne’s Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy throughout the year and any disciplinary action resulting from violations of this policy will be reviewed as a condition of entry into Year 13.

2. Aims
This policy sets out the requirements for entry into Year 13 for existing students and steps necessary for re-application where the initial requirements have not been met.

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3. Related policies

4. Progression for entry into Year 13
To gain entry into Year 13 students are required to achieve a minimum of CCC in their Year 12 results and consistently adhere to rules and regulations set out within the Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy.

The following should be noted:

  • The College does not distinguish between internal and external assessments for the end of Year 12 examinations.
  • In cases where students are unable to sit one or more of the end of Year 12 examinations,  Ashbourne will consider the student’s performance throughout the academic year using feedback from teachers, reports, homework, working grades and mock results, amongst other factors.

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5. Procedure
Students who have not managed to attain a minimum CCC in their end of Year 12 exams or who have consistently breached the Code of Conduct, as set out in the Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy, will be given the opportunity to re-apply to study in Year 13.

The Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy makes it clear that students are expected to:

  • Attend all classes on time.
  • Submit all homework, coursework, mocks and assignments to the best of the student’s ability and on time.
  • Show commitment to their studies inside and outside of the classroom – all Ashbourne students are expected to actively engage during lessons, and work in a manner that does not disrupt the class.
  • Respect fellow students and members of staff.
  • Comply with the rules and expected behaviour.

5.1 How to re-apply
Students re-applying for entry into Year 13 must submit their request in writing to the Heads of Sixth Form no later than 31 August. The request is made by completing the Application Form for Progress from Year 12 to Year 13.

5.1.2 Re-application criteria
Ashbourne will consider a number of different factors when deciding whether a student should be permitted entry to Year 13. These include:

  • By how much the student missed the CCC grade requirement (CDD vs EEU/UUU).
  • The student’s commitment to undertake the Summer Improvement Programme (set out below), if applicable.
  • The student’s ambition to do well with their A level studies and their intention to obtain a university place at a top-ranking UK university or alternative pathway.
  • The student’s compliance with the rules set out within the Student Behaviour and Exclusions Policy including any suspensions.
  • The student’s flexibility to adjust their study programme, e.g. to focus on only two subjects in order to apply for an art foundation course or change of subject to complete a one-year programme.
  • The student’s attitude at the re-application meeting, including whether they arrive late to the meeting.
  • The quality of application request, which they will have to submit prior to the meeting.
  • Where a student started their Year 12 studies after the beginning of the first term, this might have impacted on their ability to achieve the best possible results at the end of year examination.
  • Any stipulations made within the student’s offer letter to Ashbourne.

5.1.3 Re-application decisions and outcomes
A decision about their re-application into Year 13 will be made within five working days. The outcomes include the following:

a) Repeating Year 12
This will be the case in the following scenarios:

  • Where the student has found the transition to Year 12 difficult and wishes to repeat Year 12 with renewed enthusiasm and/or will take up new subjects.
  • The College refuses progression to Year 13 because Year 12 results are below the CCC threshold.
  • The College recommends this course of action in the best interests of the student if they are intending to apply for entry onto a competitive university degree course.

b) Continuation into Year 13 without condition.

c) Continuation into Year 13 with condition.
Conditions could include:

  • Achieving a minimum standard within the HT1 internal mocks that take place in October of Year 13. Failing to meet the agreed standard, typically BBB, will mean the student will have to return to Year 12.
  • Discontinuing a subject to focus on fewer subjects (e.g. three subjects instead of four) and/or taking an additional subject (usually a native language) that is more compatible with the student’s strengths.
  • Adjusting a student’s university pathway. This may involve delaying submission of their  UCAS application until the student has been able to achieve the required predicted grades based on, amongst other considerations, the mock examination performance for either HT1 or HT2 assessments.
  • Deferring UCAS application submission to the following academic year so that a student can apply having already achieved the required A level grades. This may be appropriate where the College is unable to provide predicted grades for a successful UCAS application required by top-ranking universities based on the students performance at that point. In these cases, the student would need to take a Gap Year following their A level exams. The College would then offer support to the student during the completion of the university application.
  • Taking individual tuition to improve performance.


d) Refusal into Year 13 and no option to repeat
This might be for the following reasons:

  • The attitude of the student at the re-application meeting was not in line with the expectations of the College. In these cases, students would usually be given a second opportunity to present their case.
  • After carefully reviewing the student’s re-application, Ashbourne did not think that returning to Ashbourne would be beneficial to the student and/or that the student re-joining either year group would have a negative impact on the learning of other students.
  • The student’s academic level was too low and due to their visa restrictions the student was unable to repeat Year 12.

Note that students who are refused entry into Year 13 and subsequently do not wish to repeat Year 12, will not be liable for the fees for the subsequent academic year.

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6. Summer Improvement Programme for re-entry
Ashbourne’s Summer Improvement Programme offers students extra support and set work that will help them become better prepared to continue their studies in Year 13. Year 12 students who achieve below a C in their HT4 Working Grade in any of their subjects must expect to be enrolled on to the programme. Students enrolled will not be required to remain in the UK during this period, but are expected to fully commit to the programme of work set. This will include classes during June and August and work set via Google Classroom over the summer break.

This programme includes the following subjects (not exhaustive):

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Economics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology

6.1 How the Summer Improvement Programme process works:

  1. The student achieves below a C in their HT4 Working Grade in one of the above subjects.
  2. The student meets with their Personal Tutor and/or a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss the best plan to support them to gain entry to Year 13. This is likely to mean enrolling on to the Summer Improvement Programme, if available for their subject.
  3. Weekly sessions will be held in June by teachers focussing on key topics that are fundamental for Year 13.
  4. Work is set via Google Classroom and must be completed over the summer. Typically this will be a weekly assignment and last no longer than two hours. Students are expected to complete and submit the work on time each week.
  5. Students receive their official Year 12 results in mid-August.
  6. Students sit an assessment based on the work set in the Summer Improvement Programme for their subjects at the end of August. The results from these assessments will be used, alongside their Year 12 results, to determine whether they can continue with their studies in Year 13. If a student fails to meet the overall CCC requirement they will be invited to a follow-up meeting with a Head of Sixth Form to discuss how to progress. They must complete the Application Form for Progress from Year 12 to Year 13 ahead of this meeting.

7. Further queries
If students have any queries or concerns with regard to this policy these should be raised with the Director of Studies. In cases when they are unavailable, queries should be referred to the Heads of Sixth Form.

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Authorised by The Principal
Date September 2023
Effective date of the policy September 2023
Circulation Teaching staff / all staff / parents / students on request
Review date September 2026

 


Appendix A: Download Progression Application for Existing Students here

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