Information Evening Welcome to St. Dominic’s! September 10 th 2015 St Dominic’s is a Roman Catholic Sixth Form College committed to the personal and spiritual growth of all its members based on Christian values, academic excellence and high-quality pastoral care

Prayer God our Father - We thank you for the opportunity to begin this new academic year together. We ask that you bless our students, their families and all the staff that make up our College. We pray that you will guide this community, so that we will seek your will in everything that we do. Amen.

Welcome and Well Done!

Our Mission – we are another part of the educational journey St Dominic’s is a Roman Catholic Sixth Form College committed to the personal and spiritual growth of all its members based on Christian values, academic excellence and high-quality pastoral care

Living out our Mission, a living ethos for the whole community - students  The Spiritual Support we give to each other  The way we treat each other – politeness and courtesy  The interaction you have with staff and your peers  Supporting the wider world, locally and globally – getting involved  The way we start each day and each meeting – prayer in Chapel and in first lesson of day.

Living out our Mission, a living ethos for the whole community - staff  The support we give to you individually and collectively  The approach we have to your academic success  The pastoral care and guidance we give you every day  The less formal environment we operate in

General RE – personal exploration  Integral part of our curriculum offer – mandatory  Taught by a range of staff  Time for reflection, personal thought and growth  Covering questions of faith, spirituality, moral coding, humanity  Debate, discussion, personal reflection

The Mission Manifest  A community of learners  An ambitious, hard working team of students and staff, striving for excellence in all that we do  Experienced practitioners in the field of Post 16 education  Consciously help those less fortunate than ourselves through charity work and fundraising  We understand the challenges of the next two years

The Senior Leadership Team – (SLT)  Andrew Parkin – Principal  Nicola Walsh – Vice Principal  Paul Higginson – Assistant Principal  Nancy Conoboy – Assistant Principal  Angela Inglese – Assistant Principal  Peter Jenks – Assistant Principal  Mike McConigley – Assistant Principal  Tom Colgan – Director of Finance

St Dominic’s AS Results Summer 2015  A to E – 96%  57% grades A to B  31% grades A  BTEC 100%

Examination Results - A Level (A2) – 3 year trend A*9.1%8.4% 12.5% A*-B Grades65%66% 67% A*-E Grades98.1%98.5% 99.6%

Examination Results – BTEC Year National - Pass100% National - Merit/Distinction/ Distinction* 88%82% 95%

St Dominic’s Sixth Form College Examination series 2015– a national perspective – %A*to B  Hills Road, Cambridge  St Dominic's, Harrow on the Hill  Woodhouse, London  Greenhead, Huddersfield Winstanley, Wigan  Peter Symonds Winchester  King Edward VI, Stourbridge  Cardinal Newman, Preston  Hereford SFC  Carmel College, St Helen’s 58.18

St Dominic’s Sixth Form College Examination series 2015– a national perspective – %A*to E  St. Dominic’s 99.6%  Hills Road99.5%  Carmel 99.3%  Peter Symonds 99.0%  Greenhead98.9%  Winstanley98.8%  Farnborough98.8%  Woodhouse98.6%

Post 16 Examinations – A Period of Transition  St. Dominic’s is continuing to offer you the option of studying 4 subjects this year  Some subjects are now linear – your teachers will explain this to you  External AS examinations taken in ALL subjects next summer to provide accurate

Academic expectations remain the same Students work (consistently) hard – significant step up from GCSE – don’t under-estimate the workload! Students work (consistently) hard – significant step up from GCSE – don’t under-estimate the workload! Students enjoy their courses – inquisitive and hungry to learn Students enjoy their courses – inquisitive and hungry to learn Enthusiasm, passion, dedication, energy, engagement Enthusiasm, passion, dedication, energy, engagement Resilient and tenacious Resilient and tenacious

Students make the difference – PP Personal Preparation  Work habits – personal organisation –Home –College –Equipment –Files/books –Classwork –Homework –Revision

Student work files  Keep all work for revision  Files – divided by unit or topic  Buy lever arched files to keep everything organised

The Year Ahead – anticipate the highs and lows  GCSE to Level 3 Programmes – more academically challenging than GCSE  More detail in their thinking, working and study methods  Time management – 3.20pm finish  Raising their game!

Predicted Grades for next summer  Aim high – be as ambitious as possible  How do you achieve the highest grades? Are they attainable?  What will you need to do achieve higher grades?  Teachers – we have the answers! Fountains of knowledge, wisdom and understanding...

Mock Examinations  December 4 th through to the 11 th  Examinations in all subjects  Graded and basis for discussion – January parents review meetings  Revision – detailed preparation, starting in November – revision timetable and PP – a minimum of 4 hours per night

Minimum Target Grades Minimum Target Grades – MTG – based on GCSE score – we add half a grade to the MTG Minimum Target Grades – MTG – based on GCSE score – we add half a grade to the MTG Our MTGs are therefore challenging – achieving your MTG means you are above the national average, exceeding the expected level Our MTGs are therefore challenging – achieving your MTG means you are above the national average, exceeding the expected level MTGs are published on SID, reviews tab MTGs are published on SID, reviews tab A2 Year – grades are based on AS results – stretch of A* for most able students A2 Year – grades are based on AS results – stretch of A* for most able students

Academic Support Support from teachers Support from teachers Workshops Workshops Study + Study + Library and HE team Library and HE team Tutors Tutors Pastoral Team – experienced tutors offering personal support and guidance Pastoral Team – experienced tutors offering personal support and guidance Senior Leadership Team Senior Leadership Team

Getting involved in College life  Sport and Gym  Student council and Student Governors  D of E  Volunteering  Charity events  Fundraising  Music  Chaplaincy

Points to Remember – College systems and structures  College ID badges – worn at all times  – Sunday night from AP  ParentPay  Information Screens  Ilearn  Website

Behaviour code  Zero tolerance on drugs and violence, including ‘legal highs’  Courtesy and politeness at all times - we have the highest expectations of each of you at all times  Respect for the environment  No Parking in Mount Park Avenue  Smoking – designated area by the side of the Chapel – not encouraged

Attendance and Punctuality  Best ever attendance for the College – 94%  Target for this year – 95%  Lessons commence at 8.30am prompt  In College by 8.25am  Limit your medical appointments, driving lessons, part-time job interviews to outside College time  No permission for extended periods of leave

Illnesses...follow the procedure!  Parent or student to phone College before 10am  Call to be made each day of absence  Long/extended absence – medical correspondence required  Be resilient – time is too short to be absent for minor ailments!

To be Successful Students... To be Successful Students...  Learn from your GCSE results  Independent, active learning  Be willing to listen to advice and guidance  Set yourself clear goals  A desire and a determination to succeed Personal Preparation – Be Organised

What’s going on in College – just ask SID! Check personal details are correct Check personal details are correct Check attendance and punctuality Check attendance and punctuality Effort and achievement grades Effort and achievement grades Examination results Examination results

Pastoral issues – Paul Higginson Contact Attendance Officer – Dani Matonti – Contact Attendance Officer – Dani Matonti – Contact tutor – Contact tutor – Paul Higginson – Paul Higginson –

Gifted, Talented and Able – Peter Jenks Stretch and challenge subject workshops Stretch and challenge subject workshops Oxbridge programme Oxbridge programme Competitions Competitions Visits, relevant to the course Visits, relevant to the course Free lectures at LSE, UCL, Imperial, Kings, Girton College etc etc Free lectures at LSE, UCL, Imperial, Kings, Girton College etc etc

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) Equivalent to an AS level Equivalent to an AS level Voluntary – for 1 st year students Voluntary – for 1 st year students Select essay on a subject of student’s choice Select essay on a subject of student’s choice From January 2016 to September 2016 From January 2016 to September 2016 Excellent preparation for university – the independent learner. Excellent preparation for university – the independent learner. £40 via parent pay £40 via parent pay

Your involvement Home/College contact is very important Home/College contact is very important Academic review meetings – attendance essential – week beginning 18 th January 2016 Academic review meetings – attendance essential – week beginning 18 th January 2016 St. Dominic’s Parents Guild – expressions of interest – St. Dominic’s Parents Guild – expressions of interest –

Three important events this term  Mass of Welcome – Monday September 21 st – followed by tea and cakes  Parents Guild Meeting – Tuesday September 29 th 6.30pm  Spice Night – Quiz and a Curry – Tuesday October 20 th 7.00pm canteen

The Successful Student Take the broad view Take the broad view A willingness to listen to advice A willingness to listen to advice Set yourself clear goals Set yourself clear goals A desire and a determination to succeed A desire and a determination to succeed Personal Preparation - PP Personal Preparation - PP

The Journey Ahead… St Dominic’s is a Roman Catholic Sixth Form College committed to the personal and spiritual growth of all its members based on Christian values, academic excellence and high-quality pastoral care S uccessful T enacious D edicated O ptimistic M otivated S upportive

Thank you for your support Please join us for refreshments in the College refectory Please join us for refreshments in the College refectory