Common Room Closed - Wednesday 28th November

There will be an important meeting taking place in the Sixth Form Common Room on Wednesday 28th November from 12.30pm onwards. Therefore students will not be able to use the common room from lunchtime onwards on this day. Students who have private study should use rooms 47, 48 or 61 during period 4 and rooms 47 and 48 during period 5. We are very sorry for this inconvenience and thank-you for your cooperation.

Sixth Form Open Evening

Thank you to all of the staff and students who helped make last nights Sixth Form Open Evening a great success.

Advice on filling out UCAS

In response to several questions we have been asked regarding entering your Module grades into UCAS apply we have been given this answer by UCAS :

"Over the past few weeks, we have received a number of queries about students entering their AS level and A level qualifications in Apply. One commonly asked question is the inclusion of unit grades. To clarify any confusion there may be, we can confirm that entering unit grades is entirely optional. Although we recommend that students do include details of their units with a separate grade/result, this is at their own discretion or on the advice and preference of their school or college."

Sixth Form Council Meeting : Monday 12th November 2007

Dear Council Representatives,

A reminder that the next meeting is going to be held on Monday 12th November at 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. We are breaking from our usual fortnightly meeting as the reps present at todays meeting would like further clarification on Children In Need and we will be inviting a member of the CIN Committee to fill the Council in as to what is happening.

Sixth Form Weekly Notices / Council Meeting

Dear all

Just to let you know that Sixth Form Weekly Notices are now available online on the School Website HERE. This will be updated weekly on a Friday - please make sure you read them!

Also, just a reminder that there is a Sixth Form Council Meeting on Monday 5th November at 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. Any items for the agenda to Dan Helsby or myself please!

Meeting Reminders (Council / Prom Committee)

Dear students

Please remember that there is a Year Council Meeting on Monday 5th November at 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. It is important that ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ATTEND! Please get any items for the agenda to either Dan Helsby or myself (I will pass them on) as soon as possible.

Also for Year 13 students - we have a Prom Committee meeting on Tuesday 30th October at 12:50pm. From now on this will be a regular Tuesday meeting (unless you hear otherwise from us).

Thank you.

Excellent new website...

Dear all,

I have been alerted to an excellent new website that will help you with anything you need to know about universities. Visit www.hero.ac.uk for more information.

Message from Mr Ginnings : History Trip

I’m planning to take a 6th form trip to Berlin between March 25th and March 30th 2008. Please can you circulate this email to Y12 & Y13 informing them of the provisional dates and that the likely cost will be around £370-420. An initial deposit of £100 will be required. I’m aware that with Xmas on the way, parents will need to budget – especially as the final payment will be required 10 weeks before departure i.e. end of January. I am awaiting a final price to be confirmed (which is obviously numbers dependent).

A formal letter with reply slips, etc will be available in the first week back after half term.

Sixth Form Council Meeting

Dear all,

A reminder that the next Sixth Form Council meeting will take place on Monday 5th November at 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. By the end of this week I hope that the tutor reps have collected in the kitty money (£2 from each student) and this needs to be passed to either Miss Clarke, Mrs Khakh or myself as soon as possible.

Year 13 Assembly

Dear Year 13,

A gentle reminder that you have an additional assembly on Wednesday 17th October. I did put signs up around the building and notes in registers but hopefully the message will have got round. Remember : Attendance to assembly is COMPULSORY.

Common Room

Please don't forget ........we need your ideas about how to keep the common room and kitchen tidy. Thank-you to those students who have already given in their suggestions but we need more of your ideas........come on......get thinking! Remember you can e-mail Miss Clarke, Mrs. Khakh or Mr. Handy if you have any great suggestions. Thanks.

Meeting Reminders

Sixth Form Council : Monday 15th October 12:50, Private Study Room

Sixth Form Prom Committee : Tuesday 23rd October 12:50

Thank You!

I would like to extend a big 'Thank You' to all of the students who have helped with the Open Evening and Open Morning. You were a great credit to us as a school and I was very impressed with what I saw, as I'm sure other staff were.

Upcoming Sixth Form Meetings

Prom Committee : Tuesday 9th October 2007, 12:50pm, Room 54

Yearbook Committee : Tuesday 9th October 2007, 12:50pm, Room 55

Sixth Form Council : Monday 15th October 2007, 12:45pm, Private Study Room

New stuff...

Dear all,

Please find some very useful new Sixth Form related links on the blog (including the very informative Aimhigher UCAS Application Guide). A host of new features will be uploaded to the Sixth Form area of the school website in the next few days such as the new 2008 entry Prospectus and accompanying subject guides.

Open Evening : Wednesday 3rd October

Dear students,

If you would like to help out at Open Evening on Wednesday 3rd October then please come to the meeting we are having TODAY at 12:45pm in the Private Study room. I will be signing people up formally and allocating them to specific roles. The roles available :

Car Park / Entrance Attendant : Complete with yellow jacket and torch ensure our guests park safely and make their way to the school hall. Please arrive 6:30pm - main school foyer.

Refreshments : Based in the Sixth Form Block serving refreshments to our guests. Please arrive 6:30pm - Sixth Form Block.

School Tours : Recommended for those of you who are good communicators and know your way around the school. You will be supporting a member of staff as they take our guests around the various subject areas. Arrive 6:30pm - main school foyer.

It goes without saying - come smartly dressed!

If you miss this meeting and want to help please see me as soon as possible (or contact via e-mail so I can sign you up).

Thank you

Year 13 Assembly : Handouts

Dear Year 13,

I have placed the notes for this mornings important UCAS assembly on the school website. These are a detailed handout designed to help you get through the application without coming across any problems. Please click HERE for the handout.

Reminders

-Year 13 assembly this Friday - all must attend. This is a really important session going through UCAS Apply IN DETAIL.

- For students helping with the Main School Open Evening on Wednesday 3rd October there is going to be a short meeting in the Private Study room on Friday at 12:40pm. Please make sure you all attend (including Senior Prefects) as I will confirming your roles for the night.

- Sixth Form Council meeting on Monday 1st October, 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. All reps to attend.

- Yearbook / Prom innaugural meetings Tuesday 2nd October. Please see signs around the Sixth Form Block for more information.

Sunbeam

Dear all,

If you get chance then please head to the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, to support two of our students Rachel Lochhead and Dan Helsby in the production of 'Sunbeam'. Today (Saturday) is the last day with performances at 2:30pm and 7:30pm - it is a magnificent show!

EMA Contract Part Two

Dear all,

Our internal EMA Contract Part Two will be available in school from Monday. Please collect one from Mr Handy or download it HERE . This needs to be returned as soon as possible as without this we are unable to consider you for any bonus payments during the course of the year (we consider bonus payments in January and July dependant on progress).

Joshua Foundation : Project Meeting

Dear Year 12,

Just a reminder that there will be a meeting on Wednesday 26th September at 12:30pm (venue - Private Study Room) to discuss the deeper details of signing up for their Australian project.

Hope many of you choose to attend!

Use of Leisure Centre...

Dear all,

Just a reminder that the Leisure Centre is out of bounds during lesson times. The only times in which you are permitted there during the school day are during break and lunch to use their facilities. Please do not go there at any other time.

Sixth Form Council - Inaugural Meeting

Dear all,

We will be having the inaugural meeting of the Sixth Form Council on Friday 14th September at 12:50pm in the Private Study Room. It is anticipated that we will elect a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer during the course of this session. We have big plans for the Council this year!

Would all representatives please make sure they attend!

Welcome Back!

Dear Year 12 and Year 13!

Welcome back to school! Many apologies that it has taken so long for one of the team to write something in here but we have been very busy creating the Independent Learning Sessions and making sure all our systems are up and running for the beginning of the year. Year 12 students will have already had our two Information Evenings last week (which, incidentally, were very successful) but Year 13 parents have got the UCAS Information Evening coming up on Thursday 20th September. Please see the school website for more information and a copy of the letter that we have posted out.

If any of our students has made any subject choices then please make sure that your tutor is aware of this and they have recorded it on their master grid to enable changes to be made electronically to our systems. The sooner that you do this the better so we can ensure that everything runs smoothly.

E-mail

Dear all,

We are still having major e-mail server problems. Should you urgently need to contact either Miss Clarke or myself then please e-mail on d.handy@wlv.ac.uk. Failing that you can leave a voicemail on (01902) 891754 (myself) or (01902) 891752 (Miss Clarke).

Thank you!

ACE Week Opt In Activities

Dear Year 12,

Just to let you know that by Friday AM the lists will be up in the Sixth Form Block and on the glass outside Room 19, 20 & 21 for the ACE Week Opt In activities. If there are any problems please see Mrs Riley in the school office - she will try to make any amendments but we cannot make any guarantees that they can be done.

Induction 2007

Thanks to all our staff, students and prospective students for making our two induction days a huge success. As a reminder to all of our prospective students, the reply slips for our September Parents Meetings that we sent out to your parents need to be with me by the end of term if possible.

Use of E-Mail

Dear all,

It has come to our attention that a number of you are using e-mail inappropriately. It is NOT a personal messaging service or for non-work related purposes and we will be speaking to offenders. On top of the fact that you are clearly not doing the work you should be you are causing problems for others because some people are transmitting very large files which only serve to slow the servers down.

Any queries please see either myself or the ICT Technical Team.

New University Open Day Procedures

Dear all,

We have decided that unless there are exceptional circumstances each student will be limited to a maximum of THREE university visits during school time. You must apply by collecting a form from Mr Handy and fill this out, gaining the signatures of all the subject teachers you would have on the day you are out of school. This must be returned to Mr Handy who will inform you as to whether or not you have permission to be out of school.

University Open Days

Dear Year 12,

It has come to my attention that several of you have not been following the correct procedures regarding attending University Open Days. There are several students who I have told to tell their tutors AND see subject teachers for work and yet this does not seem to have been followed through.

As a result of this behaviour we are changing the system for next year. More details to follow.

ACE Week

Dear all,

Set lists for the HE Day will be with your tutors by PM registration today. You must attend the sessions that you have been allotted, our guest speakers will be expecting you and you have been put in the session you have for a reason!

Also, a gentle reminder! The ACE Week signup sheets that went out in assembly today need to be back with me by TUESDAY END OF SCHOOL AT THE LATEST!!!! They are being processed elsewhere and need to be sorted as soon as possible. Any problems or queries please come and see me.

Year 13 Prom : May 2007

Dear Year 13,

We now have a display up in the Sixth Form Block of photos from your Prom. Whilst you have all now finished you exams you are welcome to come and have a look at these photos. We had so many that we could only put up a small selection, but we hope you enjoy them.

Hope the exams went well!

Year 12 Assembly

Dear Year 12,

Just a reminder (in addition to the one that you received in registers this AM) that you have assembly this Friday AM in the Common Room. Make sure you attend!

Sixth Form Induction 2007

Dear all,

We are posting the induction programme for Tuesday 3rd & Wednesday 4th July online HERE. We are looking forward to seeing many of you back with us next week for what we hope will be a positive and successful two days of induction. On Tuesday if you arrive at the Sixth Form Block at 8:45am you will be registered by our Senior Prefects before the session (detailed in the above link) begins.

Outstanding EMA payments

Dear all

If any of you are hoarding EMA cards from previous weeks and months and they are eligible for payment then please submit them to me as soon as possible to allow for payments to be actioned before the cut off date.

Thank you.

Senior Prefect Election Results 2007

Dear all,

Many thanks to all of the candidates for voting, it was a very close election and the calibre of the candidates was very good. We are pleased to announce the ten senior prefects for the forthcoming year :

Mark Brach
Susan Carr
Amy Chetter
Suzie Copper
Matt Cullis
Hayley Gorton
Tom Higgins
James Mills
Guy Oliver
Stephanie Wignall

Could all of the above please attend a meeting in Room 54 on Tuesday 26th June at 1pm where we will tell you about upcoming duties, etc.

ACE Week Post 18 Day : Outstanding Sign Up Sheets

Dear Year 12,

Many thanks to those of you who have returned your sign up sheets for the Post 18 Day on Monday 9th July. The deadline for forms was over a week ago now and yet still I am missing a significant amount of forms. The students who I have yet to receive details from are :

Luke Alexander
Oliver Baker
Mark Brach
Matt Braiden
Luke Bryant
James Carey
Amelia Corcoran
Alex Lee
Dan Norcup
Richard Pearson
Jess Steel
Richard Tanner
Dave Taylor
Dave Tromans
Vicky Webb
Dan Wellings
Richard Willis

If you do not sign up with me in the next day or two I will allocate you to sessions that I believe will be appropriate for you.

Project Trust

Dear Year 12,

Following on from this mornings informative presentation on gap years by Ally from the Project Trust I'd just like to let you know we have a DVD available that I am willing to loan out to anyone interested. If you would like to borrow it please see me and we can arrange that. Also, if you are interested further then please see the Project Trust website HERE.

HE Convention

I have now produced coach lists which are on display around the Sixth Form block. I have divided you alphabetically by last name, with A-H on Coach One with Miss Clarke and Mrs Edwards whilst on Coach Two you have the pleasure of Mrs Khakh and myself. This will be last names I-Z.

Aston University -Pure Potential Day

A group of 15 students have been selected to go to a special HE Day on 6th July at Aston University. Thank-you to all those students who have returned their reply slips. 4 students still need to return their forms however. Please can all 15 students remember to sign up on the website http://www.target-10000.org/
Thanks!

HE Convention / ACE Week Post 18 Day / Manchester Trip Signup

Dear Year 12

Apologies for the lack of communication lately - I / we have been extremely busy! Just a few reminders for you today!

Your HE Convention consent forms and the accompanying £1.50 voluntary contribution should be handed in to myself by the end of school, Wednesday 13th June. This is essential so that we can sort out all of the paperwork required! Remember, it is a vital part of your Sixth Form life and it does not just apply to students who want to go to university.

Your form tutors were given sign-up sheets for each of you to put down which sessions you will be attending on our Post 18 Futures Day (Monday 9th July). I have received a fair proportion back already and I'm very pleased with how seriously you are taking it. The final date for getting these to me is Friday 15th June (this Friday). Again, I need these in so that I can sort out groups / clashes / let our guest speakers know how many students will be attending their lectures.

Finally, any student who wishes to go on the Manchester excursion on Friday 13th July needs to sign-up AS SOON AS POSSIBLE on the sheets stuck to JC/JWE's window. You also need to collect a letter about the trip from Mrs Edwards. We need to know numbers for this as soon as possible in order to sort out all of the relevant paperwork! Those of you that choose not to participate in the trip will be completing a serious task in school.

Half Term : Revision

Dear all,

Remember that although it's half term you should still be sticking to your planned revision during this time! Make the most of the fact that the weather is pretty dire and use the time to prepare thoroughly for your upcoming exams!

Best of luck!

Year 13 Leavers Ceremony : Friday 25th May 2007

Dear Year 13,

Your Leavers Ceremony will be on Friday 25th May 2007 in the Sixth Form Common Room. It will begin at the start of Period 2 (10:10am) and run through break to the end of Period 3. All of you must attend, this is the ONLY time and place that you will be able to receive your yearbooks (which are going to look fantastic - trust me!). We promise that it will be a fun ceremony with a lot to see...a lot of careful planning has gone into making it a success.

See you then!

Year 12 Salford Quays ACE Week Trip : Friday 13th July

Dear Year 12,

Please find the letter and consent form on the school website for the Salford Quays trip taking place on Friday 13th July 2007 as the final part of our Sixth Form ACE Week. Click HERE for the letter and HERE for the consent form.

Amended AS / A2 Examination Clash Timetable

Please read HERE or check the noticeboard in the Sixth Form for the latest amended clash memo.

Final Critical Thinking Revision

Only a few days to go! If you do not have the complete set of practice papers or revision guide sheets make sure that you see me. This is really important for those of you who have not been able to attend lessons because of other exams. Remember to check which room you will be in BEFORE you come to the exam briefing on Friday.

Finally, enjoy the exam! It can be quite a challenge but the subject matter is usually interesting and should make you THINK!

Good luck to all of you,

Mrs Edwards

Year 12 Reply Slips

Dear Year 12,

Just a reminder that your study leave / post study leave arrangements slips should be with your form tutors TODAY. I took 12DK's register this morning and more than half of the group have yet to return their slips. Those of you that do not return the slips as required will not be eligible for enhanced post exam leave private study privileges.

Critical Thinking Examination Briefing Arrangements

Dear all,

Due to the sheer numbers involved in the Critical Thinking exam we are splitting the exam briefing (to be held in the Common Room) as follows:

13:30 - Year 12 Critical Thinking briefing
13:40 - Year 13 Critical Thinking briefing

Thank you

Candidate Numbers

Dear all,

A few of you have been to see me in recent days to check on your candidate numbers. Previously I have been sending you to see Mrs Riley but I have now got copies of both Year 12 and Year 13 candidate numbers and therefore can double check these with you should the need arise.

EMA during study leave/July Bonus/EMA issues

I just wanted to clarify the situation regarding EMA during your study leave (and yes it is 11:45pm on Saturday night!). Year 12 will be paid during their study leave as long as they attend all examinations they are expected to. You do not have to fill out your yellow card during this period. When you return on the 11th of June you purely have to get your lessons signed for and NOT Private Study.

Year 13 will be paid EMA up until each students last examination and again you do not need to fill out EMA cards during this period, you just need to attend all of your examinations. Failure to attend examinations for Year 12 and Year 13 students will mean the student in question missing that weeks payment.

Regarding the July EMA bonus we will be considering payments early in June and setting them to pay shortly after. I have checked and the absolute earliest date that payments will reach your bank accounts is July 2nd 2007.

Finally, some of you have mentioned that your EMA payments hadn't appeared. When I checked they were set to pay at my end so I can only presume that there was something amiss at EMA HQ. If this happens again then please let me know and I will chase the powers that be.

Yr. 13 Leavers Assembly!!

This is just to remind all year 13 students that your Leaver's Assembly will be on Friday 25th May at 10.10am in the common room. It will be a fun packed event taking a nostalgic look down the 'Ounsdale memory lane'. We will be giving out special awards, playing soppy music (with surprisingly only one Robbie song) and generally ensuring you all get a good send-off! Please can ALL students ensure that they attend....and don't forget you will be presented with your Year Book, which after seeing the draft is sure to be a superb keep sake.

Be there!!

Year 12 Study Leave / Post Study Leave Private Study Arrangements Letter Reply Slips

Dear Year 12,

You must return the reply slip from the letter that was handed out at the end of assembly today to you Form Tutor by TUESDAY 15TH MAY AT THE LATEST. Students that fail to do this will not have the opportunity to have their increased Private Study privileges after Monday 11th June. If you have lost the letter or did not pick one up then you can print a copy off HERE.

Thank you!

Year 13 Prom : Outstanding Ticket Payment

Dear Year 13,

Those of you that have not paid the remaining fifteen pounds per ticket for the Prom need to do so by Wednesday next week to enable us to make payment to The Mill. Payments need to be made to one of the Prom Committee as soon as possible.

Thank you

Critical Thinking Examination Rooming : Friday 18th May

Dear all,

We have had to put into place a special rooming plan for Year 12 and Year 13 students to take their Critical Thinking examination on Friday 18th May. Please come to the Common Room for your briefing as previously agreed and then you will need to go to the room you have been allocated. To check for Year 12 click HERE and for Year 13 click HERE.

Thank you

Articles for the school website?

Dear all,

As you will all know we have recently relaunched the school website. As part of this we would very much like to have an increased amount of input from students into the content we provide and in particular I would like it if some of you could write articles on Sixth Form life, visits, etc (include any photos you think are appropriate). If you could e-mail these to me here then I can look to upload them!

Thank you

Prom Committee Meeting

There will be a Prom Committee meeting at 12:50pm today in the Private Study room. Could all committee members please make every effort to be there.

Thank you.

Year 12 Study Leave Arrangements Letter

Dear Year 12,

We will be issuing this letter in hard copy on Friday in your assembly. Please read it carefully and familiarise yourself with arrangements for your study leave and post study leave time. Miss Clarke will explain all in detail in assembly - please make sure that you attend!

Student Parking

Dear all,May I just remind you that you have been asked NOT to park in Mount Pleasant Avenue. Please can you either park responsibly as agreed with Mr Gogarty at the Mount Pleasant or the Leisure Centre car park. As the weather is nice some of you might like to take the opportunity to walk or cycle to school?

Exam Clash Arrangements

Please see here for information regarding examination clashes. Again, if there are any problems then see either myself, Miss Clarke, Mrs Edwards or Mrs Riley.

Examination Timetables

Dear all,

For those of you who have misplaced your examination timetables you can now find them on the school website at HERE. If you have any problems with your timetable then please see either myself, Miss Clarke, Mrs Edwards or Mrs Riley (Examinations Officer) in the school office.

Thank you

Sixth Form Council Meeting - Tuesday 1st May 2007

Dear all,

Please can ALL Sixth Form Council representatives come to the meeting scheduled for Tuesday 1st May at 12:45pm in the Private Study Room. There are a number of issues that have been raised by students that we need to discuss before you all begin to have examinations, etc. If you cannot attend please can you get another person in your tutor group to act as your representative. At the last meeting we had THREE reps turn up and would like a full turn out this time!

UK University Listing

Dear all,

I have created a directory of UK Universities on our school website to enable you to see the full range of U.K. universities and surf to their homepages for more information. The link is available here, in the links column on the right hand side of this page and also on the school website (For Parents > Sixth Form).

I hope this is useful to you.

The Jenny Edwards Cup

Dear all,

I am currently working on a new Sixth Form competition, the 'Jenny Edwards Cup'. This will be five day event to take place in the next academic year and will most likely be an competition between Sixth Form Tutor Groups. I'm still in the very early stages of putting together the rules/events but I am envisaging teams of around seven from each tutor group will take part. However, because there will be several different disciplines (physical, mental, etc) then you will need to select your teams carefully to maximise your overall potential. As I said previously I have not made any firm decisions regarding the competition but I am open to suggestions. Current ideas for challenges include:

- 5 a side football tournament
- Quiz
- Several 'Krypton Factor' style tasks (the Flight Simulator possibly?)

If any of you have ideas for challenges then please see me and I will try to build some of these ideas into this exciting new competition.

The end of an era!!

After 30 years of teaching at Ounsdale High School, Mrs. Edwards has made the decision to pursue other exciting ventures. Although we will all be very sad to see Mrs. Edwards leave we know she will make the most of her time post-Ounsdale. Mrs. Edwards joined the Geography department in September 1977. She has worked within many areas of the school teaching subjects as diverse as IT, Geology, Chemistry, Leisure and Tourism, Key Skills, General Studies and Critical Thinking......and of course Geography. Mrs. Edwards will be leaving us at the end of the summer term and we want to make sure her last few weeks with us are as enjoyable as possible..........after all this time....she deserves a good send off.........so pass on your ideas to Mr. Handy or Miss Clarke

Our new Blog Site!

Hi Sixth Form Students
Welcome to Ounsdale High School's Sixth Form Blog! We hope you will enjoy visiting this blog on a regular basis to read about what's happening within the 6th Form and our plans for the future as well as celebrating the successes and achievements of all our students. Watch this space!

Study Leave Arrangements - Summer 2007

Dear all,

Study Leave arrangements for the summer term will be as follows:

Year 12

Finish school on Thursday 17th May 2007. Return to school on Monday 11th June 2007.

Year 13

Finish school on Friday 25th May 2007.

If you have an examination that falls outside of this period then the procedure of having the afternoon before a morning examination or a morning before an afternoon examination as study leave will apply.