Pastoral & Academic Care

The Holt sixth form offers outstanding pastoral care for all our students.

Each student is assigned a personal tutor with whom they stay throughout their time in the sixth form. The personal tutors support the students with their studies, work experience and overall development as well as supporting them in their applications to university, apprenticeships or work.

In the first half term of Year 12, all students will have a transition period where we will be supporting and training them in group personal tutoring sessions where they will see their tutor once a week in small groups. This is to help students adapt to a more independent sixth form learning style.

The Year 12 students will be expected to be in school every morning for this term, attending either personal tutoring at 8.40am or from 9am if they do not have personal tutoring that day. However, students may go home if they do not have any afternoon lessons.

Your daughter/son will be allocated a personal tutor who will support them through this transition period with 1:1 academic mentoring, support and guidance. During this half term, your daughter/son will have the opportunity to get to know their peers and teachers as they are encouraged to form study groups, receive specific 1:1s with staff and receive personalised guidance on note taking, revision strategies and time management.

The first half term is also a good time to try out new things such as classroom attachment, sport, debating or volunteering in the community and primarily to get into good habits.

Personal Tutoring

From the second half of the autumn term in Year 12 and until the end of sixth form, students will no longer attend group personal tutoring once a week, but instead will have a 10-minute 1:1 personal tutoring appointment once a fortnight at 8.40 or 8.50am with their personal tutor.

This one session every fortnight is compulsory and will be for your daughter/son to check in, discuss concerns, progress, absence and any other relevant teaching and learning or pastoral issues.

Personal tutors are able to guide students in identifying any support needed and are key to ensuring students continue to make outstanding academic progression.

We hold one parents’ consultation evening in Year 12 and one in Year 13 where staff talk through progress and next steps. In September of Year 13 we also hold a post 18 discussion where the personal tutor explains with parents and student the post 18 options, UCAS predictions, applications and discusses targets for the coming year.

Seminar & Workshop Programme

Throughout the year we have fortnightly sessions where students engage in transition/study skills workshops, careers guidance and sessions on post 18 plans, university/apprenticeship applications, outside speakers and inspirational assemblies.

Private Study Sessions

Students will attend six private study sessions where they make use of our excellent silent study room which is fully equipped with computers and individual workspaces.

Home Study

From the second half of the autumn term in Year 12 and onwards, when your daughter/son does not have anything on their timetable they can choose to remain in school to study or they may prefer to use Wokingham Library or study at home.

The sixth form centre is available for all our students to use between the hours of 7.30am – 5.50pm.

ARC Counsellor

We have an external ARC counsellor, who offers a confidential drop in service to sixth form students one day a week.

SENCO

Students will be able to access our school SENCO if they have special educational needs and our SENCO also coordinates special exam access arrangements.

Financial Support for Studying

There are no fees to study at The Holt sixth form, however some subjects do require a residential field study trip.

Students are able to access financial support for the costs of studying through a range of government grants and bursaries.

Students may apply through the school for a means-tested government funded bursary, which is awarded annually and paid termly.

Eligible students are also encouraged to investigate the following funding support available: Care to Learn and the Disabled Student Allowance. Further information can be found through the GOV.UK website.