THE RUABON SIXTH FORM

A quality sixth form (98% pass rate at A level)
The Ruabon Sixth form has an excellent reputation. There has been a steady improvement in examination results during the past few years, culminating in our students' outstanding success in 2006.

We are also proud to have been selected by the Welsh Assembly to be a Welsh Baccalaureate School and this new and exciting course will be available to all Year 12 students in September 2007.

We pride ourselves on giving ample support and help to students who find the work challenging, and also on stretching the most able students. Our small classes enable us to give all students the individual attention they need. We not only believe that small is beautiful - it works.

Making the right choices
Our aim is to ensure that you have an appropriate mixture of academic and vocational courses to choose from, and to provide you with a proper balance of supervision and real opportunities to develop independence.

The Welsh Baccalaureate qualification will provide opportunities for students to gain key skills qualifications, to learn about Wales in a European/world context, to improve language skills, to study a range of PSE topics and to take part in work experience and enterprise and community activities. The result for our students is a broad educational experience and a highly-regarded new qualification.

Our sixth formers also benefit from greater freedom as well as the chance to exercise more responsibility. Many of our students contribute to worthwhile activities in school such as our Talking Newspaper for the Blind, paired reading scheme and supporting younger pupils in class.

Do I want to leave school or stay on?
Do you want want to go on to post-16 education? Or are you, as yet, undecided? For some students, leaving school or pursuing their education elsewhere is the right choice.

There are, however, a number of advantages to staying on at school - even if, after sitting GCSEs you may feel as if you never want to see another book in your life!

Continuing your studies at Ruabon
For all our students the security of knowing what you're doing next year; that you know the place and a lot of the people in it, or are going to be somewhere small enough to get to know others, and be quickly known yourself, is important.

You will have continuity of pastoral and teaching staff at a time when things move fairly quickly: a sixth form career is a brief affair - one or two years seem to rush by at some speed! For students who leave school, there is a danger that a casual attitude will result in lowering of achievement.

Sink or swim? We help our sixth formers to swim - even to fly!

If you join the Sixth form from another school, your situation in the Sixth form is hardly any different. In a small sixth form we get to know you and your needs quickly. We want you to succeed and are committed to helping you in every possible way. We promise that you will feel at home and on course in no time!

Student support
In the sixth form we encourage students to be more independent, and in the end their success or failure depends on them.

We do however, place considerable importance on monitoring the progress of individual students, discussing it with them and setting targets for improvement. We see communication with parents as important. Our student support and monitoring structures are designed to ensure as far as possible that our students succeed.

The Ruabon Sixth Form: security and quality
Full details of all courses, BTEC, A/S, A2 and the Welsh Baccalaureate can be downloaded here.

Your programme of courses will be negotiated individually with your personal tutor. Entry to some courses will depend on your existing skills and knowledge, and of course your GCSE qualifications.

Your eventual courses will be determined by your career hopes, your interests, and the balance which will be required in all education programmes. The need for breadth is built into the new post-16 curriculum.

Through our guidance system we aim to ensure that our students are helped to make proper choices at the outset, and to check that progress is being maintained.

Kathleen Davies Bursaries
Students following A level courses in our sixth form are eligible to apply for financial support from this trust. Its purpose is to assist students undertaking higher education courses by paying a significant part of their course fees.

For further information and application forms contact Ms Gooding at the school.

The future
..is challenging but bright! Make sure you get the best results you can at GCSE or GNVQ and we look forward to welcoming you to the Ruabon Sixth Form.