The Sixth Form is outstanding. High-quality teaching and guidance, and strong partnerships with universities, colleges of further education and industry, provide students with excellent opportunities to pursue careers of their choice. Here are some of the other benefits of coming to Sandwell Academy's Sixth Form:
Physical Education and Sport is a popular Sixth Form choice and all students are encouraged to participate in our sport and recreation programme and follow an individualised fitness programme.
A range of Business and ICT courses are offered in the Sixth Form with local industry involved in the delivery and design of the curriculum. The Academy's expectation and dress code emphasise a business-like approach to education and influences the culture throughout student life.
Students remain on site during the Academy day and students feel very safe in school. All safeguarding requirements are met. A strong safeguarding culture is evident in the school and safeguarding issues are fully threaded through the curriculum. The behaviour of students is excellent. Students are proud to attend the Academy and their attitudes to learning are excellent. There is a happy and harmonious atmosphere around the Academy. Students are polite and considerate towards adults and towards one another.
All students have access to the online curriculum in and outside the Academy. Students benefit from being able to access all taught lessons, to clarify information after lessons and also to access information for revision including past papers and additional revision resources.
All students have access to Office 365 which gives them a copy of Microsoft Office for as long as they are a student at Sandwell Academy. This also gives students the ability to save and transfer work via a personal OneDrive that can be accessed in and outside the Academy.
Sandwell Academy offers a full time Careers team to support students, parents and carers in regards to their next steps once they leave the Academy. Located in the centre of the Academy above the main reception, the team operates an open door policy, allowing students to drop in to speak to a member of team.
Student also have access to Unifrog, an online platform for supporting higher education and apprenticeships.
One week work experience in industry with support from the careers team, will provide students with the chance to broaden their horizons and raise aspirations through their insights into the working world. Through their placements students develop key employability skills and qualities for the future. Securing high quality work placements in a wide range of businesses and organisations means that students can draw from these experiences within applications, interviews and assessment settings.
Students have the opportunity to apply for the Voyage, a once in a lifetime trip to sail around the British Isles in a Catamaran, developing a whole host of new skills. This really can be a life changing experience – one that will guarantee that a university or job applicant stands out from the crowd.
The new, tougher A Level and BTEC courses have proved challenging; however, Sandwell Academy students have consistently led the way in Sixth Form performance in the borough since it opened in 2006 and results demonstrate the hard work of students and staff at the Academy.
The school has had strong and stable staffing since it opened in 2006 and has never had to employ supply teachers. This is the result of a proactive approach to the recruitment and development of highly effective teachers. Students are taught extremely well by dedicated and enthusiastic teachers who have excellent subject knowledge and display a passion for their subjects, which captures students' interest and leads to remarkable progress. Teaching staff are ambitious for students to achieve at the highest level.
We offer students a means tested bursary, which is paid termly. There is also means tested financial support available for trips and uniform. Eligibility is dependent on excellent attendance, effort, conduct and meeting of deadlines.
Some of our most talented students apply for and become Arkwright Engineering Scholars, this is a prestigious scholarship that inspires and nurtures students to be sutures leaders of the Engineering Profession. Every Scholarship is sponsored by a commercial company, trade association, university, professional institution, armed service, government organisation, worshipful company, charitable trust or personal donor. This means that support is offered in various different ways, for example, valuable hands-on work experience, support for a curriculum project and a personal mentor who can help students with aspects of their studies and career planning.
The benefits include:
Many of our students go on to apply for Nuffield Research Placements, which provides an opportunity for students to work alongside professional scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. Year 12 students that meet certain criteria will be supported to apply for the programme, if they express an interest and if successful that complete a project alongside a professional. Projects take place in the summer holidays and must have broadly scientific or technical content, but they don't have to be based in a laboratory. They might be office-based or include fieldwork, or they might focus on engineering, data science or computer science. Placements take place across the UK and are administered at a regional level by a network of Nuffield Coordinators. The research projects have received fantastic feedback from students and give provide something outstanding to include within interviews and University applications.
Should you have any queries or comments please contact Miss Duncombe (Sixth Form Admissions Officer) by either:
Email: sixthformadmissions@sandwellacademy.com
Or by post:
Sixth Form Admissions Officer,Sandwell Academy,Halfords Lane,West Bromwich,West Midlands,B71 4LG.
Please ensure that the correct postage is paid for the size of envelope used.