In September 2023, we opened a Sixth Form (Key Stage 5) within Fred Nicholson School.  

Our aspiration is that where appropriate, pupils will transition to a Post-16 provision outside of Fred Nicholson School, either in their local college or with a training provider. However, we do recognise that for a small number of pupils, they may not be ready for this transition at the end of Year 11 and would benefit from some time in our Sixth Form before moving on. 

Our Sixth Form provision is designed with our Orange Pathway pupils in mind. Places within our Sixth Form are open to internal and external pupils, requested via the EHCP annual review process and in consultation with the Local Authority. 

Intent

Within our Sixth Form, we aim to provide a rich, ambitious and experience driven curriculum, led by the needs of the pupil. Pupils have the opportunity to continue working towards their Functional Skills qualifications and life skills, independence and experiences of work are key curriculum areas that we will focus on.

Through a practical and hands-on approach to learning, we aspire for all our pupils to be best prepared, when they leave the Sixth Form, for their next steps – whether this be Post 16 education, employment or community-based provision. Pupils will be stretched, challenged and encouraged to participate in new, exciting educational opportunities and experiences, so they can apply their learning in different settings. Pupils will participate in various activities in the wider community, to allow enhanced learning and to develop their skills in preparation for their adult life beyond Fred Nicholson School.

Pupils may remain in our Sixth Form for up to 2 years, where this is appropriate for an individual. There will also be exit points at the end of each year for those that are ready to move onto their next steps sooner.  

Implementation

Curriculum Frameworks:

At Fred Nicholson School, all our pupils have an Educational, Health and Care Plan. Therefore our curriculum has been designed around the key areas and outcomes of this plan. The curriculum areas taught within our Sixth Form provision, focus on our five Curriculum Frameworks at Fred Nicholson School:


Curriculum Content:

Within each framework, the curriculum content is broken down into Curriculum Strands. These are the ‘subjects’ that make up our programme of study at Fred Nicholson School. Within Sixth Form, pupils will develop skills in all curriculum strands, with Functional Maths, Written Communication and Communication skills continuously built into all practical lessons.

Impact

Assessment & Qualifications:

Pupils within our Sixth Form are given the opportunity to begin or continue studying the following qualifications:

Next Steps:

At the end of each year, we will work with individual pupils and their families to determine the most appropriate next steps. Possible destinations include: