2015
The Blue Coat School
Sixth Form
Admissions
The Sixth Form at The Blue Coat School
We are delighted that you are interested in our Sixth Form!
The Blue Coat School Sixth Form is the largest in the city, with 200 students in our current Year 12
and over 180 in Year 13; we have great flexibility in our curriculum. There are over 20 A level courses
to choose from and it is rare that students aren’t
able to study the combination they choose.
As a Sixth Form within a School, our students have
opportunities to show leadership, to mentor and
develop younger students and to take part in
activities that span year groups. The Sixth Form
students here are expected to be role models to the
younger members of our School and so expectations
are high for their attitudes and conduct.
The Sixth Form years are important in terms of curriculum choice, but also in the development of the
individual. The relationship between staff and students in our Sixth Form is a strength of our School;
students are treated as individuals who have a variety of needs – whether it be challenge, structure
or support. Our pastoral system is designed to meet those needs and help all students to achieve
their very best. There are many trips available to the Sixth Form designed to enhance knowledge
understanding and independence, and there is a wealth of opportunities to get involved in studentled societies as well as fundraising projects.
In the 2012 DfE figures for the destination of school leavers for the entire country, The Blue Coat
School sent the second highest proportion of students nationally to a higher education institution. In
the same set of figures, we also sent the second greatest proportion of our students to a Russell
Group University. In 2012 11 students took up places at Oxford or Cambridge; in 2013 there were 14
students and in 2014 there were nine. In 2014, of those students who went to University, 61% went
to a Russell Group University and 67% entered their first choice University. The Blue Coat School
thoroughly deserves its reputation as a centre of excellence for students hoping to study at
University.
We are very proud of our students and their ambition, commitment, initiative and creativity. You will
have the opportunity to meet them this evening and we hope that you find out first-hand how they
have benefitted from their decision to choose The Blue Coat School.
We look forward to receiving your application.
The Sixth Form Curriculum
The educational landscape for A Level is changing. Some newly devised A Level courses are being
introduced from September 2015, some from 2016 and others from 2017. The curriculum we are
providing takes these changes into account.
At The Blue Coat School, students starting Year 12 in September 2015 will sit AS Level exams in
May/June 2016.
For the new A Levels the AS exams will not contribute to the overall A Level grade and students will
be examined on all the content of the two year course at the end of Year 13.
For existing A Levels the AS exams do contribute to the overall A Level grade. The A2 exams will
examine content from Year 13 only.
It is likely that students will take a combination of new and existing A Levels resulting in different
types of examinations in Year 13.
Entry requirements:
All students must attain a minimum of 5 GCSEs grades A*-B including grade A*-B in English (either
English Language or English Literature) and Maths.
All students must also meet the entry criteria for each subject as detailed in the Handbook and in the
criteria sheet on the back page of this document.
In the Ofsted Inspection in November 2012,
The Blue Coat School was judged to be
outstanding in all areas.
The sixth form is outstanding. The A
and AS level examination results are
well above the national average and all
groups of students make outstanding
progress. There are high quality lessons
and the subjects students take are
matched closely to their needs and
interests.
The school’s main asset is the quality
of its students. Their behaviour and
attitudes to learning are outstanding,
which means teachers are able to
teach lessons without any disruption.
Teachers’ expectations are exceptionally
high. They have excellent knowledge of
their own subjects.
In the sixth form, students can choose
the subjects they take without
restrictions from the school’s timetable.
The timetable is built around the
students and as such meets their needs
and interests outstandingly well.
A Level Courses on offer
New course from
September 2015
Art
Design &
Technology
French
Biology
Chemistry
Computing
Economics
English
Literature
English
Language &
Literature
Geography
Latin
Maths
Philosophy
Physical
Education
Religious
Studies
Existing course
Government
& Politics
Further Maths
History
(must be taken
with Maths)
Music
Physics
Psychology
Spanish
Sixth Form Choices
All students choose four A Level subjects as well as one pathway in the Additional Curriculum Block.
The Additional Curriculum Block is shown below:
Additional Curriculum Block pathways
Year 12
Year 13
Level 3
Qualification
in Core
Maths over
2 years
AS Critical
Thinking
Additional
AS subject
over 2 years
Extended
Project
Qualification/A2
Critical Thinking
Two-year AS Courses available in this block:
Chemistry
Economics
English
Literature
French
Geography
History
Philosophy
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Spanish
Continuation of all four A Levels into Year 13 is dependent upon required performance levels in Year
12. Students not achieving at this level may progress from Year 12 to Year 13 with three A Levels
only, providing they have attained grade D at AS in those subjects.
Details of the A Level courses on offer, and the courses available in the Additional Curriculum Block,
can be found in the Sixth Form Courses Handbook, downloadable from the School website from 22
January 2015: www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk. Please read the information carefully to help
you decide which courses are the right ones for you. Bear in mind that there are different methods
of learning, different assessment processes and different requirements for out-of-classroom study
for different subjects. Choose the ones that are most suited to you.
How to Apply
External applicants only
The Application Form (issued separately)
must be filled in, signed by the student
and parent, and handed in to the School
Office F.A.O. Mrs L Hayburn, by Friday 6th
February 2015.
All applications will be considered carefully based on the information given. We are looking for
students who are best suited to our School in terms of their academic aptitude and attitude to
learning. Our Sixth Form is very heavily oversubscribed and it is very helpful to us when considering
applications if information could be provided to demonstrate suitability.
If you are likely to be a suitable candidate for The Blue Coat School Sixth Form you will be invited to
an Advisory Meeting with a Senior member of staff to clarify and discuss your application. We tend
to use email for these invitations. Please state clearly on your application form if you do not have
daily access to email. Advisory Meetings take place after school between February half term and the
Easter holidays, though sometimes they are scheduled after Easter. Please state clearly if there is a
regular time that you cannot attend. After filling in the form any changes in the choices may be
made by a parent giving written notification to Mrs L Hayburn: [email protected].
You will hear about the success of your application by 1st May 2015.
If you are not successful in April/May, please note that there is no appeal process at this time as all
places are conditional. If you are still interested in joining The Blue Coat School, please come to the
School on Results Day in August to register your interest. There may be places available, though
these are likely to be limited. At this point please give us any further information that will help us to
decide whether you would be suitable for The Blue Coat School. We will also need to know your
exam results. Decisions are usually made in the days after Results Day.
If you are successful, it must be understood that a late alteration of choice of subject (after Easter) is
only possible if it involves changing to an already timetabled combination of subjects and if there is a
place available in that class.
Results Day
All students must have their Sixth Form place and choice of courses confirmed on GCSE Results Day,
Thursday 20th August 2015, by bringing their results to the School. If you are unable to attend in
person you must make arrangements for the school to receive copies of your results. If we do not
receive copies of your results on Results Day then you risk losing your place.
Subject Pre-Conditions for Entry
All students must attain a minimum of 5 GCSEs grades A*-B including grade A*-B in English (either English Language or English Literature) and Maths.
SUBJECT
PRE-CONDITION
ART
GCSE grade B or above in Art
BIOLOGY
GCSE grade B or above in Biology
CHEMISTRY
GCSE grade B or above in Chemistry
COMPUTING
GCSE grade A or above in ICT or equivalent and
GCSE grade A or above in Mathematics
CRITICAL THINKING
GCSE grade A or above in English Language and
GCSE grade A in English Literature
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
GCSE grade A or above in D & T
ECONOMICS
GCSE Grade A or above in Mathematics
ENGLISH LITERATURE
GCSE grade A or above in English Literature
ENGLISH LANGUAGE and
LITERATURE
GCSE grade A or above in English Language
GEOGRAPHY
GCSE grade B or above in Geography
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
GCSE grade B in History, Geography or a Humanities
subject
HISTORY
GCSE grade A or above in History
LATIN
GCSE grade A or above in Latin
MATHEMATICS
GCSE grade A or above in Mathematics
FURTHER MATHEMATICS
GCSE grade A* in Mathematics
MODERN
FOREIGN
LANGUAGES
FRENCH
SPANISH
Distinction at BTEC and strong portfolio
as judged by the Head of Department
GCSE grade A in Core and a grade A in
Additional Science or Further Additional
Science
GCSE grade A in Core and a grade A in
Additional Science or Further Additional
Science
A level Maths/Sciences
recommended
GCSE grade A in Computing
If GCSE History has not been studied, a
grade A or above in either English
Language or Literature is required
A grade A in GCSE Mathematics with an
average of 85% on the written papers
GCSE grade A or above in Spanish
GCSE grade A or above in Music
PHILOSOPHY
GCSE grade A or above in English Language or English
Literature
PHYSICS
IN ADDITION
GCSE grade A or above in French
MUSIC
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
ALTERNATIVES
If GCSE Music has not been studied,
Associated Board of Royal School of
Music Grade 5 theory and Grade 5
practical
A report from teachers
A grade B or above in any GCSE
indicating a high level of all
GCSE PE grade B overall minimum in Physical Education
Science (either Biology or Chemistry or
round practical
with a minimum of a B grade on the written paper that is
Physics) or grade B or above in Core competency; and have a
worth 40% of the final GCSE mark.
and Additional Science
proven commitment to
extra-curricular school sport
GCSE grade A in Core and a grade A in
GCSE grade B or above in Physics
Additional Science or Further Additional
Science
PSYCHOLOGY
GCSE grade B or above in English Language
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
GCSE grade A or above in Full Course Religious Studies
GCSE grade A or above in English or a
Humanities subject
A LEVEL RESULTS - SUMMER 2014
Art
Biology
Chemistry
Computing
Economics
English Language + Literature
English Literature
French
Further Mathematics
General Studies
Geography
Government + Politics
History
Ict
Latin
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
Physical Education
Physics
Polish
Psychology
Religious Studies
Spanish
Technology
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Raw
Cum %
Total
10
66
73
9
37
10
22
6
15
117
25
18
38
6
2
99
3
5
6
44
5
23
8
13
10
A*
3
30
5
8
9
12
0
0
3
8
0
0
0
0
1
17
4
27
4
3
9
36
0
0
3
8
0
0
2
100
19
19
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
7
0
0
2
9
1
13
2
15
1
10
A
2
50
22
41
29
52
5
56
18
57
2
20
5
23
1
33
6
67
18
19
6
60
9
50
13
42
1
17
0
100
35
55
1
33
3
60
2
33
13
36
1
20
9
48
3
50
5
54
4
50
B
3
80
13
61
17
75
3
89
11
86
5
70
9
64
3
83
2
80
32
46
7
88
8
94
12
74
1
33
0
100
24
79
2
100
1
80
1
50
11
61
2
60
5
70
2
75
4
85
3
80
C
2
100
15
83
14
95
1
100
5
100
1
80
8
100
1
100
1
87
41
81
2
96
1
100
9
97
2
67
0
100
10
89
0
100
1
100
1
67
8
80
1
80
4
87
0
75
2
100
1
90
D
0
100
9
97
3
99
0
100
0
100
2
100
0
100
0
100
1
93
18
97
1
100
0
100
1
100
2
100
0
100
8
97
0
100
0
100
2
100
7
95
1
100
1
91
1
88
0
100
1
100
E
0
100
2
100
1
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
1
100
4
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
3
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
1
98
0
100
1
96
0
88
0
100
0
100
U
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
0
100
1
100
0
100
1
100
1
100
0
100
0
100