Dear all,

We've had another busy week at Holmleigh Park, but the particular focus has been Sixth Form.

On Tuesday, we welcomed colleagues from across the trust for our annual Sixth Form Review. Over the course of the day, the review team spoke to several student panels, observed lessons, and interviewed staff, and I was delighted that the review gave the Sixth Form a glowing report for its high aspirations, excellent teaching and supportive ethos from the students.

Thursday then saw our Sixth Form Open Evening, which is always one of my favourite events in the year. I'm particularly passionate about Sixth Form, as it is such an important time for young people. The Sixth Form has always been a strength of the school, (indeed, even in 2018, the Sixth Form was rated good by Ofsted), and it has come even further in the last three years, with the percentage of A* - B grades quadrupling from 15% in 2019 to 62% in 2022 - putting us on a par with some of the top grammar and private schools in the city. 

This means we can offer students two separate pathways after Year 11:

• Our A Level Pathway - students pick three A Levels, from an exciting list of subjects which range from the traditional options like Maths, Chemistry and English Literature, to those which will be brand new to students, like Politics, Psychology and Criminology

• Our Technical Pathway - students select one Extended Diploma to specialise in. These are full time courses, equivalent to three A Levels, which allow students to explore a vocation in considerable detail. For example, choosing the Art and Design pathway will see students working across a wide range of media - drawing, painting, photography, textiles, sculpture and many more.

If you are interested, you can watch a condensed version of my presentation here, or find much more information on our Sixth Form courses here. Please do have a look - it's never too early to talk to your children about their hopes and dreams for the future!

Best wishes,

Mr Farmbrough

Headteacher