At Quintin Kynaston we believe in creating a supportive pastoral environment.
For a student transferring into the Sixth Form from Year 11 at QK, there is the advantage that individual students will already be well known and their strengths, and weaknesses, are already identified. Appropriate guidance and support can therefore be offered from the beginning of Sixth Form life and students can focus upon their work and other activities in a secure and well-understood environment.
For students joining the Sixth Form from other schools or colleges the induction process and pastoral system is designed to ease the ‘settling in’ period and support is available from the Sixth Form team throughout the transfer process and on into the academic year. Almost all of our students who arrive from other institutions settle quickly to the learning, the new environment and high expectations thatform part of being at QK. Students joining the Sixth Form are invited in for an induction session to ease transition, and the first day of term is spent becoming familiar with your tutor and fellow students.
Tutors
Students are allocated a tutor who will support them over the two-year period of Sixth Form, ensuring continuity. Like the rest of the school community, the Sixth Form is in vertical tutor groups, which is great as it provides mentors from within your tutor group who have already succeeded at Year 12.
The personal tutor is a central figure for students in the Sixth Form at QK. Tutors have pastoral oversight of about approximately 20-25 students and will meet regularly with individuals or in groups. It is the tutor’s role to have an overview of each individual within their Tutor Group and to be the first point of contact between the student, or parent, and the Sixth Form. The tutor will:
- Monitor progress and provide initial support and guidance.
- Encourage engagement in Sixth Form life and enrichment activities.
- Act as a conduit for student concerns with subject teachers and other staff.
- Monitor attendance and behaviour.
- Act as mentors, guiding and monitoring overall progress.
- Draft references for university places and for employment.