Standards and expectations at our School are very high.  We will expect you to set your sights high, to do as well as you can and to get the best you can from school life.  While we know you are working for yourself, we also expect you to share and to co-operate with others and to care about the School.

Many extra-curricular activities and opportunities await you.  We expect you to participate in these.  The extra-curricular activities that run at Upper School often take place after school hours but there are opportunities in music, drama, sport and languages that take place at lunchtimes and before school. There will also be the opportunity to boost your coursework and examination grades in and out of school hours in sessions organised by departments.

So what’s so different about Upper School?

Upper School has more than 600 students who are 16 and over, which means the atmosphere is more like that of a college.

The older Post-16 students have private study and come and go in a way that pre-16 students cannot.  When you move to Upper School you will start a two year examination course in many subjects that will lead you into either Post-16 education at school (like the 600 plus sixth formers) to college, or into training or employment. 

Virtually all our students go into full time education or training Post-16. It is now compulsory for all students to continue education until the age of 18. The course choices you make now in Year 9 will affect what you can and can’t do in the future and into adult life.  At Upper School you will be part of a student group that is focused and positive about learning and the future.

The Key Stage 4 team will work with you and for you, to plan and support your experience at Key Stage 4.  The aim is to ensure that you are ready to take the next step at 16 with confidence and with the best qualifications you can achieve.

Careers education

The main focus of Careers Education in Year 10 is planning and preparation for the work experience placement.  In Year 11 we cover a wide range of topics and activities to assist you in making appropriate post-16 choices including the Sixth Form, Sheffield College and Apprenticeships. You will use ICT frequently to access careers software programmes.  Careers interviews are also made available for you to get more personalised advice.  In the past, about 50% of students have decided to stay on into our Sixth Form and almost all continue in full-time education or training up to the age of 18.

Work experience

Whilst most of our work takes place in classrooms, workshops and laboratories, we also learn through experience.  Some of the most rewarding educational experiences occur outside the classroom.  Work experience is an excellent example of this type of learning and for this reason everyone goes on a two week work placement in June of Year 10.  You will be guided, supported and prepared for this during the course of the year.