Year Twelve is the beginning of an essential stage in life. To most people, or at least to me, it seemed a million miles away from ever happening. Be warned; it goes a lot faster than you may think. As such, allow me to introduce to you some of the ‘need to know’ information that I have found useful when starting my own foray into Year Twelve.
Firstly, The Riley Centre: The Riley Centre is the big, round building connecting the Girls’ and Boys’ divisions. Inside the Riley Centre are three floors: The ground floor is the Leverhulme Suite and the Reception area, which most people know well. Above that, on the first floor, are the Riley Centre Café and the sofa area; this is where people chat, eat and break their bank accounts buying too much food! People can also do their schoolwork here and it is a vivacious social area. Additionally, Mrs. Delves’ office (Head of Y12 girls) and Mr. Winrow’s office (Head of Y13) are both on this floor; having these staff on the first floor is great because students can access them easily, and they are almost always available to talk to. The third floor is a quiet study floor, where people can sit and study in free periods before and after school.
Free periods are lifesavers. These empty gaps in a timetable are quite self-explanatory; students in these sessions have no lesson and, therefore, can do homework or revision, chat with friends, volunteer, or even leave the school site if they prefer.
In terms of lessons, each student chooses four A-level subjects, and each fortnight, students will attend 11 lessons per subject. For most subjects, students have two teachers. Still, for some (for example, Latin), the subject is divided into three categories, and there will be a teacher for each. Classes have a maximum of 15 pupils, and some lessons are mixed across both Boys’ and Girls’ divisions for timetabling purposes, or purely because there aren’t enough students taking that subject to allow for two classes, so these classes are combined. This means that sometimes there are lessons in the Boys’ Division for girls and vice-versa.
This means that sometimes there are lessons in Boys’ Division – so we make our way across to the dark side… (Only joking! The healthy rivalry between divisions continues!)
Every other Wednesday afternoon, students are offered the option of volunteering or sports. The sports options include going to David Lloyd’s gym in Bolton, rowing, climbing, yoga, and paddle sports. Volunteering opportunities include initiatives such as Tea at the Riley, which involves hosting a coffee afternoon for local people; assisting staff over at Beech House, Hesketh House, or Park Road, or students can go across the road to help another local primary school.
This is just a tiny taste of what life is like for students entering sixth form. Below is a video filmed by our current Year 13s showing a day in their lives and going to different lessons. Hopefully, this will give you even more of a flavour of life in the sixth form.
Hopefully, this has been helpful in informing you about life as a sixth former, and now the big round building in the middle of school seems less of a mystery.
If you want to find out more, you can have a look here to find information from other sixth formers and teachers, including the Sixth Form brochure.
By Abigail Leaper