Phone Mail 0191 216 1115 enquiries@gshs.org.uk @georgestephensonhigh Support for families in North Tyenside Support for families in North Tyneside SIGN North Tyneside brings together information about activities, support and services to help people with care and support needs living within North Tyneside. Are you worried about a child? The Front Door Service provides access to all services for children and families in North Tyneside. If you have concerns about the safety or welfare of a child in North Tyneside the Front Door Service is the first point of contact for everyone. Are you worried about your child? - click here GSHS information on helping families in North Tyneside Download

Sixth Form We encourage our students to continue their education beyond year 11 and a large number of them stay on with us in Sixth Form. We have a close, long-standing partnership where students benefit greatly from exceptional teaching and learning as well as care, guidance and support which are second to none. Students have access to a shuttle bus which transports students between schools during the day. The range of courses on offer is designed to allow all students the opportunity for further study and we welcome all students, provided they are committed to their studies and make the most of opportunities presented to them. We offer A-Levels as well as vocational qualifications and applied courses. Students in the Sixth Form are given a considerable degree of choice in the subjects they study and are guided individually as to what will be realistic and appropriate for them through a series of interviews. The options include AS, A Level and BTEC courses which can be mixed as far as the constraints of the timetable allow. We now collaborate with a neighbouring high school so that we may offer all students a greater range of course choice than we would individually be able to. Full details of our Post-16 provision will be made available to students and parents in December of Year 11. Click below to download a PDF version of Sixth Form Prospectus. Sixth Form Prospectus Download Shuttle Bus timetable Download Latest Sixth Form News from Instagram Follow us on Instagram @GS_SIXTHFORM for more news Latest Sixth Form News from Instagram Follow us on Instagram @GS_SIXTHFORM for more news

Student life and School Day Life as a student in Sixth Form is incredibly different to being in year 11 and students experience a lot more freedom and independence. At George Stephenson, our students have access to two study rooms which have IT facilities and resources to support their studies. Lockers are available to all students too. Our common room provides students with a place to relax during social times where they can make hot drinks and have lunch. When students aren’t in lessons, they can leave the site whenever they like to go home or visit local amenities. Our school day is slightly different to the main school as our subjects are taught in blocks of three rather than as single lessons. Each student will also have a block of three study lessons added to their timetable where they complete independent work in our study room. Depending on which option blocks you’ve chosen, the days and times of taught lessons and study lessons will vary. An example timetable can be downloaded here.

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Sixth Form Enrichment Our Enrichment programme is designed to enhance UCAS personal statements and CV’s whilst giving students the time to gain valuable, hands on employability skills such as team work, presentation skills and problem solving. Prospective employers and admissions tutors value work experience and involvement in extra-curricular activities. This programme gives student the opportunity to take part in valuable activities to make them stand out and enrich their Sixth Form experience. We recognise that employers and universities are now looking for much more than just academic or vocational qualifications. Therefore, we offer an extensive range of enrichment opportunities which will not only enhance the quality of their CV or UCAS applications, but will also equip them with vital skills such as teamwork, leadership and independence. Enrichment is a compulsory part of Sixth Form. Every Tuesday at George Stephenson, our students follow a timetable of valuable and engaging enrichment activities. Morning sessions include workshops with a variety of guest speakers, Massive Open Online Courses and the Progression Module. Additionally, students are given a Tuesday afternoon to take part in other programmes detailed below. They also have the freedom to source their own external work experience or voluntary placement which benefits any future applications to university or employment. Some of the regular and past speakers include: Further Education - Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Durham, Oxford, and Cambridge University Charity - NCS, The People’s Kitchen, Blue Sky Trust, Streetwise, Dementia Friends and The North East Ambulance Service Careers - ASK Apprenticeships, Accenture, Tyne Met College, EY and Unifrog Progression Module - The progression module is an exciting programme that is designed to build on your skills both in and out of school such as study skills, employability and personal development. Progression Module covers aspects such as pathway planning, interview skills, presentation skills etc. At the end of the module students will all benefit from a mock interview with an employer. MOOC – Massive Open Online Courses are a fantastic opportunity for students to trial a subject that they may be thinking about taking at university. They are free online courses, created by universities to allow students to sample topics outside of their A-Level curriculum. Many students refer to MOOCs in their personal statement and are praised by admissions officers for their commitment to wider study. Engineering Education Scheme – The Engineering Education Scheme (EES) in England & Scotland is a 6-month EDT Programme which links teams of four Year 12 students and their teacher with local companies where they work on real, scientific, engineering and technology projects. The scheme provides students with an in-depth experience in science, engineering and technology that will enable them to make an informed decision about their future studies and career. In the last few years’ students at GSHS have worked with Capita to manage projects in flood defences and traffic management. Villiers Park – The Villiers Park Educational Trust Scholars Programme is a two or four-year programme of mentoring, masterclasses and residential events, which supports highly able students to fulfil their potential and gain places at top universities or on other suitable progression routes. Senior Citizen’s Christmas Party – Each year a team of Sixth Form students plan and deliver a Christmas party for up to 150 senior citizens from the local area. Students are responsible for co-ordinating with catering/entertainment/care home staff, collecting donations and distributing tickets. On the day, they ensure the smooth running of the event by providing a food and drink service, as well as delivering the entertainment programme. Involvement in the team helps students to develop their organisation, communication and teamwork skills. Due to Covid19, the party couldn’t go ahead in December 2020 so our students raised a staggering amount of donations and put together afternoon tea delivered to 150 elderly residents in the local area and created over 50 hampers to be delivered to even more residents in the community to wish them a merry christmas. In-class support – Many of our students choose to support teaching staff in their lessons. This can involve small group work or 1-1 support. This is beneficial for all parties involved as students gain in confidence, whilst developing their leadership skills. After-school clubs – Many of our Sixth Form students opt to run an after school club for Year 7 students, including ‘Photography Club’ and ‘Arts and Crafts Club’. Students are in charge of planning and delivering each session, with each week having a different focus or learning objective. This is an excellent opportunity for Sixth Form students to develop leadership skills whilst offering a unique new club to support with Year 7 students’ transition to the school. ‘Think Law’ Programme - Think Law is a CILEx and Career Ready initiative that aims to enable young people from diverse backgrounds to access careers in the legal sector but can also benefit those students hoping to go into the business or finance sector. Think Law provides ongoing engagement between employers and students over a sustained twelve-month period. The programme provides a combination of masterclasses, work place visits and mentoring interventions, enabling young people to navigate their way to a career in legal services. Wellbeing Club – Sixth Form students have formed a team that focusses on promoting mental health awareness and student wellbeing through the running of assemblies, 1:1 support, form activities and tutorials. They have also introduced a ‘buddy system’ that pairs sixth form students with younger peers to provide support and guidance. We also encourage our students to widen their subject knowledge by watching Ted Talks and documentaries based on their subject choices or future career plans. They can also read subject specific books, journals and articles to help with this.

Northumbria Art and Technology Partnership @ GSHS Thinking of training to be an Art and Design or a Technology teacher? Then look no further than the Northumbria Art and Technology Partnership. Here at GSHS, we are proud to be the lead partner of NATP, working with 25 schools across the North East to provide training for those wishing to teach Art and or Technology. Please email: LWelsh@gshs.org.uk for more information or browse course details on: www.find-postaraduate-teacher-training.service.gov.uk/course/2X6/X171 for Art and Design Course number K649 For Design Technology This is the ONLY ITT teacher training in school course that focuses purely on teaching Art and Technology. This means that your training is BESPOKE to the practical subjects, and ensures that you are trained not only as an OUTSTANDING teacher, but an OUTSTANDING ART AND/OR TECHNOLOGY TEACHER. This sets us aside from ALL other providers. We are the largest provider of Secondary Art and Technology training in the North East of England with placement schools that cover the entire region. Our trainees are in high demand across the region and our outcomes are exceptionally high. All trainees exit the course with QTS and a PGCE. Our PGCE is offered through Northumbria University, a renowned ITT provider, and provides the opportunity to gain sixty Masters credits. We work closely with Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and our course includes 5 sessions of training with Baltic staff and Artists. Trainees will benefit from all the support and leisure services that Northumbria has to offer and may also use the Baltic Library and Archives. We have strong links with Art and Technology networks across the North East, including Neaten. All secondary trainees have the opportunity to teach in a second subject area, which adds to their employability. We have exceptionally strong support mechanisms. All trainees have a subject mentor and a professional mentor or class teacher in school plus a link tutor from the central team. In addition, a large cohort of trainees means that you are never working in isolation.

Curriculum, Prospectus and Option Blocks During Year 11 we work hard to ensure that each student chooses the best route in education or employment/training following the completion of GCSEs. Many students will wish to enrol in Sixth Form. It is important that we work closely with students and parents to select courses that are suitable. We know from experience that students will need at least 5 GCSEs or equivalent at grade 9-4 to be successful in many of our traditional A Level courses. We also know that students achieving 5 grades at 9-4 with most grades at 5 or 4 will benefit from a mixture of A Level, vocational or applied courses. Students will need to select three subjects to study from separate option blocks. All three subjects will be studied in both Year 12 and Year 13. (In exceptional circumstances where a student is predicted the highest grades in all GCSE subjects undertaken and with close guidance from a pathways advisor, some students may be able to select four subjects for study.) Students who enroll in our Sixth Form who have not yet achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and/or GCSE Maths are required to attend re-sit lessons. This is compulsory. Please note that students may require further discussions with sixth form leaders to ensure that all expectations have been met before a final decision is made about the most appropriate programme of study. Please see below our current prospectus and option blocks for 2025/26. Sixth Form Prospectus 2025-26 Option Blocks 2025-26 Entry Requirements Find us on Instagram Download Download Download

Bursary Information If you start Year 12, 13 or 14 at a North Tyneside school in September, you may be eligible to qualify for up to £1,200 per year in funding. For more information and to apply for the bursary, visit: https://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/schools-education-and-childcare/16-19-bursary-scheme

Transition Please complete the bridging work below for your three chosen subjects. These tasks will provide you with a solid foundation to build on ahead of beginning Year 12. They will also help you to see the skills and demands required for the course you wish to pursue. Year 11 - 12 Bridging Work Access here Find us on Instagram

Key contacts Main Contacts Mrs R Ronan - Head of Sixth Form Miss L Bell - Assistant Head of Sixth Form/Careers Lead Mrs K Robson - Assistant Headteacher Sixth Form Tutors Year 12 - Mr James/Mr Tyson, Mrs Eastwood, Mrs Murrell/Mrs Stephenson Year 13 - Mrs Fenn, Mrs Ward-Stringer

Parent Information What are study lessons? This is additional time allocated to each student, to be completed in the study area. Each student is timetabled one lesson, per subject, per week where they are supported by a member of staff. Students who travel to other schools for lessons will still complete study lessons at GSHS. These lessons are of vital importance and are used to complete additional reading, exam practice and revision. Students are expected to arrive prepared with the appropriate resources. There is a resource bank where students can access additional reading and resources. The study lessons are registered, and facilitated by a member of staff. Parents and guardians will be informed of progress and letters are sent home if attendance becomes a concern. Do students have to attend registration? Yes, when students have morning lessons, enrichment or study lessons they must attend registration. We offer a range of beneficial form time activities that support students with transition into Sixth Form, ‘life skills’, revision techniques and university guidance. Assemblies are held on a Friday morning in the study area. Letters may be sent home for students who repeatedly miss registration. Do students need to call in to report an absence? Yes, any absence should be reported to the school attendance office on (0191) 216 1115. Students can also email Mrs Ronan or Miss Bell with details of their absence. Students can call to report their own absence. However, if this becomes a regular occurrence we may seek parental approval of continuous absence. How does the bus system work between Longbenton and GSHS? Our schools provide free shuttle bus transport between the schools three times a day; at the beginning of the day, lunch time and at the end of the day. This ensures that all students arrive to the correct school on time for lessons. Timetables are available in the study room or main reception. The Bus Timetable can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. What is Enrichment? Do students have to take part? Enrichment is a compulsory programme that runs every Tuesday. The Enrichment programme has been carefully created to cover topics such as employability, health and wellbeing and study skills. There is also time allocated for voluntary/unpaid work experience where the students gain valuable and transferrable skills in an area/subject they are interested in. This is important to have when applying for jobs or university places. Students complete a small Enrichment presentation at the end of the year where they can reflect on and discuss their experiences. Is attendance and punctuality important in Sixth Form? Attendance and punctuality are closely monitored on a weekly and half termly basis, we view good attendance as extremely important. The study room has an attendance and punctuality board where students can see their attendance every half term. Students and parents will be notified if attendance is low and letters are sent home if attendance is below 90%. Praise letters and positive phone calls home are often made by the Sixth Form team based on good attendance and punctuality. What help is available in Sixth Form? There is a range of academic and pastoral help available and we encourage everyone to seek assistance whenever they need it. The Sixth Form team work off timetable and are available before, during and after school to provide full time support. Students can also spend time with the Student Support Worker as a one off or with a regular appointment. We are fortunate to have an Educational Mental Health Practitioner and a Trainee Psychotherapist in school to facilitate sessions with students. Each department may also offer their own range of support and intervention, including after school revision sessions and 1-1 support in school time. Form classes are made up of Year 12 and Year 13 students to provide additional peer support and mentoring. What financial help is available in Sixth Form? Students who meet the bursary criteria can apply for the 16-19 Bursary scheme for North Tyneside Schools. This helps with the costs incurred as a result of attending Sixth Form. The Application Form can be found on the school website or by visiting www.northtyneside.gov.uk. Students receiving the bursary payment are expected to maintain at least 90% attendance, be making good levels of progress and have no significant behaviour concerns. The school can hold payment of the bursary until these expectations are met. How can Students keep up to date with important information? Communication with students via email is important in Sixth Form. We ask everyone to have access to their school email account as this is how we will communicate important messages and information on events/opportunities. The study room features a ‘what’s going on’ board and messages are also delivered during tutor time and study lessons. NE12 Sixth Form Safeguarding Procedures Download Find us on Instagram

Join Us To submit an application to study with us in September 2026, visit the link below. It is helpful to use our prospectus and entry requirements to help you make an informed decision. Applications close on Monday 20th April. Late applications may be considered but may not be used to help us create our option blocks. Once you've submitted an application, a member of the Sixth Form team will contact you to confirm we have received it. If you change your mind about any initial choices, please see Miss Bell. Press here to register your interest for September 2026 Before returning to Sixth Form in September, you’ll need to complete some Transition Tasks for each of your subjects. This will allow you to not only show staff you’re committed to your studies, but it will also give you a solid foundation to build on in terms of knowledge. By completing the taster tasks, it’s a great opportunity to see if you enjoy the subject enough before studying it for two years. The work can be done electronically or on paper and should be handed to your teachers in September. The link to the work can be found on the Transition page.