Lift Greensward

Mr J Benson

About us

Although our results have placed us in the top 10% of schools in the country forover a decade, at Lift Greensward Sixth Form, we never lose sight of the fact that we are about so much more than exams. Committed to developing outstanding learners, leaders and citizens – the sort of people that make our world a better place – we will help you become the very best version of yourself, whatever that may be.

Our offer to all our Year 12 and 13 students is summarised here – you deserve the very best support in whatever it is that you want to do – and our aim is to provide it!

Enrichment
Central to our enrichment programme is our weekly community contribution entitlement; giving up time each week to “pay something back” is not just life affirming, but will also force you outside your comfort zone, challenge your perception of what you can do and build up a bank of experiences you just can’t get sat in a classroom!
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Theatre Talks
Our “Theatre Talks” programme of guest speakers will raise your awareness of some of the issues most pertinent to us; from racial inequality in South Africa to misogyny at home; from the life saving work of both Animal Aid and the Anthony Nolan Trust; from looking after our mental health to looking after our finances – the programme is as wide ranging as it relevant.
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Community
‍Your time at school is where the memories that last a lifetime are made; our Sixth Form community is where you will make the friends you will always remember doing the things you will never forget. If the big outdoors is your thing, the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme is waiting. If seeing the world is what you are about, then our New York and World Challenge trips are perfect. Closer to home, our charity quiz nights, Christmas theatre visit, leavers BBQ and Prom ensure that school isn’t just about exams!
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Destinations
Your time with us is transient – and it goes quickly! From day 1, we are starting to plan what happens next! Our university preparation programme is as comprehensive as they come; with students leaving our classrooms and corridors every year to move onto medical school, Russell Group providers and more, we understand how to make it happen!

Meeting the full suite of Gatsby Benchmarks, we offer individual, tailored and effective careers advice and support, be that a work experience programme, partnerships with some of the country’s leading employers, interview masterclasses or our famous Insight into Leadership event, there is a reason every single one of our students moves on to some form of Education, Employment or Training.

Partnerships
‍Working in partnership with countless outside agencies, we have the confidence to look outside our own school for help and the experience to recognise when to do it. Working alongside, amongst others:

Deloitte UK
BrightStarts apprenticeship programme
Goldman Sachs
The Sutton Trust
BlackRock Investment Management
Department of Work and Pensions
Essex University
The Anthony Nolan Trust
Lessons from Auschwitz Ambassador scheme
Next Steps
Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society
Christs College, Cambridge

Apply to study with us!

Academic success is like building a house - the foundations need to be strong for what sits atop to endure. We are confident that our entry criteria offer a genuinely comprehensive access to level 3 study whilst at the same time ensuring we are not setting our students up to fail.

All applicants to our Sixth Form are entitled to both a pre and post results subject consultation meeting, whilst our suitability tests and settling in checks are designed to troubleshoot issues before it is too late. Our excellent retention figures, as well as our consistently strong outcomes, indicate the success we have at matching the right students to the right courses.

Our entry criteria is listed below:

Art: Grade 6 GCSE Art

Biology: Triple Science - a mimimum grade 6 in Biology

Combined Science - grade 7 in one element

Business: Grade 5 GCSE English and Mathematics

Chemistry: Triple Science - grade 6 or above in Chemistry

Combined Science - grade 7 or above in one element

Physics: Triple physics - grade 6 or Combined Science - grade

7. Maths grade 6.

Students are strongly advised to take A Level

Mathematics alongside A Level Chemistry/Biology &

Physics

Drama: Grade 6 or higher in GCSE Drama

Economics: Grade 6 GCSE Mathematics & Grade 6 GCSE English

English Lit: Grade 6 GCSE English Literature or Language

Geography: Grade 6 in GCSE Geography

History: Grade 6 in GCSE History

Mathematics: Grade 7 at GCSE

On the first week of the course you will be asked to

sit a suitability test where the pass mark is set at 60%.

Media: Grade 4 in GCSE English Literature or Language

Grade 4 in Media Studies

Photography: GCSE Art / Photography grade 6 or above is desirable

Sociology: Grade 6 GCSE English Literature or Language

Statistics: Grade 6 in GCSE Mathematics

BTEC Forensics: Grade 5 in English and Mathematics GCSE. Students should also have at least a grade 5 in GCSE Science

BTEC HSC: Grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English Language or Literature

BTEC IT: Grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English Language or Literature

BTEC Sport: Grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English Language or Literature and GCSE PE

Finance: Grade 4 in GCSE Mathematics and GCSE English Language or Literature

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16-19 Bursary Fund

The 16-19 bursary fund provides financial support to eligible sixth form students to help with the costs of studying. The bursary is available to students who meet certain financial criteria and can help with expenses such as travel, meals, equipment, and other essential study-related costs. There are two types of bursary available:

Vulnerable groups bursary

Available to students who:

Are currently in care or have recently left care
Receive Income Support or Universal Credit in their own name and are financially independent
Receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment alongside Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in their own name

Discretionary bursary

Available to students from lower-income households who face financial barriers to education. Eligibility is based on household income and/or receipt of means-tested benefits. Funding may be available to support costs such as:

Travel expenses
School meals (if not eligible for Free School Meals)
Essential course equipment, books, and stationery
Curriculum-related trips and activities
University and apprenticeship interview travel costs
Subject-specific materials and uniform for work placements (where applicable)

Bursary awards are subject to conditions, including good attendance, engagement with studies, and adherence to Sixth Form expectations.

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Student Life

Greensward's Sixth Form provides students with the opportunity to develop a broad range of social skills as well as academically. They are able to support younger students by becoming peer mentors, embark on community projects and take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.

There is a large variety of trips, visits and events visits on offer such as to New York, the Higher Education & Careers Fair, UCAS Day and Insight into Leadership as well as the chance to become involved in the Holocaust Educational Trust's annual trip to Auschwitz.

There is a senior student team who take up their tenure every September.

‍What our students say about the Sixth Form

"Greensward is a place which allows you to grow as a person and as an academic. Its friendly staff guide you with such reassurance, that you never feel lost or unsupported. However, the boundaries of staff and student are still there; a firm but fair ethos means we always know what is expected of us. The best thing about Greensward though is the students. I have met people I know that will become my lifelong friends and that is pretty special."

"As someone who joined Greensward Sixth Form from another school, I was amazed at how friendly everyone was. I settled in really quickly and have made some brilliant friends. The teachers do loads to help me and are always really approachable when I have a question. Greensward has helped me out loads and I am not afraid to tell people ... whilst I was showing a guest round during Open Evening recently they said they couldn't imagine a student who could speak more highly of a school. What makes it really special is that I meant every word!"

More information

Presentation evening information
More information
How is homework set and monitored by teachers?
What are the entry requirements for the Sixth Form?
How many external students do you have?
What pastoral care do you offer students in the Sixth Form?
What support is there for students looking for apprenticeships?
The Sixth Form team offers extensive support for students seeking an apprenticeship after Year 13. We run
sessions on application guidance as well as regular communication of new opportunities with local, national
and international companies. We make full use of our alumni network who return to us to actively recruit our
school leavers and share their advice on the application process including the dreaded assessment centre!
All students have access to our careers advisor, receiving tailored advice on job opportunities and effective
CV writing.
What university preparation and support is there for students?
The Sixth Form team has extensive experience in helping students applying to university. Our offer of support
includes application guidance, selecting the right universities, information on financial planning and assistance
throughout the UCAS process, including personal statements writing. We are fortunate to have contacts who
support with mock interviews for Oxbridge, Vet Med and Medicine courses and also work with outreach
departments of Russell Group universities as well as Bonas McFarlane, a national organisation which
specialises in securing students places at the most competitive universities.
Do you sit AS exams every year?
Students who study Maths, Physics, Chemistry or Biology will sit AS exams at the end of Year 12. Where
there are concerns about the progress you are making and in order to ensure you are getting the best support
possible, we will discuss entering you for other AS exams as the year progresses. This means that you get the
chance to compare yourself to a national cohort of students half way through a two-year course - a really useful
thing to do. For the vast majority of students, this will not be necessary, but it is a reassuring safety net to
have.
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Can you study BTEC and A level subjects together?
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You can study any combination of both BTEC and A levels as part of your curriculum.
Student Support
Life isn’t easy and will often be challenging, never more so than the last few years, and we want to reassure all our students of the “wrap around” care that exists at Greensward Sixth Form. For whilst we can’t make the pressure of A level study go away, we can help you manage it.
Front and centre to this is our continuous advocacy programme with every student getting a dedicated half termly appointment with their tutor where they can touch base and talk about the things that concern them the most. The programme has a track record of helping to pre-empt issues before they snowball into something bigger; we ask all our students to complete this “check in” form prior to their appointment so that we can make sure that the conversation is as focused and useful as possible.
Whilst we operate an open-door policy where students are free to pop in for a chat whenever they feel the need, we recognise that sometimes, more specialist help and support is necessary. As a Sixth Form, we have full access to our in-school counsellor, as well as an external network of fully accredited therapists with a wealth of experience working directly with young adults.
As with everything, prevention is better than cure and our PSHE association compliant programme, with a focus on issues such as mental health, RSE and Youth and Society, helps us both understand the pressures that come with growing up in the 21^st Century and starts to give us the skills to manage them. External speakers from agencies such as Gambling Anonymous and Essex Road Safety also help shine a light on the issues most pertinent to teenagers.
Although we believe in fostering the independence you will be expected to have in the workplace or university, we also understand that your time in the Sixth Form are transition years. That’s why we offer a safety net to catch you should you fall; first day absence calls, weekly raising attainment meetings, settling in checks, parental meetings and more exist not to get you in trouble, but to help you out of it.
See out Health and wellbeing page for more information
Pathways
Given its proximity to the City of London as well as its location in a county facing an acute shortage of healthcare professionals, we are confident that our pathways based curriculum meets the needs of both you as a student and the context in which you will study.
During both your pre and post results subject consultation meeting, we will consider your future plans and ensure you receive the very best advice on how to make them happen. Whilst you are free to mix and match subjects across a range of pathways, it is reassuring to know that, wherever it is that you see your future taking you, we have the courses to help you get there.
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Alumni - Where are they now?
Beth Carlow - currently studying Medicine at Anglia Ruskin University
Beth left our Sixth Form in the summer of 2022 with an A* in Biology, and A grades in Chemistry and Mathematics.
It had been Beth’s long held dream to become a doctor and we were delighted to be able to give her a helping hand in securing her future. With individualised personal statement support and help preparing for her UKCAT, the value of our alumni network came into its own when we were able to put Beth in touch with ex-Greensward student Sam, who is now in his 5th year at Lancaster Medical school. This, when combined with mock interview practice alongside a qualified doctor meant Beth was able to secure her place at ARU and is currently in her second year of a medicine degree!
Owen Strangwick - currently on his second year of the “Chubb Academy” level 3 apprenticeship programme
For a school located less than 5 minutes walk from the Liverpool Street mainline, we are acutely aware of the importance of matching our curriculum to the needs of local employers. Our acclaimed “Business Pathway” where students can follow a full suite of business related qualifications proved to be perfect for Owen; his A grades in Business and Economics alongside his B in the LIBF Diploma in Financial Studies meant he was hot property in the financial services job market.
Currently in the second year of the industry leading Chubb Academy, Owen is putting the theory of the last few years of study into practice!
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Lilly Bird - currently in her first year at Queens University, Belfast, studying Biological Sciences
School should be about broadening your horizons and challenging your comfort zone, and with her decision to move to Northern Ireland for her degree studies, few can deny that Lilly has done just that. Crediting her participation in the Silver Duke of Edinburgh scheme with improving her confidence, Lilly was focused on gaining a place at one of the UK’s top universities.
After gaining BBB in her A levels, Lilly is Belfast bound and, in doing so, completes a clean sweep for Greensward; we are now in the unique position of having students studying in each of the four corners of the United Kingdom!
School should be about broadening your horizons and challenging your comfort zone, and with her decision to move to Northern Ireland for her degree studies, few can deny that Lilly has done just that. Crediting her participation in the Silver Duke of Edinburgh scheme with improving her confidence, Lilly was focused on gaining a place at one of the UK’s top universities.
After gaining BBB in her A levels, Lilly is Belfast bound and, in doing so, completes a clean sweep for Greensward; we are now in the unique position of having students studying in each of the four corners of the United Kingdom!
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Nathan Watson - currently in the first year of an apprenticeship with Calfordseaden, a national property and construction consultancy
In an increasingly competitive jobs market, experience is key and, with a compulsory two week work placement built into our curriculum, we aim to give our students just that. With an interest in chartered surveying, Nathan was able to secure a place with Calfordseaden, where he got the opportunity to shadow professionals and really unpick exactly what a career in the industry looked like. At the same time as confirming his future plans, Nathan so impressed the firm that they offered him a conditional place on their apprenticeship programme after the completion of his A level studies. Gaining an A and 2 Bs was enough to get Nathan the job, and a fantastic leg up into the start of his working life!
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Dylan Lewzey - currently in his first year studying Paramedic Science at the University of Surrey
Proving that the bond between Greensward and its students endures, Dylan opted to continue his education elsewhere after completing his GCSEs but, one year and a change of heart later, Dylan returned to grace our corridors and classrooms one more time.
Set on a career as a paramedic, Dylan was able to make use of our dedicated careers advisor to make sure that he was maximising his chances of securing a place at a top ranked university. Making use of all the in school support he could, Dylan received an impressive 5 offers of an undergraduate place, proving that choice is one of the most empowering things we can have.
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Charlotte Leonardi - currently studying Fashion and Marketing at Westminster University
In a globalised world, we understand the importance of broadening the experience of out students and have, for many years, been involved with the Barnes Educational Trust, an organisation that places students from mainland Europe in English schools. Charlotte joined us in September 2020 from a small town just outside Munich, with her arrival delayed due to covid restrictions.
Although her placement was originally only intended to last a year, Charlotte was so enamoured with the education and opportunities she gained as a student at Greensward, that she opted to stay and complete her second year of study with us.
The one B and two C grades she achieved stand as testament to what can be achieved with hard work and good support. Charlotte is now following her dreams studying Fashion at a London based university!
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Romilly Hill, Mia Clark Smith, Harvie Chaperlin, Mica Ellis - Deloitte Bright Starts apprenticeship scheme
Greensward Sixth Form’s relationship with Deloitte stretches back a number of years, with a growing alumni network to draw upon. Each year we are able to welcome back a new cohort of “bright starts” into school, where they share both the secrets of their success and the wealth of opportunity employment with one of the world’s largest financial services firm can offer. The perfect role models for our current students, this established link is a real asset and one we will continue to nurture. Our annual “Deloitte alumni” meal is the perfect chance to catch up with our ex students and hear their news!
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