This area of the handbook covers frequently asked questions about the Sixth Form at Oxford Spires.

Can I have a part-time job and attend Sixth Form?

We strongly encourage that any part time work this should be kept to a minimum, and should never exceed 10 hours per week. If students exceed this limit they are likely to put their results in jeopardy. The Sixth Form programme is very busy and students will soon find themselves fully occupied and struggling with deadlines should they fail to devote the appropriate time to their studies.

Can I print and photocopy work and resources in Sixth Form?

 We encourage all students and staff to keep printing and photocopying to a minimum. Students should use desktops and electronics devices to help them in achieving this. There are printers/photocopiers in the Sixth Form and the library for students to use. Each student is provided with initial printing credits at the start of the academic year. Students who go beyond their credit must pay for their own printing / photocopying.

Can I pay cash for food in The Willows?

Food and drink can be purchased throughout the day in The Willows cafe. The school runs a cashless system for catering which should be topped up using the online payment system Parent Pay. Students can also pay using a debit / credit card or ApplePay.

What apps and websites are used in the Sixth Form?

Our core apps provides a convenient way for parents/carers to access, review and request changes to the data we hold on our system. The app can also be used to view attendance records, check what homework has been set/completed or outstanding, view student timetables, track trips, and sign up for extracurricular clubs. This app is also used as our recognition and behaviour management tool. BromCom allows teachers to recognise students for their attitude and work by issuing positive points instantly in lessons. Students and parents can see both positives and negatives via the app. More information can be found here.

 

The BromCom Student app allows students to access their timetable and also their homework, which will be accompanied by a description and deadlines set by their teachers. More information can be found here.

 

Unifrog is used to support students in exploring opportunities beyond the Sixth Form, including university courses, apprenticeships and gap years. All students and parent / carers are issued with a login to access this platform to research next steps, undertake personality and skills quizzes, document work experience, and write personal statements and CVs.

What is the Sixth Form approach to plagiarism?

All work produced by students must be entirely their own. Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts or ideas and trying to pass them off as your own. This includes downloading and submitting work taken from the internet, or work that has been produced with the use of artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously. Plagiarism within externally assessed coursework, controlled tasks, portfolios or exams may result in automatic disqualification.

Why is the Learning Agreement important?

Oxford Spires Academy has the highest expectations of our Sixth Form students. It is important that every member of our community understands our standards, and meets these expectations on a daily basis. To ensure that these expectations have been read and understood, we require confirmation that both students and parents / carers have agreed to the standards outlined below.