Students register with their tutors every morning at 8.45am. This is a legal requirement and allows a first point of call to support them with a variety of issues that they may have ranging from forgetting their timetable to uniform and equipment checks and more… During this allocated time, students follow a program of study with the aims of improving literacy and social awareness as well as mental health and personal independence. Examples of this for KS3 include reading and SMSC discussions and in KS4 problem solving and revision techniques. Once a week this time will be used for assemblies for either Houses or Year groups in which they will cover specific items designed to engage and encourage.
Year 11 - Support
Students in KS4 tutor groups cover a program of study throughout the two years in tutor time to enable them to prepare and plan with support from tutors their revision for the GCSEs. Twice a year (following the Year 11 Exams in November and the Mocks in February) Year 11 students take part in Subject Take Over during this time. During this week, the cohort is split into small working groups of 10-12 based on teacher requests and spend the 25minutes every morning working with subject specialists. In addition to this, every opportunity is taken to support students in making their Post 16 choices. Activities such as the Careers Fair in the Autumn Extended Learning Day (open to all KS4/5 students) as well as 1-2-1 meetings with independent advice from Careers South West aim to raise aspirations and give focus to their current studies and goals.
Year 11 – The Fun Bits
At the beginning of the year, students are invited to be a part of the Year 11 Committee; a working party who organise Hoodies and the Year book as well as support the organisation of the Year 11 Ball and Graduation. Students are invited to these events based on their positive contribution to the Okehampton College community with the Graduation Fair the final event for year 11 students on site and a more formal Graduation Evening which includes parents. These events celebrate the diversity and achievement of students at the College and are without a doubt the cherry on the cake for any Year 11 student.