Denbigh School Year Six Virtual Tour

Welcome

Welcome to our Sixth Form Open Evening microsite.  This page will offer you comprehensive information about Denbigh School Sixth Form as well as giving an opportunity to experience life at our school.

This site includes:

  • A welcome video from Mr Andy Squires and Dr Andrea Frame, CEO of the Denbigh Alliance Multi-Academy Trust and Head of School.
  • A video tour of Denbigh School.
  • An interactive map with information from our Faculty teams.
  • Further information regarding life at Denbigh School and wider support systems.

To watch our Live Open Event video, please complete our form at the bottom of the page. You will also receive a copy of our 2021 Prospectus.

Entry Requirements

School Tour

Visit the Faculties at Denbigh School

Our interactive map offers you the chance to visit each Faculty at Denbigh School.

Each Faculty is listed on the map below. All subject choices are listed in the key below the map.

Click on a subject title in the map key to view our subject videos, see the Sixth Form learning journey and read answers to some questions frequently asked at our Open Evenings.

Business & Computing Creative Arts Design & Technology English Humanities Mathematics MFL PE Science Social Science

Click on the course titles below to find out more:

Business & Computing

Creative Arts

Design & Technology

English

Humanities

Mathematics

MFL

German at Denbigh

MFL FAQs German Learning Journey

Spanish at Denbigh

MFL FAQs Spanish Learning Journey

PE

Science

Social Science

Sixth Form Pastoral Support

Mentoring in the Sixth Form

Denbigh is proud that every Sixth Form student is mentored regularly on a one-to-one basis. Every effort is taken to pair students with a mentor who teaches at least one of the subject area in each student’s timetable. The Sixth Form Mentor provides guidance to their mentee in the one-to-one meetings with regard to their academic progress, university or apprenticeship plans. The mentoring will also address the emotional challenges faced by Sixth Form students. We believe that the pastoral support we provide is vital in supporting the mental and physically well-being of all of our students.

In addition to the one-to-one sessions, the student will also have two compulsory 30 minute group mentoring sessions per week. In these mentoring sessions, we focus on the A Level mindset which will aim to support and develop the student’s commitment, motivation and productivity. Mentors will help the students look at aspects of prioritisation, planning for progress, general study skills and effective revision.

The mentoring process allows the mentor to get to know and understand the student. As a result, the mentor will become the student’s best advocate and be in a position to advise them as they plan for their future. Successful mentoring will lead the student to become a confident independent learner.

Student Experience

Denbigh Sixth Form attracts students from a number of local secondary schools in and around Milton Keynes.  One of the features that we are particularly proud of is the experience that all students go through when they arrive at Denbigh School, whether they are external or internal students.  As the video will demonstrate, the support available through mentoring and the wider Sixth Form community provides an excellent experience for students transferring from other schools.  The Denbigh experience is about more than just a focus on academic excellence, it is very much about developing the whole person.  The opportunities in sport, the arts and wider leadership roles all contribute to the student experience.  Denbigh Sixth Form is concerned with preparing our students for their lives post A Levels, whether that is at University, in an apprenticeship or in a career.  These experiences, available to all, will provide an excellent grounding on which to make the next steps in the students’ lives.

Look out for the Futures Day for current Denbigh Year 11s in February, providing the opportunity to sample A Level lessons in subjects that they are interested in.  Then, in July there will be two Induction Days where all students who have a conditional offer of a Sixth Form place at Denbigh are invited in to experience all aspects of being a Sixth Former at our school.

Football Academy

Denbigh’s Football Academy has been part of the Denbigh Sixth Form experience for almost 20 years now.  During that time it has gone from strength to strength, with graduates going on to a variety of pathways, both academic and vocational.  Some of the alumni have gone on to complete university courses at leading institutions, whilst others have taken up successful positions in disciplines such as sports coaching, physiotherapy and sports analysis.

Successful students will achieve the equivalent of two A Levels, completing the Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Sport.  There is also the opportunity to take an extra A Level alongside for those students with appropriate GCSE scores.

The Football Academy does not just take on aspiring football players and coaches, it also caters for students who excel in other sports, such as Basketball and Badminton. Perhaps the most important element of this course is the emphasis on developing leadership skills and confidence.  Football Academy students are expected to lead activities and sessions for younger students in a variety of locations and settings.
Football Academy FAQsFootball Academy Learning Journey

Careers

We have a strong Careers team at Denbigh School, ensuring that students get the right support, advice and careers education to prepare them for their next step.

Careers education is delivered through the following means:

  • Mentoring sessions
  • Personal guidance with our independent Careers Adviser
  • Careers Week
  • Year 12 Work Experience

To find out more about Careers Education at Denbigh School, please click on our Careers Service document.

Careers Service

Extra Curricular

At Denbigh School, we believe that trips and visits contribute significantly to a holistic education. Students enjoy themselves and have memorable experiences; they have the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and apply their learning to the “real world”. They also acquire new skills and face challenges that enrich their schooling and develop character.  All students are invited to take part in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme which involves a walking expedition with overnight camping. Students develop independence and resilience through this, especially in navigating their route and avoiding getting lost!  This is provided as one of the Enrichment options in Year 12, but will run into Year 13 if chosen.

We offer a number of trips abroad every year. The A level Physics trip to CERN to see the Hadron Collider in Geneva is a favourite amongst our Year 13 students; we offer exchange visits to France and Germany, including sixth form work experience in Caen for A level French students.  Closer to home, Year 13 Geography and Biology students both spend 4 days, at different times of the year, at a residential centre in the Lake District collecting data for their Non Examined Assessment (NEA) and demonstrating case study skills.

There is also the opportunity to participate in the World Challenge trips.  These occur every two years and previous trips have been to Mongolia and China, India and Nepal, Kenya and Tanzania, Peru and Malaysia.  The trips take place in July and last for 3 weeks, with the students participating in a physical challenge, a community project and a conservation visit.

There are also opportunities for students to participate in a variety of community projects through the House and School Council or through the Sixth Form Committee.

UCAS

Every year, approximately 75% of Denbigh students apply to University.  All applications take place through the UCAS website and students are provided with extensive guidance and support to help them through this process.  UCAS also provides information and the means of applying for apprenticeships.

The UCAS process officially starts in school in July of Year 12.  However, it is never too early to start looking and doing some research and wider reading about university courses and careers.  There is a wealth of experience in the Sixth Form Pastoral Team to guide students through all aspects of the application process, including supporting those students whop aspire to become doctors and/or apply to Oxford or Cambridge University.  This year we had over 30 students who made early applications for Medicine and Oxbridge courses.

We also draw on the contributions of the Denbigh Alumni, with ex-students making regular visits throughout the year to speak to our Sixth Formers about their choices and experiences.  On UCAS Day in July, the Alumni provide more specific guidance about the UCAS process and talk to our students about how they made their choices and provide guidance about things to consider.

For those students who are considering going straight into a career then support is also provided, working alongside the school’s Careers Advisor.   Employers from a wide range of businesses are invited in to the Sixth Form Centre to provide information and talk to the students.

UCAS FAQs

Enrichment

All students in Year 12 will be expected to choose one enrichment activity alongside their A Levels.  This will be a regular timetabled session of one hour a week and will, in the most parts, lead to a specific qualification.  However, it is about more than achieving that qualification.  It is the chance to take up an activity that students might not have considered before in order to acquire new skills and experiences.

Enrichment activities are covered in more detail in the video, but some of the more popular choices include the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), the Sports Leader Award and Cooking.  There is also the opportunity to take Core Maths over two years, providing students with the skills associated with AS Maths and designed to support those students who require elements of mathematical or statistical analysis in their other A Level subjects.

Choices are made during the first couple of weeks in September, with students making three choices based on order of preference.  Every effort is made to provide students with their first choice activity but this can not be guaranteed.

Senior Leadership Team

Mr A. Squires

CEO/Executive Headteacher

Leadership of The Denbigh Alliance Multi Academy Trust

Dr A. Frame

Head of School

Strategic Leadership of Denbigh School

Mr P. Myers

Deputy Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Trust Designated Safeguarding Lead

Safeguarding, Curriculum, Staff and Student Well Being

Mr A. Steed

Deputy Headteacher

Teaching & Learning, Achievement

Mrs H. Brown

Assistant Headteacher

Timetable, Options, Extra-Curricular Activities

Miss L. Dale

Assistant Headteacher

Director of Teaching School, Senior Professional Tutor, Teaching and Learning

Mrs C. Flowers

Assistant Headteacher, SENCO

Special Education Needs and Disabilities, the PSHE Curriculum, Tutorial and Assemblies, Reading Strategy

Mrs H. Fry

Assistant Headteacher

Student Attendance and Behaviour, Year 7 Transition

Mr P. Gannaway

Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mrs J. Goudriaan

Assistant Headteacher, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

SMSC, Careers, Student Voice, Vocational Champion, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mr J. Waters

Assistant Headteacher

Student Progress and Achievement, Punctuality to Lessons, Homework Completion, PIXL Lead

Watch our Open Day live event

Prospective parents and students are invited to watch our Sixth Form Open Evening Facebook live event.

The Open Event video features Mr Paul Gannaway, Director of Post-16 Learning and current Denbigh Year 12 students who provide more information about Denbigh School’s Sixth Form.

Download our prospectus