Meet The 16+ Team

“As KS4 begins to draw to and end, you must now consider the next stage of your education and what will best suit you and your learning. Should you choose to study at Sidney Stringer Sixth Form, you will receive a warm welcome from a team of teachers, tutors and support staff committed to ensuring that procedures are in place for you to achieve your full potential.

Our overall aim is to prepare you for adult life through ensuring that you are the best equipped academically and also that you leave us a well-rounded individual with a skill-set that will give you the best opportunity to succeed in the outside world.

Outside of lessons, our aim is to equip you with transferable skills which will put you in a good position to move onto the next stage of your life. We do this by encouraging you to participate in activities such as university Master Classes, work experience placements, University Summer Schools and much more. If you are waiting for your potential to be unlocked and developed, then look no further than our wonderful Academy!

At Sidney Stringer Academy our staff will do everything they can to ensure that you make the optimum amount of progress. We have great teaching staff who use a wide range of strategies to further student outcomes, a dedicated team of tutors and pastoral staff who will be on hand to support you throughout your time at the Academy.

We wish you good luck in your forthcoming exams and remember that your future lies firmly in the palm of your hands; make sure you make decisions now which will lead to success and not to disappointment.

Parent Information

16+ Attendance Procedure

Absences and lateness must be covered by a telephone call by parent/guardian to the 16+ Office by 9.00 am on the first day of absence. (Telephone Number 02476251756 Ext. 2100/2101).

Absence must be covered by a note immediately on return to school.  Failure to do so will result in the absence being marked as unauthorised, which will be unacceptable by the Academy.  Persistent absence from school or lessons will result in an attendance meeting to discuss the student’s suitability for 16+. Absences which are considered to be unacceptable are; holidays during term time,  birthdays or similar celebrations, babysitting, waiting for the post, plumber, decorator etc. to arrive, routine medical and dental appointments, missing a lesson in order to complete un-finished work, part-time work which does not constitute part of a student’s course.

Absences known in Advance

You must inform your tutor, subject teacher and the 16+ office prior to any events which are listed below: e.g. Hospital/Orthodontist/GP appointments, Interviews, University Open Days, Driving Tests, Career Appointments, Student Leadership Official Business, Study Leave etc.

Where possible appointments should be made outside of Academy hours.

Holidays

Holidays must not be arranged in term-time and these will not be authorised.

Punctuality

Being punctual to school and lessons is an expectation that we have of all of our 16+ students. All students should arrive to school and lessons on time, with all of the equipment they need and any homework/coursework that has been set by the subject teacher. If a 16+ student is late to school they will be expected to complete a 15 minute “whole school detention” at break time and an additional 1 hour detention after school in 16+. Persistent lateness will result in a meeting with parents.

16+ Dress Code

16+ students will need to dress smartly. This means that students will wear the following:

Girls

·         Skirt/Suit

·         Trousers/Suit

·         Smart jacket, jumper or cardigan

·         Shirt or blouse

·         Dress

·         Smart shoes (no trainers)

·         Smart cultural dress/headwear

Males

·         Smart jacket

·         Shirt and tie

·         Trousers/Suit

·         Smart shoes (no trainers)

Private Study Time

The proper use of private study time is an important feature of 16+ life. All students entering Year 12 will have private study lessons on their timetable. It is often difficult initially to use this time productively and so each student will need to plan properly so that written/practical work or reading can be undertaken during these periods. These are NOT free periods and should NOT be regarded as social occasions. Students are asked to respect others who are working quietly.

Tutors and subject teachers are happy to advise students as to how best to use this time.

It should always be remembered:

·         That the best results are invariably gained by students who have acquired the ability to work independently.

·         That a minimum requirement of at least SEVEN hours outside of lessons is needed for every A level/BTEC subject being studied and around TEN hours for level two courses.

·         Re-sits English and Maths subjects need to be given at least TWO hours study time each per week outside of lessons.

16+ Quiet Study Area Work Ethos

Please come to this area knowing what you want to achieve. Out of respect to other students, there should be no talking otherwise students will be asked to leave the area. A phone call will be made home and persistent offenders may be given a one hour detention.

Financial Support – 16-19 Bursary Fund

This fund has been introduced by the Government for some students from low income families to get assistance towards the costs of transport, books, trips, meals etc. Forms must be completed fully and the required documents must accompany your application.  Proof of free school meals, household income (or income-based benefits) etc. will be required. Payments are made half-termly direct from the school to the student’s own personal bank account and are dependent on good attendance, punctuality, behaviour and progress.

Application Form

Directed Study/Study Leave

To ensure that their study time is focused and productive, Year 12 students will have 3 compulsory lessons of Directed Study which will take place in the post 16 area. These will be indicated on their timetables and students will be supervised by 16+ study centre manager and have access to computers.

So long as they do not have any lessons, Year 12 students will have study leave on a Friday morning.

Year 13 students will be eligible for Study Leave dependent on performance, attitude to learning and their overall attendance and behaviour.

Post 18 Financial Support

Within the year 13 year students will be given sessions on accessing university funding through Student Finance England. Below is a link to the most recent Student Finance England information.

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance

16+ Code of Conduct

Sixteen Plus

Curriculum

At Sidney Stringer Academy, the curriculum is centred around the individual pupil and their needs whatever their starting point. Individualised options are available to ensure pupils can deepen their understanding and enjoyment of topics and issues already studied but also have the confidence and resilience to broaden their learning by taking on new subjects. As well as traditional  A Levels, and VTQs (vocational and Technical Qualifications) the post 16 curriculum includes non-qualification lessons called 16+ Life. Every Year 12 and Year 13 student has two hours of 16+ life each week.  This includes PSHE, Careers, Citizenship, Economic literacy, Teaching and Learning programme and literacy. 

 

Our curriculum is designed and underpinned by three key principles;

Based on our curriculum principle of immersion, 16+ students have whole day lessons. This means that students have 5 hours of each subject they study on one day each week. 

 We know this makes for better assessment of student work, workload for staff and the well-being of learners and teacher. This approach maximises learning time in several ways. Firstly, compared to having lessons spread across the week, less time is needed for recapping between lessons. Secondly, it allows staff to develop their knowledge of our students, ensuring they have a good understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in learning and can therefore make informed decisions on how best to facilitate the progress of individuals. In addition, no time is lost in transition. Further to this, we take advantage of cross-curricular opportunities wherever possible to ensure that the knowledge students acquire during their time with us is applicable to more than just one subject in school. We value life-long learning and appreciate that knowledge and cultural capital are integral to the development of children as valued members of society. Independence is also an area we are keen to develop further in ensuring learning is deep and long-lasting.

Our subject offer is below

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you require any additional information about the KS5  curriculum at Sidney Stringer Academy,

please contact Ms Zaynab Bharuchi 

Courses

Blockings 2025 – 2026

Wednesday 26th November 2025

16+ Options Evening

Welcome and Information Event

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to visit our fantastic Academy to find out more information about our 16+ centre and the courses available

Colleges, Universities and apprenticeship providers will also be available to allow you to find out about additional opportunities

The start of the evening is being split into 2 sections.  Yr 11 students who attend Sidney Stringer Academy, should arrive at 5 p.m and register at reception.  You will then be directed to the theatre for a presentation that will start promptly at 5.15 p.m.  Please ensure that you are wearing your school uniform and lanyard. 

Yr 11 students who do not attend Sidney Stringer should arrive at 5.45 p.m and to register.  You will be then be directed to the 16+ area for a presentation that will start promptly at 6 p.m.

For external students only, if you wish to attend the Open Evening, please use the below link to pre-register for the event:

Our 16+ applications will reopen on GCSE results day Thursday 20th August 2026, for those students who have not already been offered a conditional place. Students wishing to make a late application, must complete our application form, using the link below.

https://forms.gle/HEYVqHHfMbEb5cN57

Please note that you will not be able to access the form before Thursday 20^th August.

Applications will close on Tuesday 25th August 2026, unfortunately, we will not be able to accept any further applications after this date.

Successful applicants will be contacted during the morning of Thursday 27th August and will be required to attend an interview in the afternoon. Please note that we will not be able to consider you for a place, if you do not attend your interview.

CLASS 2026 – 2028 YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE!

At Sidney Stringer Academy we have a range of different pathways giving a wide range of choices to our learners. To achieve success, students need to develop a self-disciplined routine and a full commitment to work. This is most likely to occur when students are studying subjects in which they show ability and genuine interest.

Within SSA we want to ensure that we can move students onto their preferred post 18 destination. During the application process the 16+ team will balance achieving this with the entry requirements of our courses to put students on the best pathway to their post 18 destination.

Our expectation is that students choosing to study A Level courses will have achieved at least a grade 5 at GCSE in 5 subjects including English and Maths. However, with some courses, the expectation is that the students will have achieved higher grades and this will vary between courses. Full details of subject entry requirements can be found on the courses tab.

For students to study BTEC courses you will need to have achieved five or more GCSEs at grades 4-9. Again please refer to the 16+ Prospectus for individual course entry requirements as these can vary.

Sidney Stringer Students – How to join Sidney Stringer Academy Sixth Form

Every year we welcome a mix of returning SSA year 11 students (Internal) alongside students who join us from our schools (External). We welcome all students to apply to SSA.  Sidney Stringer students need to apply using the google form sent to their email address.  External students need to apply using the link on our website.

Application Date
The closing date for all applications is Sunday 11th January 2026.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept applications after this date

Application Timeline

Date	Student	Activity	Description
Wednesday 26th November 2025	Internal and external	16+ Options Evening	This is an opportunity for students to come and speak with subject leaders, gather information on the subjects and ask any specific questions they may have
Thursday 27th November 2025	Internal and external	16+ Applications for 26/27 entry open	Online applications open.  Internal students use the link sent to their school email.  External students must use the link on the website
Sunday 11th January 2026	Internal and external	Application deadline	All applications must be submitted by this date
Friday 16th January 2026	Internal	16+ Passport meeting	All SSA students who will be placed on a Yr 11 into 16+ Passport will have a meeting with Mr Martin to explain the expectations of the Passport
Monday 19th January 2026	Internal	1st Passport to 16+ starts	If students have struggled to meet the expectations for attendance, punctuality or attitude to learning that are required for 16+, they are given the opportunity to complete a 16+ Passport.  This allows them to demonstrate that they have overcome these issues
Monday 19th January 2026	Internal	Internal student interviews	All students who have applied to 16+ will be given an allocated meeting time with Mr Martin or a member of the 16+ team.  Within this meeting we can explore the options available to the student based upon their current predicted attainment
Mid February 2026	Internal	First round of internal offers	As soon as all students have been met, the first round of offers will be emailed to students
End February 2026	Internal	Review of Passports/Second round of offers	At this point, if students have a successful Passport, they will be given an offer
Beginning of March 2026	Internal	Second Passport	If students have not had a successful Passport, they will be given a second chance by completing a second 16+ Passport
March/April	External	External student interviews	All students who have applied to 16+ will be given an allocated meeting time with Mr Martin or a member of the 16+ team.  Within this meeting we can explore the options available to the student based upon their current predicted attainment
March/April	Internal	Review of second Passport/final round of offers	At this point, students who have had a successful Passport will be made an offer
May	External	External student provisional offers	At this point, all students who have had a successful interview will receive a conditional offer
Monday 22nd June -Friday 26th June 2026	Internal and external	A Week In The Life 2026	Every student who has been offered a provisional place in 16+ will be expected to participate in our compulsory “A Week In the Life of a 16+ Student” experience.  This week will give each student an insight into what life is really like when they join Sidney Stringer 16+.  You will begin to feel part of a caring environment where your academic ability will be stretched to its limits provided you play your part.  Every student will also experience lessons and independent learning in their chosen subjects.  All students will be expected o complete all homework and holiday work set.  In addition to this, every student will be expected to complete a Research Project about their chosen career.  This will be a requirement of you being accepted into the Sixth Form.
Thursday 20th August 2026	Internal	GCSE results day/Confirmation of Post 16 courses	On results day we can then confirm students places on courses based on their GCSE results
Friday 21st August 2026	External	Confirmation of Post 16 courses	On the day after GCSE results day, we can then confirm student places based on their GCSE results

 

Sidney Stringer Celebrates another year of excellent KS5 results! 

 We are delighted to announce this year’s A Level and BTEC results! We’ve seen incredible improvements, with a 3% increase in  A-A grades* and a 5% increase A-B grades. The overall pass rate at A-E* has also seen a fantastic 5% boost.

Our BTEC students have been equally impressive, with a rise in the number of Distinction grades awarded. Their hard work and dedication have truly paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder of what our students have  accomplished.

We want to give a special mention to some of our students for their exceptional results and a look at where their futures are taking them.

Melat Ayalew achieved an incredible A* in Chemistry and Maths, and an A in Biology, and will be taking her talents to Imperial College London to study Medicine.

We are also delighted that two of our students, Kaison Bains and Layle Ise, will be heading to the University of Oxford! Layle is celebrating A*, A, A in English Literature, History, and Maths and Kaison has achieved Kaison Bains A, A, B in Maths, History, and Further Maths. We are so proud of all our students who have secured fantastic destinations, including highly coveted degree apprenticeships. 

A special mention to a few of our students for their exceptional results:

• Uyaiabasi Bassey (A, A, A in Biology, Chemistry, and Maths)
• Layla Ise (A*, A, A in English Literature, History, and Maths)
• Nadia Lada (A*, A*, A*, A* in English Literature, History, Maths, and Polish)
• Regina Sandor (A, A, A in Biology, History, and Maths)
• Syed Shahkabir (A*, A, A, A in Maths, Further Maths, Biology, and Chemistry)
• Adam Shonola (A*, A, A in Maths, Further Maths, and Physics)
• Sulaimaan Bhayat (D* in BTEC Applied Science, A in Maths, and A in Computer Science)
• Shafiih Njuki (DD in BTEC Applied Science and A in Psychology)
• Rahmah Saleh (DDD* in BTEC Applied Science)

And a big well done to all of our students who achieved fantastic BTEC results, including:

• Mohammed Akheel (D*DD in Business)
• Adeel Amjad (D*DD in Applied Science)
• Saria Aslam (DDD in Applied Science)
• Samia Faisal (D*DD in Applied Science)
• Joshua Fasipe (D*DD in Business)
• Khadejah Inayat (D*DD in Applied Science)
• Abdulqader Khidher (DDD in Applied Science)
• Tyrone Mtengwa (DDD in Applied Science)
• Mohammed Nawaz (D*D in Business and D in IT)
• Rithik Singh (D*DD in Business)
• Ibrahim Toure (DDD in Business)
• Misbah Zahoor (D in Business and D*D in Health and Social Care)

16+ Bursary Fund

As a 16+ student you may be eligible to receive financial support, through the 16-19 Bursary Fund, to help pay for items to support your education and learning such as books, stationery, course materials, trips, sixth form dress code or other study/revision aids.

To be eligible for the 16-19 Bursary you must meet the below qualification criteria:

• Be aged 16 or over and under 19 on 31st August 2025.
• Meet the residency criteria and ESFA 2024/25 funding regulations. 
• Be eligible for free school meals OR have a household income of less than £25,000 per year
• Be in, or have recently left, local authority care/are receiving Income Support, or Universal Credit because you are financially supporting yourself/are receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in your own right.

If you meet these criteria you can apply for Bursary for the academic year 2025-2026. Application forms are available from the 16+ Office, together with Residency Forms should you require one (you were not born in the UK). If you attended AWITL transition week then you will have been given one. If you have joined us later then you can collect the forms from the 16+ office or collect them on GCSE results day.

You can also apply via the link provided or you can download and print the application form and residency form also provided:

Once completed you can submit your application, together with the required supporting documentation, to Mrs Murray. Or, alternatively, you can hand it in to Reception for the attention of Mrs Murray, 16+ Office.

If you have any queries regarding the bursary fund and your application, please also direct these to Mrs Murray