A traditional approach to academic sixth-form teaching including close supervision in a tutorial context, is balanced with opportunities for students to improve their capacity for clear thought and reasoning, along with a fuller development and broadening of their cultural horizons.
Students are prepared to compete for admission to Britain's first division universities, and are offered careful advice on university selection with preparation for the process of interview. Sixth form life at St John's College is quite distinct in tone and atmosphere, and sixth formers constitute their own independent society, enjoying a separate common room and provision for an area of quiet study. A-levels are offered in a wide range of subjects at both AS and A2. Pupils normally select the four or five which best suit their aptitude and interests as their AS-level subjects, continuing three or all four subjects to A2.
The Sixth Form Offers
• An Outstanding Record of A level Results & University Admissions.
• Specialist Teaching & Very Small Class-Sizes.
• Excellent Science, Music, Sport & ICT Facilities
- wireless broadband & interactive whiteboards in many classrooms.
• Weekly Debating Coaching & National Competitions
- finalists in the Cambridge Union Schools’ Debating Competition.
• AS Critical Thinking
- enabling our students to analyse and evaluate ideas and arguments, and to construct clear, logical and coherent lines of reasoning.
• Established Links with Companies & Institutions
- giving sixth formers wide-ranging work-experience opportunities and advice.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
University Admissions
The Sixth Form has an impressive record for University admissions, with exceptional success in gaining places at all of the leading schools of Medicine and Dentistry (including Oxford, Imperial, Nottingham and Cardiff). Significant numbers of students have also gained places in the humanities, with many successful admissions to read Law, History, English Literature and Music in first division universities (notably Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, St Andrew’s and Cardiff).
Extra-Curricular Pursuits
At St John’s College, Sixth Formers are encouraged not only to excel in their chosen subjects but to pursue all manner of extra-curricular interests. In recent years, their professionalism and commitment have underpinned the development of the school’s award-winning Concert Orchestra and the Cathedral Choir, and the recently formed Close Harmony group singing in the style of The King’s Singers. We have an enviable record of candidates gaining choral scholarships to Oxbridge Colleges, including the world famous choirs of Magdalen College (Oxford) and King’s College (Cambridge). Many Students have also gone on to perform as instrumental soloists and in top university orchestras alongside their chosen academic subjects.
The lunchtime Debating Society recently took part in the highly respected inter-school debating competition. Arvind Kumar and Jamie Halpin were one of the four successful teams who progressed to the Finals Day in Oxford, to compete against debating champions from all over the world. Further afield, the annual Spanish trip is a favourite amongst Sixth Formers. This year they travel to Salamanca to receive specialist linguistic tuition and undertake work placements.
An entrepreneurial spirit is encouraged amongst Sixth formers, with recent students having taken a key rôle in establishing new societies and Fair Trade within the school as well as directing younger pupils in musical ensembles. Sixth Form students at St John’s can take pride in their willingness in the classroom to learn, as seen in their rapport with staff. This student-teacher rapport extends to Staff & Sixth Form weekly football training, aerobics and sporting fixtures throughout the year, including the annual Staff Vs Sixth Form cricket match.
Former students have also built on their sporting achievements at school to go on to represent their university teams. Recent SJC alumni have gone on to play rugby, football, cricket, tennis and golf at university level, and also include a Cambridge Blue Boxer and an international skier.
Sixth Form Tennis Success - May 2010 The team of Scott Thompson, Matthem Davies, Samir Almitwally and Sam Dunne is storming into the later stages of the Regional Schools Tournament by first overcoming a spirited Radyr team, and then clinically disposing of Christ College Brecon in the next round.
They beat Radyr 4-2 with Sam claiming the final rubber. Unfortunately Scott aggravated a hand injury and would not be available for the Brecon encounter.
Against Brecon, the boys stepped up another gear winning all of their 4 matches comfortably. Sam played some excellent tennis, whilst Matthew Davies displayed awesome power in his serves. These two regulars were complimented nicely by Tom Jones and Charlie Halpin, who also showed some deft touches.
The Senior Boys Tennis team moved into the quarter finals of the Regional Championship with a comprehensive 12 – 0 defeat of Christ College. The next round is to be played on the 19th May against Cowbridge. Keep up the good work!
The boys have proved that this squad has some real depth and functions superbly well, irrespective of who plays. Great effort, and bring on the next round!
Mr D. Milton (Boys' PE)
L6 Biology DNA Fingerprinting Workshop - 24 November 2009
The Lower 6th form Biology group took part in a DNA Fingerprinting workshop at Techniquest on Tuesday, 24 November.
21 students attended as well as Miss Rogerson and Mr Cole. The students sampled their own mitochondrial DNA - but this was discarded, so no risk of Government retention for the future!
Each individual's mitochondrial DNA is identical to his or her mother’s, and is passed down the maternal line, though it is not the DNA used for forensic purposes. The students carried out electrophoresis on their samples and discussed ethical issues surrounding DNA databases.
As they were unable to eat for an hour beforehand, a much welcomed break was enjoyed in the Techniquest canteen. The students were a credit to themselves and to the school, and learnt a great deal from the day.
Mrs H. Evans (Head of Science)
An Outstanding Record of A level Results
This result out-performs results which we achieved at the time of the ESTYN 2006 Inspection when achievement at A level was identified as an outstanding feature of the school.
Congratulations to them all on the fruits of their dedicated work; also to their parents and to our exceptional teaching staff.
We have achieved this leading result in Wales for the 9th consecutive year.
The lunchtime Debating Society recently took part in the highly respected inter-school debating competition. Arvind Kumar and Jamie Halpin were one of the four successful teams who progressed to the Finals Day in Oxford, to compete against debating champions from all over the world. Further afield, the annual Spanish trip is a favourite amongst Sixth Formers. This year they travel to Salamanca to receive specialist linguistic tuition and undertake work placements.
