Parent Handbook
Gildredge House occupies a pleasant leafy site on the edge of the South Downs within ten minutes’ easy walk of Eastbourne station and the town centre. The Sixth Form has its own stand-alone wing in Temple Grove with spacious seminar-style teaching rooms, dedicated study areas and computer suite. The well-designed facilities are enhanced by a fast and accessible computer network, WiFi throughout the building, and hardware including laptops, tablets and digital screens. Sixth Form students can also take advantage of the subject-specific facilities throughout the rest of the site.
In addition to the existing Sixth Form Kitchen and Common Rooms, Sixth Form students are now enjoying exclusive use of a brand new Sixth Form Café in Temple Grove. The Sixth Form Café is open at break times and lunch times, serving hot and cold food, and drinks.
“The new Sixth Form Café represents an exciting addition to our dedicated Sixth Form facility!”
Miss O’Callaghan, Head of Sixth Form
We have very high ambitions for our Sixth Form students and we aim to provide an outstanding educational experience. Learning in the Sixth Form is based on small groups working together with the best teachers available. Lessons are of the highest calibre and the collaboration and relationships between teacher and student are exemplary. Our smaller class sizes allow students to benefit from working with teachers who know how students like to learn best and who will share pride in their achievements.
We believe that education is about social and emotional development that leads to a high level of academic success. Employers and universities tell us that they want students with a full set of qualifications in addition to a set of well-developed skills in teamwork, resilience, good time-keeping, leadership and emotional intelligence; all these are at the heart of our Sixth Form offer at Gildredge House.
Senior Student Leadership Team
A team of Senior Student Leaders work with the staff to play an active role in making positive changes. The Senior Student Leader role allows Sixth Form students to take on roles of responsibility to prepare them for life beyond their studies. Much of the Senior Student Leaders’ recent work has been around issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and remote learning; adapting study spaces and promoting positive mental health and well-being.
Gildredge Giveback
The Gildredge Giveback programme is a volunteering scheme aimed at Year 12 students. Students allocate one free period a week to support and ‘giveback’ to the school community by taking part in activities such as; supporting the literacy needs of younger students, assisting in Science lessons, and helping in the Primary phase. The programme encourages our Sixth Form students to play a responsible role in the school and build on their own interpersonal skills.
Pastoral Support
Sixth Form students are assigned to a Tutor Group. The Sixth Form Tutors are influential in supporting students on a day-to-day basis. The small Tutor Groups allow staff to get to know their students and tailor provision to their needs.
Preparing for Success – Careers Support
Gildredge House is committed to providing a planned programme of careers education, information and guidance for all Sixth Form students.
Whether you aspire to be a doctor, have dreams of going to Oxford or Cambridge University, or would like to explore apprenticeships in hospitality, we will support you to fulfil your career aspirations. We believe that if you want it, and can do it, we will get you to where you need to be.
You will have opportunities to have one-to-one careers interviews, support with your UCAS applications and interviews, and go out on work experience to enhance your academic profile. We aim to introduce you to enthusiastic employers who are ready to give you the best advice before entering the world of work, or help you to make those all-important career choices. Here at the Gildredge House Sixth Form, you can aim high and go far with your career choices.
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
Opportunities beyond the classroom are crucial and provide an excellent outlet from, or antidote to, your academic studies. We strongly encourage our Sixth Form students to take part in and commit themselves to a wide range of extra-curricular activities. The following represent just some of the activities in which our Sixth Form students have recently been involved:
- Young Enterprise
- Preparing for mock trials
- University visits
- Organising charity events
- Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Supporting in Primary lessons
- Sport sessions
- PSHE session
- Careers events
Visit Us
We showcase our Sixth Form annually at our Sixth Form Open Events. Please join us and explore what our Sixth Form has to offer. If you are unable to make one of our Open Events, feel free to make an appointment with the Head of Sixth Form to visit during the day.
Contact Us
If you are interested in finding out more about our Sixth Form, please contact the Head of Sixth Form, Miss Fran O’Callaghan, on f.ocallaghan@gildredgehouse.org.uk or 01323 400650.
We are pleased to report that Gildredge House has been judged ‘Good’ by Ofsted.