Independent Study at Lutterworth Sixth

The systems detailed below are how we help students to make the best use of their independent study time.

10th Hour

In Sixth Form, there are significant changes to a student's timetable from what students are used to following at GCSE and Level 2. A large percentage of a Sixth Form timetable is allocated to independent study to support the amount of content covered in each of the Level 3 subjects, so it is important that students are utilising this time and being as productive as possible outside of their timetabled lessons. Each subject will set five hours of independent study each week. This is set using Satchel One, our online platform, where teachers can post the set tasks as well as any supporting resources students may need. Whilst at first this may seem overwhelming, if students consider the number of hours in their timetable allocated for independent study, this translates to completing one hour of work outside of the school day, provided students are making the most of their set study periods.

When study periods are not being used effectively, which is one of the common pitfalls we see amongst our Post 16 students, this results in an excessive amount of work required outside of school. The 10th hour, a system we use to support students with their independent study, takes place once a fortnight for each exam subject. This is an additional supervised period of study, incorporated into independent study hours, where students will be set specific tasks which they will complete in our main study space, Q Zone. Our study supervisor, Mrs Bray, will support students with the completion of these tasks which are intended to compliment and support the content covered in lessons, strengthening subject knowledge and independent study skills. Students will register in Q Zone for these sessions as they are scheduled on their timetable and not doing so, will impact attendance. We want to support students in managing their independent study to make sure they are on top of the subject content, workload and also to support student productivity and motivation outside of their taught lessons.

A Level Mindset

A Level Mindset is a Study Skills programme that runs once a week during mentor time throughout Year 12 and the autumn term of Year 13. The programme is designed to complement and involve your subject study and will enhance the revision strategies you used at GCSE and will help you become a more effective independent learner.   

Your teachers may make reference to the week's A Level Mindset focus during your lessons, to help you apply the strategies covered, particularly in your Wider Study. 

Wider Study

Wider Study at Lutterworth Sixth is designed to help you make the transition from learners that are used to being taught for every lesson, to more independent and proactive students. The term refers to the additional work you complete that is not directed by teachers but that you have chosen to complete yourself, thus ensuring you are developing skills of autonomy and self-direction. 

Wider Study you may choose to do includes: 

>wider reading, viewing and listening, such as critical material, podcasts, Youtube documentaries. 

>consolidatory work, such as rewriting lessons notes or review questions. 

>revision exercises, such as mind maps or flashcards. 

>skills practice, such as specific art, music or software techniques. 

>completion of additional UpLearn activities, in subjects where this is relevant. 

>extension activities such as further investigation of an area you found interesting in a module 

You will be given the opportunity to plan for and discuss your Wider Study with your mentor in a designated mentor period every week. Your mentor will expect to see evidence of Wider Study completed for your subjects and you will also use this time to plan your Wider Study for the coming week, which you will complete in your non-contact periods or at home. Your class teachers will also want to see evidence of this in your subject folders. 

You will be provided with a Wider Study task sheet for each subject which lists suggested activities, such as those above, to help you get going! Please note that Wider Study is expected in addition to the recommended five hours per subject of directed independent study, that students are expected to complete each week, and in addition to the 10th hour. It is crucial at A Level that you are consistently revisiting your class work to make sure you fully understand it – think of it as your GCSE revision, but from day one! 

Wider Study may also coincide with the A Level Mindset programme and students may use their Wider Study period to extend the specific study skills taught in the A Level Mindset task, by putting into practice the skills taught.