Learning
Academic excellence
Established in 1852 to educate Jersey’s most willing and able boys, Victoria College has continued to serve its original, intended purpose – as a route to the best universities such as Oxford and Cambridge and the best careers.
Entering the Sixth Form is an exciting time in your education. Your choice of A Levels allows you to explore in greater depth the subjects that you are passionate about and will help shape your future career. You will be taught by subject experts in a supportive, intellectually-stimulating environment.
The Sixth Form at Victoria College is where our pupils develop into young men: confident, well-rounded individuals with inquiring minds and a lifelong love of learning. The Sixth Form team and all the subject teachers are dedicated to nurturing and supporting you to achieve your best academically.
As a Sixth Former you will have more freedom than previous years at school and more responsibility for your own work. Mastering independent learning is the key to success in A Levels, so Sixth Form students are expected to be resourceful, seeking out help if needed and working unsupervised when they are not in timetabled lessons.
We care about results and are an academically successful school. In 2023, Victoria College students celebrated another year of outstanding A Levels.
| A Levels 2023 | |
|---|---|
|
90% |
Achieved A* to C grade |
|
38% |
Achieved A* to A grade |
|
17% |
Achieved A* grade |
Learning in Years 12 and 13
In the Sixth Form (Key Stage 5) we continue to build links with Jersey College for Girls, Beaulieu and De La Salle, whose students join us for some A Level subjects and co-curricular activities. Alongside A Levels, many of our boys take the Extended Project Qualificaiton (EPQ), designed to add depth to the learning and experiences available in the Sixth Form.
Our Friday activities programme for Sixth Form students offers further opportunities for a number of activities including CCF, Duke of Edinburgh's Award, work shadowing, community volunteering, sport and Young Enterprise and more.
If you already know you would like to pursue higher education, you can also take an extra qualification that is recommended by UCAS as preparation for university. For the EPQ students choose a topic of their choice, carry out research and either write an extended essay or create an artefact.
As a Sixth Former you are expected to drive your learning forward. Over the years, we have noticed one common key trait in those who succeed at A Levels – a firm commitment to independent learning. It is important to maintain momentum and keep pace with the academic work, so every Sixth Former’s progress is monitored by his Form Tutor and the Head of Sixth Form.
The Head of Sixth Form, works together with the five Form Tutors in each Year, with a view to:
- Raise expectations and instil confidence in students
- Improve individual performance
- Keep students and parents informed about progress and anticipated grades
- Identify and support underachievers and borderline students
The Form Tutor looks after a House group in the year and is responsible for nurturing the academic progress and personal development of the students. Their role is to:
- Monitor student progress, learning and wellbeing
- Set academic targets and track progress
A Level Subjects
Our Sixth Form students are able to study three to four A Level subjects from a range of options:
For more information on each subject, read the Sixth Form Options Guide 2023. We recommend that you choose subjects that will allow you a wide range of possible career options. Our Head of Careers, Mrs Suzanne Job, can advise you.
Study Facilities
The De Quetteville Library, The Median and the Learning Resource Centre are welcoming and thriving learning spaces that combine technology, to facilitate modern education, and the charm and atmosphere of a traditional library.
The oldest section was an integral part of the original school teaching room when it was established in 1852, it was refurbished in 1905, with carved oak shelving donated by the De Quetteville family. All students are welcome to use the library spaces pre-school, break and lunchtime to study, research and read, and they can play games, take part in club activities or socialise with their friends.
The extensive College archive, with material throughout its history is now situated within the Library. The library entrance hall, The Curam, is used for rolling display sourced from the archive.
The Library plays a central role in supporting teacher and learning across the curriculum and aims to develop in the boys' lifelong enjoyment of reading, it provides:
- Library induction sessions for new students
- It hosts the Homework Club during the term time
- 12,000 fiction and non-fiction books LRC Link
- PCs and iPads
- Password access to online subscription resources and databases
- Newspapers online and a large variety of paper magazines and journals
- Printing, photocopying and scanning facilities
- Audiobooks and course-complimentary DVDs
- Graphic novels and associated media
- A careers section and university prospectuses
- Changing displays promoting literary schemes, competitions, school information, archive materials, local history, quizzes, visual artists, poetry, general knowledge and an object of the week
For LRC queries, contact Librarian, James Wooldridge.