GCSE’s already a distant memory, and you’ve made it to the sixth form or S5 at last, but have you got what it takes to make the most of the next few years?
Time flies. Sure, you’ve heard it so many times before, but now it really does and before you know it, the autumn term will have finished and you may well be facing your first examinations in January 2009 or your first course-work deadline. Worried? Of course not, there is plenty of time, at least four months. Four months is long enough to go backpacking round Europe, complete a sailing qualification, learn a new language or mature a cheddar cheese (see Cheddarvision on YouTube). But is four months enough to change from a GCSE pupil to a sixth form / S5 student?
Sixth form / S5 study is different from GCSE. You will be studying fewer subjects, but in much greater depth for much longer periods. This means that you are likely to have either a lesson or preparation for a lesson in each subject you study each day. It is therefore essential to choose subjects that you will enjoy and which will also give you access to your chosen higher education course or career.
Subject staff, especially in new subjects only available in the sixth form, will undoubtedly start the course with an introduction to the subject content and course requirements, but is also useful to know about the generic study skills that will help you to be successful.
There is much greater emphasis on research in the sixth form / S5. You will be required to read longer, more detailed and more complex material than at GCSE, so it is important to develop your active reading skills. This means thinking critically about what you are reading, identifying assumptions, recognising the author’s vested interests, analysing and evaluating their arguments and often making notes. Reading is the basis for class discussion, completing written assignments and examination preparation.
Reading is often reinforced by note taking. The purpose of note taking is two-fold: firstly to capture the essence of an argument and secondly to organise the evidence to support the argument. Mind-maps or linear notes with subheadings, using colours and symbols are more likely to be effective than pages of text.
Surfing should complement not replace reading. Subject specific websites are an excellent source of up-to-date information, but you need to resist the temptation to simply download page after page of information and as its the internet you should take everything that is un-proven with a pinch of salt. Although more time consuming, you will gain a much fuller understanding of the material if you apply your active reading and note making skills.
The results of your research will often form the basis of written work. Although many subjects include structured questions which require concise, focussed answers, others include more open-ended questions which required extended answers, aka an essay. In its simplest form, an essay has three parts: introduction, body and conclusion. A good introduction identifies the context and the major themes to be discussed. The body is a logical sequence of points, with one point leading to the next. Each point develops the argument, allowing you to show your understanding, analytical and evaluative abilities, before leading onto the conclusion, which either answers the specific question in the essay title or summarises the arguments you have presented.
