Working with your Sixth Form

Working with your Sixth Form can really help your group

You may have a Sixth Form committee, a Student Union or sympathetic teachers which you can use. If you don’t have any of these, it is still worth seeing how your Sixth Form can help, or how you can change it.

Campaigning to change your Sixth Form

Case Study- Cotham School

Students at Cotham School managed to get Fairtrade sold in their Sixth Form. They also managed to get a Fairtrade policy passed so that the school is committed to Fairtrade sales and promotion.

If your campaign is Sixth Form-centred (promoting Fairtrade, energy efficiency) your Sixth Form is probably in a position to take action itself. For example:

  • Stocking Fairtrade products
  • Using Green Electricity

See the campaigning pages for more info on how to convince people of your argument.

Approaching teachers

Case Study- Royal Forest of Dean

The group at RFD work with a member of staff who helps run meetings, organise events and is able to ensure the group keeps running as students leave.

Sometimes it’s just a case of asking the right person, whilst other times you’ll need to go through the formal channels of your Sixth Form. So how do you do it?

1. Find a supportive teacher. This could be your Head of Sixth Form, a teacher in a related subject such as Geography, RE, or Economics, the citizenship co-ordinator, or just an interested teacher.
2. Explain to them what you’re campaigning for. You can direct them to our teachers pages.
3. Ask how they could help- they should have some ideas.

Case Study- Steyning Grammar

Students at Steyning Grammar started a P&P group while already members of the Sixth Form committee. Their position on the committee meant they were able to get the attention of other students.

Using your Sixth Form committee

Your Sixth Form committee should be able to speak to the decision-makers at the school. They may have some money for events, or resources such as printing facilities. You could use them in a number of ways.

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