Life at Harris Westminster Sixth Form

10

Hi everyone! We are the Student Senate from HWSF. The purpose of this thread is for you guys to ask any questions about the school. We will try to answer as honestly as possible!

Suggested Questions:
-Saturday School
-Teachers
-Sports
-Cultural Perspective
-Societies
-Vicinity of school
-Subject choices
-House System

Thank you !

HWSF Student Senate

An article written by one of the members of the student senate about his year 12 experience can be found in his blog:
https://troyconsistente.wixsite.com/unfiltered

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Hi Osam360, I have attached a link which takes you to the travel bursary section:

https://www.harriswestminstersixthform.org.uk/116/bursaries-free-school-meals

The school is somewhat supportive with this kind of stuff, for example, you can borrow a tablet from the library for a day.

Reply 2

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Original post

by Osam360

How does the travel bursary work?

Hi Osam360, from the website, it says:

The Travel Bursary is available if your child has been in receipt of Free School Meals in the last 6 years and they travel to school via train and/ or underground. If your application is successful then the full cost of travel, using the 16-19 Oyster card, will be reimbursed every few weeks.

Reply 3

MrBirlingwhy

2

Hi so I am enrolling for HWSF and I wanted to know about Fine Art and Art History A levels?

Reply 4

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Original post

by MrBirlingwhy

Hi so I am enrolling for HWSF and I wanted to know about Fine Art and Art History A levels?

This is a response from a student taking both subjects:

Art at HWSF follows the Cambridge pre u exam board meaning that the course is 100% coursework (thus, there are no exams at the end of the year and that there is no "10 hour exam" like in gcse to make your final piece - you are given a few weeks instead). It consists of a few projects as well as a written essay piece about a topic related to art. The year begins with a small art project around a brief given by the teacher (most likely to be the theme "Street") where you are given a chance to learn how to use multiple different techniques as well as Refining the ones you know eg: various printmaking as well as sketching large-scale using different mediums. After this, the other project themes , including the essay, will be up to you and you can have the freedom to choose what path you would like to take your project to and also what you would like to make for your final pieces. Your main work will be recorded into a sketchbook (size is up to you) and your best work will be placed into an A2 portfolio which the art teacher will provide and help you with. This and your final pieces will be what is seen by the examiner.

As for art history, this also follows the Cambridge Pre u exam board. The course consists of 3 papers at the end of year 13:
Analytical studies: This is a written exam with short essay questions about a set of paintings and sculptures which you will learn about at school. You will need to be able analyse the features of the pieces and know the historical context also. This will be 25% of your grade.
Historical topics: This is another written exam consisting of longer essay questions which will focus on a specific time period and the art movements within these dates. You will be taught various art movements and the known artists in the periods as well as the analysis of their works. This is also 25% of your grade.
Thematic topics: This is a written exam consisting also of essay questions. As I haven't learnt his yet (will be taught in year 13) I can't say much about what we will be learning but this will also be 25% of your grade.
The last 25% of your grade will be a personal investigation on a topic of your choice. You will have to write an essay on this as well as present a 20 minute presentation for an examiner who will be coming to the school and will be assessing you and asking questions about your research. The teachers will guide you with your personal investigation.

Hope this helps!

Reply 5

fivehundredowls

8

Hi there! Just a question about tech - I’m going to be doing humanities for 3/4 of my subjects and so I figure I’ll be doing a lot of essay writing. Do I need a laptop/certain type of laptop and do I need to bring it in to school? And aside from need, what’s the convention - do you ever work on laptops in class/ in frees etc?
Thanks :^)

Reply 6

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Hi! You can definitely bring whatever laptop, but alternatively you can borrow one from the library (i think it’s a lenovo laptop /tablet- it’s both! haha) everyday so long as you return it by the end of the day. If you wish to buy it from school, i think it’s about £200 ish (not sure). Some people in HWSF take notes with their laptop in lessons. The teachers are fine with it. I hate paper, so I take notes using my Ipad- definitely not a problem using a laptop!

Feel free to ask any more questions :smile:

Reply 7

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Original post

by fivehundredowls

Hi there! Just a question about tech - I’m going to be doing humanities for 3/4 of my subjects and so I figure I’ll be doing a lot of essay writing. Do I need a laptop/certain type of laptop and do I need to bring it in to school? And aside from need, what’s the convention - do you ever work on laptops in class/ in frees etc?
Thanks :^)

Hi! You can definitely bring whatever laptop, but alternatively you can borrow one from the library (i think it’s a lenovo laptop /tablet- it’s both! haha) everyday so long as you return it by the end of the day. If you wish to buy it from school, i think it’s about £200 ish (not sure). Some people in HWSF take notes with their laptop in lessons. The teachers are fine with it. I hate paper, so I take notes using my Ipad- definitely not a problem using a laptop!

Feel free to ask any more questions :smile:

Sorry I had to reply twice (forgot to quote hahah)

Reply 8

AbuKareemSmith

3

A question regarding safety? Are there many roadmen who attend this school? Especially any affiliated with any gangs? I don't want to get cheffed up by any ops ygm

Reply 9

HWSF Senate

OP

10

Original post

by AbuKareemSmith

A question regarding safety? Are there many roadmen who attend this school? Especially any affiliated with any gangs? I don't want to get cheffed up by any ops ygm

Hi! To answer your question, the students who come to HWSF are from different areas of London, not just one part of London.The community here does not nurture gang formations so dw hahaah.

Reply 10

Toastiekid

22

@HisMajesty_Kwabz you’re probably interested in this...

Reply 11

HisMajesty_Kwabz

17

Original post

by Toastiekid

@HisMajesty_Kwabz you’re probably interested in this...

Thank you for linking me to this!

Reply 12

HisMajesty_Kwabz

17

I have a question? What are the following subjects like?:

English Literature
History
Politics
Economics
Philosophy, Theology and Ethics

Asking in case I might change Economics to PTE. Thanks!