Q&A: Insights from House Captains, Principal & Head of Sixth Form

Emma Robinson A:

What separates us from other sixth forms is our inclusive community. We live and breathe everything we do at OAE, which is called the Oasis Way and the Oasis Enfield Way. You know that our ethos is learning — it’s that everybody here, we inspire them to be the best that they can possibly be. And I think that separates us, because it means that we drive through your academics. We make sure you're on the right pathway in terms of your career choices, to ensure you get the right academic qualifications. But we also put a heavy emphasis on how we look after you in terms of wider participation and the bigger picture. So it really is a holistic education. We’ve got a really broad curriculum base in terms of your choices, but what you also get are weekly personal development sessions. You get a really intensive and exceptional UCAS and career pathway education as you come through at OAE. And we’re also really growing as a sixth form. So, being part of OAE means you're part of our journey to being excellent. We really value student voice and student leadership, so you play a part in guiding the direction of the sixth form, making a big contribution to its growth as well.

Emma Robinson A: 

I think what impresses me most as a new principal — I joined OAE at Easter last year — after having worked in a number of sixth form schools across London, is the character of the students here. Everyone is polite, pleasant, and kind to each other. You’re all engaged in your learning experiences and are really active and proactive in getting the most out of your sixth form journey. That is a truly exceptional trait to have and an ethos that will carry you into the future.It makes working with you as a principal in terms of your sixth form experience really quite easy, because you all genuinely want to be proactive in shaping that journey.

Martin Young A: 

I think what impresses me most about our sixth form is the fact that whenever I need something — whether it's volunteers for an event or help with something else — I never struggle to find people willing to help. I simply mention that we’ve got something happening, and suddenly, I have at least half a dozen people saying, "Oh yeah, how can I help?" It's really impressed me this year, especially with the new Year 12 students who have settled in so well. They volunteered at our Open Evening, even though some of them had only been here for about four weeks into their OA sixth form journey. Another thing that really impresses me is that they’re really good at speaking their minds. They express what they need, what they want, and are able to verbalize what will help them succeed. As Mrs. Robinson already mentioned, we focus a lot on supporting students pastorally through what is quite a difficult transitional stage of life, while also preparing them academically. So, as Head of Sixth Form, it’s really great to have a student body that’s receptive to ideas and eager to be part of that process. There’s a real sense of community here. Yes, you have your own spaces as sixth formers, but it still feels like you’re part of the wider OAE community — a truly inclusive school.

Emma Robinson A: 

I feel really privileged to have inherited, as principal, an already excellent sixth form provision, with students achieving results that send them off to some of the best universities. For example, we’ve had students go to Oxbridge, with one studying Medicine at Oxford. We have students heading to Russell Group universities or securing apprenticeships, and we’ve even had students earn basketball scholarships to study in America. So, the sixth form is already a fantastic place, delivering excellent outcomes for the young people who come here. My vision for the sixth form is to build on that success — to expand the range of courses we offer and, of course, grow the number of students. Right now, we’re a small sixth form, which is great for fostering a tight-knit community, but we do want to see thriving, growing numbers. The impact of having more of you wonderful leaders and role models is enormous. It really positively affects the younger students, from Year 7 to Year 11, because they see you as someone they aspire to be. Having more of you in leadership roles will continue to raise their aspirations and show them what’s possible. So, for me, the biggest challenge and part of my vision is to grow the sixth form in size, so that more students can go on to the places they aspire to, while inspiring younger students to aim higher as well.

Martin Young A: 

We often talk about the seven-year journey — you join us in Year 7, and the expectation is that you’ll stay with us all the way through to Year 13. We’re committed to delivering an education that helps you achieve success. We also focus a lot on aspiration throughout the school, ensuring that students join us with really ambitious visions and goals for what they want to achieve in the future and that's a really important part of kind of growing that sixth form.

Emma Robinson A: 

I think that if we grow the sixth form into a larger community, we’ll be able to attract even more excellent practitioners — real subject experts. So, when you’re studying subjects like sociology, psychology, economics, or business studies, we can always recruit and retain teachers with the highest level of subject expertise. This, of course, directly correlates to your overall outcomes. How do we define success for sixth form students? Well, there’s a really obvious answer to that.

Martin Young A: 

I suppose there's a really obvious answer to that. Success for sixth form students is about whatever they want to do next, we support them in achieving it. Lots of our students go on to university. For some, they’ll stay close to home and may be restricted to the London area; for others, we encourage them to look beyond the M25, explore new places, and really aspire to start a brand-new chapter in their lives. So, for many students, success is getting into university — and, of course, that requires academic success.

But we’re an inclusive sixth form, and we also have students who want to enter the world of employment or apprenticeships. For me, part of measuring our success is knowing that, whatever you want to do, you’ll feel supported in achieving it. Yes, we spend a lot of time focusing on university applications and UCAS, but we also dedicate a lot of time to exploring apprenticeships and understanding the current labour market.

We’re surrounded by lots of businesses, and Year 12 students have work experience in the summer, which gives them a great opportunity to experience the world of work. This is really important in shaping their future plans. So, on one hand, that’s a real measure of success. But I also talk a lot about soft skills and role models. A big part of what we’re doing here is preparing you for life beyond school — and that’s about developing the skills to speak confidently, identify your strengths, and communicate them in interviews.

It’s also about having a real sense of community and the responsibility to give back to the community you're in. I often talk about being really proud of where we’re from and contributing to making it a great place. So, success here is a combination of academic achievement — there’s an obvious element to that — but also personal development as individuals.

I always say in my first assembly: "Be a good human. The world never has too many good humans."

Emma Robinson A: 

I think the Oasis Enfield way is all about ensuring that you flourish. We measure success, of course, by academic achievement, but also by how well you become the best possible version of yourself. We’re always supporting you, making sure we provide plenty of opportunities for you to be your best. For me, I’ve been in education in London schools for longer than I care to admit, and right now, it’s about leveling the playing field. We want to enable you — and really, it’s you who enables yourselves — to secure a place at the table. Equity of opportunity is crucial, and we want to make sure that’s available to you. You’ve done the very best thing you can do: developing yourselves both as good humans and as students. We want to make sure that part of your success is having as many opportunities as possible. When you apply for competitive places at top universities, apprenticeships, or jobs, we want you to be the best candidate for the position — someone who gets chosen because of what you've achieved.

Emma Robinson A: 

Ultimately, we’re about being inclusive and using a relational-based approach here at Oasis Enfield. This means that relationships are absolutely critical for supporting students' mental health and well-being. Part of why we want students to stay with us from Year 7 through to Year 13 is that we really get to know you. When we can see that something personal might be affecting you, or when certain events or pressure points might impact you, we’re in a strong position to respond. Our relational approach is central to looking after your well-being. Building those relationships, really knowing you, and then responding in a way that isn’t judgmental or critical. We all feel and respond to things differently based on where we are in that moment. I was talking to my husband about this yesterday — it’s about meeting you where you are, asking, "How are you today? How are you feeling right now? How is this situation for you today?" I’ve got my mindfulness book on the table, and it’s always there because we, as an academy, work from a place of mindfulness. This means that every single moment of every day is an opportunity to reset. We aim to help you reset and restore, so you can move forward and not hold onto things that could affect you. We ask, "What’s happening for you right now? How can we support you in this moment?" And we ensure that you don’t hold on to things that might impact your future.

Martin Young A: 

A big part of it is that your teachers and the sixth form team really know you, and you know them as well. What this means is that, very quickly, it becomes apparent if something isn’t right or if something’s bothering you. We have Mrs. Yohannes, our support mentor in the sixth form, who has great relationships with the students. Often, they’ll come to her just to have a chat if something’s bothering them. Your tutors also see you every day, and they build that relationship, so they can notice if something isn’t quite right. Hopefully, you’ve built enough of a relationship with them so that you feel comfortable expressing anything that’s on your mind. We really encourage an open culture around this. It’s part of our PSHE and tutorial curriculum, where we cover topics like well-being, healthy eating, healthy relationships, and other issues that young adults face as they transition from school into the wider world. Within the school, we also have a dedicated counselor, and we provide a confidential "Good to Talk" service. There are QR codes around the site that you can scan to get in touch. You can reach out, and they will email you back to arrange a meeting, with the option for ongoing, weekly appointments if needed. We regularly highlight these services in assemblies, as well as promoting the Kooth online service, so that students know there are different ways to deal with stress and mental well-being. There’s a real ethos here that if you're struggling with mental health, it’s crucial to talk to someone and get the support you need.

Emma Robinson A: 

We also have Mental Health First Aiders on site. These are trained staff members who are certified in Mental Health First Aid, which is a really exceptional resource for our students. What this means is that they’re able to provide training and development to the rest of the staff, so we can respond quickly to any mental health concerns, just as we would with a physical issue. For example, if you notice a physical health concern, you’d respond right away — and we aim to do the same when it comes to mental health. This training is integrated into the professional development of our staff, so everyone understands mental health and how it might manifest as poor mental health. This means we’re able to offer support, even when a young person isn’t able to ask for help themselves in that moment.

Martin Young A: 

I think this is really important: students who come to us in the sixth form are ambitious and aspire to go to some of the best universities. With that comes the responsibility to ensure that you receive excellent teaching that supports your academic success. Sixth form teaching is integrated into the broader teaching and learning policy that runs throughout the school. So, if you’ve been with us from Year 7 through to GCSEs and into the sixth form, you’ll notice a certain familiarity in the lessons because they follow a similar format. We loosely base it on the "rose and shine" approach, which means that we focus on securing information, rehearsing it, and ensuring that new information is delivered in a way that doesn’t overload you. This connects to the concept of cognitive load, meaning that the material taught is something you can absorb, evaluate, and analyze effectively, helping you to be successful. As we’re talking about now, mock exams are a really important part of that learning process. When you sit exams, whether in the hall or the sports hall, it’s a very different environment compared to sitting them in your classroom. So, we prepare you for this by having mock exams early on, so you get a feel for what the real exam environment is like. This preparation is crucial, especially when it comes to your mental well-being. If you know what’s coming and have experienced it before, it helps remove some of the fear or anxiety. Of course, the mock exams are not just about testing; they’re also about identifying areas where you might be struggling and areas where you’re excelling. This helps inform future teaching and provides valuable insights. So, exams are really seen as part of the learning process, not just a summative assessment.

Emma Robinson A: 

What’s really important about this approach is that it means we’re committed to being data-rich about your progress — where you are in terms of understanding, knowledge, and skill acquisition. This allows us to adapt and amend our curriculum to ensure that when you go into your exams, there are no knowledge or skill gaps. Another key element of this academy is our commitment to having you always in front of a subject expert. All of your teachers hold degrees, many have master's degrees, and some have even pursued PhDs. We place subject experts in front of you for the duration of your studies. For the vast majority of our staff, they are also examiners, which means they understand the exams inside and out. They can teach you from an examiner’s perspective, which is a really important aspect of preparing for final exams. Your knowledge and skills are crucial, and we spend a lot of time on deliberate practice, making sure you get plenty of practice. Mr. Young is building a strong culture around study skills and habits to support you. But it’s not just about studying — it’s also about understanding what the examiner is asking in a question. The way questions are posed can differ across exam boards, so having as many examiners as possible on the team is key.

Emma Robinson A: 

When you come to OAE, it’s really important to know that we are fully committed to your academic pathway and success. We ensure that you have the right combination of A-levels and vocational courses to support your next steps, whether that’s in your career or further studies. But we’re also committed to providing you with a wide range of participation opportunities — both within the school and the academy, as well as what’s available outside of the academy. For me, the most important part of this is that we are working to level the playing field for you. When you’re competing for places in the workplace, university courses, or apprenticeships, we want you to succeed because you’ve had a holistic education, not just one focused solely on academic study.

Martin Young A: 

I think you two are great examples of leadership opportunities. You put yourselves forward and applied for house captains, and that’s a fantastic way to develop those skills. Last week, we had our first house event, led by you, the house captains, and it was incredible to see. We raised money for charity, which was great, but it was also really nice to see the sixth form working together, showing leadership qualities, handling difficulties when they arose, and really getting great buy-in from the rest of the school. That’s just one example. We’ve already had some professionals and businesses come in to speak to us. A lot of our students are interested in the world of finance, so we had a company come in specifically to speak to our business, finance, and economics students. We also have a university visit booked for the new year, so students can visit different universities and see what’s out there. Earlier this month, we did our UCAS fair at Tottenham Stadium, and many sixth formers have already been on theatre trips. We’ve also supported our Year 7 students on trips to places of religious worship. It was great to see sixth formers not only getting the experience of visiting a Sikh temple, but also showing leadership by helping staff with the Year 7 students.

Emma Robinson A: 

Our values start with L for Leadership. One new aspect of the academy, starting in January, is the recruitment of Head Students. This provides an exciting opportunity for students to be part of the Head Student team. From there, we also have our student ambassadors. For example, house events are led by sixth formers, guiding and encouraging younger students to get involved. Sixth formers also play key roles within classrooms, offering leadership opportunities in various areas.There are also plenty of chances for work experience and leadership roles throughout the school. We have a range of enrichment clubs, including temp research, cooking, football, and basketball. The EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is new this year, adding even more opportunities to enrich and expand your Sixth Form experience.

Martin Young A: 

I often say a phrase that I like: "Chunk the elephant." I’m not sure where I got it from, but it’s really important. When you break it down, it means committing to a two-year journey. You know you’ll have lots of work to do, and there will be pinch points — like exams and coursework deadlines. When we speak to students who have left, they don’t always say "chunk the elephant" (unless I’ve taught them), but they often mention, "The one thing I’d recommend is to work hard over the two years and try to spread the load." Because if you don’t, everything piles up at once, and that’s when your well-being starts to suffer, and it becomes really difficult to manage. So, it takes a lot of self-discipline and organization. We support this with things like independent study and supervised study periods to help you manage your time. And that actually has a positive impact on your well-being. It teaches you the importance of being organized and disciplined, and it allows you to have a life outside of your studies. For example, if you're on top of things, you can go to a birthday party or meet friends on the weekend, rather than spending all of it working. It’s really important, and we encourage both students and staff to maintain that work-life balance, so you don’t risk burning out.

Emma Robinson A: 

The key difference I see is making the most of every opportunity. When opportunities are presented to you, grab them with both hands and give them a go. This is important because it’s okay not to know exactly what you want to do at your age. It’s also fine if your vision changes over time, as you do more, learn more, and experience more opportunities. You might have an idea of what you want to be now, or you might have no idea at all — and that’s completely okay. It’s also perfectly fine to say, “Right now, all I want to do is get through this week and make sure I submit everything to the best of my ability.” The key is being present, staying focused on what needs to happen in the moment, and being comfortable with the fact that your journey may change over time.