The Vespa System
This information will provide you with an introduction to the essential skills you will need in the Beckfoot Sixth Form.
Regardless of your prior attainment at GCSE and Level 2 each of you will now need to acquire and then further develop a different and new set of skills in order to achieve success at level 3.
These skills are broadly grouped into three areas and are grounded in LOTS of academic research and scientific studies.
- Developing and implementing habits and routines.
- Having the right attitude
- Securing a successful approach to studying.
You and your teaching staff may have heard of three eminent theorists in these areas (they do cross over)
- Clough (Manchester Met University). Research on mental toughness and confidence.
- Carol Dweck – Knowing you can improve with hard work.
- Duckworth. GRIT. The benefits of perseverance and motivation
We will aim to teach you through lessons, assemblies, tutor time and activities about these things and give you real and manageable ways to improve your ability to study and perform in your examinations. The system we will use is VESPA.
From the very outset you need to understand that Sixth Form life, although undoubtedly the very best part of school, is challenging, requires commitment and hard work. There are no shortcuts.
VESPA and the A Level Mindset
(Oakes and Griffin)
In order to be successful in Sixth Form you have to have all of these qualities:
Vision – know what you want to achieve
Effort – put in many hours of independent study
Systems– organise your learning, resources and time
Practice – again and again and develop your skills
Attitude – respond constructively when setbacks happen
Your lessons, activities and assemblies will raise awareness about each of these 5 qualities and encourage you to reflect on whether each is a strength or area of development. You’ll then be shown how to strengthen or improve this area.