Progressing beyond the Sixth Form

Students are encouraged to consider what they will do after completing their A levels early in Year 12 during PSHE sessions covering the benefits of university, work and gap years.  Reference books on subjects such as university admissions tests and prospectuses for most UK universities are available for use in the Study Area. 

Our expectation is that all students will progress to further study, and the process of choosing and applying for courses begins in earnest in the Spring Term.  All students take the "Centigrade" questionnaire which aims to indentify the sorts of Higher Education courses they would be interested in, and students are then shown how to use on-line resources to research courses.  In the Summer Term there is a session introducing providers of Gap Year programmes.

After the AS examinations, there is an evening for parents and students explaining the process of applying to Higher Education courses, followed by Higher Education Day, where Year 12 students dedicate a whole day to preparing their application.  At the beginning of the Autumn term of Year 13, Form Tutors, Heads of Year, the Oxbridge Co-ordinator and the Director of Sixth Form work with all students individually to ensure they are applying to appropriate courses and their personal statement is the best it can be. The Art Department give individual support to those applying for Art Foundation courses.  Our aim is that all applications are sent before the October Half Term.

During the Autumn and Spring terms of Year 13, students receive offers of university places, and their Form Tutor and the Sixth Form Management Team help them narrow down their choices to one firm and one insurance offer.

On A level results day in August, the majority of students achieve the required grades and their university place is confirmed. The Sixth Form Management Team are in school on results day and the following day to support those few students who have not achieved the required grades, or have changed their mind about the course they wish to take, in finding a place through the Clearing System. Although this only happens to a few students each year, we strongly recommend that all Year 13 students are present in school on A level results day in case they do not achieve the required grades and need to negotiate with universities.

We recommend that students who take a Gap Year apply for a deferred place at university before they leave school. We do, however, provide support to girls wishing to apply to university in the Autumn term after they have left school, should this be required.