Applying for courses
Research and choose your courses
General information about post 16 options is presented to students in Year 10 via assemblies and the PSHE programme. In Year 11 we tailor presentations specifically to our Sixth Form and there are a number of key events to look out for. Dates will be posted on this website when our calendar for the following year is finalised.
Students should regard the events up to and including the Sixth Form Open Day as information gathering sessions at which you can work out which options you would most like to apply for and which options fit together in the most sensible package for you individually. Of course this isn't something to do alone and we would expect you to seek advice from parents or carers, your tutor, your Head of Year, subject teachers, the Head of Sixth Form and last but by no means least from students in the Sixth Form who are currently following the courses that you are interested in. Although it is natural to base your choices on your strengths - and we believe this is a sensible judgement - it is also important to consider what you might want to do after Sixth Form and you need to choose carefully in order to keep your options open.
Fill in an application form
Once you have selected the courses you wish to follow please fill in the application form which is available in the prospectus pack or as a download from this website. Wherever you are based now, it is essential that your tutor completes the reference on the back of the application form: we attach a lot of importance to what your Learning Manager says about you. Once this has been done you need to send your completed application to the Head of Sixth Form. You will be notified that we have received your application and we will then arrange an interview time for you.
Prepare for an interview with Sixth Form admissions staff
The interview gives you a chance to talk to Sixth Form admissions staff about yourself, your achievements and your aspirations. It would be helpful to have thought this through before you're interviewed. You may bring your record of achievement folder or certificates and non GCSE qualifications that you have earned to the interview, although this is not essential. At this stage, we prefer to see you by yourself - if you would like your parent(s)/carer to accompany you to a meeting with us about Sixth Form we will arrange that separately. We are trying to find out several key things during the interview:
- Do you have a genuine interest in the courses you're applying for?
- Do you have a positive 'Sixth Form' attitude?
- Have you opted for the right pathway through Sixth Form?
- Do your predicted or achieved grades indicate that you will be successful with Sixth Form study?
- Will you be well placed in our Sixth Form?
- Do you have any special learning requirements?
Receiving an offer
After your interview we will let you know if you have been offered a place in our Sixth Form conditional upon your GCSE grades. Offers are usually made on the basis of 5 A* - C grade GCSEs as a minimum requirement to access AS Level courses. Many AS Level subject teachers prefer to see a B grade or above in subjects you would like to continue post 16. For those students who need to consolidate their GCSE results we offer a one year Transition Course designed to bridge the gap between GCSE and AS Level study. This allows students to combine retake GCSEs with new Level 2 courses and the possibility of studying 1 subject at AS Level.
