sixth form homework

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Students attending Welcome to College Day on Friday 28 June are given information about homework to complete over the summer. This is to get you off to the best possible start when your studies begin in September. You can download the homework from the list below. This homework should be handed in during your first lesson in each course in September 2024. Good luck!

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Home » School » Sixth Form » Academic » Top Tips for a Successful Sixth Form Journey

Top Tips for a Successful Sixth Form Journey

By Independent School Parent | Thu 17th Dec 2015

https://www.independentschoolparent.com/school/sixth-form-tips/

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Above, Headmaster Matthew Armstrong with Sixth Form pupils at The King's School, Worcester

Josh Hand, Head of Sixth Form at The King’s School, Worcester shares his top tips on how students can succeed in the sixth form

Being a Sixth Former can be the most exciting and dynamic period in a student’s secondary education. There are boundless opportunities, and students truly can carve out a bespoke academic and social niche. So, how do those who go on to be the most successful cope with the many and varied challenges that lie ahead? Head of Sixth Form at The King’s School takes a look at how to get ready for sixth form.

Carefully explore your options

Is sixth form right for you? An independent school sixth form prides itself on offering a first-rate academic experience , a truly engaging range of extra-curricular options , and the facilities and pastoral care required for those with high aspirations to thrive. Look at all options: does the sixth form have the academic focus you desire? Would an apprenticeship or foundational course be relevant to you? Sixth form is a lot of work, so making the right initial choice is critical.

Choose subjects you are passionate about, while being mindful of future goals

Credit: King’s Worcester

The most frequently asked questions are based on how best to choose subjects to study. For example, at The King’s School, Worcester , students are required to start by studying four A-levels . Some decide in November of the first year to focus on just three, while others continue to take four subjects right through to the second-year exams.

In order to cope with the increase in workload from GCSE , motivation needs to be high, so ensure you choose subjects that genuinely excite you. Wider reading is fundamental to gain a breadth as well of depth of knowledge. It is also important to be mindful of future goals. Want to study medicine ? Chemistry is a prerequisite. A future engineer? Further maths is not essential to apply to university , but the vast majority of those at university will have studied it. It pays to think ahead and discuss matters with your Careers Department .

Be organised

You will now have more tasks and longer deadlines, and being organised is critical. Use a diary, with due dates and a system for categorising priority goals. The sense of satisfaction derived from arranging your work into a helpful order and ticking tasks off once they are complete can be addictive!

Consolidate work from the get-go

Wider reading and consolidation of subject material make a huge difference in the sixth form. Completing only set homework tasks might be ticking the right boxes, but it is the ongoing consolidation and revision , especially of those areas you find most difficult, that will truly pay off in the long run. Conduct some honest self-assessments and think about what areas you need to work on. Seek advice from academic staff about the best resources for doing so.

Study periods: use them wisely!

At King’s, we have introduced Supervised Private Study, which are silent work sessions specifically designed for those that we feel will benefit most from having their non-contact time a little more structured. It has been such a success that students are optionally signing up to the sessions.

Think carefully about the best working environment for you. Can you work in departmental libraries? Are there clinics you can attend? Discover the “do not disturb” mode on your mobile phone.

Thinking about the future

Start thinking about the future as soon as possible. For competitive courses such as medicine, it can really pay off to build a repertoire of work experience during the Lower Sixth. Are there academic societies you can join? Our sixth form Certificate encourages all Lower Sixth pupils to gain true breadth in the course of their education, encouraging presentation skills, voluntary work, a physical challenge and much more. That UCAS personal statement will need to be as strong as you can make it.

Build a good relationship with your pastoral and academic staff

Communicating with staff is absolutely essential. Pastoral and academic staff love to help students, and it is those students who are most proactive in seeking advice, who make the most progress. Ask for resource recommendations, inform them if you have a challenging period of time ahead and ask what you can do to work around this.

Think very carefully about outside school commitments

A strong sixth form will have a plethora of opportunities for extra-curricular activities. Choose carefully, commit strongly and enjoy them! It is when outside school commitments become overly onerous that problems can occur. That one-shift-a-week as a local waiter may start off well enough but if the hours then build or you are expected to work close to academic deadlines, your hand can be forced.

Credit: Unsplash

Sleep underpins all that we do. While it is true that teenagers can have a different circadian rhythm to adults, the basics still apply. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Use “night mode” on your mobile phone to reduce blue light, then avoid all devices an hour before sleep. It is during sleep that your muscles grow, and this includes the brain!

Enjoy your time at sixth form!

Your time in sixth form will go by incredibly quickly. In the future, you will look back fondly on this incredible point of your life, at the large number of close friends and the amazing opportunities you took up. What will you do to have a truly memorable sixth form?

• How to Prepare for the Transition from Year 11 to Sixth Form
• Francis Holland School: How to Inspire Sixth Form Pupils
• How to Fund The Costs of University and Higher Education

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Ten top tips for a successful Sixth Form

Being a Sixth Former is the most exciting and dynamic period in a secondary education. There are boundless opportunities and students can truly carve out a bespoke academic and social niche. So, how do those who go on to be most successful and cope with the many changes? Read our Head of Sixth Form’s Ten Top Tips for Sixth Form success.

1. Carefully explore your Sixth Form options

Is Sixth Form right for you? At King’s Worcester, we pride ourselves on offering a first-rate academic experience, a truly engaging range of extra-curricular options and the facilities and pastoral care required for those with high aspirations to thrive. Look at all options: does the Sixth Form have the academic focus you desire? Would an apprenticeship or foundational course be relevant to you? Sixth Form is a lot of work, and so making the right initial choice is critical.

2. Choose Sixth Form subjects you are passionate about, whilst being mindful of future goals

I am frequently asked how best to choose which subjects to study. At King’s we require all students to begin studying four A Levels. Some decide in November to focus on only three, some continue to take four right through to the second year exams. In order to cope with the increase in workload from GCSE, motivation needs to be high. Ensure you choose subjects that genuinely excite you. Wider reading is fundamental to gain a breadth as well of depth of knowledge. It is also important to be mindful of future goals. Want to study Medicine? Chemistry is a prerequisite. A future engineer? Further Maths is not essential to apply to university, but the vast majority of those at university will have studied it. It pays to think ahead and discuss matters with your Careers Department.

3. Be Organised

You will now have more tasks and longer deadlines. Being able to be organised is critical. Use a diary, with due dates and a system for categorising priority goals. The sense of satisfaction of arranging your work into a helpful order and ticking tasks off once complete can be addictive!

4. Consolidate work from the off

Wider reading and consolidation of subject material make a huge difference in the Sixth Form. Completing only set homework tasks might be ticking the box, but it is the ongoing consolidation and revision, especially of those areas you find most difficult, that will truly pay off in the long run. Conduct some honest self-assessment and think about what areas you need to work on. Seek advice from academic staff about the best resources for doing so.

5. Free periods – use them wisely!

At King’s, we have introduced Supervised Private Study – silent work sessions that we mandate those pupils we feel will most benefit from having their non-contact time a little more structured. It has been such a success, that students are optionally signing up for the sessions. Think carefully about the best working environment for you. Can you work in departmental libraries? Are there clinics you can attend? Discover the ‘do not disturb’ mode on your mobile phone…

6. Thinking about the future after Sixth Form

Start thinking about the future as soon as possible. For competitive courses such as medicine, it can really pay off to build a repertoire of work experience during your Lower Sixth. Are there academic societies you can join? The King’s Sixth Form Certificate encourages all Lower Sixth to gain a true breadth to their education, encouraging presenting skills, voluntary work a physical challenge and more. That UCAS personal statement will need to be as strong as you can make it.

7. Build a good relationship with your pastoral and academic staff

Communicating with staff is absolutely essential. Pastoral and academic staff love to help students and it is those students that are most proactive in seeking advice and help who make the most progress. Ask for resource recommendations, inform them if you have a challenging period of time ahead and ask what you can do to work around this.

8. Think very carefully about outside school commitments, especially part-time jobs

A strong Sixth Form will have a plethora of opportunities for extra-curricular activities. Choose carefully, commit strongly and enjoy them! It is when outside school commitments become overly onerous that problems can occur. That one shift a week as a local waiter may start off ok, but if hours build or work is expected of you close to academic deadlines, then your hand can be forced.

Sleep underpins all that we do. Whilst it is true that teenagers can have a different circadian rhythm to adults, the basics still apply. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Use ‘night mode’ on your mobile phone to reduce blue light, then avoid all devices an hour before sleep. It is during sleep that your muscles grow, and this includes the brain!

10. Enjoy it!

The Sixth Form will go by incredibly quickly. In years to come, you will look fondly back at this incredible point of your life, at a large number of close friends and the amazing opportunities you took up. This Thursday sees King’s 1 st XV annual match at Sixways, a Rugby Premiership ground. The boys will run out to a crowd of 4000 in what will be the biggest match of their lives. What will you do to have a truly memorable Sixth Form?

Josh Hand – Head of Sixth Form at King’s Worcester

Meet our King’s Sixth Form here.

02 September 2022

17 August 2022

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A sub for requesting help with A-Levels, BTECs and other Level 3 subjects.

Sixth form is too much

When I started sixth form immediately it's just so much work. I thought I was getting used to it but I don't know anymore. My plan was to focus on homework during term time then create revision material in the holidays but I can't keep up. I can't create revision material during term time because my school set so much homework and don't let us go home early when we have no lessons.

There's also just so much stuff I need to do outside of school since everyone tells me in yr13 you'll be too busy. I volunteer at this school on a Sunday outside of school and I also have a volunteering job at a charity shop (the reason it's all volunteering is because no shops will employ me, I've been applying to places since last summer).

The friends' part is also not going well. I'm an external and everyone already has their group and even tho I have friends I feel like I'm not really part of a group and don't have close friends. I miss my old friends, I barely see/ text them because I'm busy and everyone else is too.

There's so much work that I don't even have time to do my hobbies anymore, I haven't played any of my games since last summer and haven't even started the other things I wanna get into like knitting.

Home life sucks too and in secondary, school used to be an escape, now it's just stress.

Thanks for the rant

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Glossopdale School & Sixth Form

Why does school set weekly homework?

Home learning is an integral part of the school curriculum from the beginning of Year 7 and helps students to develop the skills and attitudes they will need for successful lifelong learning. Home learning also supports the development of independent learning skills and provides you with an opportunity to embed core knowledge and skills. It is an essential element in the drive to ensure that all students make progress through reinforcement and consolidation of learning. 

Research shows that effective home learning can increase student progress by five months. 

How do I know what homework has been set?

Most homework will be set on Google Classroom. Your teacher will upload a task for you and the other students in your class. They will indicate a due date and any attachments that you need. Some tasks can be submitted online, some require you to bring the work into school. Your teacher will make this clear.

What is the most effective way to study at home?

You should try to work in a quiet place at home.  This is ideally away from distractions so that you can focus on work.  It is not possible to do home learning and watch the television, although students may be able to listen to music and do their work.

Even the presence of a mobile phone or tablet on your desk while you are working is a distraction; you will want to look at it every time you receive a notification, and this will not help you to complete your best work. Put it away or keep it in a different room while you are working.

If you struggle to find a quiet place in a busy house you can stay at school to work in the library or attend a subject homework club. These are advertised in school and in the ‘Home Learning’ section of our Parents section on the website:

When should I do my homework?

The key is that it is done by the deadline but it would be helpful for you to complete it as soon as possible after it is set.  This will reduce your stress and mean that it is fresher in your mind and you have time to seek help at school if needed.

How long should I spend on my homework?

The time spent on home learning takes into account the age of the students and the demands of the key stages. 

In Key Stage 3, home learning should take a student between 20 and 30 minutes per task.  The teacher may set one longer home learning task over a longer period that adds up to the specified time.  At Key Stage 4, it should take between 30 and 45 minutes for each piece of home learning. 

My homework is to revise for a test, what is the best way of doing this?

We have a comprehensive revision section on our website: this is for all year groups at all times, not just for external examinations.

https://www.glossopdale.school/-Students/Revision/

We have also delivered a variety of tutor time sessions and assemblies on study skills.

Please remind yourself of them below:

• Effective Learning Habits & Study Skills PDF File Download
• Thinking Hard Wall PDF File Download
• Cornell Note Taking PDF File Download
• Meta Cognition Assemblyforallyears PDF File Download

Glossopdale School, Newshaw Ln, Hadfield, Glossop SK13 2DA

01457 862336

[email protected]

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St Laurence 6th Form

St Laurence 6th Form is a vibrant, dynamic and motivational learning community; students leave with the knowledge, skills and qualifications to face their future with confidence. You will find us to be a warm and welcoming 6th Form. This is borne out by the increasing cohort of students that join us from other schools because of our growing reputation for successful achievement.

We have an excellent academic record and a well-documented legacy of success for our students applying to Oxbridge, Russell group and other universities, with many securing places to their first choice. You may choose the apprenticeship route or go directly into employment after 6th Form - our carefully structured programme will give you all the information you need to make aspirational and informed choices.

Our 6th Form prioritises student well-being. We understand the pressures you face as young people in a constantly changing society and strive to provide support throughout your time with us through our tailored PSHE Core programme, Counselling or Careers Advice.

We believe in nurturing physical and mental well-being by having fun and, at the sa me time, giving back to the school and wider community. We provide opportunities to lead on our many charity events such as our popular charity fun run. These experiences develop the ability to support others through developing your own leadership skills while also supporting fellow students. We are really excited to meet you and join you on your journey to the next steps in St Laurence 6th Form.

Aidan Blowers

Director of St Laurence 6 th Form

Key Contacts

Assistant Headteacher Post 16

6th Form Life

Our aim is simple; to support our students to succeed with the very best results to support their life chances, alongside providing a range of experiences for them to grow into a mature young adult ready for the real world.

To find out more about St Laurence 6th Form and get more information on each subject that we offer, please view our prospectus and course options documents.

6th Form Admissions

The St Laurence 6th Form is a vibrant, dynamic and aspirational community where students are provided with the skills and knowledge to face the future with confidence.

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Homework Procedures

At the start of the academic year students in A, I and E years received a copy of their homework timetable from their tutor.

Teachers will set appropriate homework for students in line with the prescribed timetable. There are exceptional circumstances where it is acknowledged this can’t happen or isn’t appropriate, but to support students and parents staying to the timetable is expected.

Homework is set in lessons and details are then entered onto Satchel: One which all students and parents will be provided with a login for (any issues with this please email [email protected] ).

The homework timetable is set up by teaching group. Each subject should take around 45 minutes, but this length of time is flexible because students work at different speeds. Homework does not always have to be a written piece of work; it may be reading, learning or project work and this may be spread over several sessions.

I and E Year

Homework is a vital part of the Key Stage 4 curriculum and will be integrated into schemes of work and is again set according to the college timetables. Please ensure that students have a sensible amount of time to complete the work. We acknowledge that they have other commitments outside of college and a one day turnaround is not always be possible. Homework duration should be approximately one hour, but this will depend on the individual student and the nature of the activity set.

Advice given to Parents

You are able to see what homework is being set via your Satchel: One login. It is the student's individual responsibility to complete homework to the best of their ability and to hand it in on time. You will know your own child best and know how much support they will need to do this. We ask that you monitor homework to ensure it is being completed.

Sixth Form Homework

Students in the Sixth Form are expected to work independently outside of curriculum time, with a recommendation that approximately one hour is spent on work outside of lessons for every one hour spent in a lesson. Teachers will set homework which will contribute to this time allocation (this will be recorded on Satchel:One ), but students are also expected to use the remaining time to extend their progress through independent learning. For the first six weeks of the Lower Sixth year, students are required to record the independent learning they undertake in each subject, and teachers will give guidance on the types of activities that might be appropriate.

Homework club

Students who need support with homework are welcome to attend homework club at lunchtime, please see below for further information.

Useful Downloads

Also in this section:

• Help guides for accessing Satchel: One, Office365 etc.

Students are keen to learn and respond well to these high expectations. Ofsted, November 2015

Homework at Sixth Form

How much do you get in year 12.

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Key insights on homework

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This piece was originally published on the Insight blog from The Education Hub, a New Zealand-based education charity, here.  It provides research-informed insights on the principles that should guide homework design from a world-renowned expert, and is relevant to all age groups and subjects in all settings, including sixth form colleges as well as schools.

What does the research say about homework and student achievement?

The research on homework is complicated and inconclusive, which is mainly due to the fact that the majority of studies focus on the relationship between time spent on homework and student achievement, and rarely consider the type or quality of homework tasks being set. Due to the huge variability in the type and amount of homework completed by students, it is extremely difficult to demonstrate definitively that homework leads to greater achievement. Research has also found little correlation between time spent on homework and student achievement at either primary or secondary level, although some well-established guidelines have emerged from the evidence.

First of all,  frequency is more important than duration  when it comes to homework, because this leads to effective habit-building. Secondly, researchers agree on  the 10-minute rule , which states that students should spend no more than ten minutes per year level per night in total doing homework (i.e. year 1 students spend 10 minutes, year 2 students spend 20 minutes and so on). Indeed, research on secondary school students has shown that their achievement reaches a plateau or even starts to decline when they exceed this. Cathy recommends that teachers consider whether the total amount of time students are spending on schoolwork each day (at school and at home) is reasonable. She also argues that homework should not be set at weekends or during school holidays.

What kinds of tasks should be set as homework?

Start by considering the purpose of the homework: this will depend on the content and the point you are at in the unit of study. Homeworktasks should fall into one of five main categories:

• Pre-learning
• Diagnosis (to determine where a student is at in their learning)
• Checking for understanding
• Processing or synthesising new learning

Homework should never be used for new learning , and students should be able to complete their homework without help: it is important for teachers to seek feedback from students and parents about whether homework tasks are set at an appropriate level of difficulty. It is important to provide students with feedback on the work they have completed as homework, but ideally homework should not be graded.

How do you design high quality homework?

Effective, high quality homework tasks have four key characteristics:

• Purpose: they have a clearly identified learning goal
• Efficiency: they demonstrate the learning associated with the identified goal
• Competence: they are achievable and promote the student’s sense of competence
• Ownership: they allow the students to demonstrate their learning

In the case of secondary school students, it may be appropriate to have students prepare for exams as homework, but it is important to ensure that students have first been coached on  effective study strategies  such as taking practice tests.

What should a school’s homework policy cover?

A school’s homework policy should allow teachers a level of autonomy over the amount and type of homework they set, although it should ensure a minimum of intrusion into students’ family life. Provision should be made for students who are unable to study at home for various reasons, and no consequences should be handed down for incomplete homework. Homework should never be used as a punishment for poor behaviour. Processes should be put in place to allow parents to offer feedback about the amount and difficulty of the homework their children receive. At secondary school, a school-wide calendar should be used that coordinates due dates and, where homework tasks are summatively assessed, the percentage of a student’s final grade they carry.

Cathy’s top 3 tips on setting homework

• No homework task is infallible: offer students choice about what they do as homework
• Learners differ: the same task or assignment will not have the same benefits for all students
• Clarify for parents that homework is not their responsibility!

Dr Cathy Vatterott is Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri - St Louis, and has researched homework for over 20 years. For more information, watch her webinar for the Hub here ,  or go to her website at  www.homeworklady.com .

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Sixth Form homework

Sixth Form students should expect to be spending at least three hours on homework per subject per week. Most of this time will be spent on work to be handed in and assessed by teachers. In most subjects, students are also expected to spend a considerable amount of time on independent research and wider reading. It should rarely be the case that they have “done everything”.

Students also have an additional hour on their timetable allocated to private, supervised study in each of their subjects. Teachers will set work to be completed during this hour, which may include tasks such as research on a particular topic or re-drafting of a particular piece of work.

If you would like to do more in order to maximise your chances of succeeding in school (and life as these tips will help you learn anything), you should apply the following advice to learning the work you have done in your lessons. Use your books and any other supporting resources you might have access to at home to do the following:

• Regular testing is the most effective way to learn something. It is actually retrieval practice as you are training your memory how to retrieve information.
• Re-reading and highlighting remain the most common study practices but on their own are very ineffective. Consider written notes and visual organisers and always create flash cards to help with testing.
• Space out tests rather than cramming in repeated re-readings of a textbook in one long session.
• Interleave different topics, returning to them from time to time instead of dealing with them in blocks and moving on.
• Students should generate their own answers with essays or a few sentences, rather than using multiple choice tests.
• Vary the conditions of practice to prevent learning becoming rote and tied to one context.
• Change the test format or the room you study in, often.

Updated: October 2023

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Supporting Students’ Independent Learning through Satchel One

Purposeful home learning is proven to have a positive effect on the learning of pupils helping develop essential independent study skills. However, in the busy day it is often difficult for students to have an accurate record of their home learning and parents can often find it challenging to be fully informed about the type and quantity of home learning that has been set. Egglescliffe School has linked with Class Charts to improve the home learning experience of our students from Y7 to Y13. All home learning will be set via the website and both students and parents/carers can view this via their own personalised page.

Class Charts will enable teachers to set detailed home learning via the website and provide support, web links and video clips to make the home learning engaging, accessible and purposeful.

All students have been given a log-on to their own account so they can see all home learning that has been set, accessing their own personalised home learning calendar to help them manage their workload and become successful independent learners. Parents/carers are also provided with a log-on so they can see the home learning that has been set for their child. These log-ons will be sent home in the first week for new Year 7 pupils. All other pupils will keep their previous log on.

An app is also available for both iOS and Android users to allow ease of access to the service for both parents and students.

Resources to support you in accessing the website/app are available here.

Egglescliffe School and Sixth Form College, Urlay Nook Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS16 0LA

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Our academy is now closed for the summer break. We look forward to welcoming students back from Monday 2 September. Read More

• > Sixth Form
• About our sixth form
• Learning habits
• Pastoral support and bursary
• Our academy week

Only part of the academic experience of our sixth formers takes place in the classroom; a great deal more is covered by the individual students in their out-of-class time, either completing teacher-set tasks or researching and exploring their subjects more widely.

All Dixons Broadgreen Academy Sixth Form students are expected to complete homework. The purpose of homework is to develop the habit of reading, facilitate understanding of the curriculum in the classroom, and complement and reinforce the work done in school.

Sixth formers will be issued with a homework timetable at the beginning of the school year.

In addition to class contact time, sixth formers should expect to undertake study outside the classroom of about:

• five hours per subject per week in Year 12
• six hours per subject per week in Year 13

Some of this out-of-class study will be the completion of specific tasks set by the teacher; in addition, student-generated notetaking, extension tasks, wider reading, revision and other academic organisation are essential.

Homework will be set by teachers and is an essential part of the student experience as you develop your knowledge and skills in advance of exams and transition to higher education. All students and staff will be issued with a post-16 homework timetable to help with time management and organisation.

As part of a complete programme of study, students are involved in a range of enrichment activities. These additional opportunities ensure you are an attractive applicant to universities and employers.

Our enrichment opportunities include (but are in no way limited to):

• competitive team and individual sport
• participation sport
• community sports leaders award
• essay competitions
• work experience
• volunteering / service in local schools
• drama productions
• music ensembles and productions
• wellbeing afternoon – pilates
• Couch to 5K

• Welcome from the Head of Sixth Form
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• Meet our Head Girl
• BBC Britain's best young artist show
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• Y12 Students attend Chemistry in Action
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• Year 9 Netball Match 06/11/23
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Summer Homework

• Back to the Main School Site

Prepare for Sixth Form courses with summer holiday homework below:

Downloadable Holiday Homework for the following subjects 

A- Level Holiday Homework - Ar t 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Biology 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Computer Science

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Chemistry 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Economics 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - English Lit 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - French 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Geography 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - History

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Italian 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Maths 

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Music  

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Politics

A-Level Holiday Homework - Psychology

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Physics

A-Level Holiday Homework - RS

A- Level Holiday Homework  - Spanish

Download workbooks below:

Chemistry Workbook

Maths Workbook

Physics workbooks:

Physics Workbook

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Homework in the Sixth Form

Students quickly notice the huge difference in rigour and style between GCSE and A Level.

Students quickly notice the huge difference in rigour and style between GCSE and A Level: Sixth Form classes are smaller, you will see more than one teacher per subject several times a week, and it is the responsibility of the student to prepare in advance for class.

Unlike GCSE, there is no prescriptive homework timetable. Students can reasonably expect homework every night in most of their subjects. We recommend that students spend a minimum of 4 hours per week for each subject they study outside of lesson time.

For this reason, prioritising your time and being organised are essential. You should make a habit of taking notes in class and writing them up at home, organising notes and files appropriately, and making good use of a diary or student planner, recording all work set and the deadlines by which it is due. Revision should be an ongoing process – you cannot afford to leave everything until Easter!

Balancing these new responsibilities can be difficult at first. If in doubt, prioritise progress in your A Level subjects over and above any other pursuits. The grades you achieve at the end of the Year 13 are the benchmark by which you will be measured throughout your working life. Try to limit the number of hours’ paid employment you do each week – 8 hours is the recommended maximum. Pace yourself, get lots of sleep, and if you feel overwhelmed, do not hesitate in approaching your Personal Tutor, Head of Year or Head of Sixth Form for help!

• Sixth Form Virtual Open Experience Videos 2022
• Subject Information
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• Higher Education and UCAS
• Post 18 Choices: Higher Education, UCAS and Apprenticeship Information
• University Destinations
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• Welcome to Sixth Form evening 2023

For further information, please refer to the PowerPoint presentation used on the Welcome to Sixth Form Evening for Parents, available on our Careers page.

Save £500 when you enrol by 30th September!

• The Sixth Form in English Schools: a Complete Guide for Students

In a previous article, we looked at the major differences between sixth form and university. But there’s an earlier transition you’ll need to make in your education and, to a lesser extent, your lifestyle: the change from GCSE to Sixth Form.

Sixth Form is, in a way, all about preparing you for going to university, so you’ll notice some big differences both in the academic difficulty and in the logistical arrangements of your study. In this article, we’re going to try to allay any concerns you might have about this transition, and look at some of the key differences between these two stages of your education. We’ll also give you some tips on how to choose a Sixth Form that’s right for you.

Key differences between GCSE and Sixth Form

Representing as it does a fairly significant lifestyle change, the transition from GCSEs to Sixth Form brings with it a few new things to which you will need to adjust. These are nothing to be concerned about; they’re just moving you towards the type of studying you’ll be doing at university, preparing you for the time when you will experience a very different style of teaching and living to what you’ve had before.

Grade requirements

While anybody can enrol on GCSE courses, A-levels are a bit more academically selective. You can expect to have to meet minimum GCSE grade requirements in order to enrol on A-level courses, either at school or at a further education college. These are not normally high; for instance, a grade C in Maths and English.

Number of subjects

You’ll have been used to studying ten or more GCSE subjects up to now, but at A-level, that number is drastically cut down. You’ll usually select three full A-level subjects, plus one AS (though many choose to carry on their fourth AS-level to A2). This narrower selection of subjects allows you to focus more on the subjects that interest you, so you can drop the ones you hated at GCSE. This should mean that you find it easier to motivate yourself to study. However, when it comes to choosing your subjects, it’s worth bearing in mind what university course you are likely to want to apply for; we’ve previously put together a guide to choosing the right A-levels to help you make this sometimes tricky selection. Unlike at GCSE, when you’re required to study certain subjects (such as English and Maths), you’ll have a greater degree of choice at A-level. Some schools make it compulsory to study A-level General Studies; although most reputable universities will exclude it from their offers, it’s still worth making an effort if you have to take it, as a low mark in General Studies won’t look good on your UCAS application. It’s designed to broaden your horizons, and study tends to focus on debating various current affairs. The three AS exams test your analytical thinking and communication, and don’t require much revision. One of the three papers is about science, with multiple choice questions testing you on GCSE-level science. Think of it as keeping your GCSE knowledge alive!

Difficulty level

Think back to when you first started your GCSE courses; they were difficult, right? But I bet they seem easy now. As you might expect, the difficulty level of A-level work is a step up from GCSE, and they will inevitably seem difficult at first. I remember one of my sixth form teachers telling me that most students, when they first start the A-level English Literature course having done well at GCSE, are working at about Grade D standard at A-level. However, as you start to develop the right skills, your grades should rise again. A-level courses start to develop your academic skills, such as critical and analytical thinking, which you won’t have been used to at GCSE.

Expectations

Prepare to be pushed harder by your teachers, who will expect more from you now that you’re that bit older and more mature. Original thinking is increasingly valued, preparing you for the fact that this will be expected of you at university. They won’t expect an overnight transformation, and will encourage you to develop the academic skills they want to see. You’re likely to develop these skills without consciously thinking about them, so don’t worry about this. Note that you may also have the added pressure of needing to succeed at AS level in order to carry on to A2 level.

Amount of freedom

In contrast to your GCSE timetable, your A-level timetable will include a generous helping of “free periods” during which you’re at liberty. You’ll probably be allowed to go off the school site completely if you want to, provided you’re back in time for your next lesson. Of course, conscientious students use free periods to study, but you’re not obligated to do so. Because of the increase in your free time, that oft-cited issue of “time-management” will start to rear its ugly head. Although you’ll still be given a timetable, you’ll have to get used to taking a bit more responsibility for your own study time. It’s good preparation for university!

In keeping with the fact that you’re generally treated more like an adult once you get to Sixth Form, many schools ditch school uniform once you’ve done your GCSEs, so as a Sixth Former, you’re likely to have a different dress code. Some schools impose a smart dress code on their Sixth Formers, while others take a more relaxed approach and allow you to dress as you like.

How to choose the right Sixth Form for you

Many students will go on to study A-levels at the same school at which they did GCSEs, and where all their friends are, but this isn’t obligatory. You now have the option of moving somewhere else if you so wish. If you’re applying locally, you probably already have a good idea of which establishments have the best reputation; if you’re moving away from the place where you did your GCSEs, you’ll need to do a bit of internet research to find out which are the best places to do A-levels.

Sixth form of a school or further education college?

One of the decisions you will need to make is whether to study for your A-levels at the Sixth Form of a school (perhaps that of your own) or a further education college. If your school doesn’t have a Sixth Form, you will need to decide between moving to another school and going to college. Academic reputation should, of course, be one of your primary considerations when selecting somewhere to do your A-levels, but it is not the only one. One of your considerations in making this decision may be the fact that virtually everyone at a school’s Sixth Form are likely to have done the majority of their education at that school, and will therefore all know each other. Coming into a Sixth Form in which friendship groups are already firmly established can be an extremely isolating experience, and the presence of pre-existing cliques makes it harder to make friends. On the other hand, if you go to a further education college, everyone will be new and few people will know each other; everyone’s in the same boat, so it will be easier to get to know people. The atmosphere at a further education college will differ significantly from that of a school’s Sixth Form. Further education colleges usually offer vocational courses as well as A-levels, so there’s a greater variety of backgrounds present, as well as potentially some older students. You’ll usually address teachers by their first names, rather than the formality of “Mr”, “Mrs” and “Miss” at school (even at Sixth Form level). Further education colleges tend to feel more “grown up” because of this, and because of the fact that there are no year sevens tearing noisily around the grounds.

It goes without saying that you should visit each of the Sixth Forms and further education colleges that you’re interested in, as this is the only way to get a real feel for their atmosphere (most places have nice websites and brochures, with professional photographs that can hide all manner of sins!). Make sure you get a tour of all the facilities, including classrooms, library, grounds, common room and so on.

You’ll almost certainly have an informal interview if you want to take your application further. These aren’t like the mythically tough Oxbridge interviews, or even job interviews, but more of a chance to chat about you and your aspirations. You should use interviews to your advantage by asking plenty of searching questions of your interviewer; find out about pass rates, how many people drop out, how many students go on to top universities, what they do to help students apply for university (including Oxbridge preparation, if this is what you’re aiming for), and so on. If you are able to, also talk to current students to get a better idea of what the school is really like.

Moving school for sixth form

Starting at a new school is never easy, and it’s no easier for the fact that you’re now a bit older. Finding your way around, making new friends and getting used to new teachers, on top of the fact that your academic level must now take a step up, can prove a stressful time for many students in this situation. However, if you do find yourself in this scenario, consider it useful preparation for university and beyond. You should be assigned a fellow student – a ‘buddy’ – to look after you in your first days, and if you’re struggling with anything, whether that’s making friends or keeping up in class, you should be allocated a pastoral tutor to whom you can go for advice and support.

What happens at Sixth Form (other than A-levels)

As you’ll soon find, A-levels aren’t the only thing that will dominate your Sixth Form years (to a greater or lesser degree).

Applying for university

It’s during sixth form that you’ll start the slightly daunting process of applying for university. This happens in the first term of your second (A2) year, so you’ll have the summer to think in more depth about what courses and universities you might like to apply to. If you’re applying to Oxford or Cambridge, the deadline is mid-October, so it’s likely that your teachers will encourage you to start writing your personal statement over the holidays. You should be given plenty of guidance with this, and your Sixth Form or college should also organise trips to university open days, or fairs at which the country’s universities exhibit. These fairs are a good opportunity to pick up university prospectuses and chat to admissions staff.

Part-time jobs

If you feel you can handle your workload, you may want to consider getting a part-time job while you’re in Sixth Form, at least for the first year. As well as giving you some pocket money that you can put towards university or spend on yourself, a part-time job is also a valuable asset to your CV and university application, and it develops your maturity and life experience.

Extra-curricular activities

Sixth form is a good time to take up some new hobbies, or continue old ones. Not only do these help you relax and switch off from the pressure of your studies, but they’ll also benefit you in that they teach valuable life skills that you can talk about on your university application. If you’ve had no hobbies or other interests so far, Sixth Form is the time to acquire them so that you can include them on your UCAS personal statement. Taking on some extra-curricular activities is also good for honing those time management skills that we mentioned earlier. So, if you’re worrying about the transition from GCSEs to Sixth Form, there’s no need to! You’ll have plenty of guidance, and you’ll almost certainly find that you relish the new-found freedoms offered by Sixth Form life. This is a big step towards adult life, so enjoy it.