Leave or Remain?

Should I stay or should I go? Sixth Form creates an opportunity to stay or to move on to pastures new. Susan Springate unpicks the pros and cons.

Stay put or move? It’s a dilemma faced by many teenagers once the euphoria – or the disappointment – of GCSEs is over and it’s time to decide where to go for the next stage of their academic journey. For many, it will be an automatic decision to stay where they are; where they are known by their teachers and where they can concentrate on their studies, rather than worrying about settling in and making new friends somewhere new. Those who did better than expected in their exams might consider moving to another school or sixth form college to improve their university prospects; while for others, lower grades might mean they are not allowed to carry on to the sixth form at their current school and need to look at alternative options.

The more mature among them might feel the time has come to spread their wings and opt for the more grown-up environment of a sixth form college in preparation for university life, and those in single-sex schools may feel a mixed environment is preferable, ahead of higher education or the workplace. Then there are the financial issues to consider: students may have to leave their private schools for a state school, or strong grades at GCSE or sporting prowess, might enable them to access a bursary or scholarship at an independent school. Whatever the situation, there is an option to meet each individual’s personal requirements.

The vast majority of students will stay where they are. “Students need to hit the ground running”, says Rebecca Parrish, Director of Sixth Form at Sydenham High School. “A levels and the uplift in academic rigour can cause anxiety for some students and being in a familiar environment, where staff know you and your learning styles inside out, is paramount. Joining a new place of study for sixth form means students often need to focus their time on building new social networks, which can detract from the core business of getting to grips with the demands of A level subjects.”

Bolingbroke Head Claire Edis agrees. “Moving to sixth form from within the same school ensures a seamless transition,” she says. The school has a small, dedicated sixth form of 200 pupils and class sizes of 4-16 students.

Schools have come a long way from the old style sixth form common room, with a kettle and a jar of instant coffee if you were lucky. Today’s sixth form centres offer state-of-the-art facilities, along with small seminar-style teaching and great support for the university application process.

Putney High School’s multi-million pound purpose-built Sixth Form Centre sets a new benchmark with its specialist seminar rooms and internet café and diner with rooftop terrace. “It was designed to create an environment closer to university level study, encouraging girls to push their learning and look to the future,” says Samantha Hazlehurst, the school’s Communications Manager. Emanuel School meanwhile, has recently refurbished its own top floor Sackville Café, and is proud of the co-curricular opportunities for older pupils, including a wide range of clubs, societies and sports, as well as music, drama, art and technology. “These experiences give students a sense of balance, happiness and long-lasting friendship.

We also find that A levels are the time when you and your parents need a trusted adult the most, so each pupil’s tutor – the single person with the most holistic knowledge of the young person – is vital,” says Kate Bainbridge, Head of Sixth Form.

“Our aim is to ensure our students leave the sixth form being curious, considerate, self-motivated and future-confident, often exceeding their own expectations,” says Katharine Woodcock, Headmistress at Sydenham High School. As well as teaching in much smaller groups, most schools offer qualifications and studies beyond the A level courses, including the Pre-U options and the increasingly popular Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which has been proven to boost a pupil’s chance of getting into university. “For those students who would like to pursue a research-based project with a strong science focus, we also offer the opportunity to take part in the CREST award, in which a number of our students have achieved gold for their work,” says Woodcock. “Our challenging LEAP programme of lectures offers stretch and extension to encourage students to think beyond the curriculum in readiness for university level study,” adds Samantha Hazlehurst of Putney High.

University is the end-game for most students at this stage of their education and most schools support them in the process, helping them research university choices and complete their applications and personal statements. Emanuel uses the very popular online research platform unifrog – as do Dulwich College and many others – where students are able to research apprenticeships as well as degree courses. Special attention and support is given to students applying for Oxford and Cambridge, those wanting to study Medicine or Law, or those planning to study overseas.

Bolingbroke, which had its first set of A level results this year, offers a dedicated UCAS officer, “typically only available at much larger sixth form colleges or independent schools,” says head Claire Edis.

If the move is from private to state school at sixth form, there can be advantages too, such as a wider range of qualifications on offer. Ernest Bevin College, a boys’ secondary school in Tooting, has a co-ed sixth form, and prioritises finding the right course for each individual, whether A levels or BTEC qualifications, or the new two-year technical qualification, known as the T level, which will be taught from 2020.

For some however, a complete change is what’s needed, both on a social and academic level. “Students come to us looking for a different experience, something perhaps more academic or a different structure from what they have been used to. We have a very wide course offering including nearly 30 A level subjects as well as BTECs in Business, Digital Media Production and Music Technology,” says Emily Symmons, Head of Admissions at DLD College, an independent sixth form in central London with a boarding option. “We create unique learning opportunities,” she adds, quoting the college’s mission statement.

The college also has a strong track record of students applying to some of the top art colleges in the UK as well as in a range of more unusual courses including Song Writing, Jewellery Design, Ecology and Conservation, Games Development and Artificial Intelligence. Similarly, MPW, which used to be thought of as a crammer for those needing to retake GCSEs, is now a popular choice, particularly among former boarders looking for an alternative to the restrictions of traditional school life. James Barton, Director of Admissions, explains: “The most common reason (they switch) is ‘for a change’ as the sixth form environment of a college does offer something demonstrably different from the traditional confines of a boarding school. They can create their own structure here and there’s much greater choice – we offer 44 A level subjects in any combination and that variety, flexibility and multi-functional approach is a key driver for students joining us.”

Both schools and colleges offer more options than ever before, with a variety of courses and vocational training. But there are pros and cons to every situation and it often depends on the student’s personal experience of their current school or their level of maturity. “They need to be prepared not just to cope with university life, but also with the world of work and have that essential toolkit to draw upon to face any future challenges or demands placed on them with confidence,” explains Sydenham High School’s Katharine Woodcock. The choice of whether to leave or remain rests firmly with the individual, but it is clear that today’s sixth forms offer a multi-layered launch pad into the big wide world.