WHY CHOOSE THE HOWARD SIXTH FORM

“Sixth-form students enjoy an exceptional quality of provision.” (Ofsted December 2019)

Excellent Teaching and Examination Results

Whether you are following A Level or BTEC courses our results are consistently amongst the best nationally in non-selective School Sixth Forms or Sixth Form Colleges. Our teachers are experts in their subjects and with the experience of teaching at GCSE level too, they understand how to help you make that important transition to Sixth Form successfully. We have significantly smaller class sizes on average than Sixth Form Colleges and so can offer a very tailored approach to what you need.

Individual Support and Guidance

The transition into Sixth Form is not just centred on your academic progress and achieving your goals but also to ensure that when you leave us you are ready for your next steps whatever they may be. Every one of you is an individual to us and having watched your progress through the main part of the school it is great to be able to give you the opportunities to take a lead in one of our in-school service schemes and be a role model to the younger members of our community. The Sixth Form team is always available to discuss queries and issues and the tutorial programme ensures you can focus on your personal aspirations.

DESTINATIONS

In recent years over 450 students have gained places at university. Whilst over 40% of these were at Russell Group institutions, there are many excellent universities outside this group, such as Loughborough and Surrey.

Our most popular destinations are Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Kent, Leeds, Loughborough, Nottingham, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Surrey.

We have a strong record of supporting students into leading Art Foundation courses such as UCA and Central St Martins. An increasing number of students are choosing to accept places on highly competitive apprenticeship school-leaver programmes.

“Students in the sixth form are exceptionally well prepared for their future steps into further education or employment.” (Ofsted Dec 2019)

Wide Range of Courses

Choosing courses can be quite challenging because as a large school Sixth Form we are able to offer a wide-range of A Level and Level 3 BTEC courses. There will be new subjects which you haven’t yet had the opportunity to try at GCSE such as Economics, Politics, Sociology and Geology as well as more familiar ones. Currently we offer over 30 different courses.

Ethos and Environment

Our students are committed and hard-working. They are able to enjoy studying the subjects that they have chosen and work towards their own ambitions, whether that be through higher education or the world of work. There are also plenty of opportunities to have fun – we are a lively community with regular social and charity events that are organised by the students.

Heart of the Community

There are only so many hours in a day so, for those in the local community it's good not to have to spend time commuting. For those further afield, there is no catchment area. The Sixth Form is located away from the main school and in many ways is completely separate from it. Independence is something we value whilst being able to be a part of a community and all it offers is another. There are lots of schemes you might want to be involved in and we like to encourage everyone to pursue their own interests and contribute in some way to Sixth Form life.

Opportunity and Success

When you leave us we hope that we have helped you to take your next steps in whatever you choose to do with confidence, using the skills you have developed in your time with us.

Students follow a range of courses and career paths on leaving us. Many enter highly academic professions such as law or medicine whilst some pursue a more vocational future in business, marketing, drama, construction, armed services or the creative arts. (More information can be found on the Student Profiles page)