EDUCATION EDITION
How to choose a sixth form Sixth form is an opportunity for young adults to develop their passion for learning, working in synergy with teachers and fellow students. Charlotte Phillips asks the experts what’s involved
of their lives, getting them study, work or apprenticeship ready. Perhaps this is why – though dedicated teachers abound at every single stage of the academic journey – sixth form specialists radiate a particular enthusiasm for their role. Ask what motivates them and they’ll cite the excitement of acting as agents of change. They preside over a kind of alchemy as the students in their charge transform, often dramatically, during the sixth form years. Students arrive in year 12 “just out of their stripy blazers,” says Alice O’Donnell, director of sixth form at Kimbolton School. “They leave at the end with A-level results in hand, ready to go off to university, so it’s an exciting and transformative two years for them. It’s one of the things that thrills me about the role.”
D uring their two years in sixth form, students’ relationships with education undergo a profound change. They become more independent and take charge of how and what they learn in a completely new way. For the first time, they can choose to study the subjects they love – a choice often made with their future studies or career goals in mind.
Behind the scenes is a small army of teachers on hand to guide, challenge and support students over their two sixth form years. They not only help students cover academic ground, but do much of the heavy lifting that goes into helping them transform into young adults. By the time they finish their final year, students should be equipped with the skills needed to move successfully into the next phase
PAINT A PICTURE Sixth form establishments like Abbey College Cambridge (above) help with subject selection, whether artistic or otherwise
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