Welcome
Welcome to Sixth Form at King’s. We strive to give our Sixth Form students an opportunity like no other, extending their experience beyond typical expectations.
In January 2021 we opened the newly transformed Sixth Form Centre in which we have preserved the beautiful period features of this historic building whilst creating bigger, brighter and more modern work and social spaces fit for 21st Century learning. But don't just take our word for it - you can see the building for yourself here:
Our Sixth Form has between 120 and 130 pupils which allows us to be responsive in meeting students’ individual needs. Each student is mentored and their progress and well-being is carefully monitored, with parents being involved throughout the process.
Attending a Sixth Form within a school gives our students the best of both worlds. King’s Sixth Formers enjoy independence and freedom; however, they can still benefit from being part of a whole school community. Musical performances and productions, drama and dance, art exhibitions and representative sports all form part of Sixth Form life at King’s.
Leadership and development opportunities available in the King’s Sixth Form are considerable. Students may apply to become a Head of School, Senior Prefect, House Captain or Peer Mentor to name a few. We expect our Sixth Formers to serve as role models to our younger pupils in terms of their behaviour, values and attitude.
Our approach to teaching and learning emphasises collaboration, support and challenge in equal measure. We support, extend and challenge our high-achievers and ensure that students with additional learning needs are supported. Our students consistently achieve higher grades than their standardised-test predictions; in short, our approach adds significant value.
On average in the last four years, the A Level value-added has been 0.33, with the highest value-added score reaching a stunning 0.94. This means that a typical Sixth Form pupil at King’s is consistently likely to achieve higher grades (on average a grade higher over their three A-Levels) than those pupils of the same academic ability in another school. In the most recent value-added A Level results, King’s Sixth Form pupils achieved the equivalent of nearly an entire grade above expectations in every A Level subject, i.e. a pupil who would have achieved BBB in another setting would have achieved AAA at King’s.
While we take academic achievement seriously, we also consider educating the whole person to be vitally important. We aim to equip our students with the values, attitudes, skills and knowledge that bring success in future employment, study and life. We do this in the Sixth Form by teaching study skills, emphasising self-discipline and by building team and co-operative skills. We promote independence, responsibility, initiative, awareness of self and concern for others.
We offer a broad enrichment programme to our students in the Sixth Form. Individual careers advice and a selection of talks and visits support the process of application to higher education and/or employment.
We encourage initiative and provide an environment in which creativity can flourish and individual talent is recognised and nurtured. All this creates a solid foundation for our students to move out with confidence into the world beyond King’s.
We look forward to welcoming you to King’s and giving you more information on life in King's Sixth Form.
Dr Tom Horler-Underwood
Head of Sixth Form
Why choose King’s Sixth Form
Ten reasons why you should choose Sixth Form at King’s
- One-to-one support with UCAS applications and post 18 choices.
- Our comprehensive Careers and UCAS Programme helps to make the important decisions about next steps into higher education or the workplace.
- Outstanding teaching inspires a lifelong love of subjects.
- Leadership Opportunities mean students will learn to co-operate, collaborate and think for themselves, readying them for the world beyond King’s.
- Students can continue to play competitive sport, play an instrument, perform on stage or sing in a choir.
- On average 94% of our Sixth Formers gain entry to their first choice university.
- Our dedicated Sixth Form Centre, Dulverton House, provides a home-from-home for study, social time and relaxation.
- The close-knit community at King’s means our students will make lasting friendships.
- International expeditions, excursions and tours support the academic, musical and sporting aspects of Sixth Form life at King’s.
- Attending a smaller Sixth Form means students will not get lost in the crowd, staff really know them and take time to understand goals and aspirations.
More information about the subjects on offer and the opportunities available in our Sixth Form is available in this section of our website. If you would like to find out more and to arrange a visit to King's, please contact the Admissions Office.
King's Sixth Form Centre transformed:
The following article appeared in the August issue of Current Archaeology. It is written by Chiz Harwood, who was the Archaeologist on the Dulverton redevelopment, and gives a fascinating insight in to the project.
From Abbey Infirmary to Academic Accommodation, Current Archaeology
