Sixth form – future ready, set, go

Rhiannon Wilkinson

Head, Ashville College

The sixth-form years are great fun but they are also of crucial importance. They are about getting pupils exam ready, university ready, career ready – in short, ‘future ready’ – building strong academic foundations and developing the personal characteristics and social skills for future success and fulfilment, no matter what lies ahead.

We only need to ask ourselves the current big questions to understand why gaining good results is not the only goal of post-16 education. Will we have discovered and implemented ways to stop or even reverse the effects of climate change? Will the phenomenal pace of technology improve our lives for the better or present new moral and societal challenges? Will we be prepared for future pandemics?

The role of the sixth form should not be to create an ‘exam factory’. It is to provide a happy, purposeful environment in which young people transition from adolescence to adulthood, emerging as confident young people ready to face the world. They can only do this if their sixth form offers enough choice of courses, academic enrichment routes, co-curricular activities, leadership opportunities and career advice. Sixth form should provide the tools young people need to flourish, no matter where their passions lie.

I have often said high quality English boarding education is the best in the world, and parents are fortunate to have their pick of so many exceptional schools. But choosing one from many, particularly for families who are not in the UK, can be challenging. So what should you look for in a boarding sixth form?

HIGH LEVELS OF ACADEMIC CHALLENGE AND RIGOUR

It is important to choose a school with a strong academic culture, focused on driving up standards and results and never standing still. The proportion of pupils gaining admission to Russell Group universities should be high. Look for a good and varied range of courses, particularly A levels, including traditional subjects and your child’s intended degree-specific subjects, and BTECs. Some schools offer a range of complementary qualifications that help to open doors and stand your child out from the crowd. For example, at Ashville we offer the highly flexible OCR Cambridge Technicals in Performing Arts. We also offer courses for pupils who wish to study in the US. We are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to support pupils in gaining the High School Diploma and we offer Advanced Placement courses to give college applicants an extra edge. This year for the first time we have offered A levels in Classical Civilisation and Government and Politics.

OXBRIDGE, COMPETITIVE AND INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION SUPPORT

Sixth form is a time to aim high. If your child is set on Oxbridge, studying medicine or going to university overseas, the sixth form you are considering should demonstrate it is able to help them on that trajectory – the rest, of course, is up to the individual child and their hard work and commitment. At Ashville we offer a bespoke programme for pupils aspiring to Oxford or Cambridge, and for medicine, veterinary science or dentistry courses. We often involve our alumni and other members of the community in mock interviews.

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AVENUES

Increasingly, sixth forms are offering an engaging and meaningful programme of academic enrichment. The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) was created by exam boards in collaboration with leading UK universities. It is an AS level qualification, with the possibility of achieving an A* grade. Cambridge University says: ‘We welcome the EPQ and would encourage applicants to take one as it will help to develop independent study and research skills valuable for higher education.’ The Archbishop of York Leadership Award is another qualification geared to individuals’ interests, skills and future aspirations. It is also highly regarded by the UK’s leading universities. These pupil-led qualifications can be taken alongside A levels, earn UCAS points and enable pupils to make their voices heard at a young age.

POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

Ambitious pupils are keen to take on extra challenges and broaden their horizons. Good sixth forms offer a wide range of opportunities, from prefect positions and house captains to more informal roles, all of which enable pupils to develop skills such as public speaking and communication. More formal leadership roles, such as the Red Tie Prefects at Ashville, involve a formal application and interview process, emulating a university or apprenticeship.

A TAILORED CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME

Good schools recognise the major benefits of co-curricular activities for health and attainment – pupils learn best when they are happy. The activities sixthformers pursue should also be relevant to their future and to the advancement of technology and how this transforms jobs. At Ashville we are developing the co-curricular experience to reflect the World Economic Forum’s ‘top 10 job skills of tomorrow’ by offering activities such as coding, leadership and enterprise. Having a ‘future ready’ focus will ensure sixth-formers leave with not only the right qualifications but also the in-demand skills they need to thrive in the rapidly evolving global marketplace.

Rhiannon Wilkinson is the eleventh and first female Head of Ashville College. Her career includes a Headship at Wycombe Abbey and teaching and senior positions in schools in the UK, Hong Kong and Brunei. Most recently, Rhiannon was the founding Head of Whittle School Shenzhen which opened simultaneously alongside its sister school Whittle School Washington DC. Between 2009 and 2013 she was the Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College. She studied Modern History at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, before undertaking a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) at Bath University.