The Sixth Form, Higher Education and Careers

The Sixth Form

The Sixth Form is a very important and exciting time in the life of a King Edward’s student. In terms of the curriculum, many students blossom when they are able to choose and concentrate upon the subjects that really appeal to them. In additional to curriculum time, there are many opportunities for leadership roles, and we look to help students develop their wider skill set through a comprehensive Foundation Studies course and there is a wide-ranging co-curricular programme. Sixth Form students are taught their lessons throughout the School building, and are an integral part of the community. The students do, however, have their own study area.

Please see the separate Sixth Form Guide for more information about the Sixth Form at King Edward’s.

Higher Education

Most of our students proceed to university when they leave King Edward’s, with a majority heading to Russell Group universities. Typically, 6% of each cohort move on to Oxbridge and around 10% will study medicine. Our higher education programme runs for the full two years of Sixth Form and advice and support continues after students receive their A Level results, once they have already left KES. Much of the HE training and information is delivered through the regular Foundation Studies sessions. In addition, we host, run and organise assemblies, talks, lectures, visiting speakers and workshops, covering everything from studying abroad to degree apprenticeships, taking a gap year and CV writing. Former KES students are invited back to share their experiences and advise the current Sixth Formers. We organise Open Day visits to a number of universities and promote a huge variety of university summer courses, taster days and subject-specific sessions. Our dedicated Higher Education team is always available, offering one-to-one advice and guidance for Sixth Form students to help them make the best possible choices for their future success and happiness.

Careers

Careers education is delivered in all year groups and the programme is intrinsically linked to the pastoral system and is delivered by tutors, year heads, careers specialists and those in charge of organising the academic curriculum. KES students are introduced to various career software programmes at an early age to help make them aware of the breadth and depth of career options available to them. Advice on academic option selection is delivered to ensure that students’ GCSE and A Level choices match any career plans they may have. Psychometric testing is introduced in the Third and Fourth Years. These are designed to help suggest career avenues that play to a student’s academic and social strengths, whilst matching their own ideas of what may or may not be important to them in their future careers. Every member of the Fifth Year also receives faceto-face careers advice. This continues into the Sixth Form, where we operate an open-door policy for careers guidance. The HE & Careers Department and our dedicated HE & Careers library, are located in the Sixth Form centre to ensure easy access to specialist resources and advice.