We are one of the few comprehensive schools in the area that also has its own sixth form. The sixth form is part of the main school and students appreciate the level of pastoral care that is maintained through their two years with us. We take pride in knowing our sixth form students well and in turn they feel comfortable in their environment. The sixth formers have a purpose built common room within 250m of the train station. This is opposite our sixth form Coach House computing suite, one of several purpose built sixth form areas around the school site.
The excellent transport links make it straightforward for students in our rural community to reach us. We attract students from all the local 11-16 comprehensives; 50% of our sixth form cohort previously attended other schools. Every year we also welcome international students who stay with host families in the area and spend an academic year with us. These students add to the excellent mix of students that we have and we pride ourselves on our friendly, welcoming atmosphere and how effortlessly they settle in and make new friends.
Academically we are very strong and many students are attracted by our reputation particularly in subjects such as Mathematics, Law, Computer Science and Music (our bands have a national reputation and are the only school band affiliated to the band of the Royal Marines). As a result our sixth form has grown in size from below 200 in 2008 to around 300 in 2022.
The majority of our students move on to undergraduate courses at universities. We have a very good record of the percentage of students achieving places in the most prestigious and competitive universities. For those students who choose not to go to university there are opportunities to gain higher and degree apprenticeships with firms such as BAE, Forge Europa, JF Hornby Accountants and Sellafield.
All our students are encouraged to involve themselves with the wide variety of extra-curricular activities on offer ranging from volunteering in the school and the local community, sporting activities including performing arts, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, Extended Project and a large number of clubs and societies such as the Vic Medics, Law Society and English Society. Students can also take advantage of our very own climbing wall in the school gym.
