Joining the Sixth Form
Joining the Sixth Form at Culford is an exciting and defining moment. You are entering the final phase of your secondary education and the choices you make here will be crucial to your success in later life. At Culford we believe strongly that education should be challenging, enriching and fun, and that there are three key elements to success in the Sixth Form:
• Academic excellence
• Pastoral care
• Personal development
The Sixth Form is not just a chance to achieve vital academic grades. It is also about developing human qualities that are arguably even more important in the longer term.
A good Sixth Form education will give you the pastoral care to make academic excellence possible. It will provide you with the ability not only to make a competitive application to university, but also to present yourself to others as a well-rounded, impressive and articulate candidate in the employment market, with the social and personal skills necessary to make the most of your academic talents.
This is the added value of the Sixth Form that you will experience at Culford: a stage of your education that will look outwards beyond the academic to the full engagement of you as an individual.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Culford Sixth Form. The challenges are great but the rewards are greater. It is also a tremendous amount of fun!
Entry Requirements
You will need a minimum of seven GCSEs at Grade C or above including English and Mathematics. Requirements vary according to the demands of the course specification, but you will usually be expected to have Grade A or B in the subjects you wish to study at AS Level.
International students are accepted on the basis of school grades and references, together with entrance examinations in Maths and English and an interview.
Choosing Your A levels
The Sixth Form programme at Culford has been planned to provide combinations of subjects which will equip you for just about any degree course. We offer a broad range of subjects and you will have considerable freedom when making your choice.
Most pupils will study four subjects at AS level in the Lower Sixth (Year 12) and then continue with three in the Upper Sixth. It is possible to take five AS Levels and four A Levels; pupils considering this should discuss their options with one of the Joint Deputy Heads. Please refer to the Teaching & learning section for details on the A level courses we offer.
How to Choose Your A Levels
Take the time to talk to people before you decide.
You may have a very clear idea because you are committed to a certain career path; on the other hand you may be very unsure because you do not know exactly what you want to do in the future. It is advisable to choose subjects which you enjoy. Teachers, tutors and the Director of Studies have lots of experience in advising people on the best combination of subjects, whether for particular careers, or where your future path is perhaps a little less clear.
If you are already at Culford you will have plenty of opportunity to talk to your teachers and your personal tutor about these choices in detail. If you are new to Culford you will be able to explore your preferred subject options as part of the interview process.
Remember that AS results matter. Universities take account of them when considering you for a place so you must choose wisely, right from the start. Whatever you choose, you must be clear about the reasons for doing so. Please ask for our help if you need it.