This week we invited parents to A Focus on Sixth Form, an event designed to discuss with our A Level teachers the details of studying with us post-16. The benefits of having their children continue their educational journey with us were well known by them. With every parent I spoke to, one or more of those key differentiators was the reason for them sending their child to be with us in the first place. 

It could be the smaller class sizes, a clear benefit to any subject at GCSE but at A Level even more so – being able to spend more quality time with the teacher irons out any insecurities or misunderstandings early on. In a larger environment a small struggle can become a bigger problem very quickly as the course becomes more complex. Parents know that their children are not left behind as the juggernaut of the subject rolls on. Teachers are able to offer more personalisation and dedicated support throughout the course. 

It could be the environment. I don’t just mean the cliché of the amazing setting (although that helps) but the tight knit friendly community where the students know their teachers and each other well. A larger environment may mean more people, there may be more of a bustle, but we know that it can often be lonely in larger crowds. Parents wanted to know if their children were making the right choices of subjects for the right reasons. 

At A Focus on Sixth Form we were able to answer these questions in detail as we know our charges well. We know their strengths and weakness and how to enhance the former and build up the latter. This gives both students and parents confidence in their choice of subjects and how they fit together to build a strong plan for their futures. 

Ayd Instone, Head of Curriculum Enrichment and Head of Physics