Sixth Form Overview

Male and female sixth form students walking
Female staff outside school building

The RGS Sixth Form is a special place to study beyond GCSE. We have an enviable academic record in helping our students achieve outstanding results and virtually all our sixth formers go on to study at competitive universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.  Whatever their academic strengths, students are well supported to achieve their potential and we provide first-rate careers advice and guidance throughout your time in the Sixth Form.

Our pastoral care is proactive and there is a wealth of support for students from the Sixth Form year team, their form supervisor, a personal tutor, and our team of nurses and counsellors.  Each student is treated as an individual and we are very experienced with helping them navigate the challenges of the sixth form years with growing independence and confidence.

There are also unrivalled opportunities beyond the curriculum, in sport, music, drama, the arts and the host of clubs, societies and activities that are available throughout the week. At RGS, we believe that those who involve themselves fully outside the classroom also do best within it – and have fun along the way.  We are keen that students leave us with the personal qualities and skills to make a difference to the lives of others as they move into adult life; altruism, kindness, and humility are hallmarks of an RGS Sixth Form education.

The Sixth Form at RGS is one of the largest in the independent sector, with approximately 350 students. Virtually all of our Year 11 students progress to the Sixth Form each year and we are very proud that they are joined by around 40-50 new students from a wide range of other schools. For more information about applying to the Sixth Form, please visit the admissions section of our website.

Naomi McGough, Head of Sixth Form

Sixth Form Facilities

Chairs and desks in the Sixth Form centre
Chairs in the sixth form  common room

Subjects

All A-Level subjects are examined at the end of a two-year course. No subject will have a public exam at the end of the Lower Sixth.

All our students will pick three subjects that they wish to study at A-Level. Those who wish to study four subjects may do so, but the expectation is that they are intending to study all four subjects for two years. Those wishing to study Maths and Further Maths should be picking four subjects.

Alongside the three main A-Level subjects, students will need to also select from a range of Complementary Studies subjects that will supplement their choices. Full details of this range of options will be available prior to the Sixth Form Options Event. 

Lessons are all one-hour long. Students will also do games or voluntary service as well as one hour of enrichment each week.

Sixth Form Guide

Front cover of the Sixth Form Guide showing male and female students

Outside the ClassRoom

There is so much more to Sixth Form life at RGS than just achieving great exam results and going off to university! The school has an exceptionally wide range of extra-curricular activities for students to get involved in and develop their interests outside of the classroom. Students in the Sixth Form have access to all of the same co-curricular opportunities as in the Senior School including sport, music, drama, academic societies, outdoor activities and much more. In addition to this, all sixth formers take advantage of our thriving enrichment programme which offers them an opportunity to broaden their outlook, learn a new skill, or simply try something different. Some examples of our current enrichment courses include cookery, set design, Mandarin, flash animation and British Sign Language.

Many students opt to take part in voluntary service, offering some of their free time on a regular basis to help out at other schools or businesses in the area. This is a very worthwhile thing to do and benefits the local community as well as providing excellent experience for the students themselves.

Whilst academic success is at the heart of what we do, our extra-curricular programme both enhances and complements the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom. Our students usually find that they have packed more into their time at RGS than they ever thought possible!

COURSE GUIDES

Below you will find documents for each course we offer in Sixth Form. These can be downloaded and give an outline of course content.  All A-Level entry requirements are detailed here.

Art teacher watching on as student creates art