Studying with us
The Sixth Form is a vibrant part of the school, offering many opportunities for academic and personal development. It is an area of the school that we are hugely proud of and this was recognised in our last Ofsted inspection. The Lead Inspector was so impressed with the students he met and what he saw during his time with us, that he described the Sixth Form in his report as, “thriving.”
We offer students joining our Sixth Form a valuable experience. In addition to our proven track record of academic success, we offer outstanding pastoral support and an array of extra-curricular opportunities for our students. Our curriculum is flexible and broad, offering a range of A Level and BTEC choices; we offer high-quality teaching by experienced teachers who will expect students to take a great deal of responsibility for their own learning. In return, we ask that students display a high level of commitment to their studies and make an active contribution to the school community.
We pride ourselves on the quality of support we offer when preparing students for the next stage of their lives. The support and guidance offered to students through the UCAS process means that students have a high level of success in securing a place at their chosen university: typically, 90% of students meet the conditions for entry to their first choice university. We offer further, tailored support for students applying for courses at competitive universities enabling students to be successful in obtaining places at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, the LSE, UCL and other leading universities.
We offer guidance to students seeking employment or apprenticeships, helping them to prepare CVs and offering practical advice and support on applying for jobs and the interview process. In recent years students have faced great competition in their applications for apprenticeships. We are proud that, due to their resilience and determination, amongst a host of other characteristics and skills, Richard Hale students have successfully secured highly sought after placements with companies such as Airbus, MBDA, Barclays, GSK, Knight Frank and Deloitte to undertake Degree Apprenticeships on leaving school.
Choosing the right courses
Fundamental to the success of the Sixth Form is the fact that students study courses they both enjoy and are successful in. We work hard with all of our students to match their interests, qualifications and career aspirations with appropriate A Level and/or BTEC courses that will help them to progress towards their next step, whether that is university, an apprenticeship or employment.
At Richard Hale School we offer a diverse range of A Levels and vocational qualifications. The nature of A Levels and vocational courses (BTEC) has changed significantly over recent years. The A Level is now a linear qualification, with all exams taken at the end of Year 13. Vocational courses now mix external assessment, including exams, with internal assessment. Some students find it hard to reduce the range of GCSE subjects they have studied and enjoyed down to three at A Level. Breadth can also be achieved in other ways, for example studying an EPQ or by choosing a diverse range of subjects. Most students will choose three A Levels, or the equivalent through vocational courses, but the exact number of subjects a student studies will depend on their GCSE results and the combination of subjects they pick. In order to write the timetable, these subjects will be grouped into option blocks which will be designed around the choices students applying to the Sixth Form make in November. Although experience shows that most of the courses shown will operate, the school cannot guarantee to run a course for which there is insufficient demand nor guarantee all first choices. To help you decide, have a look at the links below.
Once students have applied to join the Sixth Form, the applications are assessed on an individual basis and applicants meeting our entry criteria are offered a conditional place during the spring term. For details of our Sixth Form Admissions Policy and for Application Forms, please see the Admissions and Applying to the Sixth Form tabs in the Sixth Form section of our website.