Moving from State School to an Independent Sixth Form

Moving from state school to an independent sixth form usually means applying directly to each school in the autumn of Year 11, because independent schools set their own sixth-form admissions and there is no central clearing system. The Boarding Schools' Association gives this as its advice for boarders, and the Independent Schools Council lists 16 as the usual sixth-form entry age. Offers to external candidates are normally conditional on final GCSE results.

A state-educated applicant follows the same route as any external candidate: registration, a confidential reference and predicted GCSE grades from the current school, the receiving school's own assessment and an interview. Each school publishes its own requirements, so the admissions page of the school concerned decides the detail. Students aged 13 to 15 can use the time before Year 11 to visit schools, settle on the subjects they want to take and become familiar with the kinds of assessment schools set.

What does a state school applicant need to apply to an independent sixth form?

A state school applicant needs a completed application to each school, a reference and predicted GCSE grades from the current school, and usually an interview. St Albans School and Channing both ask the current school for confidential information that includes GCSE predictions, whilst Benenden and Wellington College describe the same elements alongside entrance papers or cognitive tests. The Independent Schools Council advises checking each school's website for its admission dates and process, and the GCSEs themselves are sat at the current school.

Offers to external candidates tend to be conditional on final GCSE results, which St Albans School and Channing both state on their pages. Each school sets its own grade requirements for English, Maths and the chosen A Level subjects and publishes them on its admissions page, which is where the figures for a particular school should be checked. Where a chosen subject was not taken at GCSE, both schools say a closely related subject is considered instead.

Why do students move to an independent sixth form at 16?

Students move at 16 for reasons the schools give on their own pages, which include subject range, specific programmes and boarding. Channing lists a full range of A Level subjects and a dedicated Sixth Form centre, Wellington College offers a choice between A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and St Albans School combines A Levels with its own Diploma, which includes either the EPQ or the Gold Arts Award.

Support with university applications is another reason schools cite. Channing describes UCAS guidance and specialist mentoring for Oxbridge and medicine applications, and the Boarding Schools' Association describes boarding at 16 to 18 as a popular bridge to university. Whether any of these suit a particular student depends on the subjects wanted and on what each school offers, which differs from school to school.

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How do students ask their current school for a reference and predicted grades?

Ask the Head of Year 11, the sixth-form lead or the headteacher early, in writing, and name each school being applied to. Channing sends its request to the current headteacher for a reference and GCSE predictions, whilst Benenden and St Albans School request a confidential reference from the current school directly, so in most cases the receiving school makes the request and the family's task is to make sure the current school expects it.

Share the admissions page of each receiving school and the contact it names, then ask which grade information the current school can provide and when. Wellington College says it prefers applicants to wait until their latest report is available, and asks for reports that include grade predictions and any summer exam results. ISEB's guidance for state-school families adds that a school unfamiliar with independent applications can contact the receiving school's admissions department, which it describes as glad to help.

What entrance assessments do independent sixth forms set?

Each receiving school sets its own assessments, and the schools' pages show a range of formats. Benenden asks candidates to sit papers in two academic subjects, usually ones planned for A Level, either at Benenden or at the current school or a local testing centre. Wellington College uses cognitive ability tests taken at home on digital software, followed by interviews and assessment days. Channing interviews external applicants about the subjects they have chosen and why.

UKiset, developed with Cambridge University Press & Assessment, is requested from applicants whose first language is not English by both Benenden and Wellington College. It covers academic potential and English language proficiency, and Wellington describes it as an online test of vocabulary, maths and non-verbal reasoning. Most candidates sit it online under secure invigilation, and one report can be shared with several schools in the UKiset network.

ISEB's own Common Pre-Tests and Common Entrance are described on its website for 11+ and 13+ entry, so a 16+ applicant should follow the receiving school's page for what to sit. A tutor can help the student practise the formats a school names and prepare for the interview.

How does a student adjust to joining in Year 12?

A student joining in Year 12 enters a year group whose members often already know one another, and schools describe arrangements to help new joiners settle. St Albans School says external applicants join its current Fifth Form pupils, Wellington College places boarders in a sixth-form house or an existing house and day pupils in day houses, and Channing says external joiners can apply for leadership roles on the same terms as other students.

The Boarding Schools' Association notes that pupils who join outside the usual intake may take a little while to settle, and that schools work to help them integrate with their year group. It also recommends talking to current pupils to learn what the experience is really like and including the student in the decision, since a student who has chosen the school tends to settle more readily.

Should a sixth former choose day or boarding?

The choice depends on where the family lives and on which options a school offers, because schools list their own houses and routines. Wellington College, for example, has day houses and boarding houses for new sixth formers, and the Independent Schools Council school search can filter by day or boarding as well as by sixth form and location. The Boarding Schools' Association describes boarding at 16 to 18 as a popular bridge to university.

For boarding, the Boarding Schools' Association advises visiting at least three schools and asking about evenings, weekends, pastoral care and activities. It says overseas parents need a UK guardian in place before their child arrives. Immigration requirements for international students depend on individual circumstances, and the Child Student visa page on gov.uk sets out the official requirements.

How do students compare schools and find funding information?

The Independent Schools Council school directory and the Boarding Schools' Association School Search list schools that offer a sixth form, and the Independent Schools Council suggests reading inspection reports and A Level results alongside each school's admissions page. Open days and daytime tours let a family ask about subject combinations, entry requirements and how external joiners are supported.

For funding information, the sixth-form scholarships guide is the place to start.

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