• An Overview
• Policies and Procedures
• ISI Inspection Report
• Academic Matters
  • Curriculum
    • Junior (Years 1 - 3)
    • Middle (Year 4 and 5)
    • Senior (Sixth Form)
    • Assessment and Reporting
  • Departments
  • Exam Results
  • Careers and Higher Education
• School Uniform
• Sports Kit
• Daily Life
• Activities
• Academic Staff List
• Support Staff List
• Governing Body
• Job Vacancies

Senior (Sixth Form)

The Sixth Form provides the culmination a pupil’s time at the school by enabling him to take a leading role in school societies, school games and Period 8 activities. The General Studies programme and additional Sixth Form facilities help to broaden their horizons and their thoughts about what they might do after A levels. By entering the Sixth Form at the RGS, students become role models, setting the tone of the school community, where they should, ultimately, have the chance to manage other people, either as a prefect, a mentor to junior boys or as a leader of a school activity. Ultimately, the Sixth Form gives students greater responsibility; responsibility for themselves, for their studies, for their extra-curricular activities and for other people in the community.

Entry
To qualify for entry to the Sixth Form at the Royal Grammar School, a spread of good grades at GCSE, with A grades, if possible, in the subjects which are being proposed for study to 'AS' or 'A2' level will be needed. What is even more important than GCSE grades, however, is the student’s ability to convince their teachers that they are capable of studying their subject at Advanced level. Students must have also shown that they are likely to benefit fully from the Sixth Form and are prepared to be positive in their attitude and be hardworking, contributing as much as they can to school life in general, in order to gain maximum benefit from it. If students achieve these standards, the chances are that they will enjoy two profitable and fulfilling years as an RGS Sixth-former.

The Tutor Group System
In the Sixth Form students are placed in a tutor group of about 12 boys. They keep the same tutor for their two-year career in the Sixth Form, and it will normally be the tutor who drafts the student’s university reference, based on subject teachers' reports and his or her own personal knowledge. The relationship between the tutor and the student is clearly of paramount importance, and it is a relationship that needs to be based on sympathy and understanding on both sides. Students are encouraged to approach their tutor with any questions or problems they might have. The tutor’s job is to help the students and to ensure that every member of their tutor group is playing a positive part in Sixth Form life.

Facilities and Opportunities
A range of facilities is provided and some purely for Sixth Form use. These include a Sixth Form Common Room, the Mallison Resources Centre and the Careers Library. Students also have the option of working in the Computer Room or the Language Lab. during private study periods. A number of courses and conferences are organised by the School and subject departments for their sole benefit.

'AS' and 'A' Level Courses
Every Royal Grammar School sixth-former must take a minimum of four 'AS' level subjects in the Lower Sixth form. When a student elects to study the Double Mathematics option, then two other ‘AS’ Level subjects must also be chosen and which must be followed to A2 level. More or less any combination is usually possible. Certain less popular subjects are taught only if there is a viable group of students. Heads of Department and subject teachers are naturally willing to provide more detailed information about 'A' level courses.

In the Upper Sixth year, students can either carry on with four A2 subjects (if their 4th AS subject allows for this by being offered at A2), or he may decided to continue with only three A2 subjects, or he may decide to start another AS subject. The Sixth Form curriculum is summarised as follows:

There are four A Level blocks with eight periods each. In addition they have two periods of General Studies, three periods of Games, one period of CCF, Scouts or D of E.

The subjects available are: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Drama and Theatre Arts, Economics, Electronics, English Literature, French, Further Mathematics, Geography, German, Government and Political Studies, Greek, History, Latin, Mathematics, Music, Music Technology (AS only), Physics, Physical Education, Pure Mathematics, Religious Studies, Spanish and Technology.