Solihull School
Sixth Form
The most striking thing about the Sixth Form at Solihull is just what a busy place it is; we pride ourselves on offering so much more than the standard A Level curriculum and this is evident in the lives of our students, which are packed with a huge breadth of interests and activities. Whilst most independent schools make a similar claim, very few deliver it to such an extent.
Each student in the Sixth Form at Solihull School is set individualised targets for academic success and is supported towards achieving those goals. We measure our value-added performance against other schools both locally and nationally and our students come out in the top 5%. What this means is that a Solihull School education takes your child from his or her own GCSE successes towards grades at A Level which are in 95% of cases stronger than they would be elsewhere. Our personalised tracking and monitoring was highlighted as a significant strength by the ISI inspection team on their last visit.
On top of curriculum lessons and a multitude of sporting, musical and theatrical opportunities, the school offers Sixth Form students a number of timetabled ‘Enrichment’ options. These take up two to three periods per week and include a large selection of activities varying from creating our Politics magazine and Debating, through to sports coaching or Mandarin (more details can be found under in the Enrichment section). Throughout the year we also have a selection of visiting speakers including academics and celebrities, who broaden Sixth Formers’ horizons beyond the curriculum. A number of further activities are offered after school which encourage students to take a leading role, such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and the Combined Cadet Force.
Part of the reason for offering so much outside of the standard curriculum is to prepare our students for life after Solihull by developing leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Another important part of this preparation is ensuring that our students obtain sound advice about their potential careers and, indeed, their university choices. For this purpose, we have an experienced full-time Futures team who are on hand to steer our students in the right direction and to offer timely advice when they need it.
However, Sixth Form life is not just about developing skills; it is about building happiness, confidence and a sense of belonging. Around 20% of students joining the Sixth Form do not attend our Senior School, and the diversity of our population makes it an easy and open environment to fit in with new friendship groups. A great deal of pastoral support is also offered in the Sixth Form; the Form Tutor acts as the daily point of contact, whilst Heads of Year, the Head of Sixth Form and the Deputy Head of Sixth Form all offer additional guidance. Students are treated as young adults both inside and outside the classroom and are encouraged to work independently, and lead the student body in multiple ways.
Ultimately, it must be remembered that a school is an academic institution and students join the Sixth Form at Solihull in order to fulfil their academic potential.
Whether you are thinking about joining our Sixth Form for the academics, the co-curricular opportunities or just for a fresh start, we are very happy to talk with you.
Subject scholarships, co-curricular scholarships and bursaries are available.
If you're interested in learning more about our Sixth Form, download our welcome booklet below or get in touch with our Admissions Registrar, Mrs Nicolette Mullan on 0121 705 4273, or you can email admissions@solsch.org.uk.
