Sixth Form
Sixth Form at Wilson’s
The Sixth Form at Wilson’s is the culmination of the school’s educational aims and of its motto, Non sibi sed omnibus — not for oneself, but for all. It is also the beginning of something new: an opportunity for students to pursue their interests in much greater depth, encounter new ideas, think more independently and begin to shape what they want their lives beyond Wilson's to look like.
Sixth Form life is deliberately challenging, academically and personally, but also immensely fulfilling. Students are taught by subject specialists, enjoy greater intellectual freedom and independence, take on significant responsibility within the school, and have access to an extraordinary range of opportunities beyond their A-level subjects. They are encouraged to be ambitious, to take intellectual risks, to discover new interests and capabilities, and to make the very most of these two important years.
Our purpose is not simply that students leave with outstanding qualifications. We want very Wilsonian to leave as knowledgeable thinkers, capable of exercising judgement, taking responsibility, contributing to others and approaching the opportunities and challenges of adult life with confidence. Whatever their background or individual needs, every student is given the tools, opportunities and support to achieve in the fullest sense: academically, personally and in preparation for a fulfilling life beyond Wilson’s.
Scholarship, challenge and independence
Students follow a broad and demanding academic programme, studying four A levels in the Lower Sixth, with the option to specialise further in the Upper Sixth. They are taught by highly qualified subject specialists, accustomed to teaching to the very highest levels of A-level achievement and preparing students successfully for demanding post 18 routes.
Sixth Form study is different. Students read beyond the curriculum, question, undertake independent research, articulate and defend their thinking, and take greater responsibility for the organisation of their own learning. Teaching combines deep subject expertise and exceptionally high expectations with a detailed understanding of individual students, creating an environment in which intellectual curiosity is encouraged/
This intellectual development extends deliberately beyond examination specifications. Every student undertakes structured supercurricular work, including the Templeton Scholarship Project, through which students research an ambitious question using high-level academic sources before their work is assessed by a subject specialist and tested through a viva. The University Preparation Programme subsequently exposes students to undergraduate-level material and scholarly discussion.
Exceptional achievement and ambitious destinations
Wilson’s Sixth Form has a sustained record of exceptional academic achievement over time, routinely placing it as one of the highest attaining schools in the country. These academic outcomes reflect not only students’ ability and commitment, but the quality of teaching, the intellectual ambition of the curriculum and a culture in which high achievement is both expected and supported.
Exceptional achievement is not understood solely in terms of examination grades. The Sixth Form is also a time for students to consider seriously what excites and motivates them, explore possibilities they may not previously have considered, and begin to determine the direction they want to take. Students are aided to identify and secure high-quality destinations appropriate to their individual talents and ambitions, whether at Russell Group universities, Oxford or Cambridge, medical schools, through high-quality apprenticeships, study overseas or carefully structured gap years.
The Next Steps programme runs throughout both Sixth Form years. Through the school’s wider Careers Education programme, students benefit from specialist higher-education and careers advice, individual guidance, careers fairs, purposeful and high-quality work experience, and extensive encounters with universities, employers, alumni and professionals. Our extensive network of alumni, parents and other professional and academic contacts further enriches this intellectual culture, enabling students to hear regularly from speakers of the highest quality and to encounter expertise, ideas and perspectives well beyond the confines of their A-level courses.
Preparation for highly competitive courses is deliberately intellectual rather than formulaic. Through supercurricular study, academic discussion, specialist guidance and opportunities to test and defend their ideas, students develop the depth of knowledge, agility of thought and confidence in reasoning required to succeed at demanding university interviews and other competitive selection processes.