Keith Metcalfe, Head of Malvern College, on the important transitions that happen in sixth form, and how schools nurture this growing independence
For most pupils, sixth form is when they take a significant step forward, from being the dependent pupil towards the world of independent adulthood. Good schools make the move as smooth as possible, but it is still undeniably different to what has come before. Study becomes more focused on areas of individual interest, work becomes harder and relies increasingly on independent initiative, while teachers look to treat pupils more like the adults they are becoming. Pupils, meanwhile, take on responsibility for their own decisions, their own priorities and, ultimately, their own success.
At Malvern College, we’ve embraced that sense of transition. Indeed, we recently won an award for ‘Support for Life Beyond School’ with our life skills programme, designed in partnership with the pupils themselves to prepare them for the world of work, further study and the challenges they are likely to encounter along the way. Pupils wanted to learn from and about a series of activities and experts, including financial skills (banking, taxes, pensions, ISAs, savings, mortgages, etc), car maintenance, stress management, university life, first aid, cooking and nutrition – even barista training to set them up for a summer job.
We’ve also embraced the sense of transition in the school itself, refurbishing a former staff common room, returning it to its original purpose as a dedicated Sixth Form Centre. This has a collection of versatile spaces that can be used for independent, self-directed study as well as group work and collaboration. The centre is modelled on the learning spaces found throughout universities and modern working environments, bridging the gap and preparing our pupils for life after Malvern. We want pupils to be able to access different environments and experiment within them, so that they can find the ways of working that best suit them.
Increasing independence and individual choice are crucial factors of moving into sixth form education. Being able to offer alternative courses alongside A levels – in Malvern’s case the International Baccalaureate (IB) and selected BTEC courses – means pupils can begin to define their own pathway, not only in choosing the subjects, but also the approach to learning that best suits them.
The IB Philosophy, and its focus on developing ‘inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world’ aligns to our set of values, which we call the Malvern Qualities. We particularly like the Theory of Knowledge element of the IB, which develops pupils’ critical thinking skills and teaches them to interrogate how they know what they know. But for those pupils who choose A levels, adding an EPQ or studying the additional Global Perspectives course offers many of the same outcomes, just in a different package.
Much of the sixth form programme focuses on preparing young adults for life beyond sixth form where the opportunity to individualise and diversify choices grows even further. It used to be that the two ‘big’ universities – Oxford and Cambridge – were the benchmark for academic achievement – the goal that everyone aimed for. But times are changing. Universities continue to widen their intake requirements, and it has never been more competitive to secure a place at a top-ranking UK university.
We have seen increasing numbers of applications to US universities, so much so that we now have a member of staff dedicated to supporting pupils through the American application process (as well as the process for Europe). While elite UK universities may focus on relatively narrow academic credentials, Ivy League institutions like Yale, Harvard and Princeton combine this with a desire to see broader skills – for example, sporting excellence. This makes them the ideal environment for our top performing sportspeople, with enhanced support on offer for our Sixth Form students who may be eligible for scholarships.
We also encourage our pupils to explore opportunities outside of university. Prestigious graduate programmes are available in every sector, from finance to aviation, offering a myriad of options for pupils to enter straight into the world of work, without missing out on the opportunity to gain professional qualifications.
Sixth form is a gateway: it is the transition zone between school and the ‘real world’. As educators, we want to create an environment which reflects the world, but within which our young adults can experience, adapt and gain confidence. This is a place where it is safe to take risks and try things; where they can learn to build a support network around them, so that ultimately they are ready to flourish and make a positive difference in their next stage of life.
Malvern College malverncollege.org.uk
Further reading: How schools prepare young people for tomorrow’s workspaces
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