Is Sixth Form the Right Choice for My Child?

Sixth Form could be on your child’s mind when they get to the end of their GCSEs. It’s the usual natural progression for children looking to head into higher education in the most straightforward way. But it doesn’t mean that your child can’t head to University without A Levels – there are many other ways your child can progress in their studies without heading to Sixth Form.

With all of that in mind, here are some considerations for your child to think about when deciding if it’s the right choice for them.

Do they have a specific degree in mind?

Most students, though not all, will have a particular study path they’d like to follow that will come from the A Levels they choose. It’s a lot to consider at this age, especially if your child has changed their mind about what they’d like to study at degree level.

Heading to Sixth Form will help your child enter the University application process easily, with direct support from teachers and mentors as to what degrees they could choose to study. Alternatively, your child could pick a different kind of course at a college instead, which can still take your child to University but following a different process.

Is your child ready for the challenge?

GCSEs can be quite difficult to overcome, but there is also the next phase in your child’s studying journey through A Levels. This next qualification can be quite a leap from GCSEs, and it can feel very daunting for particular students.

If your child has shown they are capable of heading further in their studies, then it will be much easier to handle their needs and expectations through Sixth Form. They should be receiving plenty of support from teachers and other staff in school through the A Levels they take on.

Are the qualifications at Sixth Form available for your child?

There is also the question of if your child wants to study an academically-inclined degree. Your child might be really interested in hairdressing, construction work, or design, which aren’t available at your child’s current school or at other Sixth Forms in the area. This means that your child will have a different approach to their studies and will probably decide to head to a college instead of continuing onto Sixth Form.

Sixth Form can be the right choice for your child, so long as they have the right intentions in mind and they’re looking to develop their skills in line with the jump in difficulty at A Levels. But it doesn’t have to be the only route they choose, as there are many alternatives your child could try out instead.