Information

As a high achieving, inclusive school, we strive to offer the best environment for you to achieve well at A Level or Level 3 BTec. 

We work collaboratively with the two other Hitchin schools (Hitchin Girls' School and The Priory School) so that we can offer a broad variety of subjects. 

We believe that we provide every boy with the tools he needs to do well at A Level, as well as leaving prepared for life outside of compulsory education. 

Our current government progress rating is Above Average.

08:45 Tutor Time

09:10 Period 1

10:10 Period 2

11:10 Break

11:30 Period 3

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Period 4

14:30 Period 5

15.30 End of the school day 

Being a member of Hitchin Boys’ Sixth Form is the equivalent of a full time job. The school day starts at 08:45 and finishes at 15:30. As with any job, if you are not able to attend school, you will need to let us know, no later than 08:30. 

Failure to do this may result in you being marked absent, leading to further sanctions. If you are going to be late, you also need to let us know, so this can be communicated to your teachers. 

Please email elewis@hitchinboys.co.uk to report any instances of lateness or absence. If your attendance falls below 90%, we will need to further discuss your commitment to your studies and how best we can support you with coming into school.

If you need to make appointments during the school day (e.g. medical, driving lessons), please ensure you schedule these during study periods to avoid missing lessons.

Any lessons you miss, it is your responsibility to speak to teachers to ensure you don’t fall behind.

All students and parents are expected to sign the Behaviour and ICT Policies. 

Completed forms can be returned in person or to sixthform@hitchinboys.co.uk. Please be aware that this email address is not regularly monitored and so cannot be used for routine communication.

The Common Room in the Sixth Form Centre is there as a study space for you. It is essential that you treat it with respect and keep it clean and tidy. You should not move tables or chairs, as these are set up in order to maximise our use of space and provide work areas for as many students as possible. 

There is no eating in the Common Room. However you can use the space in the break out area to eat your lunch.

The kitchen is also for your use, but again, this must be kept clean. Each week, a Sixth Form tutor group is assigned the task of tidying both the Common Room and the kitchen. 

We reserve the right to close both of these places if they are not maintained in the manner we expect.

All students are expected to be in Directed Study for Periods 1 and 2, when not in scheduled lessons.

Directed Study in Year 12 is supervised by a teacher who talks students through different study techniques, how to set out folders, prepare for assignments etc. This is a registered session.

Directed Study in Year 13 is a registered session, but students are expected to plan their own time according to their current academic workload.

As a member of Hitchin Boys’ School Sixth Form, you are visible to the younger years and so should dress appropriately. We ask that you wear smart business dress. This includes:

• A suit jacket

• A shirt and tie

• Suit trousers

• Polishable shoes

The final decision as to what constitutes smart business dress will be made by the Sixth Form Team.

Whilst you are allowed to use mobile phones in the Sixth Form Centre, we ask you to refrain from using them around the school, as no other students have this permission. 

Progress Checks

Throughout the two years you are with us, we will provide regular feedback on your progress. This will take into account the work you are producing in class, as well as half termly assessments. Progress checks are also used when predicting grades for university applications. 

Reports and Further Support

If your progress is not good enough, we may place you on report. This will either be checked by your tutor, your Head of Year, or by the Head of Sixth Form. This is intended to support you to make better decisions and put in more effort.

Your tutor is your first port of call at HBS. They are there to help guide you through A Levels and it is vital that you attend tutor times so that you can build a relationship with this member of staff. 

We have a Sixth Form Learning for Life programme in place as well that will help to prepare you for life outside of school, as you look to move away from home and start an independent life. These sessions are put together using past students’ feedback and should assist you when it comes to things such as looking for car insurance, applying for a job, or staying safe on a night out.

At times, we will also have guest speakers in. As much as possible, we schedule these during your study periods, to limit the amount of time you are out of the classroom. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory and constitutes part of the obligatory Learning for Life programme.

The Woodlands building is a dedicated space for our Year 13 students.

Some lessons take place in the classroom there, but the majority of the building is for Year 13 independent study. The rooms are designated as different zones. In certain rooms, students can work collaboratively, others are quiet areas, and one is for silent work.

It is also home to the Woodlands Café,  a space only Year 13 and staff can visit for our own HBS blend coffee and snacks during the day.