Q&A with the Sixth Form

Amber:  When we don't have lessons we are given free periods, but with freedom comes responsibility, we are expected to manage our time wisely and be proactive in our studies. During most of this time we are taking up leadership roles within school, this could be organising events such as International week , Black History week, Deepavali Assembly or even Halloween fun events...many students opt to take the IPQ, this extra time is invaluable for private studies.

Danish: Being in Sixth Form comes with many perks, one of the obvious ones is the frequent free periods we have in our timetables. Depending on the subjects you take and how many, at some point in our day we are gifted either one free period or four if you're very lucky. Though with our free period(s) we should be responsible - during this time it would be best to use it wisely and catch up on some prep or revision. 

Danish:  Being the leaders in senior school, we are expected to carry ourselves with a high level of maturity and to act in a well-behaved manner. However, maturity doesn’t only come with age - but also our acceptance of responsibility. Teachers put more trust in us to act appropriately, becoming more lenient with us and treat us like the adults we’re becoming. The A-Level course involves a lot of independent study, and though we learn lots in lessons; our teachers trust that we’ll take initiative to strengthen our understanding of syllabus content outside of lessons.

Amber: Definitely! You can vie for positions in the Student Council committees, for example, Events, Marketing and Quadlet. If you’re a boarder, you can put your name in for Head of Boarding. Come Year 13, you can also run for Head Student.

On top of the fixed leadership positions offered, the Sixth Form also takes initiative to host lots of events and assemblies where you are also given the opportunity to lead and get involved in these projects.  

Danish: Morning Registrations in Sixth Form are a lot more laid back than what you may be used to in previous years. Both Year 12 and Year 13 gather in the Library every morning and are given the freedom to spend our time working on our prep, replying emails, having one to one meetings with out tutors or even to just hangout and chill with your friends.

The atmosphere is a lot more lively and certainly wakes you up in the morning. Sharing a common space with the whole of Sixth Form also gives us the opportunity to make connections with peers we don't typically see in lessons. Since our time in Sixth Form can be hectic with managing ongoing projects alongside academics, I also use this time to meet with my project members to discuss whatever events are coming up.

It is up to you to approach other members of the Sixth Form, but from experience, Year 12s and 13s have an excellent relationship. We have come to know each other through planning events together, as well as through our studies. However you do definitely spend more time within your own year group, with free periods increasing your interaction with those you perhaps never had a chance to get to know before. As a result, we would say that friendship groups become less rigid, and everyone gets the opportunity to mix around a fair amount. 

Every Sixth Form project we have ever done has been fun. But if we had to choose, Halloween would be the most unforgettable one. We had fun putting together all the activities for Halloween (haunted escape room, themed lunch, murder mystery). It was undoubtedly a challenge, but it was all the more satisfying to see the whole school get involved while enjoying the day. But to be completely honest, being surrounded by friends in our common rooms makes any typical day fun!

We are very proud of all projects that we have done. KH8 X RFTR (aiding communities stricken by the pandemic) was the first fundraising project we had undertaken, Halloween was the first school celebration we planned, launching StuCo and student-led CCAs, milestones are literally everywhere!

But perhaps KH8 X NCSM (Christmas gift-giving project) has a special place in our hearts. From the overwhelming response from the KH8 community in sending in their wrapped gifts, to the actual delivery of 10 full bags to the Children’s Home of Hope, and learning about their work there... To us, this project was a heartwarming Christmas present, and we are proud that we made this happen, despite the difficulties faced. 

Exclusive Sixth Form common rooms serve as a private and comfortable spaces for us to work . The L57 café is available for use at anytime during the school day and we have the option to also use the library as a quiet study area. We also get to use the lifts around school and also have our own private dining space to use if we wish.  

One of the best perks is the way in which teachers treat us, we are considered young adults and as such the atmosphere feels very different to when we were in year 11. It is up to us to show we are responsible and live up to the expectations and standards our teachers hold us to. 

The Sixth Formers are lucky enough have our own dedicated space that we call the 'Sixth Form Common Rooms', where we spend most of time during our free periods. In these spaces we are entitled to our own privacy and are allowed to use our phones where necessary. However, we are aware that rules are rules, we keep our phones out of site during lessons and in public areas, we are role models to our younger students and should act responsible at all times. 

Common rooms - in Block B, the red room at Block B ground floor and the 2 rooms (side-by-side) on the first floor. As well as the library and StuCo meeting room are all available for Sixth Formers to use.

Frankly speaking, applying for university can be one of the most stressful and anxiety-inducing times in all of Sixth Form life. Though the process can be confusing and scary, our tutors and Mr. Welburn are with us every step of the way to lessen the burden and stress we may be feeling. During PSHE lessons we have access to our tutors who guide us in personal statement writing and interview technique s we are given lots of resources allowing us to explore top universities around the world.

Throughout it all, our teachers help us every step of the way; they guide us make to make informed decisions about the courses or career pathways we are interested, they also handle the submission of our application and necessary documents to our chosen universities. 

We also receive tutor-written references where our tutors highlight all the achievements and merits we have accomplished during our time in KH8 - definitely a great ego-booster!