Our A Level results place us among the very highest performing schools in the UK.

There are over 20 A Level subjects to choose from. At least one is studied alongside students from Habs Boys and based at either school.

During Sixth Form, you will benefit from lots of support to help you prepare for university and your future career.

Joining our Sixth Form

Every day, our Sixth Form welcomes around 115 students. You may be continuing at Habs Girls after doing your GCSEs here, or you could be considering transferring from another school. At Habs, everyone is equally welcome on this exciting adventure.

You will enjoy all the benefits of a happy community, fabulous campus and our strong pastoral care programme.

Over the summer holidays before you start, you will be paired with another student who will be your ‘buddy’. This means you will have a familiar face when you arrive. You will also come for an induction day just before Sixth Form starts, so you can meet other students and staff, getting a feel for the school layout.

Bursaries are available if you would not otherwise be able to attend (or continue at Habs Girls. Scholarships are also awarded to especially talented students.

Sixth Form admissions

Our approach

In Sixth Form, your studies are more crucial than ever. You will work hard. It will be challenging, fast-paced, and fun. But there is also far more to life. To prepare for university and a career afterwards, you will need to demonstrate a wide range of qualities and skills. Not all of them will be academic.

This is why we offer a broad programme of co-curricular activities, helping you to become a fully-rounded person with plenty to offer to admissions tutors and employers. We also offer the Habs Diploma, which includes an extended research project, elective courses, subject enhancement, a fortnightly lecture series and community service.

During your time in Sixth Form, you will continue to develop your strong moral compass, resilience, empathy, leadership skills and the ability to create solutions. This is the mark of a Habs Girls education.

Our diverse community

We are very proud of the wide range of cultures and backgrounds our students represent. It also serves as important preparation for life and work in a diverse, globalised world.

We help our students to know and understand themselves, and to be themselves. This means we celebrate the contribution of everyone, across all races, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, cultures, social strata and disabilities.

Attending some classes with Habs Boys will create valuable opportunities for friendship and learning in a familiar, safe and supportive setting.

The school day

TimeLesson
8.00amSchool grounds open
8.35am - 8.45amRegistration
8.45am - 9.15amPeriod 0 (Tutor time, assemblies or PSHE)
9.15am - 10.15amPeriod 1
10.15am - 10.35amBreak
10.35am - 11.35amPeriod 2
11.40am - 12.40pmPeriod 3
12.40pm - 1.55pmLunch and co-curricular activities
1.55pm - 2.55pmPeriod 4
3.00pm - 4.00pmPeriod 5 Lessons end and after-school activities begin
4.15pmCoaches depart for students not involved in after-school activities
5.30pm Late coaches depart

Most students travel to and from school on our extensive coach service, run jointly with Habs Boys. There is also a late coach service to many areas at the end of our co-curricular activities.

Student leadership

Student voice is integral to the school improvement in partnership with staff. For our students to flourish beyond school, they will need to develop their leadership skills and experience and so we create opportunities for all students to grow in this area from Reception through to Year 13.

Through the development of leadership, students:

  • Understand their personal strengths, values, passion, and interests
  • Are able to articulate their personal definition of leadership
  • Are able to articulate their thoughts, aims and ideas clearly and effectively to others
  • Understand group dynamics and exhibit the ability to work with others who are different
  • Understand how to work effectively as part of a team, and be an inclusive leader, who values other people’s opinions even when they disagree.
  • Understand the role Equity, Diversity and Inclusion play in leadership
  • Demonstrate critical thinking skills and the process for decision-making
  • Understand the importance of research and data to support a proposal and can articulate research findings to others

Many students will have the opportunity to participate in activities within the classroom that are designed to build and develop their leadership skills. For example, working collaboratively on a project with a ‘Project Manager’, presenting to the rest of their class, and in debating.

There are also lots of opportunities for students to lead assemblies within both whole-school and in Section/ Year Group assemblies.

Form Captains

In Years 7-11, each form elects two Form Captain and in Year 12, one Form Rep. They are required to demonstrate leadership skills, administrative skills and take a lead in maintaining a positive and respectful environment within their Form.

New Form Captains are elected every full term in Year 8 to Year 12, in Year 7 Form Captains are elected in the Autumn Term and stay in post throughout the Autumn Term and the Spring Term, new Form Captains are then elected for the Summer Term.

Student Voice Reps

A single person for each Year Group, from Year 7 to Year 12 will be elected by their peers and staff members to be Student Voice Representative for their year group. These Representatives will be responsible for communicating with the Form Captains in their year group regularly, and raising key points brought to their attention at Student Voice Committee Meetings, which are chaired by our Assistant Heads Pastoral and Academic, who then feedback to the Senior Leadership Team. In effect, this is our School Council.

Peer Mentoring

Students from Year 10 to Year 13 are asked to volunteer to become peer mentors. They are given the option to choose whether their skills would be best suited for academic mentoring or pastoral mentoring, or both, working across both the Senior and Junior Schools.
Peer mentors receive training from members of the Senior Leadership Team.

Academic mentors may be called upon to support Heads of Department with events, for example, Open Day, and likewise, Pastoral Mentors may be asked to support Heads of Section and Heads of Year.

House Responsibilities

The House system provides many different opportunities for students to take on leadership responsibilities from Year 7 through to Year 13.

Each House has a House Captain in Year 13.

Form Prefects

Two Year 13 students are appointed to be the Form Prefects for each year group from Years 6-10. They liaise closely with the Head of Year to which they are appointed to organise events, support the Tutoring programme and to arrange Thought for the Day slides as required. They act as mentors to the students within their year group, supporting individual students as instructed by the Head of Year.

Academic Societies

Each Academic Society has a leadership committee to help to run and promote the society, as well as taking a leading role in the Young Society. Most societies have a President, who leads the society with a team of a Vice-President, Secretary, Publicity Officer and Membership officer.

Senior Prefects

The Senior Prefect Team is made up of a Head Prefect, two Deputy Head Prefects, Junior School Prefect, Middle School Prefect, Upper School Prefect, Sixth Form Prefect and the Sports Captain. They meet with the Headmistress on a weekly basis and are responsible for representing the student body to the Senior Leadership Team. They attend and organise events on behalf of and to support the student body, and mentor younger students in leadership roles.

Training

Student leadership training is adapted to be relevant to the age range of children involved and the specific roles they hold. By the end of Year 13, all students should have some experience of/ training in:

  • theories of leadership
  • collaboration and how to work effectively in a team
  • effective communication and use of social media
  • understanding their own motivation e.g. through coaching
  • accountability

Senior Prefects, Partnerships, Academic Societies Training is likely to include:

  • Safeguarding
  • Presentation Skills
  • Managing upwards
  • Coaching
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Accountability and action planning

Coach Stewards also have safeguarding training.

Our Principles of Selection for All Roles

  • Transparency
  • Fairness
  • Equity and Inclusion
  • Appropriate and sensitive feedback
  • A clear timeframe

Our Sixth Form students are getting ready to make a profound impact on the world. We look forward to seeing you step out of your comfort zone, and we’ll support you as you continue to learn – both inside and outside of the classroom.

Mrs Laura Mee, Head of Sixth Form

Sixth Form places and spaces

As a Sixth Form student, you can use:

  • The Common Room throughout the day.
  • Mezz café, a collaborative learning space serving a wide range of home-made cakes, savouries and drinks, used by Sixth Form students, staff and visitors alike.
  • As well as the library there is a dedicated study space for quiet work during study periods, which are dedicated to Sixth Form students.
  • Girls’ and Boys’ students can work together in these shared areas at each school.

Participation and leadership

Life is busy in Sixth Form, but we encourage you to get involved in the huge range of activities beyond the classroom. You can join clubs and activities, do Duke of Edinburgh awards, go on trips, and get involved in sport, performance music or drama.

You will join and lead, or even start societies, which is great preparation for university ‘socs’. Think Model United Nations, European Youth Parliament, MedSoc, History Society, LGBTQ+ and Robotics, to name just a few.

Meanwhile, leadership opportunities include organising weekly clubs for younger students, coaching sports, and mentoring in academic subjects. You can also run for election as a prefect, become a House Rep, run assemblies, volunteer, and fundraise. All adding up to a brilliant experience.

You could even be a Sixth Form prefect. They are the top level of student leadership within the school. They undergo a rigorous selection process, including voting by students and staff, plus interviews with the Senior Leadership Team.

Each prefect has an area of responsibility within the school, such as Charities or Diversity and Inclusion. They are also responsible for a form, guiding our younger students. The prestigious Senior Prefect Team have further responsibility for their Houses.

When you come to visit us, you are likely to see some of our prefects giving tours in their red gowns.

On Wednesday afternoons, you can choose from a wide range of mixed-age fitness and sports activities. On Friday afternoons, you can pursue a range of exciting courses, awards and more – including Combined Cadet Force (CCF), the Arts Award, volunteering, the Crest Award, Robotics and so much more.