Sixth form

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In the education systems ofEngland,Northern Ireland,Wales,Jamaica,Trinidad and Tobago, and some otherCommonwealthcountries,sixth formrepresents the final two years ofsecondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare forA-levelor equivalent examinations like theInternational BaccalaureateorCambridge Pre-U. In England,Wales, andNorthern Ireland, the termKey Stage 5has the same meaning. It only refers to academic education and not tovocational education.

Sixth Formdescribes the two school years that are called by many schools theLower Sixth(L6) andUpper Sixth(U6). The term survives from earlier naming conventions used in both thestate-maintainedandprivate schoolsystems. Another well known term is Year 12 and 13, carried on from the year group system started inprimary school.

In the state-maintained sector in England and Wales, pupils in the first five years of secondary schooling were divided into cohorts determined by age, known asforms(these referring historically to the long backless benches on which rows of pupils sat in the classroom). Pupils started their first year of secondary school in thefirst formorfirst year; this being theacademic yearin which pupils would normally be 12 years old by August 31. Pupils would move up a form each year before entering the fifth form in the academic year in which they would be 16 years old by August 31. Those who stayed on at school to study forA-levelsmoved up into the sixth form, which was divided into theLower Sixthand theUpper Sixth.

In the independent schools sector, the traditionalpublic schoolsdid not have a consistent naming convention, except for theSixth Form. As well as theUpper SixthandLower Sixth, the public schools used and still use a variety of descriptions for lower forms, such asShell,Remove, Lower Fourth, Upper Fourth, Lower Fifth, Middle Fifth, Upper Fifth.

In some private schools, the termMiddle Sixthwas used in place ofUpper Sixth, with the latter being used for those who stayed on for an extra term to take the entrance examinations that were previously set for candidates toOxfordorCambridgeuniversities. Other schools described theseOxbridgeexamination students as being in theSeventh FormorThird Year Sixth.

In the state sector, the system was changed for the 1990–1991 academic year and school years are now numbered consecutively from primary school onwards.Year 1is the first year of primary school afterReception. The first year of secondary school isYear 7. The Lower Sixth (the first year of sixth form) isYear 12and the Upper Sixth (the second year of sixth form) isYear 13. Public (fee-charging) schools, along with some state schools, tend to use the old system of numbering.

In some parts of the country, specialistsixth form collegeswere introduced. A large proportion of English secondary schools no longer have an integral sixth form. This is mainly related to reforms in the later 20th century, where different political areas became a factor in the introduction of colleges instead of the original sixth forms. There are now numerous sixth form colleges throughout England and Wales, and in areas without these, sixth form schools and specialistfurther education(FE) colleges calledtertiary collegesmay fill the same role.

Sixth form itself isn't compulsory in England and Wales (although from 2013 onwards, people of sixth form age must remain in some form of education or training in England only; the school leaving age remains 16 in Wales); however, university entrance normally requires at least three A level qualifications and perhaps one AS level. Before the most recent reforms, students would usually select between three and five subjects from theGCSEsthey have just taken, for one "AS" year, the AS exams being taken at the end of Lower Sixth. Three subjects would then be carried into the A2 year (the dropped AS being "cashed in" as a qualification), then further exams would be taken at the end of that year. The marks attained in both sets of exams were converted intoUCASpoints, which must meet the offer made by the student's chosen university. Since the move to a "linear" system, students more commonly choose three or four subjects and either continue to study them for the full two years before a single set of final "A level" exams, or choose to drop one or two subjects by sitting "AS level" exams at the end of the first year.

In Northern Ireland, the equivalent of Reception is "P1", and the equivalent of the English Year 1 "P2", while the first year of secondary school is known asYear 8orfirst year(rather thanYear 7as in England), and following that Lower and Upper Sixth are Year 13 and Year 14 respectively.

In the Scottish education system, the final year of school is known asSixth YearorS6. During this year, students typically studyAdvanced Higherand/orHighercourses in a wide range of subjects, takingSQAexams at the end of both S5 and S6. Pupils inScotlandmay leave once they have reached the age of 16; those who reach 16 before 30 September may leave after national examinations in May, whilst those who are 16 by the end of February may leave the previous Christmas.

It is not essential for candidates to do a sixth year if they wish to attend a Scottish university, as they have obtained adequate Higher grades in S5 and may apply and receive acceptance, though this is conditional on being successful in the examinations. However, the vast majority of Scottish students return for S6 if they plan to attend university. Some English universities will also accept Scottish students who have obtained adequate Higher grades in S5. It was announced in December 2008 that, as from 2010,UCASwill increase the number of points awarded to those who achieve Highers and Advanced Highers.^[1]

In some cases, particularly in independent schools, the termsixth formis also used for the last two years of secondary education.

Preceded by Fifth year

Sixth year 16.5–18

Succeeded by Higher education

In the Jamaican education system,sixth formdescribes the two school years which are called theLower Sixth(6B) andUpper Sixth(6A), or grades 12 (lower) and 13 (upper), by many schools. Students are usually aged 17 or 18 by October 31.

Sixth form is a must, two years long, advanced post-secondary program, at the end of which students write the CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exams). These are the equivalent of the GCEA Levelexaminations which were the standard up until 2003. Some students still choose to sit A-levels if they wish, but in doing so they must still meet CAPE's basic subject requirements/groupings. CAPE and A-level exams are significantly harder than exams sat at the end of high school, and are often thought to be harder than most exams students will ever sit in university. Students usually select between three and five subjects from theGCSEs/CAPE they have just taken.

In theRepublic of Ireland, the last year of secondary schooling is called theSixth Year. There is no Sixth Formper sebut a similar concept exists called theSenior Cyclewhere school pupils aged 16–19 prepare in their final two years for theLeaving Certificateexamination.

In somesecondary schoolsinBarbadosandTrinidad and Tobago, the sixth and seventh years, are called Lower and Upper Sixth respectively.

InIndiaandNepal, the Higher Secondary Education is called "Class 11th" and "Class 12th" which is also known as "+1" and "+2" respectively of the "10+2" educational system. In India, this is also referred to as "Intermediate" in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh and Bihar State Boards," Pre-University Course"(PUC) in Karnataka State Board, and "Junior College" or "Higher Secondary Certificate" in Maharashtra State Board, inCBSEandCISCEBoards it is called “Class 11th" and "Class 12th".

Similarly, the termsixth formis also used to define the final two years of education before entering university inMalta.

InMalaysia, a sixth form is known as "Tingkatan 6", and lasts for three semesters.

InSingaporethe equivalent of a sixth form college would be called ajunior college, where pupils take their Cambridge GCE A-levels after two years. Prior to the 1990s, these two years were known as "Pre-University" (Pre-U) 1 and 2.

InNew Zealand, under theold systemof forms, standards and juniors, sixth form was the equivalent of Year 12 in today's system. Year 13 was known as seventh form.Australiaalso sometimes uses the term for year 12, though the Australian year 12 is equivalent to the NZ Year 13 / seventh form and the UK's upper sixth / Year 13.

InBrunei, sixth form comprises Year 12 and 13, which may also be referred to as Lower and Upper Sixth. At the end of the schooling, students sit forBrunei-Cambridge GCE A Level.^[2]Students may also opt to takeAdvanced Subsidiary Levelor AS Level halfway at the end of Lower Sixth or halfway through Upper Sixth. Sixth form is not compulsory, but a preferable choice for students wishing to continue in academic studies leading to university level.

In some college preparatory schools in the United States, such asThe Hill School,Woodberry Forest School,Ethical Culture Fieldston School,Kent School,Pomfret School, TheChurch Farm School, TheHaverford School,Portsmouth Abbey Schooland more,sixth formrefers to the final year of education prior to college. It is the equivalent oftwelfth gradein the US education system.

• Sixth form college
• Education in the United Kingdom
• Eleventh gradeandTwelfth grade—Equivalent American grades for this age range
• Ontario Academic Credit

• The dictionary definition ofsixth format Wiktionary