Is private sixth form a good idea? You may be asking yourself this if you have been in public school all your life but are thinking of going to a private school so that you can bolster your chances of getting into a good university. Your thinking is spot on – you definitely stand a much better chance of getting into a top university if you go to a good private sixth form school but there are several things you should know before you make the leap.
The first is that these schools cost quite a bit of money so you should include your parents in the decision to transfer right from the beginning. They will need to pay tens of thousands of pounds a year, so they should be financially prepared for the expense. If they are not able to afford private school you shouldn’t give up yet. Most of these schools have scholarships that they give to deserving students and as long as you can show that you have done well in your studies so far and are disciplined you may stand a chance.
The other thing you should know about private sixth form is that enrolment is not automatic. These schools keep student numbers small by making each applicant sit an exam. The exams test areas like math, science, general knowledge, logic and reasoning so polish up and make sure you know what to expect. There are people you can hire to coach you for these exams and they are worth it when you consider that they greatly boost your chance of success.
Lastly, in private schools the culture will be quite different from public school so be prepared to toe the line.
One of the best private schools is the Cambridge Centre for Sixth Form Studies. You can find out how to get enrolled on https://www.ccss.co.uk/.