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Sixth Form Life

How to make the most of sixth form

Want to have a successful sixth form? Here’s how you can make the most of it and seize ALL the opportunities that await you. 

Eleanor Foulds
by Eleanor Foulds
Last Updated:
04 Sep 2023

Sixth form is hugely important in terms of your studies, your university research and planning for your future. Whether you’ve just started sixth form or you’re kicking off your second year, it's vital to make the most of your time. But how on earth do you do that? We’ve got great advice on how to have a successful sixth form experience right here! 

Use your teacher's expertise 


Your teachers are fountains of knowledge, and not just because they run your lessons. If you’ve got an idea of what you want to study at uni, speak to your teacher in or around that subject. They can suggest things for you to research independently that might be useful for finding your perfect uni. Doing this also really helps your personal statement stand out.

Talk to your careers advisor 


If your school has a careers advisor, it's a great idea to make an appointment with them. Even if you're not sure what you want to do yet, a careers advisor can help introduce you to the different kinds of jobs available and they may also offer things like mock interviews and help with writing and editing your CV.  

If your school doesn't have a careers advisor, there’s still plenty of careers advice for sixth form students out there. Check out our career guides and career matcher to get your career search off to a flying start. 

Use your weekends to work a part-time job 


While you may feel as though you've got enough on your plate with A-levels, sixth form is a great time to get your first taste of the working world. Popular jobs for sixth form students include retail assistant, barista or wait staff.  

These jobs teach you a lot of transferrable skills that you might not learn at school, for example responsible handling of money and transactions, customer service skills, proactiveness and verbal communication. 

Plus, you'll probably get a discount in the store you work at as well, or at minimum free coffee during your shift if you're a barista. 

Learn to drive 


Learning to drive while you're in sixth form can be really handy. Once you're at uni you might not want to commit to weekly driving lessons, but during sixth form you could use your free periods to take driving lessons. It also means you'd have the option of taking a car to uni, which can be massively helpful for big grocery shops and moving house (and yes, for fun trips away too). 

Join extra-curricular clubs 


Joining a club is a top way to make more friends, whether it's run by your school or by a local organisation. It looks great on your personal statement if you join a club to learn new skills that you wouldn't have picked up in classes.  

You could try learning a language, joining a sports club or developing your creative side through art classes. These might also give you an idea of what societies or clubs you might want to join at uni – many Students’ Unions will have loads of choice when it comes to student societies. 

Go to uni open days 


One of the best ways to get prepared for the next stage of your education is to go to a uni open day. Even if you're only in Year 12, it's never too early to start going to open days. The more you go to, the more you get a feel for the sort of thing you want from your uni experience.  

Do you want to be on a small campus, or would you rather your uni be spread out across a larger city? These kind of questions are best answered through visits to see how you feel when you're walking around. 

Want to see what unis have upcoming open days? We’ve got a useful Open Days hub for you to check out

Looking for more sixth form tips? See what our student bloggy Millie has to say about Year 12 life.

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