Maximising application success for the 16+

Applying for sixth form entry this year? Take a look at these top tips from schools’ consultant Peter and our team for maximising 16+ application success.

1. Be clear on the subjects you’d like to study

Schools will require you to choose your A Level or IB subjects upon application. Make sure you are clear on what you’d like to study and why. Schools love to see students who are passionate about their chosen subjects!

2. Learn as much as possible about the schools you’re applying to

You’re going to spend two years at this school, so you want to make sure it’s the right one for you!

Make sure you do as much as you can to learn about the schools you’re applying to. Read about their ethos, departments and extra-curriculars on their website, see what news articles about them you can find on Google, and try and arrange visits to get the feel of each school, preferably during a normal school day. If you know anyone who has been to that school, speak to them and ask about life at the school and what they loved about it!

Schools want to know that you’re passionate about studying at their sixth form; talking about specific texts you’d read in English or sports clubs, orchestras or drama societies you would want to join shows them how well you’d fit in.

3. Treat each school as a ‘first choice’

Even if you have a favourite or two, make sure you research each school carefully and treat your application as though it were your first choice. Admission at 16+ can be competitive, so it’s important that each school can see how keen you are about what they have to offer.

4. Don’t miss registration deadlines!

Almost without exception, schools close registration early during the Autumn term, typically towards the end of September or early October. A few, though, close even earlier so don’t forget to check the registration deadlines for each school to which you’re applying. They can vary a lot!

Make sure you don’t miss the UKiset deadline either if you need to take this exam; they suggest registering to take the test at least 3 weeks in advance of school application deadlines.

5. Prepare for the UKiset

If you are applying from outside the UK and your first language is not English, you may need to sit the UKiset for all schools. Some schools, e.g. Wycombe Abbey and Oundle, require UKiset for both international and UK applications regardless of whether English is a student’s first language.

You may be interested in Atom Learning, which is an adaptive online learning platform, to support preparation for this. With an Atom Nucleus subscription (you can start with a five free-day trial) there is access to tens of thousands of individually designed practice questions and automatically marked mock tests.

Specifically:

• Tailored Learning Journeys in Reasoning and English
• Unlimited UKiset Mock Tests
• UKiset focused Live Lessons
• On-demand expert support

6. Draft a personal statement

Many schools require a personal statement for 16+ entry. Depending on the individual school, this should be between 600-1000 words. Think about what makes you stand out from the crowd; why do you want to study your chosen subjects at A Level or IB? How have you gone above and beyond to demonstrate your interests? How will your extra-curricular passions contribute to life at the school?

If you’d like advice or support with planning out your statement, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Enjoy Education to find out how we can help.

7. Get ready for entrance exams

Make sure you find out as early as possible which exams you will be taking at 16+. Each school differs in the way they assess at 16+; some will require you to take subject specific papers in your chosen A Levels or IB subjects or on certain core subjects such as Maths and English, some will ask you to take a ‘general’ paper and some will ask you to take a mix of papers, including a Reasoning component.

Reasoning at 16+ is very different to what you might have prepared for at 11+ or 13+. It is usually focused more on critical thinking and analysis skills. It’s worth being aware of the type of papers you’ll be asked to sit as early as possible, so you can prepare and feel confident approaching your exams.

8. Prepare for interview

Preparation is key to get your thoughts in order and iron out any nerves ahead of an interview!

Think about what you’re excited to study and what you can bring to this specific school, as well as some examples of how you can demonstrate this in your interview.

Peter is available to coach students to prepare positively and proactively for their 16+ interviews. Get in touch to arrange a mock interview.

9. Liaise closely with admissions registrars

We suggest early contact to get your name in the frame! The admissions registrars will be the people who are able to guide you through the process, which will differ for each school, so it’s beneficial to have a positive and close relationship with them throughout the application process.

10. Set out to ENJOY the challenges ahead, without ever taking your eye off the main target

This is an opportunity to get excited about everything sixth form has to offer! While you shouldn’t forget why you are preparing for the 16+, get enthused about the process and enjoy the challenges ahead!

Applying for sixth form? We’re here to support you through the process. Peter supports students applying for the 16+ with choosing where to apply, approaching UKiset and building strong applications, including personal statements, entrance exams and preparing for interview. Get in touch to book a consultation.