The Sixth Form at Merchant Taylors'
Introduction:
It is the aim of Merchant Taylors' School that every boy who passes through the Sixth Form has the opportunity to discover and develop his talents, in whichever direction they might take him, to their fullest potential. As they move through the Sixth Form, pupils are seen and treated as the leaders of the school community they should aspire to be, in terms of privileges and freedoms they enjoy, and the added responsibilities with which they come.
Those starting out on this journey at the beginning of the Lower Sixth, will find both tangible and more subtle differences to their school experience thus far: studying fewer subjects to a much greater depth, having – for the first time – study periods in one’s timetable and being able to wear a suit rather than school uniform, are examples of the former; developing greater independence of thought and recognising the increasing expectations others will begin to have of Sixth Form pupils, are indicative of the latter.
Academically, the Sixth Form offers the opportunity to really stretch oneself: subject teachers will certainly have high expectations of their pupils, given the excellent GCSE results with which they will have ended their time in Middle School, and this will be reflected in the quality of the work they will demand from their charges. Pupils should not shrink from this: after all, they will have made a firm decision to study the subjects they most enjoy, and should therefore embrace the challenges they will face with enthusiasm and a genuine spirit of enquiry.
Beyond the classroom, the Sixth Form is an exciting phase in a boy’s life: a whole range of extra-curricular opportunities open up, from a wider range of sporting options to Young Enterprise, the Sixth Form Committee, Charity Drive and PHAB. Those who throw themselves into these aspects of school life are usually those who also find themselves towards the top end of the academic scale – the busiest people are indeed very often the most successful.
Sixth Form pupils also play an important part in assisting with the smooth running of the school: all members of the Lower and Upper Sixth have a responsibility to set good examples to younger boys, whilst election to the Sixth Form Committee and eventually the JCR provide more formal ways of providing leadership to the school community.
Merchant Taylors' offers a huge amount both within and beyond the classroom to those in the Sixth Form. The more a pupil involves himself in the life of the school, the more satisfaction he will get from being part of this community.
M. Bond
Head of Upper School
Sixth Form Handbook 2009-2010
The Handbook has sections on:
Management of the Sixth Form
Pastoral information
Academic information
Rules and Regulations
Appendices (including the Sixth Form Dress Code; permission forms for driving and private study)
Download the Sixth Form handbook here 
