Sixth Form

 A levels at a top British boarding school sixth form

With university entrance becoming increasingly competitive it’s clear that sixth form is more than ever becoming the educational make or break time. With a degree now far more of a common currency and the cost of a university education increasing it is even more important for students to ensure they aim to secure entry to good courses at respected institutions. RIC though is a nurturing sixth form where you’ll get the results you need but be looked after as a person as well.

A stepping-stone between school and university, very small classes lead to a far more active involvement by students in their education and almost inevitably to excellent results. Our students achieve outstanding academic success within a non-pressurised environment. We have an unrivalled record of placing students at their first choice university. Classes are small, contact time is high, individual help is plentiful. Students often join RIC’s sixth form after attending international schools in the Middle East for their GCSEs or IGCSEs to prepare ex pats for university in the UK.

Offers held by students at RIC in 2019 include Oxford for Chemistry, Cambridge for History, Economics at KCL, Physics at UCL, Biological Sciences at Durham, Medicine at UEA, Medicine at Queen Mary, Law at Bristol, Economics at Edinburgh, Palaeontology at Bristol, Computer Science at Warwick, Business Economics at Loughborough, Aerospace Engineering at Bath, International Relations at LSE and PPE at LSE. The most popular university destination over the last few years for RIC students has been Exeter.

RIC offers a real alternative to traditional independent boarding schools and our halls will quickly become your home from home. Up to 90 of the 300 students at the College board each year.

You’ll board on campus, in a single room, some of which have ensuite facilities. Boarding at RIC combines the informality of a university hall of residence with the supervision and pastoral support appropriate for older teenagers. The emphasis is on providing a comfortable, happy and fun environment.

A sixth form with flexible entry requirements

Entry to selective school sixth forms depends upon GCSE grades. At RIC though we find GCSE results are not the best predictor of sixth form success and offer a more flexible approach. We do not have minimum GCSE grade requirements for starting A levels in particular subjects. It is not unusual for students joining us from other schools to start a two-year A level programme while resitting key GCSEs. Others choose to restart their sixth form studies after completing their first year elsewhere, or to transfer directly into our Year 13. One bad year doesn’t have to mean the end of higher education dreams. For information about our admission procedures click here.

A sixth form where you will have a dedicated personal tutor, providing one to one support and guidance

You’ll be taught by specialist teachers who are experts in their fields. Every RIC student gets the support of a dedicated personal tutor ensuring students are keeping constant track of their own progress. Our expertise in advising students and guiding them through their university applications is unmatched.

Teachers, Personal Tutors and careers advisors work together at RIC with all students to help them to approach the future. As students develop their ideas, the personal tutor system also helps in other ways, notably with ensuring that each student is studying the correct subjects for their chosen career path and that they are achieving at a sufficiently high level. The Personal Tutors work closely with the UCAS Advisors to ensure that students are properly supported and guided through the university application process.

The College has a great deal of expertise in preparing students for Oxbridge applications as well as for medical school and other highly competitive courses such as Dentistry, Vet Science, English and Law.

Students are guided through every aspect of their UCAS application. Students often seem to find filling out an application form for University even more daunting than their actual A levels. Extensive individual advice not only helps students to remember all the salient points they should be using to make the best application possible, it also can help them to be absolutely sure they are applying for a course they really want to do, rather than one they to which they have simply drifted into.

RIC tutors are also able to advise on preparing applications to North American universities and those in Europe as well as music, drama and art schools and GAP year programmes. We offer interview training and guidance for students who need to take additional entrance tests.

Boarding that is safe and well supervised, close to but outside of London

Moving to a new school can be tough but at RIC there’s a dedicated team of boarding staff to make you feel at home. There are also academic tutors living in each of the halls to provide expert homework help in the evenings. Boarders are supported by the College nurse and a team of academic Personal Tutors.

All of RIC’s accommodation is on campus and students do not have to travel between teaching buildings and accommodation.

London is 37 minutes away by train.

A lively, diverse boarding school community with a full range of weekend and evening activities

Over half of our cosmopolitan mix of boarders each year are English, including many from Kent, but we also welcome international students looking to study in the UK in order to gain entry to top UK universities and art schools.

British students whose parents are in the armed forces or based overseas as expatriate workers often join after taking their GCSEs at international schools. Some have previously been home-schooled.

As half of the residential community is new each year it’s easy to make new and interesting friends.

Overseas students are fully integrated into the life of the school rather than in a separate international study centre. We do not have large groups of native speakers from any one country so speaking- and improving-your English is inescapable.

Weekend activities have included trips to Bath, a graffiti tour around Shoreditch, East London, a hiking trip to the Brecon Beacons, a day at Brands Hatch Racing Track, Harry Potter World, Edinburgh, Brighton, Stratford Upon Avon and Cambridge. Theatre, art gallery and museum trips are always popular.