A SCHOOL which has been ranked top in Leeds is opening its sixth form doors further afield.
The Sixth Form at Horsforth School in North Leeds has traditionally pooled its students from surrounding areas. Now, following the opening of its new purpose-built Post-16 campus, which has created more capacity, it is inviting students from across the city.
Prospective students and their parents across the city are being invited, to attend a sixth from opening evening on January 19 where they’ll hear from the staff, students and a careers advisor. They will also get a tour around the new campus, which includes large common room, with learning pods, a charging station, a café, IT classrooms, laboratories, a lecture style auditorium and a state-of-the-art LED screen.
The school was named top in Leeds and top 10 in Yorkshire in The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide last month. It also boasts the top A Level results in the city with 43 per cent achieving A* and A grades last August, compared to an average of 31.6 per cent across West Yorkshire.
Director of Sixth Form and Assistant Headteacher, Oliver Watkins, said: “We are really proud of what we have created and would like to extend our excellent offering to students further afield.
“Bus routes can be arranged from areas where there is sufficient interest and our new state-of-the-art purpose-built campus means we have the space to welcome more students.”
Alongside the high academic standards, the school offers an extensive enrichment programme with more than 90 activities for students to choose from including debating, photography, sign language and even international exchanges. This diversity of experience enables students to gain real-life skills, useful for employment and higher education while also supporting their mental health.
The 2022 A Level exams were the first public exams for that cohort in seven years after they faced disruption during their GCSEs studies due to covid. The pandemic also exposed an increasing gulf between the north and south of the country, with those from disadvantaged areas being worst hit by the challenges it posed.
Oliver Watkins believes a high-quality education should be open to all regardless of background and is confident the Sixth Form at Horsforth equips its students with all they need to thrive and succeed.
He added: “Our students have access to excellent Post-18 options, be that Higher Education, which 83 per cent of students went on to last year, or employment or apprenticeships.
“At a time when students face so many challenges, we offer an inclusive education and want to extend this to 16-year-olds living in all parts of Leeds.
“We consistently defy regional statistics and believe students in the north should have every opportunity to excel and compete with their counterparts across the country.”
The Sixth Form at Horsforth open evening is on Thursday, January 19th at 5.30pm. Register or apply for your place at https://www.horsforthschool.org.
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