Whilst enjoying the long Year 11 summer a part of me was extremely worried about the jump from Year 11 to Sixth Form, the panic really setting in on my first weeks, but NGHS made the transition feel effortless.

I chose to return to NGHS for Sixth Form because the idea of leaving did not sit right with me. When I left primary school I was so ready to move on, however coming up to the end of GCSEs I was comfortable in myself and my studies at NGHS that it wouldn’t have felt right to leave. NGHS had been my home for 5 years and knowing from watching older students all those years I knew where I stood with my future at NGHS and believed that it was the only place for me for further study.

Currently I am studying Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Drama & Theatre Studies. I am hoping to go on to study biochemistry at university, although my heart wants to attend a conservatoire. As such, the amazing Sixth Form Leadership Team is helping me to apply for both until I have made a final decision.

My advice for anyone moving up to Year 12 is plan, plan, plan. The transition can be daunting, but with the help of your teachers and a meticulously organised schedule it’s smooth sailing. It can seem like a huge jump at first, but if you have faith and stick at it NGHS6 is a perfect place to put you on the right track to an amazing future.

Joining NGHS in September was a daunting decision, however from the very start I felt extremely welcome and was continually impressed by the passion in the teachers and students. The atmosphere of the school is truly that of a family; it is accepting and supportive with full student participation in the broad range of school clubs and house competitions, and all this feeds into a school that creates well rounded and confident individuals.

The teaching staff at NGHS are knowledgeable in their subjects and keen to share their passion with students. The utilisation of Microsoft Teams allows constant assess to learning materials that helps support the learning process, one which becomes much harder in the jump from GCSE to A level content. This requires a high level of commitment from students which will enable them to embark upon their chosen career path.

So far I have really enjoyed my time at NGHS, having taken part in a number of house competitions I feel I have taken on the inclusive school spirit. I have also really enjoyed making friends with internal and external students and feel that the move to NGHS was well made.

Hello! My name is Georgia, and I am currently in Year 12 at NGHS6. I study Politics, English Literature and History. I made my decision about the subjects I wanted to take when I was in Year 10, given my huge love for History and English (as well as the teachers that taught them!) and my interest in the world of politics, and I intend to study Politics and International Relations at university. Everyone always says that moving from GCSEs to A-Levels is this astronomical jump, but I didn’t really experience that. I have found that the teachers were incredibly supportive when we first started, and they helped to ease us into the transition. While the move is difficult, I think that the staff here are amazing, and so approachable which is unbelievably helpful. I’ve found that through my time at NGHS6 that it is crucial to stay on top of work because it can get overwhelming and that’s why I’ve found study periods to be so important and valuable.

I chose to stay at NGHS6 because I knew that I needed to do what was best for my education so, despite some of my friends going elsewhere, I decided to stay as I knew that the quality of teaching at this school is second to none, to the extent that I didn’t even apply anywhere else. The pastoral care is great, and I really feel supported, which was aided by being familiar with the easy layout of the school and already having relationships with most of my teachers. I was also aware of the number of opportunities afforded to me through NGHS as I’m currently the Managing Director of a Young Enterprise team and a Rights Respecting Ambassador.

I’ve loved my time at NGHS6 so far and I’m so excited to go into Year 13.

Hi! My name is Hetavi and I am a Y12 student currently studying biology, chemistry and physics for my A-levels. I chose them as I’m highly passionate about all three subjects. Life at NGHS sixth form is wonderful and I am so glad I stayed after completing my GCSEs here.

I would say that there is a large jump for GCSEs to A- levels and I did feel quite disorientated on my first week despite already being a student at this school but that’s normal. The school is full of amazing and supportive staff and students, so you’ll feel like you belong there almost immediately. There is a real family feel at NGHS. I went from only knowing half of the year group at the start of Y12 to knowing many of the new students two months in. To help with that, the school took us on a weekend trip to Liverpool which I have to say was one of the best trips ever. The school is very integrated, and I talk to many students from the other year groups (both years above and below) on a regular basis.

There are many reasons why I stayed at NGHS from the passionate teachers to the large variety of opportunities that are offered. I am an aspiring doctor, and the school supports me in so many ways to get onto this very competitive course. From hospital volunteering placements to having our own medical society, the staff will support you the whole way. Within curriculum enrichment week, we go to UCAS fairs to meet different universities and companies that allow you to get a degree apprenticeship. The sixth form team help you apply to these places and provide you with a lot of information.

There are many online societies, work experiences and free courses that the Head of Sixth Form will continuously email you about that you can apply to. The school also offers an opportunity of being part of a Young Enterprise team (I 100% recommend it!). In addition, there are many clubs to attend such as sporting fixtures to learning Japanese.

Overall, life at NGHS sixth form is wonderful. I won’t say that sixth form life is easy with all the work you will have with A- levels but if you stay organised, you’ll be fine. There will be a big change coming and with all the changes it will be confusing and challenging but I’m sure you’ll manage. I enjoy learning more about the subjects I love and look forward to creating more memories here for the time I have left.

I am an external student who joined from The Burton Borough School in Newport. The adjustment to Year 12 here was big, especially joining from a new school, but I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else now! The sixth form is a very close community, so the daunting first few days are an easier adjustment as both external and internal students are keen to help and make friends very quickly. The workload is an increase so I would advise being on top of it from day one, whether that is making flash cards after each lesson or planning revision for afterschool, everything helps in the long run. This is supported by the school’s pastoral team and teachers, who are committed to aiding your sixth form experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey here so far and can’t wait for the next year.