Northstowe Sixth Form

We will be a medium sized provision when we are full. Our specialist Sixth Form Centre is built for 400 students, 200 in each year group. In our first year, we started the sixth form with 50 students in Year 12. This year, we have enrolled another 65 students. Whilst we hope that many of our current students will stay with us, our Sixth Form is open to any student who fulfils the entrance requirements for the courses they wish to study, and we look forward to welcoming students from beyond our main school catchment area. Whilst we are part of an all through campus, the Sixth Form experience will differ from the main school experience. With purpose-built facilities, separate eating, and study spaces and with most of your lessons taught in the Sixth Form block, you will feel like a young adult. However, being on an all through campus also gives lots of opportunities for leadership experiences, developing skills that will be useful when you are applying for university, apprenticeships or work. 

We are committed to helping students be the best they can be, and we know that we all need care, support and guidance. Students will be allocated a personal tutor who will be with them during their two years with us. They will be students’ first point of contact, they will deliver the pastoral curriculum, but also meet regularly to help students through their Sixth Form studies.

There is also a dedicated pastoral support person in the Sixth Form Centre. They are available for help with Sixth Form Bursaries, health, attendance or other issues.

Students will also have access to Learning Support for any learning needs they may have. They will be able to guide and support as well as ensure that students have the correct access arrangements and support in class.

We have a dedicated careers advisor, who is available to support students, alongside their tutor with their next steps in life.

Student well-being is our priority, our young people are at the centre of all that we do. We have achieved the Silver Carnegie Mental Health Award and are implementing the Thrive programme for all our young people. We work with Centre 33 as well as using several online providers. We also offer mindfulness programmes, Animal Therapy and KICK mentoring for students.

Our values of Kindness, Curiosity and Hardworking and Responsibility permeate all that we do here, the way we treat each other, how we approach our learning and extra-curricular experiences. We are a family. That means that we are all individuals and appreciate that difference is good but being part of a family means supporting each other when times are hard, championing each other’s achievements and encouraging each other to be the best version of ourselves. If you join our Sixth Form, you too will join our family and feel like you belong.

Please be aware that at present, there is no student parking on campus. In time there will be extensive parking in the town centre, which will be opposite the school.

We encourage students to walk, cycle or use the guided bus where possible.

Walk: There are pathways and greenways throughout the Northstowe Development. These are developing all the time, as the water parks begin to open more and more road free routes become available.

Cycle: There are cycle ways throughout the development, although these are not all open at present, there are however a number of greenways, which make beautiful cycle routes. The cycle way directly leading to campus is fully open. There are Sixth Form only cycle racks that are accessible all day.

Bus: The town of Northstowe is served by the guided bus. At present this is at the Longstanton Park and Ride and at the village square. By 2026, it is hoped that the guided bus will pass through the town on the pre-built guided bus routes. The stop for the Education Campus will be opposite the village square. The guided bus connects us to St Ives and Swavesey as well as to Central Cambridge.

Car: The Sixth Form is accessible via the Longstanton by-pass and Station Road, and is also now directly linked to Hatton’s Road (B1050) and the A14 at the Bar Hill junction.

Student Council

Leadership is part of any Meridian Trust school and Post 16 at NSC will be no different. The Sixth Form council will work closely with the Head of Sixth Form and the Senior Leadership team, to shape and mold their Sixth Form. Students were key to the establishment of the ethos, values and experience in Northstowe Secondary College, we look forward to our Post 16 students doing the same in their time with us.

Trips and Visits

We currently have a number of trips and visits as part of our commitment to ‘Extending the Boundaries of Learning’ and we are looking forward to extending these further for our Post 16 students. Our current trips and visits include an annual ski trip, and an international trip to South Africa which took place in July 2024. The potential is huge, we have staff who are very experienced in leading trips to Europe, America and Asia.

Student Leadership

Our Post 16 students will be able to get involved with a number of leadership opportunities such as:

• Head Boy
• Head Girl
• Sixth Form Council
• Subject Mentors
• Mentoring