The term dates are very important for sixth form students. If you’re going into sixth form, or are already in it, you may wonder when it starts, and what the term dates are. This is especially important, as the term dates are associated with different things like trial examinations, and other applications. In this article we will be talking about the term dates for sixth form.
Where you are depends on where your sixth form will start. As a whole, sixth form begins from the end of August to the start of September. Another factor is if you are in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, whether your school is an academy and what your local council states. Different cities and countries will have different rules.
We will be discussing the dates for different cities, and countries but also other dates such as applications. You should read on to find out more.
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When does sixth form start?
Sixth forms are usually attached to other secondary schools, so follow similar times to the secondary school. If you are in England, you can expect school to start between the last week of August, and the first week of September. Otherwise, the start date will depend on your local council. This is because, the local council will decide the term dates for the schools under its jurisdiction, and also allocate a number of days for teacher training. As a result, you should search on your local council’s website to find the days.
For students in England or Wales, you can click on this link to the Governments page. You will have to enter your postcode to find your council.
If you live in Scotland you can click on this link, and if you live in Northern Ireland you can click on this link.
When do sixth form academies start?
The local council does not run academies, so sometimes they make their own term dates. As a result, you should refer to your school’s website, or teachers to find the term dates. However, most academies stick to term dates that are similar to the local council.
What are the sixth form term dates?
If you are in England, the term dates differ by each city by around a week. Some cities may start 1 week before or after you. The first term is the Autumn term. This starts around the end of August, and the start of September and ends a few days, or weeks before Christmas. The half term is around the middle of this, so around the middle or end of October.
The next term is the Spring Term. It starts around 2 weeks after the end of the Christmas holidays, so usually around the start of January. It will end around the middle or end of March. The half term is in February, usually the middle or the end.
The next term is summer term. This starts around 2 weeks after the end of Spring term. It will end sometime around the end of July, for the start of the summer holiday. The half term would be sometime in May.
Once again, this may differ depending on your school and council. As a result, you should search on your local council’s website to find the days. If your school is in England or Wales, you can click on this link to the Governments page. You will have to enter your postcode to find your council. If you live in Scotland you can click on this link, and if you live in Northern Ireland you can click on this link. When do sixth form applications open?
The dates of applications opening depend on your sixth form. You should first check with your sixth form. Most colleges or sixth forms start applications around the middle or end of the Autumn term, but when you apply does not really matter. As long as it is before the deadline. To find out more about this, you can click on this link to a Think Student article.
When do sixth form applications close?
The deadline will also depend on your school. It is safe to say that most applications will close before September, but some may even close in the springtime. This is due to some conditional offers being given, so having your GCSE results will be needed for the sixth form. If you miss the deadline, there are a few options. Sometimes the school gives some leeway. To find out more about this, and your options, you can click on this link to a Think Student article.