There is so much for you to get involved with beyond your studies. Every day is busy with clubs, activities, talks, leadership opportunities and much more besides.
Art, drama, music and sport are huge in Sixth Form. We run a major school show every year – it alternates between a musical and a Gym and Dance Spectacular. The other annual highlight is the epic whole-school House Music and Drama: HMAD, where Sixth Formers lead a party of performance and celebration for the whole school. But in and among the big events there is always the chance to take part in a show, do a rehearsed reading, set up an ensemble, perform in a concert, get out onto the courts.
The same is true for clubs. Some are massive: Gold DofE, for example, or our enterprise schemes. We run Tycoon and our own Social Enterprise Programme in partnership with Reading School and Henley School of Business. Others might be tiny: a few students with a shared interest, some cake, plenty of laughter. If you have a passion and there is no club yet, in Sixth Form you can just start it yourself or with friends – there is always a teacher who will advise, guide and help you out.
Meanwhile there are lots of trips, from optional sign-up expeditions halfway around the world, to day events and the Year 12 residential. Highlights include the Physics trip to CERN, the Languages trips abroad, the Economics trip to Amsterdam, music tours, ski trips and many more.
The Abbey Award
Lower VI (Year 12) students have the opportunity to work towards The Abbey Award, which offers students the chance to undertake activities in three categories:
- Challenge
- Leadership
- Volunteering
Students will decide on their activities to fulfil each part of the award with their tutor’s help and log their progress term by term. Perhaps volunteering at the Prep School appeals, or leading an assembly for the Lower School? Maybe there’s a charity 5k you’d like to sign up to? Whatever it is you’d like to achieve, we will help you to achieve your goals, and build your wider activities ahead of applying to university.
Games
Games in the Sixth Form is a wide and varied programme. Teaming up with Year 11 means there are many opportunities on offer. Perhaps you’d like to do some quiet Yoga? Or tear up the pitch on the Hockey field? The vast array of options means there is something for everyone, and you might find yourself doing some of the following:
- Badminton
- Fitness
- Football
- Gymfinity
- Hockey
- Netball
- Programmable Gym
- Rock Climbing
- Rowing
- Running
- Spinning
- Table Tennis
- Yoga
We have a flexible programme, which means that if there is demand for a new option, we’ll try our best to make it happen, and we make use of the wonderful facilities in Reading like Palmer Park, Reading University and Reading Rowing Club alongside our own courts and astros.
Partnerships
Working in partnership with other schools is a key priority for us because in Sixth Form students broaden their horizons and begin to look outward. We have wonderful partnerships with a range of local schools, including Reading School, Kendrick School, The Holt and many more besides.
Activities range from joint social events to extracurricular activities like Poetry Society to future-facing campaigns and careers events like our flagship Advocating Girls programme with five other girls’ schools.
There is something for everyone.
Student leadership
A key benefit of The Abbey Sixth Form is the leadership opportunities that it presents. Our Sixth Formers really are the leaders of the school. In Year 12 they run the lunch queues every day, take visiting families on tours, act as peer mentors to younger students, and give up their time to help run events such as our entrance assessment, scholarship days and curiosity clubs.
We are always wowed by the kind and generous way in which they lead, interacting with our youngest students and visitors to make everyone feel comfortable and happy.
There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing an 11-year-old being guided by a 16-year-old, smiling and having fun.
Prefects
In the Spring Term of Year 12, the time comes to apply for Prefect positions. Whilst we have the traditional Head Girls and House Captains, we also have great scope for a wide range of Prefect roles, reflecting the interests of the year group. There are Charity, Marketing and Social Prefects as well as DofE and Debating Prefects.
In fact the Prefect system within The Abbey provides the chance for Sixth Formers to create and apply for roles that don’t yet exist, but which they feel passionate about – allowing the team to change and evolve alongside the Sixth Form.
Student Voice and School Council
The chance to develop those leadership skills, which are so important in the world of work, is built into the Prefect programme. Our students are pioneers in their specialist areas, helping the school to move forward. This means that student voice is at the heart of everything we do. We ensure that our Prefects take the lead on School Council, Eco Committee and EDI. They drive change, developing the school, creating an inclusive and supportive community by working together and galvanising their peers into action alongside them.
