Open Evenings and Entry Requirements

Open Evenings

Every October, we invite prospective students and families to our Sixth Form open evening, tailored for those contemplating a John Lyon Sixth education in our Sixth Form. This event serves as an excellent opportunity to meet our Sixth Form staff and gain valuable insights into the School’s comprehensive Sixth Form programme. 

 Additionally, in January, we organise an A-Level subject information evening and Sixth Form experience day.  

 To stay informed about upcoming events available for registration, please refer to our Admissions page for the latest updates. 

 For more information contact our Admissions team 

Each year the vast majority of our (I)GCSE students move into the Sixth Form, where they are joined by new students from outside the School – from both independent and state education – to make the most of the crucial last two years of secondary education. From September 2025 we look forward to welcoming girls into our Sixth Form. We encourage families with daughters and sons to visit us and apply for September 2025 entry. 

Entry requirements

 Academic success at A-Level relies on a sound foundation; (I)GCSE grades will reflect a student’s ability to think at a high level. To be admitted to the Sixth Form, it is necessary for a student to achieve a minimum of six (I)GCSEs at grade 6/B, and in most cases a grade 7/A or higher in the subjects chosen to study at A-Level. A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics have higher requirements.  

 Subjects that are new at A-Level will have requirements from (I)GCSEs that assess appropriate skills. For example, Economics requires a grade 7 or higher in both English Language and Mathematics. As an all-through school we expect pupils to progress from Year 11 into the Sixth Form. Internal examination results throughout Years 10 and 11 are used to consider pupils’ potential for the Sixth Form. Pupils receive an invitation to accept a place providing the entry requirements are met. The highest performing pupils are also invited to sit Sixth Form Scholarship examinations in the spring term of Year 11. 

 We recognise that some pupils develop later than others and treat all pupils as individuals. In cases where there is less certainty of a pupil’s A-Level potential, conditional invitations may be issued. These may require a student to achieve specified targets throughout the Lower Sixth year or that they only choose subjects from a restricted pool.