LEADING THE WAY

Altrincham Grammar School for Boys is established as one of the country’s leading state selective schools for boys ages 11 to 18. Since the 1990’s the Sixth Form has seen considerable development, both in size and facilities, to the extent that Sixth Form students now constitute a quarter of the total School roll. AGSB offers a broad and balanced curriculum that will assist in equipping Sixth Form students with the skills required for employment or Higher Education. We welcome students who are willing to work hard and contribute to the life of the school. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys offers:

• A wide range of A Level courses which will provide a suitable foundation for degree level study
• A range of curricular options to support their acquisition of the wider skills that will be essential for success in their lives and future careers
• A strong record of A Level success, both in terms of pass rate and the percentage of entries achieving A*, A or B grades
• High numbers of students going on to leading universities, including Oxbridge and other Russell Group Universities
• A structured and supportive learning environment with appropriate guidance and pastoral support
• A wide range of extra-curricular activities which will provide opportunities for leadership and responsibility

If you need a second opinion, ask our Sixth Form students. The overwhelming majority have enjoyed their Sixth Form course and the quality of teaching and pastoral support they have been given. Every year we ask our departing Year 13 students their views on their Sixth Form experience. The in-depth comments we receive result in real change to the benefit of future students.

Welcome from the Sixth Form Head

I am delighted that you would like to secure a place in our Sixth Form. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys is one of the country’s leading state selective schools and our Sixth Form is the pinnacle of a student’s school career.

“Students in the sixth form are an example and inspiration to younger pupils. They display high aspirations, strength of character and a can-do attitude to learning. They do so with humility.” Ofsted 2022

We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that will equip students with the skills for success in employment and Higher Education. We welcome students who are willing to work hard and contribute to the life of the school.

There are a number of places available for external applicants and I anticipate making around 20 offers to external students to study in September 2026. Whilst places do exist for studying the full range of STEM subjects, we do have a number of places available to study Humanities, Arts and Languages. You will find a high quality of Teaching and Learning, alongside similarly able students, in whatever subject or combination of subjects you choose.

Our Sixth Form is not just about the pursuit of academic excellence. We also want our students to get involved and a variety of opportunities exist for them to contribute to the general life of the school and the wider community. Our Sixth Form students “are positive role models and a shining example to their peers.” Ofsted 2022

If you need a second opinion about any of our subjects or the Sixth Form experience, please talk to any of our students during our Open Evening event. Should you have any questions about our Sixth Form, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Tom Murray
Head of Sixth Form

2026 Admissions Criteria

Entry into Year 12

Experience shows that those who have not reached a high level at GCSE are rarely successful in an academic sixth form offering only ‘A’ levels. That is not to say they may not be capable of passing ‘A’ levels on a mixed course such as those offered by some other institutions, but simply that the traditional sixth form, offering a package of 3 or 4 ‘A’ Levels, is not the best place for them. We therefore make the following stipulation:

For those offered a place in the Sixth Form, the requirement for entry is that students must have achieved a minimum Attainment 8 score of 62 and at least a grade 5 in GCSE English Language and Mathematics. Applicants must also achieve the minimum grade in the related GCSE subjects in order to study at A level.

Please note that, for the purposes of our entry criteria, the Attainment 8 score is defined as a summation of the grades students achieve in their best 8 GCSEs, including Mathematics and English Language. A student's Mathematics GCSE and English Language GCSE grades will be included in this measure and both the Mathematics and English Language grades will be double weighted. For example, a score of 8 in English Language will be awarded 16 points towards the minimum target of 62. The remaining 6 GCSEs are not double weighted and can come from any other GCSE subject studied by the students as part of the AGSB curriculum, or equivalent subjects at a different school.

Each year we are delighted to welcome a number of students from other schools who choose to join our Sixth Form. The criteria applied to their admission are the same as those for internal candidates set out above, although, of course this will depend on places being available. Where places for external candidates are likely to be available, these will initially be allocated in accordance with our admission criteria.

• External candidates are encouraged to apply between mid-October and early February during Year 11. Deadlines and details can be found on our online application page External Application Forms
• All internal Year 11 students will be issued with application forms in January and these should be returned in February.
• A copy of our Admissions Policy is available on the school's website at Admission Policies

subjects available

The number of combinations theoretically possible is far in excess of what is, in practice, possible to timetable. Therefore, it must be understood that while we will do our best to accommodate all first choices, it may not be possible, or indeed desirable, to provide all combinations.

• Art
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Design & Technology
• Economics
• English Language
• English Literature
• Further Mathematics
• French
• Geography
• Geology
• German
• Government and Politics
• History
• Latin
• Mathematics
• Music
• Philosophy
• Physical Education
• Physics
• Religious Studies
• Spanish

(All of these subjects are on offer but the School reserves the right to withdraw any subject where the number of students interested is too low.)

Students will be asked to select at least three A-level subjects to study throughout Year 12 and 13. Some students may choose to study 4 A-levels. This is restricted to students choosing to study Further Mathematics and/or those achieving a high overall attainment score (greater than 80). Students will be asked to commit to studying these 4 A-levels for the full two years. A minimum of a grade 6 is required at GCSE in order to study any subject at A-Level. The exceptions to this rule are Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics which require a minimum of a grade 7 at GCSE and Further Mathematics which requires a minimum of a grade 8 at GCSE. It is highly recommended that students choosing to study Further Maths have attained a grade 9 in GCSE Mathematics.

OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CURRICULUM

CAREERS AND LINKS WITH INDUSTRY

OPTIONAL CURRICULUM

In addition to their A-levels students should choose at least one of the following three options, this will add depth to their experience and improve their personal statement and CV:

1) Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

There is a wide range of MOOCs available. Students can select their own MOOC to complete, in consultation with their mentor. The MOOC could be related to their chosen future career/degree studies or related to a topic of wider interest. Students will have access to Unifrog which contains a useful tool for searching for relevant MOOCs.

2) Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

The AQA Extended Project Qualification is a stand-alone qualification started towards the end of Year 12 and completed in Year 13. The EPQ requires commitment and passion, but rewards with some excellent skills in preparation for further study. It is worth 50% of the UCAS points awarded for a full A2 level and is highly regarded by leading Universities. Pupils choose their own topics and are assigned a supervisor in the School to guide them. Assessed work will be in the form of a 5,000-word essay or a 1,000-word essay and some form of artefact, video etc. In addition to this, pupils must keep a monitoring log of their progress and present their completed project to an audience. The project title cannot be on any element that is included in the syllabi that you are studying for A Level.

3) Fourth A-Level

Some students choose to pursue 4 A-Levels throughout Year 12 and Year 13; this includes those studying Further Mathematics. They will not have to choose between either a MOOC or an EPQ. However, some students may wish to undertake an EPQ following discussion with the Head of Sixth Form or a MOOC. A very small number of students may also choose to study 5 A-Levels

Extra-Curricular

The School offers a wide range of activities which in previous years has included:

• An award winning Esports team • Student Investor Challenge
• Chess Club • Drama • Music – the Choir, Barbershop, School Orchestra, Swing Band
• Debating, Model United Nations and the Sixth Form Book Club (with AGGS and SGS)
• Public speaking competitions including ESU national competitions
• Christian Union, Islamic Society, Hindu and Sikh Society
• AGSB Volunteers Programme and Charity Work
• School sport – Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, Hockey
• The Library is also a valuable resource available to all students.

Languages Exchanges

MFL students regularly enjoy immersive and very rewarding annual exchanges /Trips to France, Germany and Spain where they gain a greater sense of independence and confidence in their chosen foreign language(s). Work Experience Abroad A number of dynamic students have undertaken work experience placements abroad during School holidays with a reputable and well-established company.

Student Investor Challenge

All students in Years 12 and 13 can take part in this national share trading competition. Additional classes are held outside of lessons to inform students about how to make the right decisions.

Drama

Drama is a performing art. It is a discipline that has a unique appeal, it has immediacy; a “here and now impact” that creates a bond between performers and audience. A shared experience which at its very best is utterly compelling and absorbing: loosely translated as – it’s great fun! We are proud to say that extra-curricular drama at AGSB is vital and exciting. Our productions range from the magical, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to the fabulous, “History Boys”, and most recently, “West Side story”. We welcome any budding actors or technical crew alike to come and join the team at AGSB.

Music

Sixth Formers are welcome to join staff and junior boys in the School Choir which performs concerts at Christmas and in the Spring. They are also welcome to participate in any of the School instrumental groups; the Swing Band, the Orchestra or the Concert Band. Instrumental or vocal Lessons continue to be available from beginners to advanced levels. For more details of the above see the Music Department’s entry earlier in this prospectus.

Debating Society

Jointly run by staff and a committee of Sixth Formers, the Debating Society meets one lunchtime every week debating a wide range of political, economic and ethical issues. In recent years, members of the society have had great success reaching the latter stages of a number of national public speaking and debating competitions. The society liaises with several local schools to hold regular joint debates while also giving sixth formers wider experience of organising and mentoring students lower down the School.

Model United Nations

The School's MUN Society offers students an opportunity to hone their debating skills while also adding a unique role-play/drama element, with “delegates” debating “in role” representing different member states. MUN conferences are regularly held at Manchester Grammar School, Withington Girls’ and Cheadle Hulme School. The Society is largely student-run and provides a great grounding for those interested in careers in law, the civil service, politics and public life.

AGSB Volunteers

AGSB Volunteers is our Community Service Scheme. Our target is that all of our Sixth Form students complete some form of volunteering whilst they are in the Sixth Form. Students take part in the various activities available, either on Wednesday afternoons or during another morning or afternoon when they have one or two free periods.

The range of opportunities we offer in the community is extensive and is subject to change as we try to cater for the interests of the students involved. A number of our Sixth Formers visit primary and junior schools or help in charity shops. They often choose to help at schools they attended when they were younger. Another popular option is to assist in retirement and nursing homes. The residents look forward to visits by young people who can chat to them or play cards or board games. Several students opt to do their Community Service at hospitals, although the number of places is limited and students must find and progress their own applications.

Through these activities, we are keen to help the community, but also to broaden the experience of our students and give them an insight into aspects of delivering services to local people. Our students also find their community service option a very useful topic to include when completing application forms for employment or for university or college courses.

School Sport

As mentioned previously, there are many opportunities to take part in sport, whether in teams or otherwise. Most activities are now held on-site within the Sports Development.

Careers and inks with industry

Aspirations

We provide information to help our Sixth Form students develop their academic, extra-curricular and social interests into their “Aspirations”. Through the opportunities listed in the next sections of this document and many other events and activities we work closely with students to ensure they consider many post-18 options which include Higher Education, Apprenticeships, Sponsorship, Gap Years, Year in Industry and many more. There is a wide range of information and a calendar of events, which we hold within “The Engine”, a web-based resource that students can access, which includes a programme of visiting speakers, advice on job applications and employment rights, student finance, volunteering and much more.

Careers Guidance

All members of the Sixth Form are encouraged to consult with members of staff about education and employment opportunities at 18+. A student may, at any time, request an interview with our own Head of Careers, Mr Gallamore. This service and the Sixth Form team provide help and advice on a wide variety of matters including:

• Higher Education Choices
• HE procedure
• Electronic Application System
• Employment Opportunities at 18
• Year in Industry
• Interview techniques and practice
• Apprenticeship opportunities.

Unifrog is an excellent tool which is made available to all students throughout their time in the Sixth Form.

Work Shadowing/Internships

All Year 12 students are required to arrange a Work Shadowing/Internship Placement in the last week of the Summer term. This enables the student to shadow a professional in a career area in which he himself may be interested in the future.

subject requirements