Sixth Form Entry
Blue Coat welcomes applications from students from both state and independent schools. All prospective students are interviewed to build up a picture of their academic strengths and co-curricular interests and are also required to undertake academic aptitude assessments. Interviews take place in October and November of the year prior to entry, i.e. early in Year 11.
Blue Coat’s Sixth Form consists of approximately 300 students, of whom at least one third are girls.
The curriculum is widespread, with 28 subjects on offer, as well as the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), designed specifically to develop the students’ skills and interests in preparation for either university or the work place.
All Blue Coat students are encouraged to become involved in the many co-curricular activities on offer in order to broaden their experience and enjoyment of school life.
Entrance Assessments
Your son or daughter will sit an online assessment which tests verbal, numerical and non-verbal skills. There are no practice assessments available, nor do we recommend any other commercially available materials. Testing takes place in November of Year 11.
If your son or daughter is entitled to examination concessions, such as extra time, use of laptops etc. arrangements can be put in place for the essay paper, provided we receive appropriate evidence from their current school that this is the normal way of working. All evidence must be submitted by Friday 28 October 2022.
Offers of places are made in early December and are unconditional. Students should be aware that there are minimum grade requirements for certain A Level courses. Please refer to the Sixth Form Guide.
Late applicants may be considered subject to availability of places.
School Reference
Blue Coat will contact the student’s current school for a reference during the Autumn term of Year 11.
Entry requirements
To qualify for the Sixth Form at Blue Coat, we expect you to attain at least eight GCSEs at Grade 5 or above. Ideally two of these grades must be at Grade 7 or above, a further four grades at Grade 6 and two at Grade 5. To study Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics at A Level, you should have at least a Grade 7 at GCSE or its equivalent. To study Economics, you should have at least a Grade 7 in Mathematics. All students are required to have passed both English Language and Mathematics at Grade 5 or above. More details of exact course requirements will be found within the information supplied.
Entry for 2022
Late applicants should contact the Director of Marketing & Admissions.
Choosing a school for your child can seem like a daunting task, especially as many schools have different entry requirements and timings for their admission rounds. We hope that these pages will explain the admissions procedures for entry to Reading Blue Coat at the key entry points of 11+ and Sixth Form. If you need further information, we are always happy to discuss any aspects of your child’s application to Reading Blue Coat either by telephone or email.
