There are many reasons that should motivate students to consider staying for sixth form besides equipping them with the qualifications they require for entry to the most prestigious universities in Thailand and around the world.

One other is the amount of independence students are given which helps bridge the gap between school and university very well. At key stages 3 and 4 teachers will chase children to get their work done, but at sixth form level they won’t quite so much; it is up to the students to keep up-to-date. This is the same in employment and at university. Therefore, the independence students are given in sixth form is a massive step in terms of experiencing responsibility and autonomy as a young adult.

Secondly staying for sixth form provides continuity, reliability, deepens friendships and encourages better grades. Even before starting key stage 5 students will already know and trust their teachers and these good relationships will lead to outstanding results if they are to do their best academically, while maintaining and developing their extracurricular interests.

There are also a wide range of leadership opportunities that exist within the sixth form, with many students thrilled to be given positions of responsibility that not only add to their skill base but stand them in great stead when applying for future jobs and university courses.

At international schools, there is even an extra beneficial factor which is the wide mix of nationalities/ethnic backgrounds. This gives students a truly global outlook and establishes a lifelong international friendship network. This is also good preparation for the international environment at top universities and something that will help them settle quickly into their university studies.

Our school offers a sixth form that provides all of the above benefits to its students and more, plus it really stands out by the range of pathways available. Most other international school sixth forms will only offer students the chance to do AS and A- levels after their IGCSEs. These are brilliant courses to take and they are highly respected by universities, but they don’t tailor to everyone’s needs. In addition to offering AS and A-level RBIS offers BTECs and highschool diplomas which are equally respected by universities, whilst being taught with a more hands-on approach; this can also be very useful to those who don’t intend on going to university as they will acquire the skills to directly enter into a career.