Understanding transition to and from Sixth Form education and exploring potential sources of student and staff support

Students in Years 12 and 13 were asked to reflect on their experiences of Sixth Form and their aspirations regarding going to University. The findings suggest that many students experience high levels of stress and anxiety during this period. There is a striking gender difference, with Year 12 female students outperforming their male contemporaries, in terms of studying more subjects and being predicted higher grades. The paper discusses the urgent need to provide more emotional support to both students and staff at this critical stage of education. Potential initiatives and intervention will be outlined in an attempt to address this need.