Overseeing a ‘sixth form revolution’

Helen Balfour reports on how Babington House School aims to give its pupils an edge by combining work experience with study...

There is a quiet revolution happening in Chislehurst, radiating from Babington House School, which provides an education from 3-18 years in Grange Drive, just next to Elmstead Woods railway station. The new Sixth Form there is very much at the head of the educational curve. 

The Sixth Formers start at 9.15am and have a very full day of intensive A Level tuition in small sets; often with no more than three in a group. All their ‘free periods’ are put together onto one day – Wednesday – when the students go off to work; mainly in the City, on properly organised internships, something the school arranges and monitors. This gives the pupils the edge on the fiercely competitive university application process and later on in the world of work. As Tate, who is in Year 13 and studying Law, Politics and Business Studies says: “While my friends in other schools are frittering their free periods away in Nandos, I’ve travelled into the City to work in a multi-national company, building up proper work experience and making real contacts; it’s not an easy option by any means, but it’s really exciting.” This is echoed by Ed in Year 12, who is studying History, English, Government & Politics and German, who says: “The move to a co-educational Sixth Form has enabled me to adapt to different situations and is preparing me for life at University and beyond. The work experience is a massive bonus and makes you learn faster and grow in confidence.”

The rest of the week is busy studying very hard for the A Levels; as Rachel in Year 13, who has just received an unconditional offer from the University of Roehampton to study Business Management, comments: “The teachers get to know you really well and work you really hard; when you are in a small group with tutorial style teaching, there is no escape! You just have to do the work. The teachers have a rule that they hand back your written assignments by the next lesson, which is great because you get immediate feedback on how to improve. I’m very ambitious and focused on the next step after school; Babington totally gets this and helps me to find a way to make it a reality.” 

Jess, who has offers from Brighton, Manchester and Liverpool Universities to study Accountancy and Business, endorses this view by saying: “Don’t come to Babington unless you are committed to doing well and ambitious to succeed after school, at Uni or in the world of work. I won’t lie; it is hard and there is no let up, but it is great to be with others who share this drive.”

Full written reports from each subject every three weeks help to give the students and their parents useful feedback and it is never ‘sugar coated’ as the Headmaster, Tim Lello comments: “We use A Level examination mark schemes to assess the students work, so clear, accurate and meaningful feedback is very much at the heart of the A Level teaching; it’s all geared to the exam really; we are hungry for them to succeed; the world outside school is unforgiving when it comes to weak exam results.” 

Mr Lello draws on his experience as the Senior Tutor at Queen’s College London, to give the Babington Sixth Form students the best possible chance when it comes to University applications and he is also a specialist on applications to American Universities. He has appointed several A Level specialists, including the previous Head of Maths and Director of Studies from Bromley High School, another Maths teacher from St Olave’s Grammar School, a Biochemist from Wilmington Grammar, History and Government & Politics teacher from Watford Grammar School for Girls, and a Business Studies teacher from Blackfen School for Girls. As Tim Lello says: “I’ll not compromise on getting quality teachers; our pupils deserve the best and they will get it. I’ll also not tolerate anything mediocre; from the students, the staff and the school in general. We are an outstanding school and will remain so.” 

Although they have a full programme of study and work experience, the Sixth Formers also have access to all the resources of a fully equipped, major academic day school, including a wide sporting programme, state of the art climbing wall, extensive playing fields, music, drama, art and languages. Sixth Formers are given whole-school responsibilities as ‘Ambassadors’ on an area of their choice, such as fund raising for local and global charities, local politics or environmental projects. 

Places are available for entry to the Babington Sixth Form in September 2016. Come for a tour of the School with the Headmaster during a normal working day and see this unique Sixth Form for yourself. Contact Mrs Lee, Admissions Registrar, on Tel: 020 8467 5537 for an appointment. 

For more information about Babington House School, see their profile on School Search.