Welcome to Camp Hill Boys Sixth Form

The Sixth Form has seen the most change of any part of Camp Hill in the last few years, with the huge ‘raise the roof’ extension project seeing a doubling of our communal space. But while the setting has changed, the community certainly hasn’t, with the school fostering the same welcoming attitude to returners and joiners alike. About 120 students stay on from Year 11 each year and around 60 join us from elsewhere. In Sixth Form classes and form groups, all are encouraged to contribute and make the most of their experience from day one. While staff go out of their way to integrate joiners, the students themselves need little prompting to make an effort to include everyone, both in the classroom and beyond. Little needs to be said about the school’s exemplary academic record; but this does not define what Camp Hill is to the students. While study is supported at all times, everyone recognises that what defines a young person is more than their grades. Camp Hill thrives because of the wide range of extracurricular and super curricular activities open to students. Aspiring academics are supported through Olympiads and university lecturers, while those who perform at a high level in sport have a chance to compete across the region. We aim to provide more than a place to learn for students – Camp Hill is a place where young people can grow into intelligent, rounded individuals, who just so happen to also get some of the best grades nationwide.

Mrs Sallyann Bourne, Head of Sixth Form

Forward by Head Prefect, Jonathan Anderson

Time spent at secondary school is a crucial period in the life of any young person. During this time, amongst other things, journeys of self discovery are undertaken by many as we discover, without being melodramatic, who we are. As such, the role of the secondary school itself is crucial, facilitating progress both academically and personally from 11 to 18 years old. I believe that Camp Hill Boys is more than qualified to play a part in this journey and is capable of nurturing tomorrow’s scientists, artists and everything in between!
Camp Hill’s academic excellence goes without saying, but what is not common knowledge is the atmosphere that enables bright young minds to achieve such outstanding results. Camp Hill truly is a unique environment to learn in. For example, older students are able to take on the position of a mentor to younger
students, offering 1 to 1, tailor-made academic support to anyone who chooses to access this in a wide range of subjects. There is a mutual trust between students in different years and an air of comradeship within the classroom that benefits all. If someone was to ask me for a definition of the word brotherhood, I would, without hesitation, point them towards Camp Hill.
I would be missing a trick if you finished reading this believing that Camp Hill students furthest venture is to and from the bus stop each day! Numerous school trips are offered throughout years 7-13, including the annual outdoor pursuits trip to the stunning Aosta Valley in north Italy, the Battlefields trip to France and Belgium offered to year 10 students studying GCSE History and an exchange programme to Germany, as a result of Camp Hill’s strong relationship with the Schule-am-Reid in Frankfurt. This small snapshot of the overseas experiences afforded to Camp Hill students hopefully gives you a flavour of the extracurricular adventures that enrich the memories of boys year upon year.
Camp Hill is also no stranger to sporting prowess. Come rain or shine (but most often rain!), the Hockey, Rugby and Football teams all keep the groundsmen busy up until Easter and during the summer they pass the baton on to the Athletics and Cricket teams to provide entertainment for potential spectators. Sport at Camp Hill is constantly-evolving, exemplified by the recent addition of a water polo team that has enjoyed regular success since its inception. Sport at Camp Hill is supported and encouraged by a number of inclusive PE and Games staff all helping to ensure students are making the most of their time here.
One aspect of Camp Hill that I feel perhaps doesn’t get quite the attention it deserves is its contribution to the arts. Drama and music are key figures in making Camp Hill what it is. Two drama productions take place every year, one senior and one junior, with students in year 12 or 13 having key roles in directing the junior
performances. Recent titles of productions include “Lord of the Flies”, “Smike” and “The History Boys” - all of which were enjoyed by staff, students and members of the public alike! Music is particularly strong here at Camp Hill, with many bands and ensembles that emphasise Camp Hill’s inclusive and creative qualities. The Christmas concert is an annual highlight, with “Santa Claus” usually making an appearance and showering the audience with all manner of edible treats! I alluded earlier to the dual responsibilities of a secondary school: the personal and the academic. Expanding on this, I believe that the task of a secondary
school is to help students achieve their desired academic results and to ensure that when you leave, you are fully equipped to deal with the adult world. In this sense, I believe Camp Hill has most definitely succeeded and, cliché though it may be, Camp Hill is absolutely a place to call home. Perhaps equally as importantly, it is a place when in thirty, forty, fifty years time, you look back on your time in secondary school, it will be with fond memories of a place that helped you grow into the man you became.

J Anderson