North School, The

Welcome to The North School

Should you have any queries, please do message us, and we will do our best to respond quickly. We intend to interview all students who make applications for places but please be aware that interviews may be conducted by telephone rather than face to face.

About us

The North School has a reputation for being a caring and supportive school which aims to deliver the best possible education to all students. We welcome applications from external as well as internal students. We set entry standards according to each course and in addition students entering our Sixth Form will be required to have at least 5 grades 9 to 4 including English Language and B grades in the subjects they wish to study at A level as well as a positive reference from their school. We expect Sixth Form students to follow three courses, or the equivalent, as a combination of single or double option subjects.

Our Sixth Form aims to create a purposeful, friendly and adult environment in which students are encouraged to develop a sense of independence and take increasing responsibility for their learning. Time spent in the Sixth Form is important in shaping future careers and education and we place emphasis on students’ academic achievement, increasing their self-confidence and developing a sense of community responsibility. The Sixth Form is fully integrated within the school enabling students to work with, and to be a positive role model for, all younger students.

Applications Open: - 7th November 2025

Applications Close: - 31st March 2026. If you require any further information after our closing date please do contact nicola.owenhughes@swale.at

Entry Requirements: - Grade 4 and above in 5 GCSEs Including English and Maths for Level 3 programmes, higher grades are required for some subjects

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices 

Details of our Pathways and Option Blocks can be seen in the Gallery or viewed here

If you have any questions regarding the Sixth Form, our courses, facilities or our application process, please do contact us, either by telephone (01233 614613) or email (tns-sixthform-team@swale.at). We will be happy to arrange either a telephone call or meeting to answer these. We are happy to forward subject specific questions to subject leaders who may be better placed to answer your queries. We look forward to hearing from you and to meeting you.

Additional support

We have a supportive Sixth Form Team who will offer a range of interventions to ensure that student target grades are met and also provide pastoral support to help with any concerns students may have.

We offer first rate careers guidance and, in year 13, targetted support for those making university applications.

Learner success

Previous students who have made a UCAS application were offered a place at one of their chosen universities. Many students exceeded their UCAS offer and several were offered unconditional places at the university of their choice.

Both Level 2 and Level 3 students were successful in obtaining traineeships and Apprenticeship at the end of their chosen courses.

Facilities available

• All-weather pitch

• Dance studio

• Dedicated Sixth Form study area

• Defra registered farm

• Fitness suite

• Indoor climbing wall

• Modern art teaching facilities

• Modern science laboratories

• Specialist vocational work areas

We support students in two pathways through our Sixth Form. For those students who achieve a minimum of 5 GCSEs including Maths and English at grade 4 or above, we offer two year courses studying A level or BTEC courses (or a combination of these). For those students who are not yet ready to study Level 3 (A level equivalent courses) or who need to re-take Maths and English GCSE we offer a Foundation year studying Level 2 courses, with the opportunity to re-take Maths and English. It is not possible to combine Level 2 and Level 3 courses of study but we try to ensure that those completing a Foundation year are able to move on to related courses at Level 3 (eg Year 1 studying Business and Travel & Tourism at Level 2, followed by Year 2 and 3 studying the same subjects at Level 3).

Foundation year students select one Main Option subject and one secondary option subject and study these alongside Maths and English Functional Skills or GCSE.

Students following the Level 3 pathway (A level or A level equivalent courses) select 3 or 4 subjects from different option blocks.

Details of our Pathways and Option Blocks can be seen in the Gallery or viewed here