Admissions
2025 Sixth Form Admissions
Open Evening
Open evening for 2026 entry is on Thursday 15th January, 2026, from 7-9pm. There is no need to book a space for the evening and we will release more information nearer the time with regards to talks from the Head of Sixth Form and the Head Teacher. Please note the application form for 2026 entry will go live the day after the open evening.
In the meantime, please find further information below (a video showing the Sixth Form, the latest prospectus and grade entry requirements).
Application Form
Please note our applications for Sixth Form 2026 will open on 16th January 2026. The application form will be a digital form and will appear here the morning after the open evening. For any questions regarding the admissions process, please contact Mrs Crowley: cc@balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk. Please note the deadline for the applications will be midnight on Friday 6th February, 2026.
Prospectus
Please click here to view the 2025 Balcarras Sixth Form prospectus . If you have questions, please click here for some FAQ's.
Entry Requirements
The minimum requirement for entry to the sixth form is 2 grade 6s and 3 grade 5s in full GCSE courses. These must include a grade 5 or above in both mathematics and English language or literature. In addition, many A-level subjects will require a specific grade in that particular subject at GCSE. Please click here to review our Sixth Form entry requirements by subject . Please note that we may enter our over subscription criteria, please review the document and don't hesitate to contact us for further information.
Subject Swaps
Students are welcome to swap any of their chosen subjects between now and when they start in Y12. In addition, if a student joins Y12 and still wishes to change a subject, we do offer a 3-week grace period in September. Students need to check the option blocks to ensure that their subjects will work alongside each other on the timetable. Students also need to check the entry requirements (please see above) to ensure they will get the right GCSE grade to study the subject at A Level.
Please contact cc@balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk or Balcarras students are welcome to visit Mrs Crowley in the Sixth Form office to discuss any potential subject swaps.
Please note that any subject changes after results day will be pending class sizes as well as the above criteria.
Consultations Meetings
Consultation meetings for 2025 admissions have now taken place.
Conditional Offers
Conditional offer letters will be posted to all successful applicants following their consultation meeting. The letters are posted in May. Please note that all offers of places are dependent on GCSE results. For information on our oversubscription criteria, please click here. If you have not received your letter or have an error on your letter please get in touch with Mrs Crowley.
Pre Admission Form
Once you have been given a conditional offer, we require all parents/guardians to complete a pre-admission form. Please click here for the form. This is required even for students that have attended Balcarras lower school.
Induction Day
Students that have been given a conditional offer will be invited to attend the induction day on 30th June 2026, please put this date in your diary as it's a very useful and important morning where you get to sample lessons and meet teachers as well as learn about the many enrichment opportunities offered at Balcarras Sixth Form.
Getting A-level Ready
Once you have received your offer letter, please use the summer to review our getting A Level ready presentation to help you to prepare for joining Balcarras Sixth Form.
GCSE Results Day - Thursday 20th August 2026
The Balcarras Sixth Form team will be managing admissions in school on results day. Please note the following information:
Balcarras Students:
If you have met the required grades as detailed in your offer letter, please email cc@balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk by 3pm to confirm you would like to take up your place. If you have not met the required grades for one or more of your chosen subjects, please go to the Year 13 study room (6B6) on results day to meet with a member of the team to discuss. If you would like to change a subject, please go to 6B3 to meet with a member of the team. If you have not met the grades detailed in your offer letter but would like to discuss this, please go to 6B7 to meet with a member of the team.
Non-Balcarras Students:
If you have met the criteria stated in your offer letter, please email your GCSE results (a photo/screenshot or pdf) to cc@balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk and confirm you would like your place. We will get back to you over the coming days to confirm your place. If you have not met the criteria for one or more of your chosen subjects, please explain this in your email and if possible, please select a back-up subject (s). A member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible, either on email or by a phonecall. Please note that we endeavour to get back to all students as soon as possible to confirm their place, but we do recommend that students accept all of their other offers whilst they wait to hear from us. We will be in the Sixth Form offices working hard to get through all the applicant's GCSE results both on 20th and 21st August and also the days following Bank Holiday Monday.
If we do not hear from any applicant by 3pm on results day, we will assume that they do not wish to take up their place and the offer of a place will be withdrawn.
Subject Choices and Changes
Please click here for details of the courses we offer and the entry requirements for each subject.
All students choose four courses. Our prospectus gives guidance on combining courses. It is important that you try and be as sure as you can be about the courses you choose. You will be spending up to two years studying them, so please take the time to talk to your teachers, parents and career advisers about them! Please review the option blocks (posted here nearer the time) for the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that you have chosen subjects that will not clash on the timetable.
Please note that there will be time to change your subject choices post-results day, should you wish. We do offer a grace period during the first few weeks of Year 12 where you may visit the Sixth Form offices and talk to a member of staff. Please ensure you have consulted the option blocks and entry requirements before discussing any subject changes.
“Joining Balcarras 6th Form from Winchombe School was quite daunting with new subjects, new teachers and new classmates, but the school was really welcoming right from the start … Balcarras was my first choice for sixth form and I have no regrets with my decision. It has lived up to its positive reputation and has allowed me to experience a wide range of activities whilst pushing me to achieve my academic goals.” Aidan Cheale, former Winchcombe student
"The sixth form ... has standards that are among the highest in the country". Ofsted