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Sixth formers are mostly 12-years old with many boys turning 13 during the year. Most of the girls have already left for their senior schools. The boys tend to be very close friends, many have been togther for 4-5 years, even more if they began in the pre-prep. The schools tend to rely on the Sixth formers as the backbone of the sports teams. They are also the prefects and of course the head boy or girl. This is their last year at school and tend to seriously prepare for their Commom Entrance Exam. Many of the boys are beginning to think that they have outgrown their prep schools and are ready for the more environment of their senior schools.
The great majority of children aim for C.E. which they take from either 6C1, 6C2, or 6C3. The routes into these forms usually involve a year in one of the Lower 6th forms; occasionally if they are young when they arrive in 6C2 or 6C3, there may follow a final year in 6C1, or in exceptional circumsances, in 6A (previously called 6S1). 'A' stream children usually come up through 5A. If they are working for Scholarships they will then go to L6A (previously called 6S2), and then to 6A (previously called 6S1) for at least one year, and occasioally two.
JFB, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
For a retiring master, "We will never hear again those volcanic eruptions from 6C1 -- 'Ganges', Oooooozes', or Puulveerizesz'.
James Westcott, Great Walstead Magazine 1987.
The hungry flame creeps up the paper,
Crackling, crawling as it gives off its vapour.
It attacks like starving dogs in a pack,
As the innocent paper is slowly made balck,
The paper tries its best to fight
But eventually shrivels up in fright,
The flame dances gaily away,
While the paper falls in dismay.
The paper is now no more,
As it lies dead upon the floor.
Julian Brown, 13.0, Beaudesert Park Magazine, Autumn 1978.
