Q: What do you offer that’s better than some of the other sixth forms in London?

A: Two things make us really stand out. Firstly, having digital skills as our specialism. This skillset is in really high demand, so by learning it, you’ve got a great chance of securing an amazing career. Secondly, our industry partners such as King Games (creators of Candy Crush Saga), who provide heaps of opportunities for our students, ranging from coaching to designing projects for them to work on.

Q: What’s the best way I can prepare to join in September with all this new free time!?

A: We’re putting together packs of resources, tailored to each curriculum pathway, containing prep work you can do between now and September. We’ll be sending this out next week, so keep an eye on your email!

Q: What does a normal day look like at Ada?

• Period 1 - 09:30 to 11:00
• Break - 11:00 to 11:20
• Period 2 - 11:20 to 12:50
• Lunch - 12.50 to 13.50
• Period 3 - 13.50 to 15.50

Not all periods will be timetabled lessons. Instead, sometimes you will have study periods where you will work on homework and coursework.

Q: What are your uniform requirements?

A: There is no uniform at Ada and students may dress casually but are expected to dress suitably for a learning environment. In particular, students should be dressed to study and to work comfortably and should ensure they are sufficiently covered for a learning environment.

Q: What opportunities are there after leaving Ada?

A: This year, over 40% of our students went on to study at university, including top destinations such as King’s College, Queen Mary University and Newcastle University. Around one-third took up places on apprenticeship programmes, and now work for employers such as Google, Deloitte and Salesforce.

Q: Do I need a laptop?

A: You will be expected to bring a laptop with you to lessons. Don’t worry though as we provide one for every student while they are studying with us (although you are more than welcome to bring your own) The laptop is provided for free, although you will pay a £50 deposit that is returned when you leave provided the laptop is in the same state that you received it.

Q: If I want to bring my own laptop, what specs do you recommend?

A: The equivalent specs to the laptop we provide: an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, 8GB RAM and 256 SSD.

Q: Can I do a part-time job alongside my studies?

A: Yes, but we generally recommend only working day each weekend and avoiding late-night shifts which might affect your attendance.

Q: How will my work be graded?

A: BTEC subjects use a mixture of coursework, project work, testing, controlled assessments and exams. A-Levels are generally assessed using exams at the end of Y13, (Graphics uses a combination of project work and controlled assessment).

Q: How do extra-curricular activities at Ada work?

A: Every Wednesday afternoon, you will go off timetable and take part in one of our many clubs. Some examples of activities we’ve run in the past are Football, Japanese culture/Manga, Music, Self-defense and Kayaking. As you can see there’s something to cater to every taste!

Q: What careers/university/apprenticeship advice is there?

A: We offer lots of support, no matter what you’re hoping to do after Sixth Form. This includes an apprenticeship fair; individual university personal statement feedback; trips to universities and businesses; and workshops with the Ada apprenticeship team to support your application.

Q: Who are Ada’s industry partners?

A: We are partnered with several top companies, including Deloitte, Salesforce, King Games and Bank of America. They offer lots of opportunities to our Sixth Formers, such as coaching and mentoring, designing industry projects, and even hiring them as apprentices.

Q: How well do Ada students do in their BTECs and A-Levels?

A: Really well! In 2019, 100% of students passed their Computer Science BTEC and 50% achieved a Double or Triple Distinction (equivalent to straight A grades at A-Level). Meanwhile, 25% of students achieved A*-A in their A-Level subjects.

Q: I feel nervous about the cancellation of exams, what should I do?

A: Rest assured that we intend to adapt to whatever new system the exam boards put in place and we will take into account any disruption you have experienced when making our offer decision.

It is a really confusing and stressful time for everyone right now, and it’s normal to feel anxious; it’s worth checking out websites and resources such as YoungMinds, Kooth, or the Headspace app as a way of managing anxiety and stress at this time.

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If you have a question about our Sixth Form, contact me at Jonathan@ada.ac.uk. To keep up to date on All Things Ada, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

If you're struggling with your mental health, all students at Ada have access to Kooth: a free, anonymous, online support system. Use your Ada email to register here.