sixth form

noun

The final two years of secondary education, during which students of about 16 to 18 years of age prepare for their A-level examinations or equivalent qualifications.

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Meanings

nounsixth form (countable and uncountable, plural sixth forms)

plural sixth forms · alternative 6th form

  1. countableuncountableUK except ScotlandeducationThe final two years of secondary education, during which students of about 16 to 18 years of age prepare for their A-level examinations or equivalent qualifications.

    Nathaniel: Maister, there is nobody to teach in the sixth form. Maister: What a thing is this? N: He is sick in bed. M: How do you know? N: One of the scholars in his house told me so.

    1653, Corderius, Colloquia scholastica Anglo-Latina, […] 1653, page 220
  2. countableuncountablea sixth form college.

Origin

Earlier educational naming conventions in public schools termed every two years of education "forms" (itself sometimes said to be from form (“bench”), where students of certain ages would sit together, though disputed, or alternatively from form (“established method of expression or practice”)), where Years 12 and 13 (i.e. ages 16 to 18) was the "sixth" and final form. State schools adopted the term "sixth form" and retained it when the rest of the form structure was dropped.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese 預科 /预科
  • 預科 /预科 (yùkē)final two years of secondary schooling
Finnish lukio
  • lukiofinal two years of secondary schooling
French classes de première et terminale
  • classes de première et terminalefinal two years of secondary schooling
German Oberstufe, Sekundarstufe II
  • Oberstufefinal two years of secondary schooling
  • Sekundarstufe IIfinal two years of secondary schooling
Hungarian emelt szintű érettségire felkészítő
  • emelt szintű érettségire felkészítőfinal two years of secondary schooling
Italian quinta superiore
  • quinta superiorefinal two years of secondary schooling
Cite this entry
APA

sixth form. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sixth%20form

MLA

“sixth form.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sixth%20form. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sixth form,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sixth%20form.

Source: sixth form on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.