Welcome to Balcarras School
Thank you very much for taking the time to visit the Balcarras Sixth Form website. I do hope that you find all the information that you are looking for and they give you a flavour of our outstanding provision and facilities.Our Sixth form is built around 2 core elements:Academic ExcellenceAn Enjoyable and Enriching Experience In addition to this, a range of other relevant resources are available on our website, including an overview of post-16 progress and attainment at Balcarras, a range of short films introducing each subject we offer at A-level, and a Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) document which addresses key questions. We also have information on the application process. Please do check for updates. If you do have any additional questions that I can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me at dl@balcarras.gloucs.sch.uk Mr D LeatherbarrowHead of Balcarras Sixth Form
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Boarding Type
No Boarder
School Type
Academy converter
Suitable Ages
11 to 18
Gender
Mixed
No. of Students
1,429 Total
No. of Boys
696 (48.7%)
No. of Girls
733 (51.3%)
Academic Excellence
GCSE Results
Latest Examination
31.8%
Students achieving A*/A grades (9/8/7)
A-Level Results
Sixth Form Performance
A* grades
8.07%
A*/A grades
29.98%
Leavers' Destinations
Destinations after GCSEs
Staying in education
95%
School
79%
England
Apprenticeships
3%
School
3%
England
Further education
School sixth form
Sixth form college
Other education destinations
Destinations after A-Levels
UK higher education
N/A
School
1%
England
Apprenticeships
N/A
School
19%
England
Higher education or training
Further education
Employment
Not sustained in education/employment
Courses
Show all coursesEvents
Show all eventsExciting Events Ahead!
A detailed admissions process on ApplicaaOne is coming soon.
Please see our website for more information on our admissions process.
Admissions Process
Start Application| Jan 2026 | Feb 2026 | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Aug 2026 | Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sixth Form Open Evening | ||||||||
Application Window | Consultation Meetings | Conditional Offer | Induction Day | GCSE Results Day and Confirmation of Place | First Day of Y12 | |||
Key Dates & Deadlines
Jan 15, 2026
Sixth Form Open Evening
Jan 16, 2026
Application Form Live Online
Feb 6, 2026
Application Deadline
Jun 30, 2026
Induction Day
Aug 20, 2026
GCSE Results Day and Confirmation of Place
Sep 2, 2026
First Day of Y12
Term Dates & Half-Term Holidays
Planning ahead for school holidays? Below are the term dates and half-term dates for the 2026/2027 academic year.
Autumn
2 terms
Half Term 1
Sep 1 - Oct 24
Half Term 2
Nov 3 - Dec 19
Spring
2 terms
Half Term 1
Jan 5 - Feb 13
Half Term 2
Feb 23 - Mar 27
Summer
2 terms
Half Term 1
Apr 13 - May 22
Half Term 2
Jun 1 - Jul 20
Half-Term & Holiday Dates
Autumn Half Term
Oct 27 - Oct 31
Christmas Holiday
Dec 20 - Jan 2
Spring Half Term
Feb 14 - Feb 22
Easter Holiday
Mar 28 - Apr 12
May Half Term
May 23 - May 29
Alumni Stories
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Laura Coote
September 2007
University
“I really enjoyed my time at Balcarras and look back at my memories fondly. I’m still friends with the group of people I met in school, and we’ve stayed close through the university years and now during our work lives. My teachers at Balcarras were so supportive and helped me achieve the grades I needed to go to Uni. I studied a psychology degree at Cardiff University, then I worked as an assistant psychologist in Buckinghamshire and London, before completing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I now live in a village by the sea south of Cardiff city and work as a clinical psychologist with young people in care and with pregnant women and their babies. I have a little sausage dog and have recently had a baby boy. We spend time at the beach, in forests and swimming in the cold sea!”

Hannah Shellem
September 2014
Employed
“I very much enjoyed my time at Balcarras, all my teachers were incredibly enthusiastic, and I felt very supported in my studies. One of the highlights was my trip to Orleans which helped me improve my French greatly. I now work in the City at Marsh (insurance brokerage firm) and am thoroughly enjoying it. I joined on the graduate scheme 4 years ago and am still enjoying my time! Prior to this as part of my degree I worked at Marsh for a year. I have always had an interest in international businesses and my role now involves working with offices in Canada, South Africa, Australia, Peru, to name a few.”

Callum Bates
September 2020
University
“During my time at Balcarras, I was involved in lots of extracurricular activities, from playing rugby and football to starring in the school productions. These experiences were invaluable to me. Currently, I am studying for a master’s in biomedical science at the University of Birmingham. I have continued pursuing my rugby interests and have been the university’s club president for the last year. I have also been working for Movember to help the fantastic charity make a difference globally. The lessons I learnt at Balcarras have shaped me into the person I am today, and I will be forever grateful.”
Enrichment Activities
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