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How to apply

Applying to Hills Road

Applications for entry in September 2026 will open on 1 October 2025.

When considering your application, please use the information on this page, together with our Admissions Policy.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 6 January or Tuesday 13 January 2026 if you attend a Cambridge Area Partnership (CAP) school.

Please note: Cambridgeshire schools that are not in the CAP must submit their students’ applications by Tuesday 6 January 2026.

We are aware that Year 11 students will be considering their post-16 options already. Please use the Entry requirements information below, together with our A level subjects and Study programme pages, to find out more about what we offer at Hills Road.

Our Open Events took place in July 2025. Our next Open Events will take place in July 2026. These events are aimed at Year 10 students, but if you are now in Year 11 and were unable to attend the Open Events last term, you are welcome to join the next round of these events in July 2026.

Entry requirements for 2026

Entry requirements to Hills Road are different to other sixth form centres. We don’t ask for a set group of GCSE grades. Instead, each A level has its own entry requirements, with an Admissions Score and minimum GCSE grade.

Most of our A levels require a GCSE grade 6, and some have alternative routes, including Drama, Dance, Art, Music and languages.

The Admissions Score is created by adding up the following GCSE grades:

English Language x 2

Mathematics x 2

The next best six grades

Admissions Score calculator

You can use our handy Admissions Score calculator to work out your score. All you need are your predicted grades and to follow the instructions on the calculator.

Calculate my Admissions Score

two students and one teacher in classroom

We are here to help with everything from questions about A level courses to the application process.
Kate, Head of Admissions

Choosing your subjects

Deciding which A levels to apply for can be challenging. We’ve listed a few tips to help you decide which subjects to take.

Our guide to choosing your subjects:

Steps	Step 1
Actions	Make a list of your current GCSE subjects.

Steps	Step 2
Actions	Highlight the subjects you feel you are good at and enjoy; this should give you a shortlist of A level subjects to consider. However, there may be subjects that you haven't had the opportunity to study before, that you'd like to explore at A level.

Steps	Step 3
Actions	Use the subject pages on our website to find out more. Each has in-depth course information and a video.

Steps	Step 4
Actions	Talk to current A level students, your parent or carer, teachers and the school careers adviser.

Steps	Step 5
Actions	During Year 10 and 11, take the opportunity to attend any relevant assemblies, talks, workshops or activities that your current school offers. It’s a good idea to have an open mind about your next steps.

Steps	Step 6
Actions	Consider your future pathway: what would you like to do after sixth form? At this stage, this may be just an idea, or it could be a fully formed plan. Whichever applies to you, make sure you take it into account when choosing your A level subjects.

Steps	Step 7
Actions	Use online resources such as Informed Choices or UCAS (links below) to research how A level subjects can lead to different pathways, including university, apprenticeships or the world of work.

Making your application

You will register for an account on MyChoice16, (your school may help you to do this, depending on where you currently attend), which allows you to explore the platform and find out more about the post-16 opportunities in Cambridgeshire.

It’s important to note that all students applying to Cambridgeshire post-16 providers do so via MyChoice16, and you submit ONE application which is then shared with your chosen colleges or sixth forms.

As part of your application, you’ll write a Personal Statement, which allows us to get to know you better - but there is no secret code to crack! Three or four good paragraphs is fine, and it’s useful for us to know the following:

Why have you chosen your A level courses? 

You might have enjoyed the subjects at GCSE
They might be your 'best' subjects
You might have a specific future pathway in mind
Or they might be completely new subjects that you're really interested in!

Tell us about your personal interests: these might be clubs, teams, or activities you take part in at school. You might have done DofE, or some work experience. You might have a part-time job, or work as a volunteer.

Tell us about your future plans. If you're not sure yet, don't worry! Lots of students are still working out what they want to do later in life.

There are many opportunities to find out more about the College and decide if Hills Road is right for you.

Key dates	SEP to DEC 25
Action	Attend any assemblies, workshops, talks or activities that your school offers. Also, visit your Careers Adviser if you are given the opportunity. From September, you will be able to access the MyChoice16 platform. Applications can be submitted from 1 October 2025.

Key dates	JAN 26
Action	Applications must be submitted by 6 January, or 13 January 2026 if you attend a Cambridge Area Partnership school. You will write the first part of the application, and your nominated referee will put together the second, including a reference and your predicted GCSE results, before submitting the application on your behalf.

Key dates	JAN/FEB 26: Guidance meetings
Action	You will be invited to a Guidance Meeting if you are qualified for the A level subjects you wish to study, or you can make yourself qualified with course changes (we will let you know if this is the case). You need to be qualified for at least three A levels (or be able to make yourself qualified), but we recommend that you include five in your application. We do not make offers in Guidance Meetings and they are not interviews.

Key dates

JAN/FEB 26:
Guidance meetings

Action

You will be invited to a Guidance Meeting if you are qualified for the A level subjects you wish to study, or you can make yourself qualified with course changes (we will let you know if this is the case). You need to be qualified for at least three A levels (or be able to make yourself qualified), but we recommend that you include five in your application.
We do not make offers in Guidance Meetings and they are not interviews.

Key dates	FEB 26: Confirming your subject choices
Action	After your guidance meeting, we ask you to confirm the A levels that you would like to study in preference order. If you want to change your subjects at this stage, don’t worry, you can, as long as you are qualified for your new courses.

Key dates	MAR 26: Offers published
Action	Offers will be emailed to applicants by the end of March 2026.

Key dates	MAY-JUN 26: Life at Hills Road emails
Action	We will keep in touch with you during the summer term with all the information you need on starting life as a student at Hills Road, including bursary applications, how to travel here, and what equipment you’ll need.

Key dates	7 OR 8 JUL 26: Welcome to Hills
Action	Experience life as a Hills Road student at our Welcome to Hills transition days. An important step in your journey to starting Year 12, which most of our offer holders choose to attend.

Key dates	20 AUG 26: GCSE Results day and Enrolment
Action	Congratulations! When you’ve received your GCSE results, you’ll enrol online via our Student Dashboard. You will be sent all the information you need when the time comes.

Key dates	3 OR 4 SEP 26 (TBC): Getting started
Action	Your Getting Started induction morning at Hills Road. You’ll meet your tutor, new classmates and find out more about Year 12 before lessons begin the following week.

of students take three A levels

of 36 A levels require a GCSE grade 6, and some have alternative entry routes

73%

of students transfer from CAP schools