Sixth Form | Liberty Woodland School

Education for the future, not a formula

The world our young people are entering has changed, yet much of sixth-form education remains focused almost entirely on examinations and university entry.

Liberty Sixth Form offers something more ambitious: the globally respected International Baccalaureate Diploma alongside the independence, confidence, judgement and self-knowledge students need to thrive at university, at work and in life.

Everything has been designed around how older adolescents learn and develop best. Students attend from 10am-6pm, Monday to Thursday, combining rigorous academic study with mentoring, meaningful projects, physical challenge and preparation for adult life. They leave us not only with strong qualifications, but with a much clearer understanding of who they are, what matters to them and where they want to go next.

The world has changed. Education should too

We designed Liberty Sixth Form around the world our students are entering – not the one their parents grew up in.

AI is changing what it means to be capable

Knowing the right answer is no longer enough when technology can produce one in seconds.

Students need to question, connect and evaluate information - and use powerful tools with intelligence, creativity and integrity.

The future will not fit into three subjects – or one career

The problems worth solving cross science, technology, economics, ethics, culture and human behaviour.

Students need an education that keeps their world broad and prepares them to learn, adapt and change direction throughout their lives.

Getting into university is not the same as being ready for it

Qualifications can open the door, but students need independence, self-management and confidence to thrive once they walk through it.

A rich education also teaches students to question assumptions, connect ideas, contribute to their communities and approach uncertainty with resilience and sound judgement.

Young people are building a life now – not simply preparing for one

Sixth form should be a time of curiosity, friendship, challenge and enjoyment, not a two-year endurance test undertaken in pursuit of future success.

Students should feel happy, mentally well and connected at school, while having the time and guidance to discover what fulfils them and begin building a meaningful life, not simply choosing an impressive career.

An International Baccalaureate Sixth Form

At 16, most young people narrow their education to just three subjects - often before they fully understand where their strengths and interests might lead.

The IB Diploma offers a broader, more connected path that keeps future possibilities open without sacrificing academic depth.

Students choose six subjects, usually three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level. They can specialise in the areas most relevant to their ambitions while continuing to develop as scientists, writers, linguists, mathematicians and critical thinkers.

Its distinctive core takes learning beyond individual subjects. Theory of Knowledge develops critical thinking; the Extended Essay builds independent research skills; and Creativity, Activity, Service brings creativity, physical challenge and meaningful contribution into the curriculum.

The IB is demanding, but that challenge develops students who are intellectually curious, organised, open-minded and able to connect ideas across disciplines. They leave not simply having accumulated knowledge, but knowing how to research, question, communicate, manage their time and think for themselves.

*Independent analysis by Jisc found that IB Diploma students were three times more likely than matched A-level students to enrol at a top-20 UK university. They were also 40% more likely to graduate with a first or upper-second-class degree.

View the research

What makes Liberty Sixth Form different?

Small by design
Learning that reaches beyond the classroom
Challenge is part of the curriculum
Strong qualifications. Strong humans

Every student is known, not simply enrolled

With only 40 students across the Sixth Form and typically no more than eight in a class, relationships sit at the heart of the experience. Teachers understand how each student thinks, learns and grows, while students know and support one another.

Knowledge becomes more powerful when students use it

Learning is connected to real questions, problems and contexts rather than confined to textbooks and mark schemes. Students apply what they know, make connections across subjects and understand how their learning relates to their lives and the world beyond school.

They develop the confidence to contribute - not simply wait for adulthood to begin.

Young people discover what they can do by doing difficult things

From expeditions and night navigation to coasteering and collaborative challenges, students regularly step beyond what feels comfortable. These experiences channel adolescents’ appetite for novelty and risk positively, developing resilience, judgement, teamwork and earned confidence.

Who students become matters as much as what they achieve

Alongside academic ambition, students develop resilience, empathy, sound judgement and the ability to collaborate and contribute. We want every student and their family to feel proud not only of what they have achieved, but of the thoughtful, capable young person they have become.

Built around how young people learn best

Informed by research into adolescent sleep and development, our 10am–6pm, Monday-to-Thursday week creates space for deep learning, movement, collaboration and challenge. Fridays develop independence through guided study and selected Challenge Fridays beyond the classroom. Students are treated as emerging adults: trusted with freedom, held to high expectations and expected to use both responsibly.

Success isn’t measured by grades alone

Students leave Liberty Sixth Form with:

Strong qualifications that open doors
Confidence grounded in real experience
Intellectual curiosity
Independence and self-management
Research skills and critical judgement
The ability to communicate and collaborate
Leadership and a desire to contribute
Resilience and adaptability
A clearer sense of who they are and what they want from life

Visit Liberty Sixth Form

Find us

Book and Open Day (NL)

Enquire about a place (NL)

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A day at Liberty Sixth Form (NL)

Areas we cover

Liberty Sixth Form is located in Morden, though we welcome families from a range of locations in London including: Barnes, Cheam, Clapham, Dulwich, Fulham, Putney, Southfields, Streatham, Surbiton, Tooting, Wandsworth, Wimbledon

Unsure how you’d get here? We provide a private minibus service across London to help get your children to our school.

Meet the team

Exceptional teachers. Ambitious leadership. A community where every student is known.

Liberty Sixth Form will be led by Leanna Barrett and Mark Bishop, bringing together ambitious educational leadership, high expectations and a deep understanding of what young people need to thrive. Together, they create a close, purposeful community in which students are known well, challenged thoughtfully and supported to become increasingly independent. They are joined by carefully selected subject specialists with exceptional knowledge of their disciplines and the ability to make complex ideas engaging, relevant and intellectually demanding. We don’t only want academic experts, we work with excellent teachers who build strong relationships, inspire curiosity and understand that the quality of teaching depends as much on knowing the student as knowing the subject.

Meet the team