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Our View
This dynamic and innovative destination in upmarket Belgravia hits the sweet spot of giving pupils more freedom than a traditional senior school but more structure than a sixth-form college. A-levels and EPQs are on offer, as well as broader 'life prep', where everything from financial literacy to nutrition and enterprise is covered. Part of the LPS family – the other siblings are LPS Hybrid, LPS Mayfair and LPS Clapham – it’s also in the fold of the excellent Dukes Education group, so there’s plenty of collective power in the engine room. From September 2025 ‘Flexi Sixth’ will be on offer, enabling some students to take one A-level remotely if desired.
Where?
Located on Eccleston Square in a slick, newly refurbished building that boasts a high-spec art studio, photography dark room and suite of modern science labs, LPS Sixth is a quick four-minute walk from Victoria station. There’s a gym in the basement and an innovation space just off the common room. The environment feels grown up, more like a university than a school, and pupils can pop out to nearby cafés and restaurants for lunch. Its central location also means it’s easy to get to from anywhere in London, and pupils come from Blackheath, Chiswick, Hampstead and Battersea, as well as nearer by.
Head
A former NFL player, university lecturer and deputy head at Sevenoaks, Dr Adrian Rainbow has worn a lot of hats in his career. Working closely with group principal Suzie Longstaff and fellow LPS Clapham head, Susan Brooks, as well as director of sixth form, Nathan Mountford, he’s now pouring his talent and energy into LPS Mayfair and Sixth, where he has been head since January 2023. He is as proud of his pupils’ strong moral compass and compassionate attitude as he is of their successes in and out of the classroom, and works hard to ensure pastoral care is on point for everyone. His enthusiasm for his job is infectious – as he tells us how lessons are brought to life all over London (art lessons in the Royal Academy, anyone?), it makes us want to go back to school ourselves. Dr Rainbow tells us he feels especially connected to the sixth form: ‘People underestimate how creative and critical this age group can be, the fresh ideas without the constraints,’ he says.
Director of sixth form Nathan Mountford has over ten years running sixth forms all over the world and understands the requirements for top universities from Asia Pacific, US, Europe and the UK.
Admissions
There’s automatic entry for LPS Mayfair, LPS Hybrid and LPS Clapham pupils, otherwise the first port of call is a tour to ensure prospective pupils and families like the ethos of the school. In-person visits are prioritised over entrance exams; the school asks for passes in maths and English and a minimum of grade 6 in subject pupils would like to take for A-level (7 in maths and 8 for further maths). Selection is based on assessing potential happiness and fit at the school.
Academics and destinations
There’s a lot of focus on life after school here, and A-level options are grouped around specific career pathways – humanities, engineering, business, creative and inter-disciplinary. Director of sixth form Nathan Mountford sees this stage of education as ‘a very transitional part of life, a real developmental stage’ and wants to ‘support and facilitate pupils’ growth to gain skills for the future they want’. Economics and maths are the most popular A-levels. From September 2025, the introduction of Flexi Sixth will offer the option of doing two A-levels in person and one online.
The first results in 2024 were impressive, with leavers heading off to Bristol, Reading and Goldsmiths, and one went to flight school. This year, five Year 12s are applying to Oxbridge, and our tour guides told us they are hoping to read biochemistry at Imperial. But while academic success is important, there’s also a healthy emphasis on life experience and helping pupils become accountable and resilient. They all do the London Leaders enrichment programme, which includes leadership skills, outreach work in the community, critical thinking skills and creativity. Every half term they reflect on what they’ve achieved, and they also give presentations to Years 11 and 12. ‘For anything they go on to do, they need to be able to present,’ says Mr Mountford.
There’s lots of help with UCAS and personal statements in Year 12, and the pupil voice is loud; many discussions about future steps are held in the sixth form, with pupils being asked, ‘What are you interested in and how are you going to do it?’ ‘It’s 90 per cent pupil first, not subject,’ says Mr Mountford. Through their Parent Speaker Service, parents are invited to come and speak to the year 12 students about their own careers.
Co-curricular
As part of becoming more independent, sixth-formers take ownership of exercise – they can swim, do Pilates, work out in the school gym, join the football, cricket or basketball teams and even coach the younger years.
And finally....
A breath of fresh air in the London market, LPS does things a bit differently, encouraging pupils to think big and stretch themselves to the best of their abilities. And with the capital’s iconic attractions on its doorstep as extended venues for learning and playing, it’s hard not to be inspired.