u/Training-Feeling980

Basically I've already completed 4 A-levels obtaining very good results, but am still 16 years old. I'm a bit undecided on whether or not to go to sixth form. I've been home educated my entire life and decided to take 4 A-levels this year since we planned on moving to Belgium where GCSEs are not relevant.

I want to go study engineering at top unis such as hopefully Cambridge or Imperial. In sixth form I would complete 3 new A-levels which tbh are a bit unrelated to engineering but still really interest me and might open new perspectives. (Bio, Comp Sci, Psychology)

My parents would like me to start university next year, but I'm not sure yet personally. I would love to go to sixth form for two years and experience it all completely since I haven't had those experiences before unfortunately.

Alternatively I could start at a clearing course and complete 1 year before going off to uni maybe, although that sounds a bit strange. Or of course I could just stay at home and get a job and do extra courses online.

The downside of sixth form is it might be a bit rigid and inflexible for me, and I might spend that time better doing other learning in the field of engineering. However I do want to be part of the social community that a sixth form offers.

Thanks all for your advice!

Only 5 days till it's all over and you can get free food :)

Is anybody still going to their sixth form at all on results day?

I'm a homeschooled student - currently 16, based in the UK (would be in year 11). I sat A level maths in October 2025 achieving an A*. This May/June I sat A level Physics Chemistry and FM, predicted A* in all three. I would like to go to do chemical or electrical engineering at uni, however I am not starting this coming academic year as I feel I would miss out on the full experience by going at 16.

I could start university in Sep 2027 (at 17yo) but am not sure if starting at 17 would mean I would miss out on much of the uni experience due to being a year younger than everyone else and not being able to join in with everything initially.

Edit to clarify: if I took one gap year I'd start at 17yo, if I took 2 (or went to 6th form) I'd start at 18.

Alternatively I could go to 6th form next academic year and complete 3 extra A levels. As I never went to school, it might be good to experience 6th form to be a part of that community. I'd also enjoy learning the content for more A levels to gain broader knowledge. However this would mean there would be a gap of 2 years between the very relevant A levels I did now and the start of the engineering course. I'm not sure if high end unis frown on that. And would it be weird to voluntarily do more A-levels even though I don't have to?

Everyone's telling me I should be happy I'm done and enjoy the gap year but I'm very ambivalent right now.

I'm aware 6th form applications are closed but it might be possible to secure a last-minute spot near me, I'm just wondering if that would be worth it.

TL;DR I'm 16yo, sat 4 a levels this year (homeschooled) likely getting high grades, would starting uni at 17 (in september 2027) be a bad idea? Should I go to 6th form instead?

Does anybody have the past papers for last year's AQA Further Maths Paper 3 - Mechanics and Statistics please? They don't seem to be available online. Thanks!

How did it go??

I quite liked that paper, that NMR question was so good!!

Some mildly weird ones too - but overall not too bad at all