Sixth Form Launch 

On 15th October – witnessed by distinguished guests from the UK, SPGSI Chengdu families, invited families, and staff – the Sixth Form launch ceremony for SPGS International School Chengdu was held on our beautiful campus. This occasion also marked the inaugural visit of Sarah Fletcher, High Mistress of our sister school, St Paul’s Girls’ School. She was accompanied by students from SPGS London, along with the Chair of the school board Qin Li, Board Advisors, Chris Davis, and Helen Lowe. Their visit marked the profound significance of SPGSI Chengdu’s Sixth Form launch as the next milestone in our school history

Families were given tours of the Senior School areas by current SPGS International students including our brand new Sixth Form Centre. The Sixth Form Centre, which comprises a ‘common room’, workstations and offices specifically designed for older students to have space for private, quiet study in addition to easy access to the university guidance team, was the focus on the tour.

Guests were invited to enjoy a delicious dinner, served in our school canteen, during which classmates and colleagues from both London and Chengdu had the chance to talk and connect with one another.

Following dinner, everyone gathered in the theatre for the launch ceremony. The keynote speech, delivered by Sara Fletcher, highlighted St Paul’s Girls’ School’s legacy of incredible examination results, university destinations, and the elements that set them apart from other schools. Sarah Fletcher also commented on the strong relationship between our two schools: “Our international sister shares the same values and principles with us. We strongly support our sister school in Chengdu and work closely together in formulating policies, reviewing the curriculum, in appointing teachers, and collaborating to share good ideas, so that we can grow together successfully.”

Co-Principal and Head of Senior School at SPGSI Chengdu, Naomi Edwards, and Deputy Head Sixth Form, Benjamin Riegel, then gave presentations elaborating on all the details of SPGSI Chengdu’s upcoming Sixth Form. This included information on the A-Level programme, our team of subject specialists and experts, our offering of ‘supplementary programmes’ that run alongside the curriculum, and our multifaceted support system for students as they take on the challenges of A-Levels and university applications.

Qin Li and Chris Davis spoke about SPGSI Chengdu’s governance structure and the importance of policies in shaping a school’s operation and culture, emphasising the breadth and depth of the connection between SPGS in London and SPGSI Chengdu. Helen Lowe discussed the importance of cooperation between home and school throughout all ages of students. She focused on the necessity of trust from both staff and parents to ensure the best experiences and outcomes for students across the school – all the way up to Sixth Form and university application.

Speeches from our students from both London and Chengdu closed the talks on an extremely positive note as they shared their experiences of IGCSE and their plans for A Levels and future careers, providing an invaluable insight to parents and students alike.

The ceremony concluded with a panel Q&A session. The expert team addressed in detail parents’ questions about A-level courses, the exchanges between our two schools, and SPGSI Chengdu’s student support framework during the Sixth Form stage.

The official launch of our Sixth Form Launch was an amazing opportunity for our two sister schools to connect, communicate, and reaffirm our shared vision with parents, students, colleagues, and friends of SPGSI Chengdu. SPGSI Chengdu’s Sixth Form will be a challenging, rewarding, supportive, and mature experience for students looking to get the most out of their final two years before university. We are looking forward to our first cohort in September 2024.