Applications open for local sixth forms

Applications for Powys Sixth courses starting in September 2026 have opened, Powys County Council has confirmed, with pupils at schools including Newtown High School set to access a broader range of subjects under a new county-wide approach to post-16 education.

The council has spent the past year working with secondary and all age school headteachers across Powys to review sixth form provision and redesign how courses are planned. The changes introduce a regional model intended to better match subject availability with learner demand and local priorities, rather than each school operating in isolation.

A survey of Year 11 pupils was used to identify which subjects young people most want to study. For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, 12 additional subjects will be introduced compared with the current Year 12 offer. Nine of these will be vocational courses aimed at supporting routes into employment, apprenticeships and further education.

For pupils in Newtown and surrounding areas, this means students attending Newtown High School sixth form will be able to consider a wider mix of academic and vocational pathways, as well as increased opportunities to study through Welsh or bilingually, depending on subject availability across the Powys network of schools.

Welsh medium and bilingual provision across the county has also increased. The number of subjects available fully through Welsh will rise from five in 2025 to 2026 to 10 in 2026 to 2027, including two vocational options. Bilingual subjects will increase from nine to 14, with five vocational courses included.

Powys County Council said further work will continue ahead of September 2026 to finalise delivery arrangements between schools and ensure consistency of access for learners in different parts of the county, including Montgomeryshire.

Councillor James Gibson Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said the revised offer followed joint planning between the authority and school leaders and was intended to provide “clearer pathways into further study, apprenticeships and employment”.

Prospectuses, school specific information and application guidance are available through the Powys County Council website. Learners and parents or carers are also being advised to seek guidance from their current school, including Newtown High School, before submitting applications.