GDST Sixth Form Benefits
Years 12-13
At The Belvedere Academy, we offer something no other Sixth Form in Liverpool can.
Part of something much bigger
Choosing where to spend your Sixth Form years is one of the biggest decisions you will make. You want academic excellence, but you also want an environment that prepares you for the real world, gives you a competitive edge, and surrounds you with an inspiring community.
We are proud to be the only Sixth Form in the city that belongs to the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). When you join our Sixth Form, you don’t just join a school – you plug into the UK’s leading network of girls’ schools, supercharging your A Level or BTEC journey with unparalleled national advantages.
What Does the GDST Advantage Mean for You?
A Powerhouse Network of 100,000 Alumnae
The moment you start Year 12, you gain exclusive access to the GDST Alumnae Network – the largest female network of its kind in the country, boasting over 100,000 former pupils worldwide.
Mentoring: Through our bespoke mentoring, you can connect with trailblazing women working in law, medicine, finance, technology and the arts.
Ready-Made Communities: Heading off to university? GDST alumnae groups exist at all major UK universities, giving you an automatic network of friends and support before you even pack your bags.
Industry Connections and Work Experience
The GDST’s scale means global corporations come directly to us. Our students benefit from exclusive partnerships, insight days and masterclasses with world-leading organisations. Think names like:
- PwC, Rolls-Royce, Barclays and Siemens
- The London School of Economics (LSE)
These unique links give Belvedere students a massive head start when applying for degree apprenticeships and highly competitive corporate schemes.
Tailored Future-Proofing: From GDST LEAD to Oxbridge
Our curriculum goes way beyond the classroom. Alongside your subjects, you will benefit from specialised national GDST programmes designed to make your personal statement or CV stand out from the crowd:
- GDST LEAD: An elite entrepreneurship and leadership programme.
- Oxbridge & Medics on Track: Dedicated residentials, subject seminars and expert preparation for specialist university aptitude tests.
- CareerStart: Practical workshops covering financial literacy, networking, public speaking, and building a professional online profile.
Exclusive Prizes and Travel Scholarships
As a GDST student, you are eligible to apply for a vast range of exclusive funding opportunities, prizes and scholarships. Whether it is financial support for university, funding for a gap year or prestigious awards for creative writing, law, or poetry, these scholarships are completely closed to the general public and reserved only for GDST students.
Why All-Girls (16–19) Works Better
Research consistently shows that girls in a single-sex Sixth Form environment excel academically, are much more likely to pursue STEM subjects, and are statistically far more comfortable taking intellectual risks and stepping into leadership roles.
