Fairfield High School in Horfield is planning to open a sixth form next year.

If it gets the go-ahead, it will run A-level courses initially. In future it aims to become the only state school in Bristol to offer the International Baccalaureate career-related programme.

FHS, which recently became an academy, is consulting parents, staff and other interested parties about the proposal, which would enable students to stay at the school from the age of 11 to 18.

Principal Catriona Mangham said:

“Our vision is to ensure that our students can remain in full-time post-16 education within an establishment where they feel safe and secure.

“The sixth form will help to develop a culture of continuous learning, which will raise aspirations for younger students. We believe it will enhance the character of our school and have a positive impact across Bristol, providing additional choice for students in the central and north areas of the city.”

The proposal is for the sixth form to take a maximum of 300 students. The first intake in September 2016 would be of students already on roll, with applications from external students from September 2017.

A-level subjects provided would include maths, engineering, science, humanities, English literature, languages and the arts. Retakes of GCSE English and maths would also be on offer.

The Watershed partnership and design agency Pace have already agreed to work in collaboration with FHS to give students the opportunity of “real life” support linked with their studies. Talks are being held with the University of Bristol Avon & Somerset police and key science and engineering companies and other organisations about similar partnerships.

FHS is part of the Excalibur Academies Trust, which includes outstanding sixth-form provision and is an accredited International Bacclaureate provider.

Ms Mangham added:

“Ofsted judged Fairfield to be a good school with outstanding features in 2013. We are an international school and we think a sixth form with accreditation to offer the IB career-related programme would help us fulfil our mission to achieve excellence.”

The consultation on the sixth-form proposal can be found on the school’s website. It closes on May 15. The trust will then put forward a proposal to the Education Funding Agency.