Oasis Academy South Bank to open sixth form in September 2018

"We are thrilled that the Department for Education has approved our application to open a sixth form next year," said Carly Mitchell, principal of Oasis Academy South Bank.

"Oasis Academy South Bank Sixth Form will offer world-class post-16 education to the local community. It will share the academy's relentless drive to improve our students' life chances, supporting them to achieve their dream job and become model citizens.

"Like at our secondary school, our older students will be able to develop the skills they will need for their future careers thanks to the relationships we have fostered with supportive local and global companies on our doorstep.

"We also have a robust and academic curriculum in place, created to reflect the qualifications desired by leading universities and organisations.

"Since Oasis Academy South Bank opened, our staff have set the highest of expectations of our young people, enabling them to achieve their very best.

"Our students have continually met and exceeded these standards, and will no doubt do so at our sixth form.

"Oasis Academy South Bank students have limitless potential, and I am excited to see them flourish."

The secondary school is part of the Oasis group of charities founded by Revd Steve Chalke, who said: "At Oasis Hub Waterloo we have a passion to serve local people by working with others to help create a community where everyone, regardless of age, background or situation, feels included and valued and can fulfil their potential.

"As part of this mission we want to provide our young people with the opportunities that they deserve to realise their dreams and ambitions.

"With the fantastic news that our secondary school, Oasis Academy South Bank, can open its new sixth form, we can now provide exceptional educational opportunities all the way from those for pre-school age children at Oasis Playspace, through our primary school Oasis Academy Johanna, and on to 18.

"Today is the realisation of a long-held dream we have had for the Waterloo community. We are so pleased it has come to fruition."

Oasis Academy South Bank opened in September 2013 and was judged to be 'outstanding' by Ofsted in June 2015.

This year will be the first in which students at the academy sit their GCSE exams.