Originally published in 1973, the nature of the sixth form and the objectives of sixth-form schooling were important issues in the field of education at the time. The author here provides a searching analysis of the changing structure and composition of the sixth form. He surveys the continued expansion in sixth-form numbers and suggests ways in which the curriculum could be improved. He examines critically a number of myths about the actual practice of sixth-form education, and considers the case for sixth-form ‘blocks’ or colleges. In a final chapter the author discusses the mechanism of change in this crucial area of education.