Sixth Form Colleges SW London/Surrey

[LottieProsser]

Hi looking at options for my dd for September 2017. She is likely to want to do A levels in Science and Geography. Does anyone have recent experience of Esher, Richmond, Strodes or other colleges? She is fairly bright but not that enthusiastic about education at the moment so I'd love her to go somewhere with a bit of support and guidance as she doesn't know what she wants to do next.

[homebythesea]

Esher has an open evening today which is aimed at 2017 entrance

[Eastpoint]

One nephew went to Richmond & on the basis of his experience his 2 younger siblings went to Esher. Another friend's daughter went to Richmond & dropped out. I haven't heard of any good experiences there.

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

I'm on a train at the moment sitting opposite a couple of extremely posh boys wearing esher college tops - they're very inadvertently funny ...

It's got a huge catchment and is exceptionally popular - by the time we'd even considered it as a possibility for ds it was already full ...

[amidawish]

until recently the richmond secondaries didn't have 6th forms and Esher was the place of choice. Still very popular amongst Waldegrave girls ime.

[SAHDthatsall]

Esher College is great and DS has loved it. And that's coming from an independent school.

[LottieProsser]

Thanks all . Went to open evening at Esher yesterday and it seemed good but aware that quite a lot of people not in the priority groups don't get in these days. Lots of smart blazers on display and even boys in bow ties in the Physics lab Noitsnotteatimeyet. You have to apply by end of September. Anyone know about Strodes? I've heard one positive report from parent of a high achieving girl who is applying for Oxbridge and one negative one from parent of a lazy boy who did really badly there. Sad about Richmond as that would be a much easier place to get to than Strodes.

[lasermum]

Does it have to be a sixth form college? The secondary schools near Esher College eg Hinchley Wood also have a sixth form.

[LottieProsser]

My dd is not keen on staying at her own school for A levels or going to anyone else's but would be interested to hear about school sixth forrms that treat young people in a fairly adult way which I think involves letting them come and go freely and don't expect them to be involved in the life of the rest of the school. We visited Strodes on Thursday. The staff seemed very nice and I felt they were very keen to sign students up - possibly they have to work a bit harder at it than at Esher as it's not so oversubscribed. They do a good range of A levels and more BTECs than Esher. Would be happy for her to go there on what I've seen so far. But daughter not that enthusiastic. She would probably only know 2 or 3 people there as opposed to dozens at Esher. Have now to look at Kingston which I didn't realise had a sixth form college and Richmond.

[lasermum]

Salesian School in Chertsey gets excellent results and the sixth form is on a different site to the rest of the school ( no personal experience of it though).

Also could consider Godalming College but this maybe too far to commute.

[LottieProsser]

Thanks lasermum Godalming would be rather a long way. I have now been told about Ashcroft Technology Academy in Putney which is an easier commute. It still does the IB which could be a big plus for undecisive but quite clever child, but a) it appears to be a school b) connected to Lord Ashcroft and c) has no info about open days etc for 2017 yet. Does anyone know about this one?

[Mirrormirrorlady]

Anyone got reviews on CCSS (Cambridge Center for Sixth Form). DS hasn't made the GCSE grades to stay on at school sixth form so desperately looking for alternative. He wants to continue boarding so options rather limited.

[Mirrormirrorlady]

Apologies - new here and meant to post this in new thread X

[hididi1]

Whatever you do do not choose Strode College - there's an absolute lunatic of a Director of Studies who I would put down as 'manic' - treats staff like rubbish and they have a very strange atmosphere - can't seem to get a handle on the kids....Run for the hills