Is it wired to go to 6th form open evenings without dd?

[Balletgirlmum]

Dd is currently in year 10 at school quite a long way from home. She finishes very late & also has compulsory Saturday morning school. Occasionally she boards.

She's more than likely going to return 'home' for 6th form. However if she decides to audition for a performing arts college instead she will heed to know where she is applying & get prepared next September at the latest.

We are currently getting flyers through & seeing adverts for various open days & evenings but she can't actually get here to attend.

Would it be strange if I went on her behalf to initially suss them out & ask if they can offer what she wants or will that seem too strange?

[BackforGood]

Not weird at all.
I went to two without my dd, as the school had arranged a foreign exchange in the same week they were held. No issue at all.

[Lindor]

Personally, I would find it a bit odd. At that age it's their choice where they go, although it's normal to go along with them to open evenings.

How you perceive the institution would be completely different to their perception, and if you persuade them to go somewhere you like, it could come back to bite you...

just my thoughts.

[Balletgirlmum]

It's just a shame they all seem to be 6-8pm when she doesn't finish school until 6pm & doesn't get home until 7.45pm.

[Peach9876]

If you know what DD is looking for and have similar ideas about a 'feel' to the school then I don't see an issue with it under those circumstances.
I would have an issue if she was refusing to go, as I'd be saying she needs to be involved, but if she can't attend because she's doing school work then thats that. Go for her, if she's only in year 10 anyway she can come next year to make sure.

[lljkk]

No open mornings on weekend?
DD (also yr10) refused to go to our local college open events last week. Arrrgggghhhhh.

[Balletgirlmum]

She has compulsory Saturday morning school.

[Decorhate]

I would just take her out of school early for a few that you think are real possibilities.

[RalphSteadmansEye]

No, it's not weird. I went to some sixth form open evenings on my own when ds was yr 10 but of course he'll come in yr 11. With him, it was more about avoiding anxiety of having to think about the future until it's actually necessary.

[senua]

It makes sense to me! You do the multiple visits / first sift in Year 10, but then she makes a priority of a few new-school-open-days over old-school in Y11.

[MrsJayy]

Would she not get time off for open days/evenings I would imagine other kids are in the same boat, its her 6th form not yours. I would ask school for a few hours off so she gets home earlier so she can go with you.

[TeenAndTween]

Makes sense to me.

You go and do fact finding, bring back brochures/flyers. She looks at her leisure, works out questions to ask and goes along more focussed to a later open evening.

[Balletgirlmum]

MrsJay-

It's not that usual. She is one of the few who is thinking of going back to a more academic school rather then vocational college. What often happens is that all of these institutions exhibit at a national event held on a Sunday. Dds school hosted it last year but it's in London this year.
There are workshops & staff members etc available to talk to.

Dd is instead looking at local 6th forms.

I've just been told by a parent if a child in year 10 that permission was refused for several students to attend a "rival"school open day yesterday. It would have involved a whole day off due to travel.

[Balletgirlmum]

Sorry it's a year 11 parent who told me of the refusal.

[Balletgirlmum]

For those staying in the vocational system there will be a full day audition/interview often with a recall involved for each school they apply to.