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Original poster

Moving from Independent to State at Sixth Form

32 replies

catseyes123 · 14/04/2011 22:00

I was wondering if anyone has done this and what their experience has been.
DS has been in a top private school and has done very well academically but he has had problems with being excluded by friends in the last year and seems to have lost all his confidence.

Mainly due to this reason, we are planning on moving him to a state school or college for sixth form. I am not sure if this is the right move or not. His current school have advised against moving him at such a crucial stage of his education.

Any Advice?

OP posts:
wordfactory · 15/04/2011 06:48

Lots of movement at sixth form within both sectors.

Some DC move from priavte to state, more still move from state to priavte (this age has the biggest density of students going to indie school)

It completely depends on your DC and the provision available.

Collegemum38 · 15/04/2011 00:11

We're considering doing this. It will help boost the uni savings fund as well as give our DD an opportunity to mix with more people. She has boarded since age 10 (which she still loves) but I think it would do her good to leave the sheltered world of Boarding School before going to Uni. Ultimately the choice will be hers but it is something she is aware of and considering.

The important factor will be whether we are living somewhere with a decent sixth form at the time.

fortyplus · 14/04/2011 23:56

I did this. Years ago, obviously, but it was a total disaster for me. Flopped dramatically after hothouse culture at private school - ended up dropping out of 6th form and not going to university

senua · 14/04/2011 23:53

I don't think that we can advise on a hypothetical basis because it depends so much on the specific circumstances.
Many people move in the sixthform, for all sorts of reasons. Our school get a lot of new students in the sixthform and it works out well because there are so many of them, they create critical mass. Also the school does lots of extra-curric so there are lots of ways to integrate outside of the classroom.
One of the benefits of sixthform college is that eveybody is a newbie.

sue52 · 14/04/2011 23:34

My daughter attends a state grammar and every year they get a good number of students from private schools entering their sixth form. I think a change at 16 is often good for students as they are starting from a fresh slate.

Yellowstone · 14/04/2011 22:17

Hello catseyes do you know what's at the root of the problem? I thought boys were better than girls with the whole group friendship thing. Losing confidence at this stage is so potentially damaging that I would do whatever it takes to give him a boost before real problems set in. The school is bound to say don't move him. Is there a good substitute? And what does he think?

NotaMopsa · 14/04/2011 22:03

Hello Catseyes ..I have no experience ( hope someone does) but like you (ish) we are thinking of moving our dd from a selective grammar to a state school

She has done well academically but friendship wise it has not been great.....

We have done our homework and think this is a good move for her.

What is your son hoping to study??? Is the state school strng in these subjects?