Thinkng ahead about 6th form

My daughter knows exactly what she wants to do (with that comes its own issues!) and we are looking at all colleges this month and in November on their open evenings and she will then be applying asap. Depending on the competition for places, she may well need a preference list and also to prepare work to support her application (she wasn't able to do her chosen subject at GCSE but it is her hobby!) I think it's better to face these things earlier rather than later, just in case spanners are thrown into the works.

In view of this, I wish we had looked in 2010, but we didn't.

I have replied on your other thread; sorry about the 'getting worked up' comment as I was unaware of the background .

They are reviewed and if there is constant evidence that higher grades are being worked to then targets can change (especially if you ask remind the school)

However, be mindful that the targets are generated from a long list of data which is supported from a very large number of students history etc. Unless you do have evidence that your dd will/can achieve A grades, be careful about how much pressure she will feel under to gain these if she is truly not capable

the funding is applicable to all post 16 providers. Historically schools received more funding per head than colleges, it is all being brought into line and therefore every provider be it within a school or college are receiving the same funding to the level that colleges have rather than taking up to school level.

The colleges/schools will make conditional offers based upon predicted grades and references. Some colleges will make allowances for early entry (i.e. gaining a C grade in year 10 instead of a preferred B grade but not all)

just got back from an Inset regarding 6th form provision in schools....

in order to have all providers on an even playing field school 6th form funding is being cut to match that of colleges (at the moment, schools receive far more per head than colleges do). Whilst subject which have a large intake e.g. maths, english etc should run as normal, other subjects could be hit with not being run or students taking those courses at a different location. For example, a student may take maths, english, biology at their school but might have to travel to the local college to take music.

I implore all parents attending 'school 6th form open evenings' to ask about the future as these cuts have already started (3% cut this year) and will have an impact on student's choices

mumslife, applications for sixth forms are as early as november in yr 11. So it is easier if you have made up your mind or narrowed your choices during yr 10. I went to open evenings in yr 10 without DS (he was at boarding school) to narrow the choice. Then he came to a couple in year 11 which he applied to. This also meant I could rule out ones I didn't even want him making a decision on!

Don't "diss" small groups for A level music as long as the school will continue to run the course for that number. DD1 got A* in music (with full marks for performance and the loss of just a couple of marks for composition) where there were only 3 in the class plus one who took music as a 4th A level so didn't really come to class much due to clashes. The teachers are/were brilliant and of course her performance was worked on with her instrumental teacher too.

Mumslife if you want to transfer to state grammer for 6th form you need to look in year 10 and apply early in yr 11. Good luck!

mumslife I think it does no harm to start checking out the runners and riders. Where we are you have to have applications in early in year 11 so you need to know what the choices are. If possible can you go along to a few open evenings this year? This will give your daughter a flavour of what is on offer rathar than excluding particular choices on the basis of misconception.

Circular I think you are wise to start thinking about this now. Our local schools offer a consortium college which means bussing from one school to another if A levels are diverse.

Instead DD1 is looking at a big sixth form just over the county border. I have checked and there are no catchment area issues. We are off to the 6th form next week for the open evening. Applications have to be in before Christmas so you need to be doing your researches during year 10.

DD1 will be able to take the bus there which is fine for us.

Look at all the options in your area. This one wasnt obvious to us as I had assumed we were restricted by the county border.

have a look at the websites of each of the possible options and e-mail them to ask how many did A level music in each of the last 3 years. You'll probably find it's a pretty small number anywhere but that isn't necessarily a bad thing as she may get more personal attention. She needs to look beyond any school to see what musical opportunities there are in your county. If she's a late starter she needs to work very hard on catching up as the audition will possibly be more important that any academic qualification.

I know of children who travel considerable distances for state provision, if there are catchment areas they are probably only for a few places. However travelling is certainly an issue, they can get very tired/ have little other life.

Op regarding the sibling rule, at DCs over-subscribed comp, this rule only applies to siblings in Y7-11, so there is no advantage in having a sibling in 6th form.

I am not saying your school is/will be the same, but it might be worth double checking, and of course, admissions rules are tweaked over time.

Uni's offer places especially music / art / performance related courses not only based on grades but mainly on the audition. Your DD needs to complete music at A Level but also a course which requires more written work so that she can prove that she can cope with the theory side as well. She needs outside interests as well which backs up her choice of course.

She absolutely needs to only apply to uni's were she will meet the entry profile as this is the first thing that admission tutors check, if they don't meet the required grades they won't bother to read the personal statements or references.

It's not fair that you also want your DD to stay at 6th form to secure a place for your younger child. Attend ALL the open evenings and allow your DD to decide what she would like to do.

Why do you think that if she went to a private school then the uni offers would be higher?

I'd get an appointment with her Connexions Adviser / careers adviser in school to find out the facts. They will be able to at least tell you where she can go to study music.

You might want to pick a university or two and ring and ask. The (top) university I know well gives lower offers for students from schools that many would describe as "sink" schools, but the ones you're considering would be treated just the same as independent schools for admissions purposes.

If you would otherwise consider private options, don't rule them out on the basis that she'd get higher university offers than if she went to a good state school. That's almost certainly not true. Generally, lower offers are made to students from state schools that rarely send their students to university. Students from strong state schools or sixth-form colleges will get the same offers as those from independent schools. In any case, universities get to see the whole school history, I think.

There are no catchment areas for 6th form colleges because they are classed as further education. However, Ed Balls changed the rules for school 6th forms in 2008. If oversubscribed they have to use distance from school as criteria.

Maybe change schools to one with a big 6th form. I changed from 5th year (yup that old) to 6th form to a school with a 6th form of about 250 and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. For music a large 6th form could offer much more particularly in terms of bands/orchestra etc which surely you would need/be beneficial to do A level music.

you don't commit until the day you enrol with one college; our local ones know what we 'clued up parents do'! His second choice 9which had lower grade requirements) had his appointment set for 30 mins after his results were available, so i emailed them to say that were on holiday until the Saturday. Luckily he got his target grades and got into his my first choice college

Thanks cricketballs - good advice, but doesn't it cause chaos if everyone does that? At what point do you have to commit to a single one? We have six on our not-so-short list.