Thinkng ahead about 6th form

where I live the majority of schools don't have a 6th form. There is 1 college that is very much in demand and their applications cut off very early as so many apply.

I would advise gelatinous that you go all the early open evenings and apply to them all - there is not set rule on preference like at secondary - they can apply for as many or as few as they want and then your dd can make a more informed decision when she gets her results

dd is year 11 at a school without a sixth form so we are just starting to look. Most seem to have their open evenings for sixth form between Oct and Jan with application deadlines between Dec and Jan. There don't seem to be catchment areas in the same way as for the younger ages and you can apply anywhere, but obviously the further away you look the more problematic transport becomes.

Dd not musical, so can't advise on that side of things.

We live in an area that only has school sixth forms, there are some "colleges" a bit further away but they mostly offer vocational qualifications. At my DCs school the sixth form is quite small and there are often very small classes for some subjects such as music, languages and further maths but this hasn't been a problem. The problem is the standard of the teaching is influenced by the strength of the department as a whole within the school. DD2's A level chemistry teaching was but that reflected the fact that there had been a run of retirements and staff changes within the school science department. It didn't seem to effect the GCSE teaching but A level was a different story.

DS is year 10 and I don't feel we really have a choice for sixth form as all the schools are very similar. When a department is strong the teaching has been absolutely fabulous. DD1's biology teacher stands out and he had a huge influence on her choosing to study it at university. DD2's maths and further maths teachers were brilliant as well. It just seems to be luck whether there happens to be good A level teachers in the subjects you want to do.

We have admission criteria for entry to Y7, as do all, but once you get to post-16 it is a free for all. Most want 5 GCSE but some want more than that, especially the Grammar. Catchment doesn't come into it.

However, that is the current system where it is voluntary. Is your DD going to be the first year where sixth form is compulsory and will that change the goalposts?

if you think about it if hardly anyone does A level music then this must mean a very small group which is a huge advantage

We only have 6th colleges. One has partner schools and DC from these get priority - I think 75% come from the partner schools. The DC from none partner schools come from far and wide so I don't think catchment comes into it. All DC have an interview. The other 6th Form college takes DC from out of the LA but doesn't have priority for DC attending schools in the LA.

The 6th form colleges are massive here - one has 2K students attending the other nearly 3K. DD goes to a small secondary - 825 in total and I think 150 in her year group. I'm slightly worried that DD being a shy quiet type will get "lost" so have been doing a bit of digging regarding 6th Forms attatched to schools - all are in another LA and I've not come across any thing regards catchment areas. I suspect that these schools might make higher "offers" to DC not already attending something I will raise at open evenings.

DD is in yr10 as well and we are going to have a look around a couple this year mainly to give her something to aspire to. Knowing DD she'll decide she want to go to a local 6th Form to save travelling.