girls leaving independent schools after y11

Some day independent schools don't have sixth form. Some very good state sixth forms are full of ex independent school pupils - Peter Symmonds, Havant College both do very well by ex private kids and give them a non independent school label to improve odds of good offers at UCAS - Havant is in very depressed area but only 5% are local children.

Where my girls boarded, at an all girls' school, the number of leavers varied a great deal from year to year. Very few in some years to 60% in my younger DDs year. The school
is selective but was not meeting the needs of the more creative girls. Art was poor and neglected. Many girls sought schools that stimulated and recognised their artistic talents.

Another major contribution to the high number of leavers in DDs year was the stubborn management and lots of girls who lived in London where they could get themselves to a London school in the 6th form. Many wanted co-ed. It was also a school that existed in its own bubble and that did not suit a lot of girls at 16.

My older DD stayed. She was not going to but they changed the A level offering so it ended up suiting her. Most of her friends stayed. She also got a scholarship.

A major influence on girls leaving is the domino effect. They start talking about leaving - a lot. They visit new schools. They talk about it. The grass is greener. Sometimes that is not the case but for my younger DD (who moved to another girls' boarding school) it was a no-brainier and subject driven. Awful Head and Deputy have now gone so I suspect plenty will now stay. The vacancies were taken largely by girls from China so in younger DDs old 6th form (had she stayed) there was about 50% from overseas. The school drove a lot of parents away and replaced them with very academic foreign girls although some of the girls who left were highly academic themselves and got scholarships from their new schools. If a school loses lots of girls all the time, it is not listening to parents. They walk away if not satisfied. There are plenty of opportunities elsewhere.

If the school is a "through" school many girls will want a change of scenery and/or co-ed for a couple of years before going to Uni (or whatever). They may also be advised they will not suit A levels or gain the required grades for that school to stay to do A levels (this more likely in selective schools). Financial reasons may also be relevant especially if there is a well thought of state 6th form locally- anecdotal evidence of lower Uni offers for state school applicants may also be influential

I left my state comprehensive school at 16 to do A levels at college instead of staying in the 6th form. It is possible I would have got better grades staying at school but in terms of spreading my wings, gaining independence and making new friends it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Financial reasons, going co-ed, going to a more 6th form college environment may all play a part.

In fact I think it does also happen at some 'top' schools - single sex to co-ed is quite a popular move. Or some girls may want to do the ibac rather than A levels. And then as op says, new students then join the single sex 6th forms - so a reasonable bit of moving about!

Maybe there are good sixth form colleges around? Maybe they're playing canny with uni admission statistics - have a good set of GCSEs then apply as a state school candidate?

There may be many reasons.
At 16 some girls may prefer a co-ed environment.
At some of the smaller schools a full range of A level subjects/alternative qualifications might not be available.
I think there is always going to be some movement at each new stage. Most schools take on some new pupils at the start of 6th form.