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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Anyone else finding sixth form applications stressful?

27 replies

WeAreGerbil · 26/01/2019 18:25

DD has three possibles, two she will almost certainly get offers for, and another, which was her favourite, which is heavily over-subscribed. However we know that lots of people who have applied there are just doing it as an insurance and are unlikely to end up there next September (it's the only sixth form that is over-subscribed, so those choosing other places as first choice will almost definitely get into those). We think it's likely to be over-subscribed by five or six applicants for each one place.

She may be lucky and get in in the first tranche through the lottery process, but on the other hand she may not get a place at all or not until after they have their GCSE results when people have to make firm choices, as I think people will hold a range of offers to keep their options open. It's a bit of a nightmare - her friends in the main are going to FE colleges and have already got offers and so know what they are doing - and although I keep saying she doesn't need to make a decision now, keep her options open, we both tend towards liking to have things sorted out. It just keeps opening up the discussion again and again about where she's going to go, and are they the right A levels, we did the open days before Christmas, now we're doing school day visits and then there will be interviews. This originally seemed like a good idea to get as much information as possible, but now I'm wondering whether it's overkill! And the stress of two lots of mocks this term and increasing pressure from her teachers over revision.

Anyone else in this sort of situation? How are you managing it?

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Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 29/01/2019 18:16

1poppy1 Yes, we've been to four open days (weekends or evenings), rejected one school at this stage, been to two visits in school hours and have a third one to go, and then she'll have three interviews. She won't have an issue about grades either, but I do envy those kids that are just staying on at their existing schools, though I do think DD's current school has been really good with GCSEs, so I'm glad she didn't choose an 11-18 school earlier that wouldn't have been so good now.

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1poppy1 · 29/01/2019 13:53

We are finding the process rather lengthy and repetitive. Like yours, my DD is at a 11-16 school, so has to choose one of the local colleges or sixth form of another school. After open evening at school where all the options had stalls, visits to colleges, several taster days and a whole morning where parents were required to stay for 3 hours, my DD had decided on A levels. She's filled in all the forms, with these details, and applied to 2 colleges and 1 school 6th form.

Job done I thought - but no, she now has to attend interviews, although the letters from the colleges say she has been offered a place, subject to agreeing on courses. She's already said the courses she'd like to study, so this doesn't make entire sense. The letters also say if you don't attend the interviews, then the offer may be withdrawn. I'm past fed up with the process already, we've done our best to help DD choose a course that interests her, somewhere they seem to care about the kids and with a good reputation from friends. There just seems to be too much time and yes anxiety about the whole process.

I know my DD is fortunate, in that she is predicted 6-8 for everything, and only needs 6 in the subjects she wants to study. She's generally pretty laidback and she is finding it a bit worrying, so I can imagine how stressful it is for more anxious kids. My DS loves / needs to know exactly what is happening and when so I'm not looking forward to him going through this in a few years time.

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 29/01/2019 13:34

Actually Ta1kinPeace you've made me realise that the increased choice of being able to travel in different directions is the problem (we're much further away from the county boundary than you at about 500 yards ). If she just had her first choice (the one that's over subscribed) and her second choice that would be simple, it's that she has two second choices, which are both very different (and she's wavering about her first choice based on some of the people who are going there, but that's a different matter). Once she's in the position of actually making a decision I think it will be easier, it's just whilst we're in the middle of the process and we're still collecting information that it's difficult as everything's milling round in her head.

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Ta1kinPeace · 29/01/2019 13:18

I feel your pain.
I live 100 yards from a county border

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 29/01/2019 10:25

I'm in the Midlands, though split across three local authority areas for the sixth forms because of being near the county border. Two of the authorities, including the one in which DD's top choice are in use UCAS Progress, the third has a separate application. One accepts you only if there are places on your chosen A levels, another gives you a place that you have to confirm the day after GCSE results before they can confirm your A level choices, which seems a bit weird and it's not clear about the other one they seem to be giving mixed messages and the admissions policy doesn't help!

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derekthe1adyhamster · 28/01/2019 19:21

I don't know of anyone in the area who doesn't get into their sixth form choice. They do have students who travel from outside the area so I don't think they are over subscribed. They are huge sixth forms though

Ta1kinPeace · 28/01/2019 17:11

Which county are you in ?

Here in Hampshire you can apply to as many or as few colleges as you like

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 28/01/2019 14:08

That's interesting Derek, do you know what happens to people who don't get an offer, is that an issue? Around here a couple of the sixth forms did use to prioritise people who had put them first, that is what we were originally told would happen this year as well, but that has changed though I don't know why.

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derekthe1adyhamster · 28/01/2019 13:20

You can only apply to one of the two sixth form colleges in Brighton (and the local tech college) it stops people from holding more than one offer and therefore over subscription

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 28/01/2019 13:15

That's the theory Stickerrocks but each visit seems to bring a new round of existential crisis, including is she doing the right A levels (syllabi quite different at different sixth forms for two of them). I guess some people are good with uncertainty and some prefer to know things in advance, DD is one of the latter! To be fair it does quieten down between visits, but as she has one more visit to a sixth form during the school day, then two or three interviews, it still feels like there is a way to go....

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Stickerrocks · 27/01/2019 21:32

DD applied to two very large colleges and received offers from both. We don't know of anyone who didn't receive an offer after a short interview, because they know that everyone applies to at least two. I would sit back and get her exams out of the way first, attend the taster days at the schools which have offered her a place, try as many different subjects as possible, then wait until results day. Don't waste time fretting about something which you can't control now.

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 27/01/2019 18:50

Ours is a mix, which also adds the issue that if you join a school-based sixth form then you can find most or at least a lot of the year already knows each other, so new students can be a bit anxious about fitting in.

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ShalomJackie · 27/01/2019 18:21

MyDcareMarvel as per BabyGrey7 in Cambridgeshire most schools are 11-16 and further education is catered for by Sixth Form Colleges

Babygrey7 · 27/01/2019 17:19

MyDcareMarvel.... in Hants most schools are 11-16, and 6th form colleges are totally separate!

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 27/01/2019 13:19

Most institutions take this into account. Dd’s School offer approximately twice the number of places out than they have available

Yes I guess they will do this too, that helps a bit, though it's still over-subscribed by five or six times the places, it's not helping that they haven't finalised their admissions criteria because someone challenged their previous policy.

From what I have seen with children of friends and my DD1, the children who are ready for it, can really thrive at larger 6th form colleges, and they can be an excellent half way house between school and university, making the next transition easier.

This is exactly what DD thought she wanted, but going to visit, she's decided that she would benefit from more intensive academic involvement of the smaller schools, and possibly find it more easy to get involved in school life (school council etc.) there, but she wants the social opportunities of a larger one!

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TeenTimesTwo · 27/01/2019 10:33

re large 6th form v school 6th form.
I'm in Hants where schools generally are 11-16 then 6th form colleges.

However, those who are less mature, or with a less than good work ethic, or who have strong pastoral needs, can struggle at 6th form, with less structure and less support.

Comefromaway · 27/01/2019 09:44

I think I'm also complaining about a system that allows children to hold multiple offers for places, possibly leaving uncertainty right until August for those who are on a waiting list.

Most institutions take this into account. Dd’s School offer approximately twice the number of places out than they have available.

Soursprout · 26/01/2019 19:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 26/01/2019 18:56

And bold fail !

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Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 26/01/2019 18:55

Oops, swapped devices and namechange issue there

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EverardDigby · 26/01/2019 18:55

OP, it is not your desision.
Let her current school guide and advise her. They are the experts.

Totally her choice. Her school are not incredibly helpful, and unfortunately they are not the ones who have to cope with her meltdowns , which is the main problem - actually any of the schools would be fine in the end, it's the process that's driving me mad!

I think I'm also complaining about a system that allows children to hold multiple offers for places, possibly leaving uncertainty right until August for those who are on a waiting list.

Original poster

WeAreGerbil · 26/01/2019 18:51

DD's school is only 11-16, as are lots of the schools around here, then there are other schools that are 11-18 and also separate sixth form colleges. Because we are in a small town we can travel in two directions to attend sixth form, which gives us even more choice, which you'd think would be good, but doesn't feel that way at the moment!

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roisinagusniamh · 26/01/2019 18:51

OP, it is not your desision.
Let her current school guide and advise her. They are the experts.

Comefromaway · 26/01/2019 18:50

Dd is in Year 12. Applications were quite stressful because got her they were based not on exam results but performance at audition. At several schools and colleges it was a two stage process. A first audition/interview, then a recall. You had to have applied by December (October for one place but that was private & ultimately beyond our reach) & recall auditions were April.

If she was just wanting to do normal A levels then it would have been easy most schools in our area do not have 6th forms so everyone goes to the local 6th form college. Your interview/results just determine which course and at which level you do.

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/01/2019 18:49

Where I live it’s normal to stay in current school . Is that not the case nationally?

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