From independent girls to co-ed state at 6th Form - thoughts?

That made me laugh, thank you

@Hopppinggreen - fine, just don't congratulate yourself for your anti-social behaviour.

theendiscummings if you can afford Private but send your DC to the local Comp which is in Special measures despite the fact that several teachers who work there have advised you not to just so you can smash the system then fine. I decided not to

My DC Private school doesn’t have a 6th form so 90% of them go into State for A levels. There are 2 6th form colleges close by, a Grammar, a Private school and a few State comps. Most seem to do fine

@TheEndisCummings life just isn’t that straightforward. Schools and areas can be very different. Children don’t all respond in the same way either.

My children went to a state primary school in a very poor area (bottom 10% of wards nationally) and more than 2/3 of the children were on free school meals. They stood out as different- it was unavoidable. We had a bigger house than everyone else and my kids didn’t have local accents.

Dd is very adaptable and got on fine although she says now that she always felt different and weird. Ds struggled and was badly bullied for being different. In the end we had to pull him out. We home educated him instead of private school but the principle is the same. It wasn’t that we felt we were too good for the school - but you have to draw the line when your child is so unhappy.

Dd ended up going to an independent secondary because we needed to move areas for other reasons but we struggled to sell our house because of its location. We were still in the old area when we applied for secondaries so we weren’t in catchment to apply for schools in the new area and they were all full when we got there (even the unpopular ones!). There’s lots of reasons why people use independent schools. There’s no need to be so rude and make assumptions about people’s motives!

@bytheseasidebythesea I sent my child to the local school - if everyone does that then the system of ranking becomes meaningless (which it is really). I support that school by sending my child who is pretty academic and helps his classmates- So don't admonish me. YOU are the one ruining the possibility of a good education for everyone in socially mixed schools, by insisting some parts of the system are just too horrid for your precious child. That is what is not fair.

I also have personal experience of this, I went from an assisted place at a top indy to a local 6th form college (not attached to a school). I was kicking back a bit and wanted more freedom, but in that respect it was better prep from the type of studying you do at uni, there was a lot less hand-holding which stood me in good stead later. I enjoyed the co-ed aspect too and found it less intense than the all-girls school was, which suited me. Got three A's at the end of it too.

Yes my daughter has just done it and is really enjoying it! Selective girls school to boys grammar (mixed sixth form). Being a grammar I wasn’t sure if it Would be different enough (she wanted a change) but it is! She says it’s much more fun and relaxed having boys around and it’s also much more normal, less of a bubble.

She hears that all her old friends are really stressed already, yet she’s not so she’s really glad she made the move. She’s also doing voluntary sport for the first time In years!

Adopted
In any decent state 6th form they will NOT tolerate that sort of thing.

In Winchester the parents who went state all the way through often have rather more disposable cash than those who paid fees after all

It might be tough if someone take against her due to her previous school, but could also be good for her social development.

@foxesandsquirrels some higher level (level 4, 5, 6) apprenticeships require A-Levels (but some (most?) also accept BTEC etc)
Some lead to degrees and others Foundation Degrees or HNC/HND as well as having the work experience and training. A lot of companies are preferring taking on higher level apprentices from 6th form who have good A-Levels over graduates.
I do agree that careers advice in independents is very biased towards A-Levels and degrees though so the OP might want to encourage her DD to have a really good think about what she wants to do if she's not interested in university and the right qualifications to get her their.

OP, if your DD is happy and wants to make the move the transition shouldn't be a problem. Most transition problems come from when DC don't want to move but parents say they have to/make them.

If she is not planning on going to uni what are her plans? It may be better for her to do a different course than A Levels. Careers guidance in independents always favour the a level route and she's unlikely to be informed about other options.
There's not much you can do after a levels aside from uni.

My DD has recently done just this and seems to be really enjoying it (not just the freedom of 6th Form, but the co-ed mix).

From a parent's pov, you definitely get what you pay for in regards to the extra sport and clubs, but in regards to academics and pastoral care she seems just as happy. Doing very little extra-curricular as there is little on offer, but that could be related to covid restrictions not just the school.
We chose for financial reasons also. It's wonderful from this perspective!!

An awful lot of students go from the indy schools in the next city to a 6th form college that is very highly regarded. They go there because it has an excellent reputation, there is a much wider choice of options, and it is free because it is state run. The indy schools don't have a great reputation for A levels as all the bright ones leave to go to the 6th form college.

The college is pretty much a halfway option between school and university.

Peter Symonds in Winchester takes dozens from the private schools every year
its a non issue

ditto Barton Peverill
ditto Brockenhurst College
ditto Alton College

ask the college how many transfer every year

There were quite a lot in my grammar school sixth form. They mostly did poorly, but that was because in my area you only went independent if you didn't get into the grammars first time round so they weren't that smart. The independents held their hands through GCSEs, so while they got the paper, they didn't really deserve their grades and came unstuck later. Culturally they seemed to do fine, although some expected help to come to them and they had to learn to be proactive.

My son did this. From boys independent to mixed state 6th form. Not for financial reasons & schools had similar results. We felt based on the kind of person he is he would make a better transition to uni socially and academically.
Definitely right decision for us/him.

It's lucky the state system is there when you need it...

Both my dds did this. DD1 ended up with 2 A* and and 2A at A Level and now at university. Absolutely no regrets. DD2 still at college. Much better prep for university and independent schools far too 'cosy' esp if they've been at the same school for years. Too easy to be complacent and not to understand how the world works/