Finding a private sixth form that isn't selective

Have you looked into Aylesbury Grammar School? They are not particularly selective for A-level although they do have limited places. The environment will be pretty good for him. Great teachers for the most part and motivated kids.

I suggest Sibford sounds ideal. An hour from Aylesbury p, boarding available.
I'm sure that St. Edward's entry requirements would be higher than your DS is likely to achieve.

Some private sixth forms offer a GCSE year (as indeed do some state ones), and that might be well worth considering. That would give him a chance to consolidate the GCSE work, plug any gaps, and see what he can do in a different environment.

The courses in private schools are probably aimed more at those coming in from overseas, but still might work well. One of our local state sixth form colleges has one that's aimed more at those coming out of year 11 with grades which aren't quite enough for A-levels.

Want to say what you want don’t exist surely. Even state 6th form is selective. Looking at the one DD wants to go, they want 6 and 7s in maths and sciences.

Just seen you are in Aylesbury - so sounds like your DC is not in a grammar school, so his experience will be coloured by having the top 20% of children creamed off into grammar schools.

Have you considered state school sixth forms in Bedfordshire or Milton Keynes where the system is comprehensive so there will be the full range of abilities?

@emzzz123
Im very near Aylesbury too!!
Some good sixth form options would be

1. Lord Williams in Thame, a state sixth form, but highly regarded, definitely do not rule this out.
2. D’Overbroeks in Oxford. He could either board, or commute daily ( from Haddenham or Aylesbury Parkway to Oxford Parkway, it’s then two stops into Summertown on the bus!) The commute is easy, there are quite a few who are travelling from Haddenham this year. Would highly recommend this school.
3. St Edward’s in Oxford ( I don’t personally know much about this one)

I doubt that a sixth form exists, either state or private, that is non-selective for students wanting to take STEM A Levels.

My DC's (state) school sixth form has the lowest entry criteria in the area and even then it wants a 7 for A Level maths and a 6 for A Level physics (and students coming in with bare minimum criteria for STEM would be looking at the lower end of A Level grades).

So I'd personally not restrict yourself to private - it's very likely that STEM A Level classes, wherever the setting, will be smaller and full of committed, hard working students

Even the state schools round here require students to get a minimum of a 6 in any subject they want to study at A level, so if he's capable of that he really needs to pull his finger out and engage with the tutoring you're paying for.

But why have you left it so late? Open days for sixth forms start in September and most DC know where they want to go and what grades they need to get by now.

Kings Rochester in Rochester,

However he will need 7s min for the subjects he wants to take through to A level
However he could take subjects at A level not taught at gcse
example….economics, stats, business etc
With a predicted 7 in maths he could therefore pick up those subjects.

There is a small % boarding.

Id check out the latest real results though.
They haven’t been doing great in science subjects recently,

Is his motivation and work ethic likely to improve? STEM a levels are hard. Going in with a grade 6/7 at GCSE and a bit of a lax attitude is not going to get great A level grades.

This. My son was a mid B in A level maths in March 2023. He needed an A to do his medical degree. We paid 1k for an intensive Maths revision course over Easter and he got his A in Maths in the 2023 A level exams. Started his medical degree. He’s happy.

He was state school but good state schools and 6th form college. The intensive revision course boosted his confidence and showed him different exam techniques which got him from a mid B to a top A in his Maths A level.

Most sixth forms, private or otherwise, will want at least a 6 at GCSE to study a STEM subject. The jump in workload/content/expectation is huge. That said, have a look at Ealing Independent College.

Why private rather than just moving to a different school sixth firm, a sixth form college or a FE college? Post 16 education is very different to earlier key stages as the pupils have a lot more choice and by default have made a conscious choice to be there and study those subjects.

Applications for our local FE college have been open since September so it’s really important that you and your ds make some decisions soon to avoid limiting his options.

A completely non selective 6th form sounds dubious. If GCSE grades in a subject are poor then they’re unlikely to succeed at A-Level not just because it’s a big jump but because they clearly don’t have a good base of knowledge in the subject. He’d probably be fine with any subject he got a 6 in though. That’s a good result! Sixth form colleges are really good- everyone wants to be there, they’re focused on going to uni and where I grew up it was and still is the case that a lot leave the private schools at 16 to go to the state sixth form instead because they get better results, students get more independence and they can offer a wider range of subjects. A bigger issue though is that you describe him as bare minimum and not motivated even with tutors. That’s not a great attitude for success at A-Levels wherever he goes.

I don't think anyone can help you unless you say where you are or whether your son will board. I have a very nice independent school near me that would definitely take 5s and 6s (I know children that have gone there with less). But it's rural so unless you are planning boarding I doubt it will fit.

Yes, it’s quite different to my experience of private schools in the NW which were academically selective, ambitious and rigorous.

I just checked the requirements of the ‘best’ one near me, and for 6th form they require 5 GCSES at Grade 5 or above.

the thing is I think a-levels will be a different situation in current school. I doubt that disruptive kids would be doing a-levels (perhaps I’m naive). Our local high school is actually highly selective for a-levels.

but if staying put is out of the question, there must be other state options around to consider. It sounds like he may do reasonably well which should give him some options, if not private

That’s interesting, all the private schools where we are, are selective. Some less so than others in reality but they all have entrance assessments and take the best of who apply.

Well by its very nature a sixth form is selective. Kids should have a half decent gcse in order to progress to study a-level of they’re not going to manage. Private school sixth forms are even more likely to be choosing the best that they can get. They want their results to look good.
Your son’s results are not that bad. But if he has no personal motivation to improve them then it’s not going to happen is it? He has to want it, at least a little bit.

I think he will find sixth form really different as kids have to want to do those subjects and have the grades for them. The kids who are causing the huge issue won't be in his a classes.
I think you'd struggle to find a good private non selective and those kids will have known each other for years so could be a difficult environment to break into. In my opinion and people may disagree (ex teacher) the kids in the non selective May want to be there less than the kids studying a levels at your local sixth form or college as there's more parental pressure .

None of the private schools near me are academically selective, but I live in rural SW - where are you looking for a school exactly?

Kids choosing to do A levels are broadly speaking choosing to be there, so behaviour should be better regardless of setting.

He needs to be getting at least 6s for chosen subjects, and preferably 7s.

Our local gigantic 6th form college e.g. asks for Physics:

5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and one of the following combinations:

• If you are studying separate sciences you are required to achieve GCSE grades 7, 6 and 6 (any order) in Physics, Mathematics and one other Science
• If you are studying Combined Science you are required to achieve GCSE grades 7, 6 and 6 (any order) in Combined Science and Mathematics