Y11 2025/26… come and join

No, loads of school based 6th forms round us are closing for finding related reasons. They weren't offering the IB anyway but already say that post 16 provision is too expensive to keep offering. I cant see that any would plough on with something like IB with a huge funding cut.

The college open evening was before this announcement- I wonder what they'll do and how they'll communicate their decision?

Yes, from what I've read the extra funding that state schools get for the IB is being cut so it will impact all state schools who offer it. It's only the "extra" funding which is £2k per pupil apparently, so schools could continue to offer it, but I presume it would be difficult for them to fund if it takes more teaching time and no schools are awash with cash are they.

Will the IB decision affect all state provision of it?

DD was interested in both a college and school offering it....

We've been looking at 6th forms over the weekend, think DD was a bit freaked out by it all yesterday, but she's calmed down a bit today and is even having some sensible conversations. No 6th form at her school, so has to move somewhere else but she's not bothered by that as there are some excellent options. We're manchester so have been looking at loretto and xaverian, anyone else on here been looking there too?

We didn't choose the school specifically because of the IB, but the kids have been geared up to doing it for years now e.g. practice extended essay one year, "creativity, action and service" programme another year. Multiple languages (2 modern plus latin). Doing 11 GCSEs including 2 languages (which I wasn't totally sure was a great idea doing so many GCSEs). However, I suppose it's all good for their development!

Yes 6th form we’re not sure whether to stay current independent school, or move to local sixth form college.

Yes sorry I was referring to the ‘Latin excellence programme’ . Not sure how many other state schools do Latin, particularly comprehensives. It was a great opportunity.cancelled.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3d813v7ylxo.amp

Yep! A crazily heavily oversubscribed sixth form college near us opened its applications in July (of year 10) and closed end of September with offers made 1st October. Dd get a place which is nothing short of amazing. However, she wants to stay at her Indy sixth form. We’ve got until January to confirm with them so will hold both spaces for now.

Gosh that's early for closing deadlines for 6th form @36and3 . We're in London and they all seem to be having their open days in October and November with deadlines from January to March. Dd1 is only doing her mocks in Jan so won't have much in the way of predictions before then.

I hadn't heard about the government pulling Latin funding. Both Dd1's grammar school and Dd2's state school offer it at present. Dd2 is in yr 9 and about to chose her options and Latin was one of them - they haven't mentioned cancelling it. I will check with the teacher. It looked like there were just 40 schools on a Latin excellence programme whose funding was getting pulled so hopefully they're not one of them. If they have cancelled it, I guess she'll just do dual modern languages instead.

Wow that’s incredibly short notice. Did you choose the school specifically for the ib? Round here several sixth form admissions deadlines have already passed, with a few open until December for applications. I hope you have options.

we have the mock timetable now and dd has taster lessons next week for potential new alevel subjects.

The problem is that the Labour government don’t want any thing in education to be out of their control. Hence trying to close down private schools, stopping the IB in schools, next they’ll attack the academies then the grammars (grammars being selective). They really do want to drag kids down instead of raising kids up. Not sure why they cancelled Latin. They saw it as too prestigious maybe??
There’s no chance the decision will be reversed within this government. :(

I wish they’d concentrate more on improving schools rather than trying to ruin them.

So far there's been a letter from the Head about making the case for IB to DfE but it doesn't say what they're going to do if the decision isn't reversed (highly unlikely it will be I imagine). I've heard a different school has already announced they will switch to A levels.

I was unaware of this change. Sorry to hear you are affected https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/dfe-removes-funding-ib-diploma-study-state-schools

it doesn’t affect us as state schools/colleges round here don’t offer IB but skim reading this it looks like IB will only be possible in private education from now on.

doesnt look like the DfE gave schools much notice as they would all be doing open days and planning for next year. Hopefully ad you say your college/sixth form can pivot in time. 🤞

We had DS's Year 11 information evening today. It was very helpful: they gave us booklets with all the mock and real exam dates, revision strategies, revision materials and timetable templates. I feel a bit more confident with supporting him now.

Fuming. DfE have written to headteachers to say they are withdrawing the extra funding state schools get for delivering the IB (because it requires more teaching time) NEXT YEAR. DDs school only does IB so either they're going to have to work out how to do it with less money or switch to A levels. Not great timing when we're starting to look at sixth forms now. At least her school open day is a bit later than the others so the school will have some time to figure out a plan!

We’ve had options evening at her current indie. She really wants to stay and 90% sure she will. Though she does have a place at an outstanding state sixth form college and I’d quite like to save a truck load of money!!

Shes selected her alevel options now but we do have until February to edit if need be.

Mocks in November for us too but no timetable yet

I’d like to know more on the differences between -

• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma
• T-Level

Our open evening is on Monday night 😊

Hello joining in 👋

We received a list of dates which which may be useful to you 😊
16/11/25 - Flight path evening 1630-1830
17/11/25 - Mock exams week 1
19/11/25 - Mock interview evening
24/11/25 - Mock exams week 2
19/12/25 - Deadline for College Applications
7/1/26 - Mock results event / report
9/1/26 - College Application interviews 1
23/2/26 - Year 11 Mock Core exams
6/3/26 - College Application interviews 2
25/3/26 - Spring data results/ mock results event 2
4/5/26 - GCSE and BTEC exams begin
17/6/26 - Last GCSE / BTEC exam
24/6/26 - Contingency exam date
20/8/26 - GCSE results day

Our mock exam timetable is more or less 2 exams a day for 2 weeks. Whilst heavy going I have said at least it will prep them with some exam writing stamina. Plus it means they can’t leave revision to the last minute.

some revision happening here but not loads think the issuing of the mock exam timetable means they are going to focus on revision a bit more 🤞

My twins both want to do A levels. 2 a levels they definitely want to do. The 3rd available there’s a few options being considered.

We did attend a talk on T levels they sound a good option for the subjects they’re available in, however we are fairly rural and there is only 2 colleges in the whole county that offer them and they’re not easy to get to from us. So glad the twins have chosen A levels as there are a few more locations to go them near us.

DS's school has a Year 11 information evening next week so we'll get the mock exam dates, summer exam timetable and other dates then.

We've got his first VIth form open evening tonight so that'll be interesting. He's set on going to this one, involving an early start and a train journey (we're not in London). I'm not sure why as he isn't good at getting out of bed and we have a very good VIth form an easy bike ride away from our house. He also thinks they should change the rules so he doesn't have to wear a suit 🙄 when the local option doesn't have a uniform at all. Hopefully he'll see sense. They both offer the subjects he wants to take so I'm going to do some digging on results to show him a comparison.

Hello. We have a November mock timetable which looks better than the year 10 timetable. It’s not 2 exams every day this time, just some of them. DS is doing about 2 hours work a night/ each day over the weekend, mostly homework but a lot of homework is revision focused, past papers etc. it’s showing which bits of year 10 weren’t taught well (DS had a science teacher missing for a term, school said the cover was fine, it wasn’t). All out 6th form open days were July so nothing going there apart from submitting the choices. We know 2 but not the 3rd, but are being told you can always switch. No option to start 4 subjects here unless 4th is further maths.

@Ifonlyoneday we also have our November rmocks timetable but seemingly neither DS or his teachers know if he is doing foundation or higher maths paper so I'm not sure how that is going to work.

We have been to one college open day so far, DS is torn between Extended Diploma or T level and the colleges seem very keen to push T levels but I don't know if that's because it's the best option or some sort of funding thing. It felt very much like a sales pitch rather than careers and advice.

November mock timetable issued here and the first of the sixth form open evenings has started.
How is everyone else getting along?

Thanks both. This was all needed to work out which Take That concert to buy tickets for as an after exam treat.

24th June is contingency day. Extremely unlikely to be needed. Our school has scheduled the prom day on 18th.