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Original poster

Moving town for 6th form? Could it work? Or other options...

53 replies

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 01:55

Long, sorry!

We live in a town with no decent 6th form.

Kids from here tend to go to 6th forms in neighbouring towns. One isn't a proper 6th form - it's a higher education college offering all sorts of courses including A-Levels. I need to look more at it but at this point I don't like the look of it.

The other gets better results than any in this town, but not brilliant.

DS is in year 8, academic and great at rugby. His school is OK. It gets good results but - I've discovered - they're doing that by teaching to the test at the expense of creativity or exploring ideas (or even reading whole books in English, they just use extracts).

I think he'd really benefit from being in an environment where wider learning is encouraged. DS has a lot of promise, academically. I feel I've failed him by not sending him to a good enough school in the first place. My own 6th form was brilliant, I'm hoping he can get a decent 16-18 experience also, somehow...

We do have a local private school, which has a great reputation - but I haven't a hope in hell of being able to afford the fees - it'd only be possible if DS could get a scholarship and then we could apply for a bursary. So worth a punt, maybe, but not something we could rely on at all.

We're not too far from a city with an outstanding 6th form, and I'd love to live there. But would moving town for 6th form be a nuts idea?

If we could move between year 11 and 12th that'd be fine, but that's not going to work because of admissions deadlines being in the autumn term before I think. So we'd have to move some time between now and the end of his GSCEs - is that unfair as too disruptive?

WWYD?

OP posts:
Moonlaserbearwolf · 11/02/2022 02:07

He's only Y8? I'd move now, for the start of Y9 if you can. Plenty of time before GSCEs. If you like the town anyway, you wouldn't just be moving for education.

MrsAvocet · 11/02/2022 02:09

My parents moved so that I could attend a better 6th form. We moved towards the end of 5th form (year 11 now) and I travelled back to my old school for a couple of months to do my O levels. I think I got a lift part way with my Dad on his way to work, and then a bus, though he probably took me all the way to school on exam days. It was quite arduous for a few months but worth it to escape from what was a truly dire school.
Remember that nowadays 6th forms tend not to operate catchment areas (or at least they don't in our area) so it might not be essential for you to have moved before applying for a place. There are lots of pupils in the 6th form at my son's school who wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance of a place lower down the school because of where they live. I'd get the prospectuses for schools you are interested in, check the admissions criteria and maybe give them a ring to discuss your situation. Good luck!

Legoisthebest · 11/02/2022 02:41

He might not want to go to sixth form. He might want to do an apprenticeship or a specific course that leads to a qualification (ie a Btec - although I think they are being replaced by T-Levels) which he would need to go to a college for. He might want to get a job and attend college part time.
He's in year 8. If you are unhappy with the school he is in now then you could move to a different school but that should be for his current education not his 16+ options because you (or rather him) can't really know what path he will want to take in 4 years time.

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Svara · 11/02/2022 06:05

I agree with @Legoisthebest.
At 15 DS has chosen his own sixth form. Post 16 education should be up to the young person (with guidance) in my opinion. He doesn't want to stay at his current school 10 minutes walk away but wants to get the minibus to a 14 to 19 college for the courses available, facilities, opportunities and links with employers. His current school is traditional A levels only.

whiteroseredrose · 11/02/2022 06:23

If you want to live there anyway there are worse reasons to move than for a good education.

My family moved so that I could go to a good school as the local ones were dire.

Move before Year 9 as that is when GCSE syllabus starts.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 11/02/2022 07:05

What if he decides he doesn't want to go to sixth form?

If you like the area and would happily live there anyway, then move, but do it now so you don't disrupt his GCSE's.

SusannaQueen · 11/02/2022 08:46

Move now if you are going to. DD is in the sixth form and her school is dire, it makes me so angry that she is limited by her appalling school and it's a source of endless frustration. No better choices here and we moved for DH's job.
Do take into consideration that your son will choose his own yr12 path though and don't hold it over him that you moved to get him into the sixth form, if he decides to go for a plumbing apprenticeship or whatever.

Maestrog · 11/02/2022 09:19

I think the extracts is fairly common these days. My Y8 is really enjoying doing a whole book right now but it's an exception at this stage, and I really rate the school. My Y10 is always buzzing with ideas.

It does need to be DS's choice for 6th form, but by moving to a city I expect OP would be expanding his range of options. It might also make it easier for him to get a part time job, get around independently before he can afford a car, etc.

It seems quite sensible to me, unless all thr city schools are massively oversubscribed. The easiest way to deal with the timings is either to do it ASAP or plan to move into rented for a bit and then buy. You could play silly buggers with renting out your house if LA rules allow it, but it would probably help you both to settle if you jump in with both feet.

Maestrog · 11/02/2022 09:21

And yes I'd really avoid moving him in his GCSE years if you can possibly help it. Also watch out, some schools start the GCSE curriculum in Y9.

Gowithme · 11/02/2022 09:32

My DS is at a very good school - they still teach to test though - that's how any good school gets good results IMO. The curriculum is pretty full on and there's not much room for creativity that I can see (he's doing GCSE's). If you're going to move though moving now seems like the easiest thing.

TeenPlusCat · 11/02/2022 11:21

One isn't a proper 6th form - it's a higher education college offering all sorts of courses including A-Levels.

Sorry, I'm going to pull you up on that. Just because a 6th form college offers vocational courses doesn't mean it 'isn't a proper 6th form'. That sounds really dismissive (and bit rude).

Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:23

@Svara

I agree with *@Legoisthebest*. At 15 DS has chosen his own sixth form. Post 16 education should be up to the young person (with guidance) in my opinion. He doesn't want to stay at his current school 10 minutes walk away but wants to get the minibus to a 14 to 19 college for the courses available, facilities, opportunities and links with employers. His current school is traditional A levels only.
Yes, but he can only choose from the options available, can't he?!

If we live somewhere with no decent options, then he's got no decent choices, has he?

OP posts:
Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:27

@MrsAvocet

My parents moved so that I could attend a better 6th form. We moved towards the end of 5th form (year 11 now) and I travelled back to my old school for a couple of months to do my O levels. I think I got a lift part way with my Dad on his way to work, and then a bus, though he probably took me all the way to school on exam days. It was quite arduous for a few months but worth it to escape from what was a truly dire school. Remember that nowadays 6th forms tend not to operate catchment areas (or at least they don't in our area) so it might not be essential for you to have moved before applying for a place. There are lots of pupils in the 6th form at my son's school who wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance of a place lower down the school because of where they live. I'd get the prospectuses for schools you are interested in, check the admissions criteria and maybe give them a ring to discuss your situation. Good luck!
Encouraging that you made it work :) I think it's too far though. People do commute to the city for work, but it'd be an hour journey or more door to door, it's too much for school - isn't it?

This 6th form is massively oversubscribed and it does run admissions via catchment. The only way to jump that is to have an EHCP, to be a looked after kid - or for me to get a job at the school! (You never know, a job might come up...!)

So, to get in under the catchment criteria, we'd need to move by the autumn before at the latest.

OP posts:
Legoisthebest · 11/02/2022 16:27

So you wouldn't really be moving 'for 6th form"...you'd just be moving.
If you can afford to do it and are likely to get a place in a school you prefer then go for it.

Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:30

@Legoisthebest

He might not want to go to sixth form. He might want to do an apprenticeship or a specific course that leads to a qualification (ie a Btec - although I think they are being replaced by T-Levels) which he would need to go to a college for. He might want to get a job and attend college part time. He's in year 8. If you are unhappy with the school he is in now then you could move to a different school but that should be for his current education not his 16+ options because you (or rather him) can't really know what path he will want to take in 4 years time.
Well, yes that's possible and if he decides not to go to 6th form we'll roll with it as it happens.

But, he's an academic child. He's interested in science, history, politics and engineering. He reads popular science books for pleasure. He comes from a family of academics.

My best guess is he's going to want to go to 6th form and then university so I'd like to make that possible for him, not get to 16 and not have any decent choices available to him.

There isn't a better school than the one he's at in this town - and there are no 6th forms here, so if we move, I need to be thinking about 6th form now, not moving again, that'd be madness!

OP posts:
Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:31

@Legoisthebest

So you wouldn't really be moving 'for 6th form"...you'd just be moving. If you can afford to do it and are likely to get a place in a school you prefer then go for it.
Well yes, we'd be moving for 6th form.

If there was a decent 6th form in this town, it wouldn't be an issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:34

@SusannaQueen

Move now if you are going to. DD is in the sixth form and her school is dire, it makes me so angry that she is limited by her appalling school and it's a source of endless frustration. No better choices here and we moved for DH's job. Do take into consideration that your son will choose his own yr12 path though and don't hold it over him that you moved to get him into the sixth form, if he decides to go for a plumbing apprenticeship or whatever.
I'm sorry to hear that, I can see it must be so frustrating for you both. I want to avoid this if possible, I feel he's been let down by his school and 6th form might be a chance to make it up.

If he suddenly decides he's into plumbing and really means it, fair enough! No sign of that right now though.

OP posts:
bluejelly · 11/02/2022 16:35

Check out the college. It might be better than you think. I went to a v average FE college and got straight As at A level and into a top uni.
Ask about the value added score - what people came in at and what they left at. Also look at extra curricular options and the pastoral support. The latter can be incredibly important at this age.

Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:36

@Maestrog

I think the extracts is fairly common these days. My Y8 is really enjoying doing a whole book right now but it's an exception at this stage, and I really rate the school. My Y10 is always buzzing with ideas.

It does need to be DS's choice for 6th form, but by moving to a city I expect OP would be expanding his range of options. It might also make it easier for him to get a part time job, get around independently before he can afford a car, etc.

It seems quite sensible to me, unless all thr city schools are massively oversubscribed. The easiest way to deal with the timings is either to do it ASAP or plan to move into rented for a bit and then buy. You could play silly buggers with renting out your house if LA rules allow it, but it would probably help you both to settle if you jump in with both feet.

The city schools are indeed all massively oversubscribed :(

They run a lottery system for places in normal admissions times, to stop people buying up property by the school just to get in. I don't know how they manage in year admissions, I need to find out.

OP posts:
Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 16:37

@bluejelly

Check out the college. It might be better than you think. I went to a v average FE college and got straight As at A level and into a top uni. Ask about the value added score - what people came in at and what they left at. Also look at extra curricular options and the pastoral support. The latter can be incredibly important at this age.
That's good advice, I will, thanks :)

I know I do need to find out more about it before writing it off.

OP posts:
Svara · 11/02/2022 17:34

If we live somewhere with no decent options, then he's got no decent choices, has he?
You only mentioned one sixth form where you were moving to, are the other choices decent too? Is that sixth form outstanding because they have high entry requirements to start with? That can often be the case rather than the teaching.

Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 18:20

@Svara

If we live somewhere with no decent options, then he's got no decent choices, has he? You only mentioned one sixth form where you were moving to, are the other choices decent too? Is that sixth form outstanding because they have high entry requirements to start with? That can often be the case rather than the teaching.
I don't think so - They are OFSTED outstanding and get a higher overall grades (just) than the local private school which has much higher entry requirements.

Their requirements for A-level are 6 GCSEs, minimum five grade 4 and one grade 6.

They then have minimum requirements for individual A-levels, with a minimum level in the subject. Most seem to be a 4, with a 6 for subjects like maths.

They give priority entry to kids with an EHCP, looked after kids, sibling of pupils, children of staff members. After that it's by groups of postcode area.

If it's oversubscribed then the DC in the category that's bottom of the list get picked at random.

OP posts:
Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 18:28

I can't find info on how over-subscribed it was last year, but I suspect if we move into the closest band of postcodes, you're pretty much guaranteed a space.

I'm not sure the same is try for the secondaries though, I need to find that out.

OP posts:
VanCleefArpels · 11/02/2022 18:36

One hour commute by which method? If driving then yes that’s far. If by public transport not that uncommon esp if connections/ a bit of a walk at either end. There’s no 6th form college in my borough and kids who don’t want to stay at school (due to subject choice/ qualification not available for example) regularly go to a 6th fom college that takes 2 trains and a longish walk at the other end. Most Learn to drive quite quickly to cut down the travel time!

Original poster
planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 18:40

@VanCleefArpels

One hour commute by which method? If driving then yes that’s far. If by public transport not that uncommon esp if connections/ a bit of a walk at either end. There’s no 6th form college in my borough and kids who don’t want to stay at school (due to subject choice/ qualification not available for example) regularly go to a 6th fom college that takes 2 trains and a longish walk at the other end. Most Learn to drive quite quickly to cut down the travel time!
It's about 50 minutes by car.

It depends how near our new place would be to the station but it's an hour journey with zero commute that end, so if we ended up living 20 minutes or half an hour from the station. that'd be on top.

OP posts: