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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:

Svara · 11/02/2022 18:42

@planningtomakeaplan
That does sound good then. I was only asking as DS's school sixth form gets good results but requires five 6's. Do they offer alternatives to A levels? Are there other decent options to choose from if they don't? I know you say he is academic but DS is as well and wants to combine a two A level equivalent technical qualification with A level maths and further maths next year, so he is moving for that.

VanCleefArpels · 11/02/2022 18:53

Honestly a lot of kids who commute to private schools either by car or by school bus travel 50 mins, it’s not that unusual. And as I say they do learn to drive! It seems so drastic to move house if that’s the only obstacle to going to your preferred 6th form and as others have said for a variety of reasons it may not end up being the right place anyway!

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 19:54

It seems so drastic to move house if that’s the only obstacle to going to your preferred 6th form and as others have said for a variety of reasons it may not end up being the right place anyway!

Sorry I don't understand what you're saying?

Are you saying we shouldn't move and he should commute to 6th form?

That won't work. He wont get a place from where we live now. No chance.

The commute I was talking about was if we moved when he was in year 11, and he had to commute back to our current town for a while.

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

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Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 19:58

[quote Svara]**@planningtomakeaplan
That does sound good then. I was only asking as DS's school sixth form gets good results but requires five 6's. Do they offer alternatives to A levels? Are there other decent options to choose from if they don't? I know you say he is academic but DS is as well and wants to combine a two A level equivalent technical qualification with A level maths and further maths next year, so he is moving for that.[/quote]
They do BTEC as well, is that what you mean?

And something called an Extended Project Qualification Level 3 - (no idea what that is!)

OP posts:

Svara · 11/02/2022 20:18

They do BTEC as well, is that what you mean?
Yes, the college DS has applied for does BTEC and Cambridge technical qualifications up to 3 A level equivalent in engineering or IT. If options other than A levels are available that's good!

Svara · 11/02/2022 21:05

I guess I just mean if you are going to move for educational opportunities, just make sure there are different decent options available. If he likes engineering he might end up wanting to do BTEC engineering for example.

Madreb · 11/02/2022 22:17

Just checking that you have clarified that the 6th form entry criteria is the same as the school in terms of postcode? 6th forms often work on a different basis focusing more on grades than location.
I would do my research into the local fe colleges a level results in individual subjects you may well be surprised - 6th form teachers are often teaching years 7-13 and stretched, at a college their focus is years 12-13 and they're fab at it. I would be a far greater A level teacher if that was all i taught.
But their entry criteria may be lower which impacts overall outcomes.
If it was me I would do this research and invest in a tutor. Although its probably too early on all counts as sixth forms can change dramatically within 3 years.

VanCleefArpels · 11/02/2022 23:04

That won't work. He wont get a place from where we live now. No chance.

Ah ok - I didn’t think many sixth form colleges had a strict geographical catchment (hence my example of the place kids where I live go to)

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 23:16

@Madreb

Just checking that you have clarified that the 6th form entry criteria is the same as the school in terms of postcode? 6th forms often work on a different basis focusing more on grades than location. I would do my research into the local fe colleges a level results in individual subjects you may well be surprised - 6th form teachers are often teaching years 7-13 and stretched, at a college their focus is years 12-13 and they're fab at it. I would be a far greater A level teacher if that was all i taught. But their entry criteria may be lower which impacts overall outcomes. If it was me I would do this research and invest in a tutor. Although its probably too early on all counts as sixth forms can change dramatically within 3 years.

I totally agree it's great to be in a place that's dedicated to years 12 - 13. I went to a 6th form like this and it was brilliant.

The place in the city that gets great results is a dedicated 6th form centre also - it's not part of any school (although local schools feed into it).

It's oversubscribed. They ask for minimum grades (by subject) but if you have the grades, then it's by definitely priority by postcode areas. I've been studying their admissions documents carefully!

DS has a maths tutor which is going well, and we may get other tutor(s) in future, possibly.

OP posts:

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 23:18

Actually, that might be misleading!

Pupils at local secondaries aren't guaranteed a place there, they don't "feed" into it in any sense other than that's where most pupils hope to go to.

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FoamBurst · 11/02/2022 23:24

My neice travels to 6th form 40 min by train.
A 10 min walk from home to bus stop. 30 min bus and then 30 min train 10.min walk the other end. Often a 8 45am start or 4.30 finish
6th forms don't normally worry about catchment areas they're based on exam results. So can't see why he wouldn't get in?

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 11/02/2022 23:32

@FoamBurst

My neice travels to 6th form 40 min by train. A 10 min walk from home to bus stop. 30 min bus and then 30 min train 10.min walk the other end. Often a 8 45am start or 4.30 finish 6th forms don't normally worry about catchment areas they're based on exam results. So can't see why he wouldn't get in?

Because, this 6th form does. It's massively oversubscribed. Not surprising seeing as it gets better results than all the private schools within 20 miles or so! Plus it's in a densely populated city.

The admissions document on its website lists the criteria. Yes, they need exam results. But more kids who meet the results criteria apply than they have places.

As I've explained, twice above, it details the entry criteria, which includes which postcodes get priority. (The ones in the city, in two tiers).

OP posts:

Madreb · 12/02/2022 12:35

It very much sounds to me as though that 6th form is doing so well on the basis of intake not what they themselves provide, if you can be that selective then you're on to a winner and are taking the cream of the crop from your competition making them look inferior. If your ds is hardworking with strong and extra support at home there isn't any reason he wouldn't do as well elsewhere.

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 12/02/2022 12:43

@Madreb

Eh?

I've explained the admissions criteria in detail upthread and it's not at all selective!

Kids need a minimum of 6 GCSES to get in, at grade 4 and one at grade 6.

Then there are criteria for the subject - 6 for tough subjects like maths or 4 otherwise.

Then, kids with EHCPs, looked after kids or others with special circumstances get priority.

Then it's by postcode area.

If there are too many in the bottom category, then students in that category are picked AT RANDOM.

That's the opposite of highly selective!

OP posts:

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 12/02/2022 12:44

Also, I went to a great 6th form after being at a not so great school. The difference was huge. I want the same for my DC.

OP posts:

Madreb · 13/02/2022 14:35

Yes, but if they are as oversubscribed as you say then they will of course pick the highest achieving students. Statistically few students with ehcps or in care apply for academic based 6th forms (of course some do but it wouldn't make a dent in overall numbers).
It's only if they don't fill up on the basis of the grade criteria (which, if it is a sought after as you imply would be unlikely) that the bottom criteria is then picked at 'random' I would be interested to see what that looks like in practice.
As well as their criteria for keeping on students who underperform in early assessments.

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 13/02/2022 14:39

Yes, but if they are as oversubscribed as you say then they will of course pick the highest achieving students.

No, they absolutely do not do this.

Please read my previous reply to you.

I have explained in detail what their admissions process is. It doesn't include selection. If you don't understand this, please read it again and tell me which bit it is you don't understand?

OP posts:

Cattitudes · 13/02/2022 14:53

Do look to see whether his current school is likely to make him eligible for contextual offers. If you felt he can work through the disruption then some universities would give lower offers to mitigate his current schooling.

It really depends how disruptive the school is now as well. If it is really disruptiive then I would probably move sooner rather than later so he can benefit from being in a more stable environment sooner. If you leave it a lot longer it will be you needing to convince him of the benefits of the move and at 15/16 that might be harder to do.

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 13/02/2022 14:53

Everyone who applies needs to meet the grade criteria, even the "bottom" group.

So, it goes like this:

children with special reasons to go in top criteria (looked after, EHCP, etc)
siblings
group of postcodes nearest to 6th form
groups of postcodes in second tier
everyone else in the county

For each course, they look at the applications by group.

If they can accommodated everyone in the first group who has met the minimum grade standard, they all get a place.

Then onto the second group. If they can accommodate them, they all get a place.

Then, say they get to the second tier of postcodes and they're about to run out of places - they have 10 places left and 50 have applied. At that point, they pick those 10 RANDOMLY. At no point do they look at the difference in grades.

They say they pick them by computer. If they are not in fact doing this, but are lying about it and selecting on the sly, well there's not much we can do about that, but it would be fraudulent.

OP posts:

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 13/02/2022 14:57

@Cattitudes

What does contextual offers mean? I'm not familiar with the term. Thanks.

OP posts:

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 13/02/2022 15:04

If you leave it a lot longer it will be you needing to convince him of the benefits of the move and at 15/16 that might be harder to do.

That's a good point.

OP posts:

TeenPlusCat · 13/02/2022 15:04

Contextual offers is where some unis/courses will give you a slightly lower offer if your secondary school+6th form is poor.
So instead of asking for AAB they may ask for ABB instead.

Original poster

planningtomakeaplan · 13/02/2022 15:12

@TeenPlusCat

Contextual offers is where some unis/courses will give you a slightly lower offer if your secondary school+6th form is poor. So instead of asking for AAB they may ask for ABB instead.

Ah, I see, thanks! That's interesting. I don't think it applies to us though.

The school he's in gets good results, but I think that's by teaching to the test at the expense of creativity and any deeper learning, and I don't think that suits DS. But it looks like a decent school "on paper".

It doesn't have a 6th form at all. The kids need to commute to local towns and it's these ones that don't look great. I don't think they're so bad that it'd fall under that kind of category though.

OP posts:

TeenPlusCat · 13/02/2022 15:26

I suspect you might find the majority of schools 'teach to the test', especially at the moment with time lost to covid.

Pythonesque · 13/02/2022 15:37

It does sound like you should look more closely at options for moving in the near future.

Don't ignore the private school - if you think it may be a "fit" for your son, ask to speak with the bursar and find out more about their bursary policies - many schools offer bursaries completely separately to scholarships, though yes at some you need to be scholarship level before being considered for a bursary. It may be that they would consider your son for entry even prior to 6th form and be able to financial support to a level you can afford - you won't know unless you ask.

If it then appears to be at least a possible option, have a good look at the school with your son as well.

Good luck finding the right combination of where to live and the schooling option that will do well by your son.

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