A level class sizes

[Tripilates]

Just wondering what average A level class size is across the country in the state sector (I'm aware independents have much smaller classes..) and if there's any consistent difference between schools which have 6th forms and 6th form colleges? My DD is in A2 History class of 25 at a local state 6th form college. I feel this is way too large for the poor teacher (same teacher for all lessons) there will be limited chance for discussion and feedback with so many, and as for the essay marking...

[nobodysbabynow]

Same for us noble, I teach English and my classes are twice the size of some of the smaller subjects. I feel pretty resentful about the difference in workload.

[Ta1kinPeace]

I was at DSs college tonight
roughly 20 per class for all subjects

and Maths is still definitely modular
for the 800 kids taking it

[raspberryrippleicecream]

Max class sizes of 20 at DDs state comprehensive. Five in French. Not sure which way round of others - English Lit, History, Maths, but 2 low and 1 high teen. Seven in Further Maths.

Her friend is the only one in Art!

[MagicChanges]

The AS level IS a mess for sure! I've googled it and as someone commented upthread it depends on the school/college and subjects. I read that it doesn't count towards A level like it used to but points are awarded and these together with A level points are used on the UCAS form for Uni entry.
My DGD is at an independent school (BIG anti private ed for me) but it wasn't my call! I'm not going to tell you how many are in her classes but you can imagine it I'm sure - will just say there are 3 girls doing A level drama!! It IS so bloody unfair - and now the funding has been cut for 6th form education, it's going to rip into the life chances of so many young people. Mind having said that I think Uni is a big con these days and the kids are coming out with 50 grands worth of debt and struggling to find graduate jobs.

[swingofthings]

DD is very lucky. She is at a 6th form independent school, but funded by the LA so free. There are 15 pupils in her Maths class, 8 in Biology, 6 in Chemistry.

[MiniAlphaBravo]

Funding for post 16 education continues to be cut, so we have had classes condensed meaning, 18 - 20. It's not terrible but it is less than ideal becaus of the lack of time for individual feedback and the heavy marking load, especially for an A-level with lots of essays.

[HesMyLobster]

My DD is in year 12 at a state comp. doing English lit, maths, French and history - all her classes are 20+
I think English is the largest with 27 or 28.
2 teachers for each subject split 50:50

My friend's DD is doing similar subjects at her private 6th form and all her classes are less than half the size.

[AnyTheWiser]

Our local comprehensive has classes of all varying sizes, according to what people opted for.
They have about 100 students in each year. Some subjects have 25, some have 3, depends what you pick.

[Ta1kinPeace]

I guess I'm spoilt by the size of DCs college.
How can a school with anything under 200 per year offer a decent range of
subjects
or is it like our local private school that only offers 12 subjects as against the 50+ at college

[EvilTwins]

I have 9 in one of my 6th form classes and 7 in the other. I have taught classes of 5, 3 & 20 over the last few years. I like this year's group sizes - they're just right.

[noblegiraffe]

I'm drowning in sixth form marking. Probably something worth remembering when some teachers say "oh I never bring work home, ones who do must be bad at time management"

[NicknameUsed]

"How can a school with anything under 200 per year offer a decent range of subjects"

They can't, but staying at school was the right choice for DD. She isn't ready to take the step of being more independent at college. She suffers from extreme anxiety and very low self esteem due to being bullied in year 10 (and was nervous enough about going to 6th form at her own school).

The subjects she wanted to take were available at school so it was a no brainer. She wasn't even interested in looking at other 6th form options.

The ones that wanted to study subjects like media and lentil knitting went elsewhere.

[GHGN]

I teach Maths and this year is horrible. 24 in the A2 class. 20 in the current AS class but it will increase to around 26-28 after half term because there are some students who want to retake an applied module will join my class during their free time.

I feel it is a bit unsafe in a small classroom, 22+ students in there and many of them are huge rugby players. Maybe I shouldn't get okish results with my classes.

[noblegiraffe]

There's such a wide ability range in an A-level maths class, it makes it really difficult when there's so many of them. It's funny, but 22 further down the school would be a small class and quite easy to manage, but at A-level it's a bloody nightmare.

[GHGN]

It is not only the class size but the horror of marking. People are normally envious when I have virtually no lessons after the exam period. By that time I am normally worn out and just want to go to sleep in the cupboard all day.

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

My DD had a brief foray to an outstanding sixth form college and was alarmed at having classes of 30. She hot footed it back to small independent sixth form with 7 or so per class.

[Ta1kinPeace]

Exitpursued
I was in small classes
I'm very glad that DS is one of 800 students at his college doing Maths A level
and that there are enough doing Physics that it has its own building and dedicated labs
if there are 30 kids who want to be there in a class then its great

what will your DD do at University in lecture groups of 100 ?

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

Exactly why I wanted her to go to a sixth form collegeand it was free

But it wasn't working for her.

And maybe she won't go to Uni. Maybe she will stay at home with me. Or maybe she will grow up some more in the next two years.

Life is too short to be miserable b

[noblegiraffe]

if there are 30 kids who want to be there in a class then its great

Even better is 20 kids who want to be there in a class. Or 15.

Not many kids who don't want to be there at A-level, although we do get a few 'my parents made me do maths' types.

[Ta1kinPeace]

noble
My kids attend / have attended Peter Symonds
24 to a class
it works

exit
if your child's issue is large, uncontrolled groups, you may have wasted your money

[NicknameUsed]

Ta1kinPeace You seem to be obsessed with the idea that large 6th form colleges are the only way forward. If a 6th form offers the subjects a student wants why does it matter that there are 30 in a class or 15?

Size isn't everything.

DD didn't want to go to a large 6th form college. It just wasn't the right fit for her. The school that she stayed on to do A levels at has dedicated science labs, surprisingly

I am very happy that your child is ready for the step of a huge 6th form college. Not every 16 year old is ready for that step.

[noblegiraffe]

The large sixth form college near my school, our main competitor, has higher entry requirements than us, and worse results.

[Ta1kinPeace]

nickname
I went to private selective 10 or under per class
cool if that is what you want
I'm lucky that my county that has almost no school 6th (something that I still inherently have an issue with because of GCSE extensuion)
has cracking 6th

[NicknameUsed]

"The large sixth form college near my school, our main competitor, has higher entry requirements than us, and worse results."

Same here. Ta1kinPeace DD is in 6th form at a state comprehensive. It is an excellent school and the 6th form is always oversubscribed. They are the only secondary school in our LA to have 6th form provision.

[Ta1kinPeace]

define "worse results"

are BTECs worse reults
are C grade students getting C grades worse results

in an effectively non selective environment "worse results" loses meaning