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...

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

State selective:
Maximum group size allowed: 20 (occasionally forced up to 21/22.
I have 17 this year and it makes for a tough marking load but there we go. They've settled in well and I think we'll work well together (we've been timetabled in a lovely room so that helps).
There are subjects (usually languages and tech) which I think it's important we offer but have class sizes of 5 or under (Some schools have cut these classes now due to funding changes) I wish I had their marking load - but I'm also glad so many want to do my subject.

[Longlost10]

I've taught 25 in BTEC classes, and have ended up regularly going Monday-Thursday with no time to eat or sleep. No exaggeration. Grab a handful of mars bars on the way to the bus, doze on the bus journey, that literally was it. How anyone expects teachers to "perform" in those circumstances, I have no idea.

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

Ta1kinPeace

Not sure what you mean about me wasting my money?

Do you mean by having educated her privately I have rendered her incapable of mixing with large groups of people?

[noblegiraffe]

By worse results, talkin I mean worse average points score at A-level. They have higher entry requirements to get into the college than us and similar entry requirements for A-level courses.

[Ta1kinpeece]

coco
800 doing maths .....
2000 in a year group
I'm delighted with it - hence my second child has just started there

noble
the trouble with "average point scores" is that the standard deviation is so big it makes it all meaningless

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

Ignore me then.

Like being in a large class.

[cricketballs]

Longlost10 I can't even put any words to your situation of having 25 in a BTEC group; I'm just about to have a severe rant at SLT with the expanding numbers in my yr 13 (who need to do ext cert in a year) about the marking workload this has caused

[NicknameUsed]

"800 doing maths .....
2000 in a year group
I'm delighted with it - hence my second child has just started there"

DD would drown in that kind of situation. Large 6th forms aren't for everyone.

[boys3]

2000 in a year group does sound like a recipe for disaster but as long as you're happy with it, that's ask that matters

If it is somewhere similar to Peter Symonds then seems to be pretty successful www.psc.ac.uk/results/

Have to admit though that a sixth form of that size is not something I'd find attractive. Ds2 just started Y12 - less than 100 in the year group, although it is part of a shared sixth form provision across a small number of schools. Class sizes to tend to vary between the schools though - for his subjects seem to be between 18 and 22 so lower than that at the others. Although that is more than when his brother was in the same sixth form a couple of years back - identical subjects, very similar year group size, but 12 to 15 per class

[AtiaoftheJulii]

We looked at one of the massive Hampshire sixth form colleges, and thought it was fantastic - really buzzy, so much choice, specialist A level teachers - and a really good halfway step between school and university. Dd didn't end up going there (decided against moving at all), but we didn't see the size as a negative. The teachers aren't teaching any more kids than they would in any other full time job, and the students don't have to try to get to know everyone!

Otoh, a small sixth form can be brilliant too, as long as they let you do the combination you want.

[NicknameUsed]

I agree that large 6th forms are a good halfway step between school and university, but only if your child is ready for that step.

The A levels DD wanted to do are mainstream and popular so there was never the problem of not finding what she wanted to do.

[enolagayits0815]

DS has between 8-15 at his state 6th form college.

[sendsummer]

I suppose the question is do very large sixth form colleges have the advantage of economies from scale and therefore more to be spent per pupil. From the class sizes at PS that dTalkin mentions that oes n't seem to be the case. I not convinced that having a dedicated building for physics makes any difference either unless there are smaller class sizes for practicals. However apart from the size of the campus there is no reason why large colleges can't offer the same pastoral support and structure as smaller sixth forms. Chances of being in teams etc must be lower though.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

It's horses for courses really isn't it? some kids will love the giant super sized sixth form colleges. Others will prefer the smaller more intimate sixth forms. Nothing wrong with either choice, as long as there is a choice at this age.

dd has 16-18 in her maths, physics and computing classes. I have no idea what it is like in them cos it's her that goes, not me!

[mumsneedwine]

My DD has 1800 ish in her year. Huge college that gets amazing results. It's dredgers week and they have live music, bouncy castle and candy floss today. Real change from school where they couldn't even wear nail varnish. She has about 20 in each class she says and she likes that as lots of different people to make friends with.

[mumsneedwine]

Dredgers ?!?! Might be apt but meant freshers

[mumsneedwine]

Coconutty I'm thinking our may be in the same place !! F in Hants by any chance ?

[OCSockOrphanage]

25 in AS level maths last year, and 27 in physics, almost all of them with indifferent GCSE results and not getting it. Change to independent, and classes of 10/12 so the teacher has time to see how each student is doing. This is what you pay for, especially if your kids are not top decile or have had a few years in failing schools.

I am sure that this is not so in leafy suburbia. Recognise that our ability to stump up the cash (to the detriment of retirement) is not universally an option.

[Ta1kinpeece]

Symonds only lets them do the A level if they got A or A* in the GCSE
therefore all of the classes are at a reasonable level
and they are absolutely brutal about kicking people off who will not hit the high grades.

Symonds is the biggest of the colleges round here
for A level streams they range right down in size
the vocational colleges vary massively as well

it IS about horses for courses

my 6th form was 40 in a year - you either did three of the 15 or so subjects the offered or you left.
Classes were between 3 and 12 pupils.

Symonds offer dozes of courses - and of course they have the big vocational campus that everybody forgets about

[Coatgate]

So all students at Symonds are A or A* pupils.

That's very selective.

[Ta1kinpeece]

coatgate
All of the pupils studying A levels will have an A or A* in those subjects
They may well have B, C or D in many of their others.
The pupils doing Btecs and Nvqs have different requirements.

Bearing in mind it is just one of around 11 colleges with bus routes in this area, and BP and RTC and Brock are also picky about their A level students, its no great shakes.

Kids pick the college not the other way round

[NicknameUsed]

DD's 6th form just require a B to take an A level in that subject, and Bs in English and maths for some of the other subjects. We only have 2 6th form options in our LA so they can't be too selective.

[raspberryrippleicecream]

I can't even begin to imagine how big an area a 2,000 student intake would cover where we live!