Help! Ealing/West London 6th forms

[glassfloor]

DD is in year 10 at a selective independent girls school in Ealing. She has not enjoyed it. She's struggled a bit academically. Her GCSE predictions are 1 grade 9, 1 grade 8, 5 grade 7 and 3 grade 6 (one or 2 of the 6s could easily be a 5 or a 4 as she HATES the subjects!)
The school has indicated that they wouldn't be that that keen to have her back into 6th form and frankly she'd rather not. Basically they WOULD have her (she's been there since reception so that does mean that they don't tend to throw you out) but we're thinking of other options. Does anyone have any feedback on these school or other suggestions?

Independant or state.

1. Twyford. We're a few miles away and not Godly so realistically is there any chance?
2. Elthorne. Quite new 6th form. Any good?
3. Drayton Manor. Hear it's strict!
4. St. Benedicts (private). It's mixed and local and results seem ok but I know that for girls people have always been a bit sniffy about it for girls as there is the other local academic girls school
5. Ealing independent college: is it just for resits?
6. Ashbourne Independent Sixth form. Website vague
7. Bales College. Just appeared in a google search!
8. Hammersmith Academy :looks good and Hammersmith easy for her to get to but is there a catchment?

Anyway. I know I've missed lots of schools like Latymer etc but that's because her results probably won't be good enough.

Does anyone have any experience of these schools, or any other schools accessible from Ealing?

TIA.

Anyone?

Twyford has no religious requirement for 6th form but top notch grades required. Elthorne has a good reputation nowadays, Drayton not so much. St Benedict's not as academically selective as other private schools and feedback from current parents good. Have you looked at Kew House?

West London Free School sixth form is bloody amazing, OP. DS went there and absolutely loved it. Brilliant teachers!

Sacred Heart in Hammersmith? No religious requirements and often undersubscribed in the Sixth Form. They do Btecs too and don’t expect top grades from all pupils.

@TheVanguardSix

West London Free School sixth form is bloody amazing, OP. DS went there and absolutely loved it. Brilliant teachers!

Interesting. I didn't think about that one.... thanks.

@fyfe65

Twyford has no religious requirement for 6th form but top notch grades required. Elthorne has a good reputation nowadays, Drayton not so much. St Benedict's not as academically selective as other private schools and feedback from current parents good. Have you looked at Kew House?

Thanks. Twyford would be good but I suppose I wonder what "top notch" means. The website gives min requirements which she wound manage easily but I'm assuming if they can be selective then actual grades needed would be higher.

@BelgianWaffles

Sacred Heart in Hammersmith? No religious requirements and often undersubscribed in the Sixth Form. They do Btecs too and don’t expect top grades from all pupils.

Thanks! Will look into it.

I highly recommend MPW similar independent sixth form colleges. They are better at getting top grades than state colleges.

There are many to choose from in London. Should also look at Brampton College, Hendon.

You should first consider Regent Independent College in Ealing, and then look at what's available nearby.

Reviving the thread as I'm interested in Ealing independent college for my son (yr 9) is it just for resits?? He is academically pretty good (scoring 4s to 6s at the end of year 8) but hates the restrictive atmosphere of the Twyford trust, I thought EIC might be more relaxing for him but without compromising on grades.

He is currently at one of the Twyford empire. They give preference to internal candidates for sixth form (include Ealing fields, Ada Lovelace etc...) So that might be worth taking into consideration. Fwiw I think they are good schools and genuinely care about the kids but they are NOT flexible about their rules.

In 20 years if living in Ealing, and working in secondary schools I have never known anyone go to EIC, their website looks a bit vague, no substantial facts about intake, teachers results. There are many good sixth forms in Ealing state schools beyond the Twyford Family I would check those and more established private schools.

Hi @fyfe65 I'm looking at moving my son in year 9 or 10, mainly for a culture change. It's not possible within the state system (everywhere is full) so I've been looking at private places. Most seem similar to Twyford (lots of rules & pretty strict) and I was thinking EIC seems like a change of pace. I rang them though and they only have 3 pupils in year 9. My son is academic but has some SEN and a lot of private schools just don't want to deal with that. I don't know what to do tbh. Any ideas?

Apologies, I didn't register the Year 9. Apparently there's a lot of movement in independent schools at the moment as people are choosing to move post covid. Have you looked at Kew House? They have a good reputation for additional needs

Yeah, I have looked at Kew house. It looks good but not sure if they have space

I know this is an old thread but wondering where you ending up choosing as we are in a similar predicament now?

We went for St Benedicts. Have been very pleased. It's on the stricter side (they have to stay in school and work during free periods) but class sizes are small and teaching very good. Predicted grades are looking excellent- she's likely to get in somewhere good and we're very happy. Socially it took a while as a lot of kids move up from the school so had established friend groups but it's fine now- she has friends from new school, friends from old school and friends from her after school activity so it's worked out well.