Why is 6th form thought of more highly than attending FE college ?

[Summersunshinee]

I can never understand why if you say that you attend 6th form at school you are thought of more so than if you attended FE college.

I would feel that if anything it would be more impressive to attend FE college as you made the decision to go somewhere else and try something different /

... either way, I'm out. There's only so much stubborn incomprehension I can deal with.

@PettsWoodParadise I was just responding to a post.

Surely this thread is a bit of a tease.

I hope so, but it is a shame we can't have an actual rational conversation about the need to improve vocational education in the UK without all this crap about dragging people down.

@porridgeisbae I do agree some of my views are a bit controversial.

@pointythings Who said about dragging people down ? what's all the negativity ?

Who said about dragging people down

You said you want to bring everyone towards the middle or something like that. That implies that some will move down from above as well as some coming up from below.

@porridgeisbae Point taken i can admit when I'm wrong.

@porridgeisbae exactly this. We should be helping everyone reach their best, not pushing some down to make others look better.

Part of that is looking at Germany and the Netherlands and implementing their models for excellent vocational education and training. That will include a change in culture because too many people don't respect skills based education. I have no idea why this is; I can only assume there are many people out there who have never had a plumbing emergency, an electrical problem or issues with their cars. Lucky them.

@pointythings Well put. I know we have disagreed a lot on here but I agree.

@Summersunshinee you could say my dreams are bigger. I want everyone to have the right education for them - vocational, academic or a mix. I reckon we can agree on that.

Anyone else had any further thoughts ?

I still think college is the best option and will do a better job of preparing for post A levels.

I still think that rightly or wrongly staying in 6th form at school lacks ambition.

Well, of course you do. You were never going to change your mind in the face of common sense. You were never going to take that chip off your shoulder and bin it, and accept that young people are different and that they need and deserve different paths that suit their skill sets and their passions.

@pointythings And you will never accept that some people think college is a better option.

I accept that this is what you think. The difference between us is that you think it's better for everyone. You presume to literally know what is best for every single young person in the entire UK. The arrogance of that is astounding.

I'm a little more humble and self aware than that, so my position is that because everyone is different, it's likely that there isn't a single solution that is 100% best for all, which is why choice should be available and every young person should be able to choose the path that suits them best and gives them the best outcomes.

My best friend's oldest 2 children will absolutely be going to college because it is what's best for them. The other two are too young for anyone to know - and that's fine too.

@pointythings I feel that it would put everyone on more of the same level meaning the gap between the lower and higher achievers is less.

@Summersunshinee we've been through this. It is unethical and unacceptable to drag academic young people down. We should be pushing people with vocational skills up and narrow the gap that way. We do this by bringing in excellent vocational education for the people who have the talent in that area, and by valuing their skills and talents. We do not do it by dragging down people who are excellent academically just so we can make others feel better - that would also be incredibly patronising.

You haven't addressed the reason why you presume to know what is best for every young person in the UK. Are you God?

@Summersunshinee my 22 year old niece is about to be a qualified part of the medical service.
She went to 6th Form.
A 22 year old daughter of a cousin is about to become a qualified part of the medical service.
She went to a local college.
Both are mature, sensible and independent young women.

@Needmorelego but that's... that's... evidence! We can't be doing with that now, can we?

@pointythings How would that be patronising ?

@Needmorelego Who do you think made the better decision.

@Summersunshinee neither made a better decision.
They did want they wanted to do.
Why don't you understand that?

@Summersunshinee it would be patronising because you would have narrowed the gap not by improving the achievements of those on a vocational track (and they deserve that improvement) but by dragging down others. Your method would not make things any better for the group you profess to support, it would just make things worse for the group you resent. And if you think that people on vocational courses wouldn't understand that you actually have no interest in making things any better for them, you'd be wrong.

In terms of what @Needmorelego has said, neither way is better. I'm amazed you can't see that. Both ways were right for the individual who chose them. Why can't you get it through your head that people are different, and that therefore they have different needs? You need to remove the chip from your shoulder and the bee from your bonnet.

My Ds project managers the coating of tablets, Op seems to think he would have been better off at local college learning hospitality at local college than discussing maths with his maths teacher.
Bring down everyone to the lowest CV ommon denominator is just the politics of envy

Op you're obsessed. I can't believe you've started this thread again. We've all been through this already.