North London state/grammar sixth form

[Northcountygirl]

Would very much appreciate some advice. DS is currently year 9, in a selective North London indie where he’s doing well. For various reasons he will need to move for sixth form and he is very much open to this and excited for a change of scene. We will do the open days next year but trying to get a bit ahead of the game now!

DH very academic, leans a bit more towards humanities over maths/science. It’s looking likely he’ll do well at GCSE which would mean a lot of the selective grammars will be an option. Where might it be good for him to look? Woodhouse college? Camden Girls sixth form? Latymer Edmonton or DAO (both amazing schools but far and would mean big bus journeys each day)?

I hear mixed reports of APS/La SWAP etc - we’ll look at these also, but their A-level results don’t seem quite as impressive. Anywhere I’m missing? Would love any thoughts and insight. Thanks so much.

Finchley catholic? They share some courses with St Michael's grammar.
Do QE have a sixth form intake? Fortismere? Mill Hill County (partially selective).
The comprehensives' results won't look as good because they have a broader intake than the selective schools.
If you are moving for financial reasons, it might be worth asking about bursaries and independents (especially your current school). If you want him to be regarded as a state school applicant for university, it's probably too late as Ucas want info about all seconds schools from 11.

@ConstantlyCooking - thank you so much. No it is for financial reasons, not trying to play the system for Oxbridge applications or anything like that…🙂

Finchley Catholic/St Michaels grammar might be an option - although we are not religious and I think DS would baulk at anything too ‘godly’!

QE boys don’t have a sixth form intake. Fortismere - I think there might be much better options (APS/Camden?) I’ll check out Mill Hill County too…thanks again . Anyone else?

Another thing to note - we are very close to great public transport options so we don’t necessarily have to restrict ourselves to North London/Herts. Just want to explore the best options for DS….xx

If it's financial, then definitely worth seeing the bursary options. It probably wouldn't cover full fees but might make them less painful. It might be worth looking at slightly less academic independent senior schools as well because schools are all trying to improve results and might be willing to be flexible to attract someone who will boost their results at A level.

@ConstantlyCooking - DS is my middle child. His elder sister is going A-levels at the same private school this year, and his little sister is in Year 7.

Unfortunately, much as we love the school and all 3 really thrive there, the constantly rising fees and threat of labour/VAT is making this unaffordable beyond GCSE for the younger two. Henrietta Barnett would be top of my list for my younger daughter (obviously she's only 12 so it's too early to tell if it will suit her - but it is seeming she is also very academic).

The bursar has helped to an extent, but even then it is still going to be a crippling stretch for us, and it just doesn't seem worth it when there are very good state options available to us at sixth form (different story until GCSE)....

This thread is a few months old now but I think Woodhouse might be a good fit for your DC. Several of my DS’s friends are there in Y12 and it’s academic and high achieving, his friends seem happy socially.

DS stayed at his selective indie because we thought he’d struggle to cope with the size of Woodhouse (700 pupils into Y12). From what DS’s friends say progress is fairly closely monitored though.

Friends seem happier with Fortismere Sixth Form than they do with years 7-11.

Given your DC is very academic Harris Westminster might be worth a look. Similar vibe to the North London grammars.