State 6th form or stay at private?

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Just that really. Has anyone any experience of moving from private to state 6th form? How did it go?

We’re not sure which is best.

State sixth form colleges are likely the best part of state education. I wouldn't hesitate to move from private to state.

It's very common but as with any education, I would encourage my child to pick the one they feel suits them best irrespective of state or independent

I suppose it depends why you want to move. I know a couple of people for whom this worked really well, but they did it because their private schools didn't offer the A levels their DC wanted to do. They went to a large sixth form college with loads of tech equipment.

If it's for financial reasons then that's a bit different.

It really depends on the specific options you have.
If you're at a fantastic private, and the local state provision is poor, then stay where you are if you can afford it.
And if you're not happy with what you are paying for and the state option is brilliant, swap.
What subjects does your DC want to study at A level - are they available at each location?
What extra curricular do they enjoy and are they possible at both?
What support for uni applications is available?
Travel?
Friends?

Thanks all. Both are decent options. Both offer the choices we’d like. One is single sex the other is mixed. Maybe the mixed offers a more realistic view of life, better preparation for the future. Child doesn’t know either!

We just don’t want to make a mistake and wish we had / hadn’t changed. Guess there’s no getting round that. Definitely be better off not paying, and it’d be nicer holidays, less stress ref the bills, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Yes, too many variables.

One thing I will say though is that depending on the schools, I think it can be quite difficult for children who have been in private school throughout to switch to state, even when the state school is excellent. It's very easy to stop realising quite how much "extra" is available at private schools from tutoring to extra curricular and facilities. And parents can find it really hard too because there's often less time and effort spent on keeping parents happy. That's nto to say state schools aren't excellent, just that the culture is different and it can be hard to adjust. We are at state schools but my neices and nephews are at private schools and BIL is constantly "surprised" that we can't do x or that we don't receive y.

We had this option but stayed private for the following. For context DC had friends at state school:

• DC good friendship group
• teachers knew DC well
• DC involved in lots of extra curricular at school and likely to be picked for things. Much better extra stuff at their private school
• longer school day more going on
• more opportunities for volunteering
• had heard negatives about head of sixth form at state school towards those that had moved from private.

I also feel that sixth form is very short, exams start in May incl study leave. DC would prob take at least a few weeks to settle in. Unless DC is not happy at school, not many friends, not really taking advantage of what private school had on offer then I can't see point of moving (except for saving £50k plus).

Our DS has remained at his private school for sixth form. Some of his friends have gone to several different sixth form colleges, depending on the courses they wanted to pursue. Those students are mainly taking BTECs rather than A levels (both types of course are available at the local colleges but our school only offers A levels). DS could have taken his A levels at one of the colleges, but there were a few reasons why we decided to remain at his private school. These included the small size of the school being what he’s used to, whereas the colleges all have thousands of students; he can become distracted and benefits from more direction than the local colleges typically offer; and he does a hobby to a very high level which he hopes will become his career, which he can do at school but couldn’t at the colleges. His friends though are all happy and doing well. Depends on the child tbh.

Yes. We did this. The state 6th Form college was excellent and got very similar results to the private 6 Form so private to state wasn't uncommon. I must say though that both of my boys were happy to go but I had always said that was the plan so not a shock or anything.

Part of my reason was I thought it a better preparation for Uni as they were given more freedom. At the school 6 form it was very much school mode and pupils pushed and spoon fed. One of my son's friends went to the state from private and totally bombed his first year A levels and ended up back at private starting from scratch at A levels. He admitted he couldn't deal with the freedom and just didn't do the work. He said he needed someone on his back. Went to Uni and got thrown out after the first year because he failed his exams because he didn't do any work.

Yes, dd moved from selective girls private school to a boys grammar which took girls in the sixth form.

She actively wanted to be in a mixed environment and one which was less of a bubble, so it was her choice. She was very happy at her private school on the whole and had lovely friends.

She's always been the sort who make friends very easily, so she settled in quickly. Academically she did well - probably as well as she'd have done at her old school. She experienced some friendship issues/bitchiness which she'd not come across before, but she thought that was probably quite useful for future life! Her accent changed! 😂

Socially, she kept in touch with all her old friends and still sees them regularly/goes on holiday (third year uni now). She definitely doesn't regret moving.

My DD went from private school to state sixth form. It had better a level choices and she really didn't like her art teacher where she was.

She said the facilities were way better at the state school, which I was really surprised by. Presumably art supplies cut into school budgets too much at private schools! She also did a subject which wasn't available where she was so left. No regrets. She did very well - although it was a really good school.

We too are worried but are moving DS. On his part there is an A level he wants to do that is not offered at his school. The state sixth form has amazing facilities for this particular A level. On our part it’s £70k after VAT for essentially 5 terms and the school doesn’t have amazing A level results, they are fine just not stellar. We will top up with tutors and keep a closer eye on his progress than we would have at the private school.

I know people who did this. Went from very good, even stellar private schools to state sixth forms with no regrets. I suggested to my son he might like to go to a few open days for state sixth forms. He didnt want to move so he stayed put. He likes his school and is doing well there but heis now encountering the effects of ‘positive descrimination’ so realising there are some drawbacks to private schools he hadn’t factored in previously. Eg work experience in his preferred field is nearly impossible to get as many opportunities state applicants must be in a state school or that they will give preference to applicants from particular categories in the event of oversubscription (and there is always oversubscription). Also contextual offers from many universities apply to a lot of state schools but not the privates, obviously, and algorythms apply to scores in entrance exams/ interviews for universities that use these methods of selection which score differently for children from the privates to those in the state sector.

If you are considering a move I would weigh up how easily your child may settle and make friends in a new environment and find out as much as you can about the state alternatives. Go to the open days. Dont force it on them unless you have no choice because of finances but dont rule it out if they are open to the change. I think many children from private schools would settle, be fine and do well but there are some that won’t.