Henley College - any experience?

[mumblechum]

Hi my ds is in yr11 & needs to decide soon whether to stay on at his grammar school for sixth form or go to Henley college.

Does anyone have any experience of their dcs going to Henley College?

I didnt go to Henley college but I know it. What grammar school is your ds at?

Personally, unless my dc was very very unhappy at their grammar school, I would not take them out to send them to Henley college. Unless your ds is very motivated and a self starter- he will probably get much better results at grammar school. He will not get nagged to do work at college- and there will be a much wider range of abilities in his lessons- which may be distracting to him.

Also, his grammer school will be much more used to getting pupils into top universities- and I expect will "force" him to do extra curricular activities (community service, CCF, etc) which will help with UCAS applications.

JMO as a teacher and a parent! Henley college is not bad but if my child had a place at grammar school (which are pretty saught after in this area) then I would be pretty loathed to take them out.

SOme of DDs friends went to Henley. One went from the Abbey (so saved a small fortune), others from her Comp. I think they were happy - one went so she could do the IB, not offered at school.

It is a bit of a trek from our side of town though. The socialising with friend is therefore not so easy and you had to catch bus at same time each day, so no lie ins or early homes for free periods.

DS is in Yr11 of Grammar - I asked him if he wanted to consider other options for 6th form & he said "Why on earth would I leave one of the best schools in the country?", but he has always been in total love with his school & friends.

Thanks for the replies. He's at Borlase and isn't madly happy there, but he's going through a bit of a Holden Caulfield stage at the moment, he just wants to be 25, living in a flash apartment in New York and earning loads of money , so I'm not convinced that a change of school would make him any happier tbh.

Borlase is very good in terms of results, but still q. strict, and the attraction of Henley College is that it looks less like a school, more a stepping stone to Uni. I do know what you mean, though, about not being pushed there.

Hi! Just noticed this thread. Am in similar position, except DD is currently at boarding school in Dorset. Has had enough of boarding as wants a local social life as we have recently moved to area from Wimbledon.

Have looked at HC for IB and Borlase for A'Levels. We are applying to both. If your DS is doing A's then I think he is probably better off at the Grammar as the sheer number of students at HC means that teaching\class sizes etc can't compete.

If IB, then it is a big draw as Uni's seem to like it (six subjects so more breadth in theory) and there is no "perceived" grade inflation. We are very on the fence ATM! I am slightly freaked out by the size of HC compared to where DD is at the moment but she maintains it will be fine!

I went to Henley College! I had a fab time there.

The things I would say are that it's a bit if a trek every day, whether you use the bus or the train, which can be a pain if you are carrying loads of books. Not a big deal at all, but it did used to get boring walking up and down the little hill all day.

They do expect you to take responsibility for yourself. So if your ds is quite motivated, he will be fine, but it does make it very easy to skip lessons and fall behind quickly.

I don't know what it's like at Borlase, and I hate to say it, but there were alot of drugs around at the time I was there. Although tbf, that was over 10 years ago. But there were known areas to go to to smoke a joint in free periods, and it wasn't uncommon.

We were encouraged to to an extra activity on a Wednesday afternoon. All lessons stopped and students could do boating or sporty things or a language if they weren't taking one already.

I had a lot of fun there.