Moving from Independent to State at Sixth Form

[catseyes123]

I was wondering if anyone has done this and what their experience has been.
DS has been in a top private school and has done very well academically but he has had problems with being excluded by friends in the last year and seems to have lost all his confidence.

Mainly due to this reason, we are planning on moving him to a state school or college for sixth form. I am not sure if this is the right move or not. His current school have advised against moving him at such a crucial stage of his education.

Any Advice?

Peter Symonds College in Winchester takes in LOADS from the private schools every year.

I had a couple of friends who moved from the private sector to our state sixth form (part of comprehensive school, not a college). They were really happy, and went on to achieve everything they would have wanted to. I think moving to a sixth form college might be too much of a culture shock because it's not structured like school at all, but a good sixth form in a comprehensive can be a total joy. If your son is motivated and clever, he will do just as well, and it's a myth that they won't support you or chase for work, because if you're a potential oxbridge candidate they really look after you.

And if it's social problems he's having, probably time to get him into a school with some girls, it totally changes the atmosphere, and will better prepare him for uni! Good luck whatever he choses.

I would have your DS visit the local sixth form and another Ind. School to see which he prefers. There is no point him staying at the existing school if he is unhappy - he won't do his best and his grades may suffer. He will probably get a gut feeling which he prefers. Also look at which school is best for his particular subjects then at least you can make an informed decision educationally. Also see how many 6th formers are "new" intake - if a large percentage of existing state school pupils move upto the state 6th form he may struggle to make new friends, so wouldn't be any better by moving. However, if a good percentage are "new" pupils, then quite a few will be in the same boat and he might find it easier to mix. Also, have you checked to see if there is a large new intake at 6th form at his existing school - he may be able to make new friends without moving - a lot of Ind Schools take in new pupils at 6th form so it might be worth asking the head. Good luck !

My DCs school has a large sixth form which regularly take on a number of new pupils in sixth form from Private schools. Although parents can worry a bit, in my experience they do just as well as at their old school (eg. still get into Oxbridge). They also seem to be fully integrated, there is a big jump in maturity between school and sixth form, and whole new groups form. There are also a lot of sixth form only activities, such as rag week, which help new pupils settle in.

Talkinpeace - shush!. Don't tell the world about Symonds - I want a place there for ds in 2012!

OP - lots of kids move at sixth form because their school doesn't have a sixth form, and it is a natural break point.

The school wanst your money, hence the comment about not moving him.

My ds is at an International school abroad, and will hopefully be going to Symonds mentioned above as a boarder in September 2012. We aren't due to move back to UK until August 2013 (at the end of Year 12), and so Symonds for us provides the perfect solution if we can get him in.

Ds is looking forward to it as the chance for a wider range of subjects at A level than is available here, and the opportunity to do all the things that I did at Symonds in the 80s without me making cats bum mouth faces at him.

Moving them at sixth form is common and does work well. It also gives them more idea of what it will be like at Uni, rather than having to do the work at an Indy.

Hi, this is my first message on Mumsnet and I wonder if anyone can help. My daughter has moved to a state 6th form from a small private school, where she has been since Year 7. She hates it so much and has just told me she's anorexic through worrying about it all summer. The doctor has confirmed it. Now she won't go back to new school as she says it won't help her get better, this is despite talks with the mentor there who has done her best to reassure her. She want to go back to her old school but it isn't an option, for various reasons, so I am scrabbling around to find a school she will go to, whilst dealing with her low state of mind and eating disorder. She's worried that she will have to take a year out if she doesn't find somewhere soon (her grades were A*). Dad unsympathetic. Not sure what I can do. I have very little time left before its too late for her to go anywhere, even if they will take her! Anyone else been in this situation?

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