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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Going into 6th form

14 replies

petal2008 · 08/11/2011 14:03

My DS is in year 11 and hoping to go into 6th form. There is an open evening next week at the school he attends.

This is all so different and a bit alien to me. When I were a lass you just went into the 6th form of your school but I presume from what I have heard you can apply to any 6th form whether it be another school or college?

He says he definitely wants to stay where he is mainly because he knows all the teachers and he is happy there. He is not interested in going to other 6th form open evenings. Is it a good idea to go to other open evenings and even apply to other 6th forms?

At these open evenings do you have to "sell" yourself or are they selling their 6th form?

What questions are the most important?

Thanks

OP posts:
MintAero · 08/11/2011 14:05

If he he happy where he is and they are doing the A levels he wants to do then no point changing.

At DD's school you had to choose the A levels from 4 blocks. i.e one from each or somesuch. Some had to go to a different sixth form as the subject lessons clashed with eachother. i.e they wanted to do say 3 from block A which were all being taught at the same time IYSWIM.

ayla99 · 08/11/2011 15:05

I would encourage him to go to other open evenings as well. I took my daughter to 3, and she changed her mind about where to go as a result. They're all about selling their school to you, you don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want to but there are handouts & subject teachers and current pupils to talk to.

There is a lot of information, not just the subject choices which vary between schools but also extra-curricular activities which can count towards additional qualifications at some schools. It was useful talking to subject teachers, as they can give much more information about the course content than the handouts can give.

It may well be that his current school is the best choice for your son (and if its the nearest, there may be a huge saving in transport costs) but he can't properly rule the others out if he hasn't even visited them IMO. And its a good opportunity to be nosy about where your mates might end up!

Original poster
petal2008 · 08/11/2011 16:34

Thanks both. I will try to encourage him to go to the others - got nothing to lose.

OP posts:
cricketballs · 08/11/2011 16:36

I agree with atla99 - all the different providers (which your DS can apply to them all if he wants!) will have a different 'feel' about them. They will have different courses available, different exams boards, different extra curricular etc.

I have always advised my students to have a back up plan as well, i.e. apply to a course/college which has a lower acceptance criteria just in case something horrible happens in the summer. You can have many offers for colleges/6th forms and then make the decision after results are issued.

bossboggle · 08/11/2011 17:08

Agree with the others apply to as many as you want and then decide when you get your results as to which one you want to go to, you could be offered places in three or four. My ds is in the same position at the moment and he has applied for four different ones and he has interviews with three of them at the moment. The one that feels right for him will be the one he finally chooses but he could be granted a place at them all - you don't have to take it.

senua · 08/11/2011 20:29

Agree with the others.

The most important question? - what are the leavers' destinations. Do a good percentage find work or FE/HE. Or do too many end up unemployed or crash out after Year 12.

bruffin · 09/11/2011 08:03

DS is year 11 as well. He went to one open day at a girls school last week, just for the fun of it, because he knows a lot of the girls already in the 6th form. But he did get talking to the maths teachers.
I didn't even realise until now that each schools have different criteria. One high performing school near us, you need an A to take Alevel in some subjects, whereas DS's school you only need a B. Although I think even at DS's school you need an A* for further maths
We have two schools on thursday, one next thursday and another the week after.
Another friend who is looking at the moment has just discovered the school her DD goes to has a very badly performing 6th form. It was going to almost automatic that her DD would go there but she is having to rethink. SHe has more of a problem as there are very few 6th forms in that area and most of the dc end up at the College

Kez100 · 09/11/2011 09:39

Our children have to leave as there is no 6th form but we went to 4, even though my daughter was sure she wanted to go to the first. In her case, the course is competitve and so it is important to have other options. Also, some colleges asked for different grade profiles. Again, should his results not be what he is expecting he will be able to make a better informed decision about a second choice.

My daughter as now got a 1st, 2nd and 3rd (4th wasn't appropriate). It's a good place to be as if she doesn't get into the first she wn't feel quite as 'disappointed' as she realises the others are good too.

mummytime · 09/11/2011 10:01

My son is only considering one too. But this is with my full knowledge of the alternatives. The local college is not that great, the good local sixth form college is fab if you are a self-starter, but I believe my son needs more help and guidance than it offers. I did offer to look with him at one local school sixth form as an alternative, but it is smaller so doesn't offer much more than his present one.
But his present school does have a fab sixth form, is developing so even if he didn't get all the grades there are alternative routes, and it is one that children transfer from private schools into.

Bossybritches22 · 09/11/2011 10:07

Depends entirely on his current schools options & courses offered as others have said.

We didn't consider any others as DD is so happy at her current school & they have excellent teachers for the subjects she's doing. For her the familarity & support of the school she's grown up in is a big plus. For others it might not be.

Always good to look at the options if unsure!

cat64 · 09/11/2011 16:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mummytime · 09/11/2011 17:10

It depends on the school. You should get the information you need at the meeting. My DS has to complete a formal application in January/February time, but kids from his school get priority. We will need to talk to people as one subject he was hoping would be offered isn't now, and that leaves a gap in what he is going to choose. However there is more flexibility this year than last year, as the school is preparing for the raising of the finishing education age.

mathsgeek115 · 09/11/2011 17:18

my sister is looking at 6th forms at the moment, her school has told her to apply for atleast 2 different 6th forms and she only lives in a medium size town with about 4 schools with 6th forms, she is looking at private schools outside of where she lives, she is also struggling because her school at the moment doesnt have a very good science department which is what she mainly does. at most 6th forms from what i can gather is they are selling themselves and its not for you to sell yourself, she said at the private ones she tried to make a good impression but every subject is trying to get you to do it not the other way round!

MarriedToTheGrinch · 09/11/2011 20:56

What is more important to your DS - the school he goes to or the combination of subjects which he wants to chose. Please make sure that he also reads through the course literature because the amount of people which I see in school who think that because they've done the subject at GCSE then it will be exactly the same.

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