Thinking of switching to state sector for sixth form - any advice?

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I am interested in looking at a local state school for my daughter for sixth form entry sept 13. She is all girls independent at the moment. Definitely wants a change and I want to look at all the options. She is very academic and hard working. All A*s in mock gcses just completed. Very high marks for chosen A level subjects (mostly humanities and one MFL). Local state gets great university entry results - has outperformed local independents in last two years- but sixth form is big. She worries about getting lost in it, and the transition being too great and too different - vast majority will be existing pupils with established friendship bases. Also, I am puzzled about entry into state sixth form. There doesn't seem to be a catchment - is this right? And is entry on merit? And is it normal to organise a visit for myself during school day - I'm doing this first at the couple of independent schools I am also looking at - before my daughter gets a look in - makes me sound like a control freak! I'm not really. Just trying my best - and the monetary saving would be really nice too!!

For my DCs school you can request a tour anytime (and I would probably request this if I was you), but then they have two information evenings in the Autumn, one for parents "new to the school" and one for existing parents. The one for new parents includes more introductory information and a more thorough tour. Then there is a subject choice evening in January, which is followed by the submission of an application form by all students, places are given preferentially to existing students, but there are at least 25 new to the school students each year.
Most of the new to the school students come from private schools, and actually blend in very quickly. Several friends daughters in particular have joined and had a great time.
The advantages are: no fees, large sixth form so more subjects, and more groups in the popular options (Maths, Physics, Chemistry etc.), they also have more options for enrichment.

You really do need to go and have a look.

The other option near here is a very good sixth form college, but for some that is just a leap too far (it is much more like University).

That sounds really encouraging. I think I need to sort out a visit for myself before the end of term, and then take her. I am struggling to overcome reluctance on my daughter's part, which is purely fear of the unknown - I was rather hoping that by now, there would be a little bevy of them who could move together - the University destinations at this school are really impressive.

My feeling is that with those results and the attitude towards work that you say she has, that she will do very well wherever she is. Schools vary on their entry requirements for 6th form - you need to ask what this particular school's policy is. But there is always a lot of movement in and out of schools for the start of 6th form so your DD will not be alone as a new starter.

I'd just sound a note of caution, particularly if your DD is currently in an all-girls' school. I went to a very good all-girls' public school, from which some girls moved for sixth form to the local sixth form college (also has an excellent reputation - Peter Symonds in Winchester). Some of those who left with all As at GCSE did not get such good grades at A level, which I assume must have had something to do with the sudden daily presence of BOYS.

A couple of things:

She might get less hours teaching at a state Sixth Form than she would at her independent. I know this is the case at my DD's super selective though they get great results. She may have to become more self reliant and organised quickly.

The existing students ask to be put in classes with their friendship groups but that doesn't mean that newcomers aren't welcomed into them or can't make friends.

Some Sixth forms select on academic results, some on distance, faith etc depends on the school. I don't think DD's school gives impromptu tours but they have an open evening in September - I imagine many do.

Looking round at this time of year may not be very helpful as the current Y13s have left so there will only be a small number of classes running.
I would look up the number of pupils studying her chosen subjects at each sixth form and the number of boys and girls studying these subjects. The chosen subjects could still be mostly girls at a co-ed school.
I am not sure whether I agree with Peppin Some of those who left with all As at GCSE did not get such good grades at A level, which I assume must have had something to do with the sudden daily presence of BOYS. as I have seen pupils with all As at GCSE do less well at A level even at single-sex schools. There has been a general trend (although there are always exceptions) that on average girls do better at GCSEs and that boys do better at A level in many subjects and the reasons for this are complex. I think this is more linked to the different way that boys and girls learn rather than distraction issues. Remaining in a single-sex environment for sixth form may not be good preparation for university or the work-place. Certainly I found it difficult moving from an all-girls school to a degree course where female students were outnumbered by 2:1, so you do need to consider the effects beyond sixth form as well.

I had almost the exact same experience as Peppin - although some of the girls who moved to the state college did well for themselves, on average the universities that they got into were less good than the average for those who stayed at my school.

It is well worth taking a look round. Big schools are very used to taking in people from smaller schools and I dont think they have lost a year 7 yet let alone a 6th former!

My DD is moving to a 700 student 6th form which takes in a lot of students at 6th form stage from many of the local independents. Many of those choose to make the move to get the 'big pond' experience before going to university where there are thousands of students.

Many students struggle at the shift from GCSE to A level. Is your DD going to have her head turned by boys? If she is then it is going to happen at some point anyway, they are half the population!

I went to an all-girls school and I was mad about boys. My friends and I had no brothers so it was even worse. When I look at my old school reports one does not need to be a forensic historian to see exactly when the hormones struck!

Anyway, the local sixth form college here is very popular indeed with ex-independent school pupils. That could be because a)it's free b)the results are excellent and c)the students are, ahem , PLU. (It is Peter Symonds btw!)

Before this turns into yet another Peter Symonds love in .....
I know that most counties do straight through sixth forms
but what are the others who do the college route, and which are the good colleges?

Are you asking with what could you compare PS? I think Lincolnshire has a similar model to Hampshire. That does put a different spin on "best sixth form college" if there are only a handful of contenders!

This is all really useful- thanks. The boys thing worries me a little, but not that much - what will be will be, as they are indeed 50% of the population! And she will need to adjust at university anyway. I am frankly amazed that there are no boys on her scene as yet. Her peer group are all very much into clothes and appearance (in a healthy normal way!) but not at all into boys, whereas I certainly had a boyfriend by 14. At some stage I am expecting it to hit her like a steam train. One of the independents I am visiting is also co-Ed. Her worry is that she would be expected to be more self sufficient, although to be fair, I don't find her at all the "hand-holding" type work wise, and most teachers seem to warm to her because she is very motivated and always delivers, and gets positively excited by the subjects she enjoys. Basically it is a big fear of the unknown.

Do you think possibly she should have a little more control over the process? DD chose her own 6th form college (although I did agree with that choice, luckily) after all, in a year's time she will be deciding on a Uni for herself.

You are probably right that she should have more control over the process, - but in practice that would mean we didn't look at the state school at all, and I want her to at least give it proper consideration.

Great sixth form colleges I know include: Farnborough, Godalming and Hills in Cambridge.

Hills in Cambridge is indeed great. We tried to move to cambridge for schools a couple of years ago, but the housing was too expensive and we had to give up.

My year 11 son is about to switch from his boys' independent school to our local sixth form. It was entirely his decision and I think he's made the right choice: we are so impressed with the school. That's not to say his current school isn't wonderful too. It will be less stiff for him for sixth form and it is a 10 minute walk from our house which will save him masses of time.

I'd give her a challenge, then - tell her she can make the final decision, but she has to fully research all the courses and institutions she is interested in, financially (eg implications of her choice for you as a family) and practically. She has to visit them all, look at the outcomes for the students and work out what she feels is best for her.

If Cambridge is out for cost how about Sharnbrook Upper School 6th Form in Bedfordshire? According to its latest Ofsted report it is outstanding in all areas. The only improvement it has to make is to share with other schools how it has achieved its outstandingness!