getting into a good sixth form at the last minute - how long can you leave it?

[binarylupin]

Hello,

I’m looking for some advice on getting my daughter into a good sixth form, if I move area during the summer holidays. She’s in a good grammar school, and I don’t want to disadvantage her by getting her into a less good sixth form, but it looks like all the sixth form application deadlines are in February and I wont know for definite where we will be until around may/june as I am likely to have to move due to redundancy/career reasons.

I cant afford private education and am wondering what my options are – if she has great grades is she likely to be able to get into any good colleges/schools on any sort of “clearing” – does anyone have any experience of this?

Many thanks for any advice

Do you have any idea where you will possibly move to if you do move?
If so, apply for 6th forms there as well as where you are now.
You can apply for as many 6th forms as you want.
Some 6th forms have already closed for applications though.

There is a big switch around after GCSE results come out. Some will not make the grades, some will exceed expectations. You can usually shop around with good grades, though it obviously depends how many spaces they already have filled. Downside is that those with an offer may be taken with disappointing grades so you lose that advantage.

Define 'good sixth form'. One of our local schools, not selective but the comp-of-choice in our town, never closes its books. They accept entries until very late in the day!

However, the problem is not really 'getting into xxx school'. The problem is 'getting accepted to do xxx subject choices'. Your ideal school may have spaces but if they are in the Arts timetable and your DD is a scientist then that is not much help.

thanks for the useful advice, I guess I'm after getting her into a similar 6th form - ie one with a high % of AAB's and small class sizes - there will be about 6-8 in her music and physics a level classes.

Bit worried that even the best FE colleges will have bigger classes, and don't want it coming back to rest on my shoulders from my ex if she gets lower grades and cant get into the uni she wants to.

Basically I hope to move nearer friends / family or even long distance partner and better career prospects as I have been marooned for years far away from anyone except my ex after a failed marriage - and I was coerced into to staying within 1 hours drive of my ex, while my daughter grew up - getting her into the best school I could etc, but I my entire life has been put aside in order to do this and all my choices have been in the context of staying put in a small town with little career opportunities, letting my career go down the pan.

I know that you are worried about academics but I think that if you are moving your DD from her current life then it is only fair to put her in a situation where she can easily make new friends - it may be difficult if the Grammar is a long time/distance away. It can be difficult breaking into existing cliques, it might be worth thinking about how many newbies a school has at sixth form. Of course at a sixth form college they will all be newbies.
I was worried about the size of FE colleges and was happy for DC to stay at school. In retrospect, it might have been a mistake. FE colleges can offer more because they are so big - more subjects on offer, less chance of them cancelling courses due to lack of numbers, more chance of flexibility in timetabling to enable strange combinations. (Mind you, I have a warped sense of FE colleges because the one I looked at was in the unusual situation of only doing A Levels, and not other qualifications).

Don't get too caught up in the education provider. At this stage your DD needs to start realising that results are down to her, not the teacher.

thanks everyone and yes some points senua thank you. guess am a bit wary as I've done fe teaching (and some secondary) and due to funding they often rely on lecturers on temporary contracts and the timetabling can be very ropey.

not all fe colleges I hasten to add - just the ones where I worked were like that - I felt sorry for the students tbh

TBH I would be worried about there only being 6-8 in A level classes. Obviously you will get the personal attention but you might also miss out on the vibrancy of ideas and discussion. There are always some who do not contribute and with around 10 - 15 you are more likely to get that healthy combination of personal attention and a lively group that bonds and generates lots of lively discussion. That is the number they aim for at my DDs' indies. I know that in DD1s year the music cohort was around 11 and they really bonded and met outside school to compose and perform etc. and are still in touch. In DD2s year it was much smaller, around 6, and they complained that a couple of introvert characters made it a very quiet group. Obviously they still did well but missed out on all that extra inspiration and motivation you get from being part of a lively team.

I had to do a late change for DD1. I got very short shrift from local state schools.
I'd look at private options as many lose a lot of pupils post GCSE and are able to offer generous bursaries, especially to a girl doing physics. It's definitely worth a phone call.