Pates 6th Form

[madaboutlife666]

Does anybody out there plan on applying for Pate's 6th Form and if so how difficult is it for students that don't study there to get in? Also, is here an exam to take for 6th form entry and how do they select their students. Thinking of applying for DD for 2017 . I've heard the 6th form is number 1 in the UK for 6th form grammar schools, but really hard to secure a place.

We don't have a single sex Grammar school in Cheltenham. We have the Crypt Grammar, Sir Thomas Rich and Denmark Girls, but they are all in Gloucester and Stroud Girls in Stroud. And then the very expensive private schools in Cheltenham.

madabout I consider Gloucester (and therefore the grammars there) local to Cheltenham. Some pupils come from much further away including near Bristol.

Just noticed my typo in a previous post. I mean local single sex grammar schools ie the Gloucester ones

dd1 is also in current y10, at Pate's. The thing with entering at 6th form is that a) most of the children from y11 continue into 6th form (only up to about 10 leave). b) there have been many reports from siblings off dd1 and dd2's friends who find it pressuring (dd1 is perfectly happy) and c) the external students do not always earn the total respect of the other internals and the younger years - dd1 has heard people talking about 'stupid externals', but they do seem to blend in easily

My DS1 is in Y13 at Pate's after transferring from Cleeve (comprehensive state school) for the sixth form.

The 22 points (soon to be 57) is a standard offer that all internal DC (ie Pate's Y11) get and is the offer that is given to those external DC who have high predicted grades. Eg, in my DS's year only those external students with predicted grades of 27 points or higher from their top 8 GCSEs including maths, English and those subjects they wanted to do at A level actually received an offer. DS was predicted 4A* and 4A for his top 8 giving 28 points, which he achieved but his offer was for 22 points. Friends with lower predictions didn't get an offer. About 400 or so applied and only 100 or so got an offer.

He has really enjoyed his time there. His friends are predominantly externals with a scattering of internals. There are roughly 120 internals per year and about 80 externals in his year, so plenty to make friends with. He has really enjoyed the challenge and has done very well so far, getting 4 As at AS (no A* at AS.) He just took 4 ASs and has dropped one to take 3 at A2. Quite a few take 4 at A2 (and some take 5 ASs) but university offers are usually based on 3 A2s.

I know ASs are going to be decoupled (if that's a word) from A2 so things will be different for your DC.

The 80 externals are from a wide variety of schools. All of the Gloucester grammars, Balcarras, 10 or so from Cleeve, Bournside, CLC, Kings School in Gloucester, Dean Close, schools in Swindon and Stroud etc. The only problem has been some friends live so far away, I guess.

My DS3 is in Y9 at Cleeve and I would be happy if he wanted to try for Pate's sixth form as well.

He has had good help and advice with his UCAS form, with two of his teachers critiquing his personal statement and recommending books to read around the subject etc. They have a dedicated UCAS advisor/ administrator as nearly 100% apply to university.

Good luck! Now off to name change back!

Oh yes, very good Physics Dept, maths and science generally is very strong. My DS is very fond of his Physics teacher!

I teach at a state school just outside Cheltenham and we send one or two to Pates for 6th form each year. They always enjoy it and do well. We have a sixth form but it is small and cannot offer the range of subjects Pates does.

Not saying where I teach but if our kids can integrate confidently, and feel accepted, I think anyone will.

Regarding last years English GCSE marking anomaly, I believe (but don't quote me) the problem lay with the comparative essay. The syllabus suggested to choose two texts from group A or B and write a comparative essay. What Pate's did was to choose one from A and one from B. So the kids were comparing, say, Lord of the Flies with Frankenstein, rather than Dracula with Frankenstein. It didn't mean they failed, just that it was much harder to get a good mark because they were comparing novels from different genre. Pate's weren't technically wrong - there was nothing to say they couldn't choose a book from each list - they just made it really hard to achieve good marks. If my child had been in that cohort, I would have advised them to revise another list A book. But then I always look at the syllabus because I am a control freak.

hidingundernew although this is no longer relevant to the OP your post prompted my curiosity so I checked with my DC. There was no comparative essay in the exam, only an essay on the Shakespeare play they had done. For the coursework their class used a novel about the First World War together with some war poets. They obviously read other novels from the list during the course.
There is no reason not to think that it was a marking anomaly for that year since the difference in grades was so extreme compared to other years. The teachers were unchanged and had not done something odd with the syllabus compared to previous years.

Namechangefor - that's really interesting. My knowledge was based on the teaching for this year. This year they were definitely comparing two books from different groups rather than the same group (as the spec suggested) for the coursework. I had rashly assumed that was the problem in the previous year, because as you say, same teachers etc. I will watch the results with interest! It may have been just one class doing this of course, because the teachers choose different texts for each class.

My dc didn't say they had any problems with the exam this year. English isn't a favourite subject though so I suspect they aren't overly concerned.
I didn't pay much attention to the syllabus- I trust the school with their education and have been very happy so far. I don't expect any less from sixth form.

DD didn't quite make Pates - her predicted grades got her 61 points - so just scraping the 57 points required to "qualify" would be nowhere near enough - they have a limit on entry numbers - 80 from 225 applicants this year.

BeyondThePage, I hope you don't mind me asking but did you hear from the school in the past few days? I didn't know they made offers or not quite so fast. My son also applied but I don't know anyone else who has hence my question. Thanks

Yes - we heard back on Thursday. (for 6th Form) So did her friends - a lot of disappointed kids this year - all made at least the 57 point qualifying mark on predicted grades, but unless you were up in the mid 60s - basically mostly/pretty much all A*/8 predicted then tough.

Though there is a whisper that the system is unfair as the grammar schools tend to give out over-high predicted grades, the state schools lower ones, so mainly grammar school/independent school kids qualifying this year.

Thanks Beyond. Turns out Ds has been sent a letter to meet the staff. Not sure what that means.

Probably a yes then - haven't heard of anyone else in my limited circle getting that letter... (know 5 applicants - 3 "sorry, no" and 2 - including DD "sorry, really strong application, but if you excel ring us after result day").

Exciting! Let us know how he gets on!

Will do, thanks!

Can I add a note..... Pates 6th form pastoral care has been outstanding. My two eldest girls have gone to 6th form from boarding schools. I have honestly never come across a school with such amazingly in tune care for the students.

Hi All, My DD is currently in yr 11 and looking to apply for Pates sixth form. its a bit of challenge for her as she feels she can perform lot better then her predicted grades. At what point the teacher has to fill the grades any idea? Thanks Madi06.

Hi, My son is starting at Pates Grammar School (Sixth Form) from Sept 2018 (next week). We live in Swindon and are looking for parents who wish to join us to book a shared taxi for the school commute trip for their child (pick up from Swindon and travel to Pates at Cheltenham and return). I have asked Denwell Coaches (who do Pates school run) but they are full for this season at present. And I have also contacted some taxi services who do group school runs but they also do not have any spaces to accommodate). So either,

1. We can join to book our own shared taxi on monthly basis or
2. If anyone has info on any other bus/taxi service from Swindon which may have space to accommodate my son then please let me know.