Sixth form options in North Wales

[MightyOWL]

We are currently overseas and my DD16 in Y11 will complete her GCSEs in her (private) International School - she has been at this school since Reception, as we have been here since she was 2.

We are relocating in July 2018 back to my native North wales. I am a Welsh speaker, but she and her dad are not, so we are an English speaking family.

Looking at options for 6th form for her. She is not an academic high flyer, but wants to do A-levels and go to uni. She is predicted mostly Bs, and a C in maths.

Our options are:

1. Private weekly boarding. English medium and she has one friend there already. We have the money.
2. Outstanding state 6th form, but it's largely Welsh medium. This might put her at both a social and academic disadvantage I think, but it might not and she might love it. Some classes are taught in English, but it's a very Welsh culture.
3. Local FE college. Very diverse group (it takes foreign students on Pre-U courses, traditional A-levels, BTECs etc etc) I feel she would fit in well here.

She says she "doesn't mind" but is veering towards the boarding school as she has a friend there already (but he is not a boarder)

DH is very pro the private school, as she has always been in private. I think she would benefit from one of the other options as she has always been in an expat bubble and while she might find it tough, it may well benefit her long term and broaden her options.
What do you think?
We are home in Feb and will look at all three.

1

The language issue might be tricky. I'm from North Wales and know the culture well. There will be less of a culture shock generally at the private boarding.

There are very few state secondary schools that would be considered outstanding (excellent is the term use by Estyn) in North Wales. The only two I can think of are Elfed in Buckley, Flintshire and Bryn Elian in Colwyn Bay, which are both english media schools. However Elfed does not have a 6th form. In any english media school there will still be some welsh lessons. You probably need to be considering the two further education colleges, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai inRhos on Sea and Coleg Cambria in Wrexham as they are both deemed excellent.

I think that if daughter has been used to private education then going to a state secondary school or 6th form college might well be a shock to her.

Thanks for your responses

She does actually want to learn welsh, but will be a complete beginner, she won’t be able to access the curriculum in Welsh, and she would struggle socially I think.

We’re beefing towards the boarding school but want to keep the options open

Where about in North Wales are you moving to? Have you considered ysgol frairs? English medium and kids come from a wide area.

Friars is the state 6th form we are looking at
We're moving to Ynys Mon

Could you name the private school? I would avoid the Welsh medium school. A levels are too important to risk a change of language.

Best Schools in North Wales

www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/top-north-wales-school-private-13956024.amp

Spike - It's Rydal Penrhos in Colwyn Bay.

We did look at St Gerard's in Bangor. It's nice but the 6th Form is very very small. I'd worry about a too small a peer group.

Rydal Penrhos is a lovely school. I don't think you'd regret it if it's your eventual choice. And your DC has a friend there already, which is a massive bonus when changing schools. Good luck

Frairs is a very English school, she will be fine not knowing any Welsh there and certainly not the only one. Lessons will be taught in English and the ‘playground’ language is English. Tryfan is the nearby Welsh medium secondary which whilst good is very Welsh. English speaking children travel great distances to go to frairs due to its English teaching. It’s considered a good school locally and the best to go for to a-levels (state wise, no idea about private). Colwyn bay is quite a trek from anglesey!

Just to add many children leave their catchment school at the end of year 11 to go to the sixth form at frairs so she won’t be the only new starter there at the beginning of year 12.