6th form options North London Area?

[mimtza]

I wonder if anyone out there has some suggestions for a suitable sixth form for my DS. He is currently in Year 10 at our local comprehensive, but is feeling a bit constrained, and would like to spread his wings for sixth form. Having counted our pennies, we reckon we can stretch to a private school education (it is only two years, at least).
It is not so much the subjects - he is thinking about Maths, Physics and maybe Chemistry for A Levels (at one point he was thinking about Art, but thinks it might be too all consuming), with the ultimate aim being Architecture (but then he wavers and says maybe Biology and Medicine).
But some of the dissatisfaction, along with not being so happy with the quality of the teaching, is a frustration that his current school doesn't do much extra curricular - particularly plays, (and he didn't want to risk doing drama for GCSE, as the results tend to be poor). He loves acting and is interested in debating and politics and just has wider interests than the school caters for.
He has been looking at City, as he has a couple of friends that are there - although he is a bit daunted, as they apparently require at least seven 8s or 9s to get in, and a 7 for English (English is his weakest subject) and while he might possibly get that, it is a tall order for him. He is not one of these kids who everybody knows will get those kind of results.
And I just wondered what else there is out there.
Any pointers appreciated.

Hi, there is Highgate and UCS although that could be asking for similar results to City. There is wetherby senior in marylebone which is the first year of 6th form. Also North bridge house in canonbury? King alfreds although quite a liberal school if that's what you're after..
Otherwise Mill Hill is great and also doesn't ask for the top top results

Thanks buzzingmama, what are the strengths of these schools?

It is not impossible he will get those grades (and he will probably get almost that - English is the only subject he has consistently been in set 2 for, he is set 1 for everything else) so I wouldn't not look at a school because it might require that level, although I think it would be prudent to also look at schools that might take the grade tier down.

I am more worried about how easy it is to come in at sixth form from a very different type of schooling environment and how accessible the extra curricular activities really are for an outsider (eg you haven't had the smaller parts in the school play all the way up the school).

I guess I would really like to hear from people who have moved to these schools (even from a different type of school), or who know people who have, and how they have found it.

Camden School For Girls takes boys in the sixth form. He'll need good grades but probably not as good as City. Gets a lot of private school refugees at 16+ and (maybe because of intake) gets good results.

I went to Woodhouse. Massive, lots of extracurriculars, speakers etc and most friends went to Oxbrige/Russell group unis.

Big shout-out for Woodhouse College, very buzzy atmosphere, everybody’s new so not cliquey. Mixed intake and the results reflect this, but large numbers st the upper end of the ability range getting top grades.

They took my lazy coasting dc with good-ish but not stellar GCSE grades and turned him into an enthusiastic hard worker who got v good A-level grades ( what they call the Woodhouse Triple) and the university of his choice.

Really recommend it, lots of v good teaching and the principal is very committed and approachable.

Thanks everybody,

Camden school for girls is a really interesting suggestion, as it means that all of the boys will be new. Any other girls schools that take boys into the sixth form? UCS does the reverse, and therefore suggested they would take "only a small number of boys", which I thought might make it even trickier.
Also trying to work out where is good for sciences as well as Maths at A levels, with creative extra curricular. Sometimes when you drill down, they are getting brilliant results in English and History, but by comparison the science results don't seem so strong, and at this level, the individual subjects play a much more important role. He won't even meet the brilliant English teacher at this level.

Another vote for Woodhouse. Good results, great teachers, great extra curricular activities, large intake from all over north London so lots of new people to meet and it’s incredibly inclusive.

Students are really encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and their learning. It’s an excellent stepping stone between school and university.

Habs Boys and MT, Watford Grammar, Dr Challoners. Also take a look at the 6th Form Academies such as London Academy of Excellence and Harris Westminster. I think St Marylebone School for Girls also takes boys at 6th Form.

Thanks evenstrangerthings. I had originally thought of Habs boys - and went to their website to look for open days, and there was nothing about the 6th form, so I emailed them, and was told they don't take boys into the 6th form. Everybody I know who I mention this to is surprised, as everybody seems to know of people who have done this, so maybe it is a new policy.
I will look at the others - excuse my ignorance, but what is MT?

Also Watford Grammar looks really interesting, but according to Google, it is a 1.16 hour minimum commute (we won't be able to drive him there, so he will have to make his own way by public transport). That seems a lot to have to do twice every day.

MT is Merchant Taylors' School
www.mtsn.org.uk