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Original poster

Sixth Form if some poor behaviour during GCSEs?

15 replies

LonelyPlanetStreet · 13/07/2018 14:04

My DS15 will be applying for Sixth Form at School and also Sixth Form College next year, interviews in February 2019. There will be interviews.

His behaviour has been a bit problemmatic at times, e.g. a couple of exclusions over the last few years, etc. Nothing terrible, and I think he's a bit like marmite - some teachers like him, but the school sometimes understandably frustrated with his distractedness and occasional sullenness/rudeness. He's reasonably bright - predicted grades 6 - 8 in most subjects.

However, this might go against him during his school Sixth Form application? I have read that Schools cannot exclude poorly behaved children from internal progress to Sixth Form provided they reach the GCSE grades necessary - with the exception of being actually expelled from school during GCSE period.

Any thoughts? I just want to know what to expect really, I don't want to force events or anything.

(P.S. He's not 'statemented' - though I suspect he has got some kinds of mild ADHD issues he's not prepared to go through any 'diagnosis' process for.)

Thanks.

OP posts:
ReservoirDogs · 13/07/2018 15:55

There are 3 boys at my DS's school who were not formally expelled/excluded but who were told they should be applying elsewhere but it is an independent school so I think they can chose who they want anyway.

Original poster
LonelyPlanetStreet · 13/07/2018 22:26

cheers, Resevoir

OP posts:
TheThirdOfHerName · 13/07/2018 22:36

Schools have to stick to their admissions criteria when allocating places. You should be able to find these on each school's website. I don't think state sixth forms are allowed to consider past conduct as one of the factors. I seem to remember there was a case a couple of years ago where a sixth form tried to do this.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 13/07/2018 22:41

Does your son actually want to go to sixth form at school? If he’s behaving badly enough to get excluded “a few times” then he may be happier in a different environment - or at least with teachers and pupils who don’t have a particular expectation of him.

Having said that looking briefly at the admission policy for our nearest school with a sixth form it is solely about “getting the admission grades” and Catchment areas. No mention of behaviour or ability beyond that.

Which is a bugger for us really as dd is incredibly well behaved and very high ability and our catchment school doesn’t have a sixth form.

Original poster
LonelyPlanetStreet · 14/07/2018 01:16

Yes, mum, we will be looking at all options. Hopefully we can manage a couple of chats over the Summer holidays; DS very difficult to pin down! Re. your DD, isn't there a decent 6th form college nearby?

Third, good idea - I will look at sixth form entry requirements Blush.

OP posts:
Cauliflowersqueeze · 22/07/2018 01:04

Sixth forms at state schools are NOT allowed to interview as part of their admissions criteria. They are NOT allowed to refuse anyone a place on the grounds of conduct. Schools telling students they should not stay to sixth form due to their behaviour are behaving illegally.

The only thing they are allowed to select on is their grade criteria for entrance. That’s it.

Stickerrocks · 22/07/2018 07:12

Our local state 6th forms all interviewed everyone, but that was only to discuss subjects and expectations. Nobody was refused a place, just set targets for their results next month.

Cauliflowersqueeze · 22/07/2018 12:10

They can “meet” them of course, but that is not allowed to form part of the admission process.

aqa12 · 03/10/2023 11:11

I know this is an old thread but what was the outcome?

aqa12 · 03/10/2023 11:12

Cauliflowersqueeze · 22/07/2018 12:10

They can “meet” them of course, but that is not allowed to form part of the admission process.

Do you have any further information on this?

CancertheCrab · 03/10/2023 18:05

Cauliflowersqueeze · 22/07/2018 01:04

Sixth forms at state schools are NOT allowed to interview as part of their admissions criteria. They are NOT allowed to refuse anyone a place on the grounds of conduct. Schools telling students they should not stay to sixth form due to their behaviour are behaving illegally.

The only thing they are allowed to select on is their grade criteria for entrance. That’s it.

Completely untrue, we don't have to accept anyone we don't want to - and we don't.

But it takes a huge amount not to want to accept someone - why wouldn't we want the naughty ones too? We can't run a school without students, and none of us are perfect.

But I have seen terrible situations with some students, such as a girl with cancer turned down because it would hit the school statistics if she died, and that sort of thing. Another one, a boy applying for the Royal Air Force - again, because it would have hit the school stats if he had been accepted and finished his education with them.

Nothing at all could be done- it was an academy - it was up to the school

aqa12 · 03/10/2023 18:07

What about having to follow their own admission's policy? Surely they are legally bound to that if they are a state school?

aqa12 · 03/10/2023 18:08

I thought academies still had to follow the school code as part of their funding agreement?

MarchingFrogs · 03/10/2023 21:45

aqa12 · 03/10/2023 18:08

I thought academies still had to follow the school code as part of their funding agreement?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1001050/School_admissions_code_2021.pdf

Sixth Form if some poor behaviour during GCSEs?
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