6th form-Brighton/Epsom/Wellington

[Nextstep123]

Any experiences of 6th form entry selection for boy to Brighton College, Epsom or Wellington College. County cricketer,A band academically but not got great reports for effort as leaves everything to the last minute ! Very strong maths, weaker English. Wants to study A level Maths, Economics or Business + 1 tbc (maybe geography). Will board.

Do you know how many students are there in Brighton College 6th Form? Someone had been to previous Open Day and heard the Head said there are over 50% international students, is it true?

@fruitsandjelly, thanks for sharing your story. Where do you think the pastoral care falls down at Brighton? I'm not surprised the Head isn't very hands on; he does seem a bit slick.

One would hope he had a good team underneath him though. Is there a vacuum in the Senior Leadership? Are they all too outwardly focused to keep a good eye on the kids? Or are the Housemasters not any good? You would think at a modern boarding school they would have a stronger pastoral support system.

I too was impressed with the teachers I spoke to at Open Day and am disappointed to hear that there aren't stronger structures in place to help kids deal with the inevitable difficulties of the teen years.

Have to say I did like Brighton College at open day. The sixth form boy who showed us round I grilled ! Poor lad..... he admitted things told to say etc going for 2nd look at Wellington this weekend. Will be interesting to see again after BC. Then Epsom College few weeks later and Harrow in May. All so different ! So hard to make decisions....

My DS is currently in Year 13 at Welly having joined last year for sixth form. He is doing IB. He came from a smaller independent school. He had one day of tests x 4 (maths + the three subjects he would do for HL or A level) a rugby trial (for scholarship which he did not) and an interview. The current head James Dahl was head of admission at the time and is Brilliant in all aspects. Since going Welly DS has made friends for life, played rugby, football, and tennis for the school . He is now a prefect. It has not been totally plain sailing, he changed house after 3 months and I can say the pastoral support he received from his housemaster was exemplary. He has a brilliant tutor who is supporting him as he is close to final exams and he loves school. We were not happy with the old head but the new head is exactly what the school needed and Welly is now in very safe hands. Also Welly is a true multi-cultural school, reflecting the real world which many schools are not and is a richer place for it.

My DS joined Welly last year for sixth form. Selection was a personal statement which he wrote himself, tests in 4 subjects (A level choices + maths) a rugby trial (for scholarship which he did not get) and an interview. Current head James Dahl was head of admissions at the time and is a Brilliant headmaster. It hasn't been all plain sailing DS changed house after 3 months, the pastoral care he received was exemplary. He has embraced life at Welly - he is doing IB, played 1st team rugby and tennis - is a house prefect and has made friends for life. There is so much more to Welly than sport and academics - it prepares children for life after school and is a true multi-cultural environment. The best decision we ever made.

@eiderjane thank you. We went for a second visit to Welly on Saturday and it feels a better fit than Brighton. Son came and he said he wants to go there. We are thinking weekly boarding and maybe base ourselves somewhere near Guildford so still close enough for weekends to come home and for watching matches. Do you have a sense as to locations where there are lots of pupils homes ? Made the mistake with eldest living in Country and nothing to do or anyone to see now a teen ! Thanks