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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Good sixth form (not private) options N/NW/C LONDON?

38 replies

stirling · 10/12/2020 08:55

Hi everyone
Ds is currently in year 10, high achiever and high predicted grades. Live in nw London. He's at Mill Hill County school but would like to move elsewhere for various reasons, mostly teaching quality and the need to be with more like minded students. Kings maths school would be ideal but it's in SE London which would be a real trek.

We're looking at Woodhouse but are there any other options to consider?
Thanks

OP posts:
Effzeh · 10/12/2020 09:16

We've had very good experiences with Woodhouse, as have the various other people who have sent their dc there after listening to us rave about it.

My dc who went there underperformed at GCSE, but Woodhouse really turned him around, and he did much better than we could have hoped for. They do really well for dc of all abilities - mine was not a super high-flier, but came out with the 'Woodhouse treble', ie,. a clean sweep of A/A*.

Pastoral care very good, and academic supervision tight - expect a flurry of texts and emails if your dc is not in a lesson when they are expecting them to be. It's not a spoon-feeding environment, but if your child wants to do well they will support them all the way. Quirky bunch of students, lots of opportunities to find your groove.

Other options we considered but didn't opt for are Fortismere (narrower intake demographic, plus thought it might be cliquey in terms of most dc having been up the secondary school together) and Camden (similar).

LarkDescending · 10/12/2020 12:55

You could also look at the LaSWAP consortium, which brings together the sixth forms of La Sainte Union, William Ellis, Acland Burleigh and Parliament Hill.

mollscroll · 10/12/2020 12:57

St Marylebone?

EssexCat · 10/12/2020 13:08

There’s one in Stratford (but that’s east London) that I’ve heard loads of good things about: London academy of Excellence. We looked at kings maths, but it was too far away from us.

Wiifitmama · 10/12/2020 13:12

St Marylebone is excellent. My son is there (he got a place via a music scholarship - not money related as it is a state school). I have been so impressed with them this term even with Covid. The academics are excellent. My son is a high achiever, on track for A*s, looking at Cambridge, and I feel he is well supported.

EssexCat · 10/12/2020 13:44

Or maybe look at scholarships if the only reason for not private is the money, rather than ethical.

Moominmammacat · 10/12/2020 13:57

I've heard nothing but positive about Woodhouse. DAO has a very good maths dept, I understand ...

Original poster
stirling · 11/12/2020 10:05

Hi, thank you everyone for your suggestions. Really appreciate it. I'd forgotten about leSwap.
Made a note and about to look up.

OP posts:
Arlington45 · 11/12/2020 18:36

Which subjects is he doing now/interested in for A Level?

Original poster
stirling · 11/12/2020 19:38

Right now he's doing art, geog, German and triple science. For a level he's considering maths, further maths and physics or chemistry, but ideally he'd like to take Art instead of further maths but worries it'll put him at a disadvantage for uni.

OP posts:
bendmeoverbackwards · 13/12/2020 09:51

Dd was at Woodhouse and had a terrible experience. Behaviour was awful and they have a drug problem. Wouldn’t recommend at all.

bendmeoverbackwards · 13/12/2020 09:53

If he’s very bright you could look at QE Boys. Or depending on where you love, Watford Boys.

bendmeoverbackwards · 13/12/2020 09:54

*live

Original poster
stirling · 13/12/2020 21:07

@bendmeoverbackwards

Dd was at Woodhouse and had a terrible experience. Behaviour was awful and they have a drug problem. Wouldn’t recommend at all.
Oh dear, very sorry to hear that. Good schools both, but would prefer mixed rather than single sex...
OP posts:
Londonmummy66 · 13/12/2020 23:21

Harris Westminster or Greycoat?

Camdenish · 14/12/2020 15:16

Camden School for Girls has a mixed sixth form. I don’t know much about it apart from it exists! Is it on your radar?

Zinnia · 14/12/2020 15:21

CSG and Marylebone 6th forms are both said to be very popular with boys transferring from the private sector.

nancypineapple · 16/12/2020 23:17

My DS is at the Wren in North Finchley in yr 13 -he has really excelled there in sixth form and has some amazing A level teachers. Their online provision for A level students was very good during lockdown. They encourage a fourth A Level -my DS should really have taken further maths as his extra one because he now wants to study economics.
I would say behaviour is better there on the whole than MHCHS ( my dd is currently in yr 9 there-she adores Mill Hill but the behaviour of some of the kids was a shock. However I think you get that in most if not all state comps)
Also look at Alice Owen's if his GCSE grades are high enough-theres a school bus up to Potters Bar and we know a few kids in the sixth form there. DS was offered a place there but opted to stay at the Wren .

Needmoresleep · 17/12/2020 00:02

Kiings Maths school is pretty central and should be feasible if you can access Northern or Bakerloo lines. Take a look on TFL journey planner.

Another132021 · 17/02/2021 12:41

Hi, I’m looking at sixth forms for my DD does anyone know much about Mill Hill Sixth form? And Dame Alice Owens?

EleniT · 05/03/2021 22:45

Anyone has experience of joining DAO 6th form with following subjects:
Maths, Physics, Chemistry, DT (Product Design)

I would appreciate if you can give me any info

Cheesecake53 · 05/03/2021 23:23

Another vote for LaSWAP!

Needacushion · 05/03/2021 23:28

Another vote for Woodhouse here. Fantastic place.
You won't find a secondary school anywhere that doesn't have a drug problem. Private, state, selective or not.

EleniT · 06/03/2021 07:27

Thanks you, unfortunately she didn't apply to either of these.
Her only option is to either stay at her own school (STAHS) or move to DAO - if anyone has info about DAO, let me know.

Needacushion · 06/03/2021 12:50

Woodhouse is very flexible even if no application has been made. I know of people who got places on the day of their GCSE results (because they got excellent grades) by just walking into the building and asking. In my time they were very flexible and pastoral care and extra learning support was excellent. It is an excellent stepping stone between school and university.
I have experience of DAO. It went downhill after the head teacher left and a new one took over about 10-15 years ago. It had a huge drug problem, like most schools in London, but the problem was that they refused to acknowledge it. The other problem some people found was that pupils joining in 6th form found it hard to settler into the group. However, I have had no dealings with the school for about 10 years now, and schools change a lot. Many kids did very well there, others just fell by the wayside. Pastoral care was very poor IME.
I guess it is horses for courses. You have to find the right place for your child.