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

[stirling]

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

Thank you, very useful. It is very difficult to choose/apply to a school that have not seen before. At least she has been to DAO when looking for secondary school and that is the main reason she applied for 6th form.
Don't know how it was 10-15 years ago, when we visited the open day it looked fine to us and academically it was very strong. I can also see that the head has changed since we have been (6 years ago).
I did hear good comments about Woodhouse from others too, so will have that in mind on result day.

@bendmeoverbackwards

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

QE doesn't accept any new intake at 6th form. In fact they reduce their Y11s by approximately 20% for 6th form, weeding out all but the top of the top. Their notorious 'cull'. Hence the results.

I'd never send any child of mine the Wren Academy with its culture of bullying and oppression (dictated from the senior leadership downwards). Their SEN provision is a scandal.

Drug problems in Woodhouse - yes, but same at DAO. I know a lot of people who are and have been deeply unhappy there (DAO).

MHCHS mixed but good curriculum, good teaching and nice mixed intake although definitely including a rougher element. Strong in music, dance etc.

Nowhere is perfect!

I know, it really depends on the child to perform well at the school.
The main reason I am looking is of course the fees and also I am not 100% happy with the school in terms of issues anyway, so it can be really hard really to know if it will be better or worse.

Where do people get these 20% cull figures for QE Boys from? Would someone please direct me to that article?

And no the results they get is not because of the culling because rather as a result of the highly selective intake year in year out. Infact there are a number of Independent schools that get better results than QE does and that's not because of some magical culling of students.

The more selective a school is, the better the result it would get it's that simple. Infact we have seen Schools shoot up the league table as soon as it became a bit more selective. We have also seen schools most parents won't send their worst enemies kids too have one or two students come out with a flurry of 9's at GCSEs. A school's result is as good as the quality of it's intake it's not rocket science.

QE boys have always chucked out the boys who don't get top gcse results. They are not allowed to continue into 6th form. This ensures that their A level results are usually the best in the country.
It is horrible for the kids who are asked to leave. It is known as the cull.

That's not exactly true though. In school Exams are sat in Year 10 to determine each student's suitability for the subjects they want to take at ALevels. However conditional offers are still made to some providing they meet the Grade requirements at GCSEs. It's no different from what is done at Schools like St Paul's. They however are very strict when it comes to certain subjects like Further Maths and rightfully so as it's not for the feint hearted.

Students leave for various other reasons like Going to private schools, wanting a Coed sixth form, change of scenery et al. Also there are quite a few independent schools and in some years Grammar schools that get better results than QE Boys does. The great results it gets is because of the selectivity of it's intake.

I believe that too. In my daughter's school, to study some subjects you need at least an 8, which is 1-2 grades more to what other schools require. And that is the reason of her own school having such a successful ALevel results. If she doesn't meet the requirement for a particular subject, she won't be let to do that subject!

Yup....That's exactly how it is at the Majority of the Best performing schools whether Grammar or Independent. Heck even at the Most selective of Comprehensives.

Show me a school that gets the majority of it's average ability students to Oxbridge/Top Ten unis and I'll show you a lying Headteacher.

@Elij00

That's not exactly true though. In school Exams are sat in Year 10 to determine each student's suitability for the subjects they want to take at ALevels. However conditional offers are still made to some providing they meet the Grade requirements at GCSEs. It's no different from what is done at Schools like St Paul's. They however are very strict when it comes to certain subjects like Further Maths and rightfully so as it's not for the feint hearted.

Students leave for various other reasons like Going to private schools, wanting a Coed sixth form, change of scenery et al. Also there are quite a few independent schools and in some years Grammar schools that get better results than QE Boys does. The great results it gets is because of the selectivity of it's intake.

What you neglect to mention is that boys at QE also have to be "personally approved" for A level by the Head of Dept. This is the school's way of weeding out personalities they do not want. Please do not tell us it isn't true because it is and I know it for a fact.

Yes they do but that does not mean teachers cull them. They are simply making sure the students can cope with pace and workload required at that Level. Anyhoo the ones that leave go on to great things at other schools so that's QE's loss.

I only had a look at QE boys results yesterday and I was impressed!
I never looked at QE as I only have a girl, but I can clearly see how they maintain good ALevel results if they only keep high achievers at the school and no externals join the school for 6th form.

Yes. It's a cull. The teachers aren't "making sure they can cope with the pace and workload", they are weeding out anyone they a) don't like, and b) suspect might get lower than A/B borderline.

ok, i get that. it shows in the results. Anyway QE never been an option for my child as its boys only school