Private secondaries in East Sussex - for 6th form

[thnkingaboutoptions]

Does anyone know anything about private 6th forms in Sussex?

DS is bright and there isn't a decent 6th form in our town, so we're considering sending him to a private 6th form but I know next to nothing about them! We will go to open days, but they won't be for a while.

I'm aware of Eastbourne College, Brighton College, Bedes and Battle Abbey.

I'd love to hear any info anyone has about them. Also are there any others we should be looking at?

Thanks :)

Bedes has great sports facilities. I think brighton college is more of an academic hothouse. I’ve heard good things about Eastbourne. Surely it depends a bit where you live too? There’s also LOGS.

I'll look up LOGS, thanks :)

We're in the middle - Eastbourne College is our nearest. But it looks like they all run school buses throughout the county, so I figure it doesn't hurt to look at them and apply to a few if we like them.

Christ’s Hospital and Tonbridge School are both great.

I'll look them up, thanks :)

Christ's Hospital is brilliant - fantastic facilities great pastoral care and because they have a massive bursary fund it means that they socialise with kids from absolutely all backgrounds. (Happy CH parent here...)

@thnkingaboutoptions My friend ended up getting all As at a local state sixth form and is now a very high earning shipping lawyer based in Singapore. Their loss!

The only other schools in Brighton are girls schools unfortunately! Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College also have very good reputations.

[quote ElIie]@thnkingaboutoptions My friend ended up getting all As at a local state sixth form and is now a very high earning shipping lawyer based in Singapore. Their loss!

The only other schools in Brighton are girls schools unfortunately! Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College also have very good reputations.[/quote]
Was that BHASVIC? It looks great! I'd be very happy for DS to go there, but we don't live in Brighton so no hope.

Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College also have very good reputations.

Will keep them in mind for DD! (Quite some time off...)

because they have a massive bursary fund it means that they socialise with kids from absolutely all backgrounds

That's brilliant. I've just had a look on their website, it looks great. I think maybe it's a bit too far though. Do they do a school bus, do you know? I couldn't see any info on it on the website.

Bhasvic has a large catchment. Way beyond Brighton

Yeah that was BHASVIC - they get excellent results.

Sorry, I should have clarified Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College are co-ed! Roedean and Brighton Girls are the Brighton girls schools I was referring to :)

Thinking about it, I believe there are a lot more girls’ schools compared to boys’ schools in Sussex…

My ds went to CH it's a fabulous school.
However, I know many parents and teachers who work at Brighton college, and it's a great school for academic pupils. I know of no more drugs issues than in other private schools.

@ElIie

Yeah that was BHASVIC - they get excellent results.

Sorry, I should have clarified Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College are co-ed! Roedean and Brighton Girls are the Brighton girls schools I was referring to :)

Thinking about it, I believe there are a lot more girls’ schools compared to boys’ schools in Sussex…

Is it because it's more common to want to send your girls to single sex and your boys to co-ed?

I'd be guilty of that tbh. I've just discounted Tonbridge as I don't want DS to go to an all boys school. But I would certainly consider single sex for DD.

I notice Moira House (girl's private school) in Eastbourne has announced it's closing. That's a shame, I'd heard it was a good school.

And my other son went to BHASVIC - he did exceptionally well. You do have to be very self sufficient. It doesn't spoon feed, which does happen more in the private sector

@ClarasZoo

Bhasvic has a large catchment. Way beyond Brighton

Yes, apologies, I over-simplified. Their second group of catchment postcodes are beyond Brighton - they include places like Lancing and Haywards Heath for example, but we're not in any of those areas. And if you're outside those areas, and there are still places then it's decided by lottery, by subject.

I had a good look at whether there was a way DS might be able to have a good chance of getting a place at BHASVIC and I don't think there is - we can't move him half way through his GSCEs. I mean, it won't hurt to apply but I don't we only stand a slim chance of getting in. It is, very literally, a lottery!

Well it's a state school, so there's no harm in trying. But best to look for private options just in case
CH is mainly a boarding school though, so not suitable if that's not your thing

You’re probably right. The statistics don’t lie - girls do better at all girls schools in all areas both academically and socially. Boys tend to do well as either ime. There’s also a big international market for girls schools.

Moira House is quite a complicated one. It was purchased by Roedean a few years ago at the behest of Roedean’s very successful headmaster. Roedean had been going a bit downhill but when he was appointed headmaster he turned it around and it is hugely successful now.

He thought he could do the same for Moira, as well as a financially troubled local prep school. Turned out to be a big mistake and there was a lot of murky, mismanaged finances involved.

@ElIie

You’re probably right. The statistics don’t lie - girls do better at all girls schools in all areas both academically and socially. Boys tend to do well as either ime. There’s also a big international market for girls schools.

Moira House is quite a complicated one. It was purchased by Roedean a few years ago at the behest of Roedean’s very successful headmaster. Roedean had been going a bit downhill but when he was appointed headmaster he turned it around and it is hugely successful now.

He thought he could do the same for Moira, as well as a financially troubled local prep school. Turned out to be a big mistake and there was a lot of murky, mismanaged finances involved.

Oh goodness, that's a shame about Moira House.

Whereabouts are you? Assume you are looking at day schools not boarding/flexi? Ardingly, Worth, Lancing might be alternatives. Battle, Bedes and Eastbourne are more all round than academic.

@LIZS

Whereabouts are you? Assume you are looking at day schools not boarding/flexi? Ardingly, Worth, Lancing might be alternatives. Battle, Bedes and Eastbourne are more all round than academic.

Thanks LIZS.

Our nearest is Eastbourne College.

When you say they're "more all round than academic" do you mean in comparison with other private schools? I'm assuming they're still more academic than non-selective schools?

DS is in state secondary now, and we would have happily sent him to state 6th form if there was a decent one in Eastbourne - but there isn't. We might still send him to a state 6th form, I need to look at the one in Bexhill.

But my mum has offered to pay for private 6th form, and I feel this could be a real opportunity for DS.

I'm assuming Eastbourne College would be a good place with great opportunities for young people who want to study sciences and go on to university?

They are still selective but less so than Brighton, Tonbridge, Lancing for instance.

I can't work out if you're trying to steer me towards more academic schools as you think they're better or just saying that some of the schools give a more "all round" education and are better for some DC and not for others?

FWIW my son is bright, into science, history, computing, politics and ideas, generally.

But - he's not had any experience of a private education, I wonder if even a school that's seen as "all round" might be a bit of a shock to the system, work wise?!

He likes rugby (hates football!).

Not 100% essential, but I know he'd love to go somewhere he could play on the rugby team.

I know Eastbourne's strong on rugby.

I notice, for example, that although Bedes is strong on sport in general, it looks like their core sports are Cricket, Hockey and Football.