Six form application

[Lindaelisa]

I would really appreciate some answers related to applying for six form. I have a dd in year 10 and I would like to know the procedure. Once she goes into year 11, we have to apply for six’s form ? When do we do that ? Is it November ? But they wouldn’t have sat their GCSEs yet so what grades is going to show on the report? Are they going to do some mock test at the beginning of year 11 ? Or is it predicted grades ?
they have done mock tests in yr 10 and I hope it won’t be used as it’s below the predicted grades. She really wants to do her a levels and I am hoping she still have a chance to improve. Please any answers very much appreciated

sixth form recruitment is a two way street, you want a sixth form place, AND sixth forms want to be full. In my experience, you apply and get an offer, then turn up on enrolment day, whether you have met the offer or not. If you have met the offer, you get a place, if not, then you might still get the place, or a similar one.

Then after the enrolment for offer holders, enrolment is opened up for non offer holders, normally on a different day.

People are not generally turned away from sixth form education. WHat might happen is they are turned away from the course that was their first choice, and offered something with lower entrance requirements, with the option of advancing later

Retaking GCSEs is also often an option as a first step. All this depends on the institutions approached, some are selective, some are not. But everyone should, legally get a sixth form option of one type or another. SOme local councils are less proactive about this than others

The school will explain what the process is if it has its own sixth form. You can also find out how to apply to other local sixth forms or sixth form colleges by looking at their websites and attending open days.
usually students would apply during year 11, the sixth form will have its own deadline date for applications.
The sixth form would look at the pupil’s grades and also the target grades they are aiming for, and the subjects chosen for A level. The offer of a place would be conditional on the student achieving certain grades for the subjects or qualifications they want to study.
The best advice for your DC is to concentrate for now on her schoolwork for GCSEs and seek help/advice from the teachers on how to improve, regular homework and revision for end of year 10 assessments and listening and studying in class.

DD is in yr 11 so have just gone through this. when you apply you apply with your predicted grades (one school DD applied for had a much later closing date so asked for both predicted grades and mock results and a copy of these as proof).

Offers are made on the basis of you meeting minium requirements overall and for your A level subjects and you choose the one you wih to enroll at the day after GCSE results.

We only applied for 3, have 3 offers and now just waiting for results as one has a much higher overall requirement for GCSE results.

Just look on the websites for the colleges you want.
I think the open days were in October/November and the closing date was December. Then interviews Jan/feb and offers shortly after.

They usually want a minimum entry (such as 5 grade 5s etc. The one we went for is very highly thought of and has kids from the whole surrounding area so it's daily competitive and they get to pick and choose but most won't be that picky.

My DD has applied to the school she is in now, nothing further needs doing until results day when she would need to enrol.

She has also applied to grammar school. They have advised she is in top group of applicants based on predicted results so likely to get in. She has been invited to an evening event and then also a whole day session after GCSE's.

However the grades they say they required (8 x 6) and a 7 in anything you want to do is probably in reality not enough to get in so they won't accept you until after results day when they will take the top scoring candidates.

Different schools and colleges have different processes. Our school started the pupils looking in September. Told them the process of how to get references from school - ie don't apply to more than 4/5 as that's how many references we shall do. And don't leave it to the last minute - look up closing dates and apply at least two weeks before so the references can be supplied in time.

Some even have earlier dates - one had an open evening in July and closes applications end of September.

So possibly worth spending some time looking at the schools websites to get an idea of timings sooner rather than later. She can then plot the timelines. Having said that some don't close till January/ February time - so different for different areas.

Sixth Form admissions here. As PP have said, it varies school to school.
What you need to think of now is possible destinations and look at their websites now to see if there is an explanation of their timescales. Many will be focusing on Sept 23 admissions and not really thinking of Sept 24 admissions yet.

Keep an eye in July/Aug/Sept for any info on the Sept 24 Open Days/Evenings. Look at the external school calendar. Make a note of said Open Events and book in/turn up. Preferably with an idea of which subjects your DD is interested in.

After you have attended the Open event...decide if she wants to apply, is likely to get in (grades wise...you should have some idea if she will be getting 1s and 2, 5s and 6s of 8s and 9s).

Apply. Timescales will be dependant on each school - but whatever happens, she will be unlikely to get a firm, unconditional offer until results day in Aug 2024.

If possible, apply early.

DD's school was very helpful providing timescales, etc. for college applications right at the start of Y11. Because they don't have a sixth form at the school they were very proactive - prompting kids to have their application forms and personal statements done by the end of October so the school could add their references and predicted grades based on November mocks. DD was offered a place at her preferred college (massively oversubscribed and ofsted outstanding) before the application deadline had closed, even with predicted GCSE results that are just meeting the college's requirements.

DN who has much better predicted grades (but lower attendance and minimal extracurricular activities) didn't submit her application until deadline week and still hasn't had an interview or offer from this particular college. She's chosen to stay on at her school sixth form.

You do need to apply for a place at sixth form/FE college. You can apply to as many places as you would like to. She can be given conditional offers, and hold as many offers as she likes.

Each sixth form will open their applications at a different time, so do check websites. She can use grades from her most recent report, or ask teachers for predicted grades for most colleges.

Generally, sixth forms will offer, even if her predictions are a big below what they would like- or they may suggest other suitable courses.

If you have big sixth form colleges locally, they will likely have some open events next term- you could go along to these and find out more about the applications process and options available.

There were a wide range of open events and admission deadlines for the schools near us.

One school she looked at last June , did exams in November and an offer in December.
Another school the open event was November and the deadline January, exams in March and awaiting result.
Two others open evenings in October and November and Deadline December - didn't apply,
Also didn't apply at existing school as they don't do her subjects at A level

It seemed to be a lot more of a drawn out thing finding a sixth form for DD than when her brothers went.