Massive regret that I didn’t try and get my ds into a sixth form rather college

[Teencrisis]

DS has just started college to study a-levels. His grades were not good enough to continue his studies at his grammar school. If he was at school still he would be required to be on site every day from 9:00 - 3:20. He would be required to take part in sports etc. Now he is at college he has so much time when he is not at college he is already loosing motivation and some days because he doesn’t need to be into 2:30 he lounges around or just meets up with friends. I can’t persuade him to study. I know he needs to become disciplined but I can’t help thinking if he was at school he would have no option but to study. I wish now that I had looked at other local school sixth forms. Anyone else have this problem? I just feel that there is a massive difference and somehow sixth forms students have an advantage.

I agree, not much help but I think it's true

How can you feel regret? He didn’t get the grades for the 6th form it’s not like you had a choice and you made the wrong choice. Statistics show that if you don’t get certain minimum gcse grades you are unlikely to succeed at a level anyway so 6th form could be a waste of everyone’s time.

Sorry @TheaBrandt I mean I regret that i didn’t find another sixth form. We have several local schools which he would have qualified for just not the grammar school. It was his choice to choose a college 10miles away which does have a good reputation.

At that age, sixth formers will have a sixth form lounge where they can do whatever they like on their free periods. There's nobody standing over them making them study. Self motivation is important. If he doesn't have it, he'll learn some tough lessons

I'm finding the opposite. DD didn't respond particularly well to the restrictions of school and just sat quietly hoping to avoid questions. It's early days yet, but college is encouraging her to become more of a questioning independent learner, and she's thriving in that atmosphere. I think that different environments suit different people, and some teenagers will need more structure to thrive and others will need more freedom.

When he does badly in his first assessments it may give him the kick he needs.
What subjects is he doing?

There is no point regretting something you had no choice about. He chose it. Not you.

Maybe things will improve after his first exams.

I agree. Our local college gets awful A-Level results. Results from the local sixth forms are a lot better. I’m sure it’s a mixture of reasons, but I would always go for a sixth form where possible.

It happened to DS last year when he moved from his school which unfortunately doesn't have a 6th form to a 6th form college. He has ASD and already found it difficult to do self study especially at home. He flunked all his end of year exams and has started year 12 again this September.

At. that age isn't it up to the kid where they want to go and what they want to study? I wouldn't have tried to make my kids study something/somewhere they didn't want to.

I'm not sure how realistic your understanding of sixth forms in your area is but it certainly doesn't represent my DD's grammar school one. She's basically part time, with a bunch of paper tricks and sleight of hand to make it look full time for funding purposes. They're supposed to do sport one afternoon a week unless they have some other education-related activity they can organise for themselves off site. That basically means scribbling some nonsense excuse on the back of a fag packet and giving it to the school, so noone does sport. Some days she has only one or two periods, the rest of the time is spent at school, but basically hanging out with her friends in the common room not doing work. If she doesn't have period 1 she can stay at home to "self-study" - ie sleep in.

Schools and colleges talk a lot of BS about raising kids to be independent, take responsibility for their own study etc. In reality it's just an excuse for providing the slimmest possible provision they can get away with and then blaming the effect on results on the students. (Not the schools' fault, their funding has just been cut so badly that's all they can do). People aren't mature enough to take that on when they're 16. Maybe a few are, but most aren't.

He will have assessments where he will do crap and either wake up or find a more appropriate course. In sixth form he'd have to come in but he would easily have 4 free periods in the morning in which 99% of them mess around in in the first half term of y12. This is normal OP. The Y12s normally get a grip by the second half term.

To be honest at this stage in the year, you may still be able to get him into a local sixth form- most won't be oversubscribed and will likely be keen to take another student. If you can find a sixth form you like better, then maybe ask him if he would consider moving, and ask them if they would consider taking him (and can make his subjects work on their timetable).

However, it's still very early days in terms of college- at this stage socialising will be a bit of a priority- everyone will be desperate to make friends. If the college has a good reputation, then it's very likely that they will put support in place if he starts to struggle with his subjects.

Just because he's physically on the school site won't necessarily mean he's struggling, and sport can be as much of a distraction from studies as socialising too (not to say it doesn't have benefits as well).

When he starts being given assessments and homework, he'll hopefully start using his time more productively.

Your existing school has to allow you to stay on no matter what your grades are, grammar schools love to bullshit!

Not between y11 and y12 it doesn't.

My son's SENCO/deputy head told me they do but maybe they've changed the rules.

Is it too late for him to apply and start at at school 6th form? I’m sure when I was doing A Levels at school there were some people who came back a month or two in because they didn’t like college.

I went to sixth form and it definitely involved a lot of lounging around. I was woefully badly prepared for Uni. It’s all colleges where I live and I am glad

@NoMor no you are wrong.
6th Form isn't compulsory so schools will only want those who 100% want to be there and will be able to do the work. They can pick and choose their students.
@Teencrisis I spent most of my one year I did of 6th Form staring into space in the study area - because I never figured out how to do independent study.
I did a year of college where I basically did the same thing just sat in the college library.
Maybe it's not the environment - maybe it's A-levels that aren't for him.

He’s 16 so it’s his choice. Is he regretting it?

You're right, I am wrong! I just looked it up. I wonder why I was told that. Maybe it only applies to SEN pupils.

@Teencrisis They dont do sport in 6th form. Unless jumping though hoops to try and make up for missed lessons as teachers are AWOL is a sport.

I work in an FE college. Our A level students have pretty full timetables - 3 A levels, tutorial, enrichment (which can be anything from sport, film club, D of E..to medical academy), and supervised study workshops (from the catch up covid money). This leaves a small number of self study periods. Are you sure he has signed up for everything on offer. I do understand that some FE colleges are poor just as some schools are poor.

@NoMor I suppose for students with SEN if a school is still named on their EHCP it might be different.

In our school the 6th formers have to be on site in the morning and go to registration and all assemblies. They have electives on top of A levels that they have to do and also sport and activities. There is more co curricular stuff if the want it. The can leave the site and go hit the afternoon but otherwise it’s not hat different. Tutors and teachers keep pretty close tabs on them. For most students that works well.