Sixth form in London - questions

[londonschoolquestions]

Hi all,

Our kids aren't sixth form age yet but we're looking into what it would mean to stay in London for good versus move away.

One of the things we've realised about London - or at least the part we're in - is that people do all sorts of different things for sixth form. Most local schools in Walthamstow (where we are) don't have sixth forms attached (including the schools ours would be at). Lots of 16 year olds seem to go out of borough to Camden, Islington, Stratford. So there is lots available.

But it feels like it could be quite a disjointed experience to live in one borough then have to travel to sixth form somewhere else, to sixth forms with hundreds of students from loads of different boroughs all living in different bits of London - which could affect social experiences / the sense of a college community? (There's also potentially the added complication of friends and peers from our children's secondary schools all choosing different colleges, and so existing friendship groups also fragmenting - bur less concerned about this as I know that bit is more common outside London too).

Both my and my partner's experiences are of growing up outside London and everyone from our schools going to the same one or two sixth forms, hanging out locally etc. So this would feel quite different.

Very keen to hear thoughts and experiences of others on the London sixth form experience!

Thank you!

I wouldn’t worry too much. In my experience London kids are used to travelling on tubes and buses to get to school - many secondary schools have fairly wide catchment areas - and in addition many teens travel to places to meet up to socialise with friends. If your kids are bright enough to get into the 6 th form you mention in Stratford you will find that the college has loads of activities and groups for them to join socially, plus very long opening hours so the students spend a lot of time together.

My daughter started 6th form, in London, in Sept. She stayed at her own school as did the majority of her friends. But she has already made some new friends who joined her school in sixth form this year, and she's still in close contact with her 2 friends who left to go to different sixth form colleges.

Like Viques says, I wouldn't worry too much. My daughter and her friends are very used to buses, tubes and the occasional lifts from parents to get around, meet up and hang out.

My DC’s (walking distance) school did have a 6th Form and a very good one, but for various reasons Dc decided to move to another school for 6th form, a bus ride away.

The upshot was that long established school friendships stayed strong (and do now, even though they are all at work) because they lived close to each other in school ‘catchment’, and a new set of friends was quickly made at the new school.

The likelihood is that they will go to colleges (or school 6th forms in other boroughs) relatively local unless they want to do something very niche or specialised.

And they have their Zip cards so roam all over the place.

I am in a different part of London and most of my DD's friendship group moved to different schools and colleges for sixth form. Those wanting to do A levels need to attend a school sixth form as colleges do not do A levels in the boroughs near me. Some friendships last and others don't.

Lots of kids go out of borough for secondary anyway

But it feels like it could be quite a disjointed experience to live in one borough then have to travel to sixth form somewhere else, to sixth forms with hundreds of students from loads of different boroughs all living in different bits of London - which could affect social experiences / the sense of a college community?

This is the time when they widen their friendship groups and expand their social life geographically. It's so easy to travel around London, and relatively cheap for teens/students. It's great preparation for life after school, whether that be university, work, travel or apprenticeship.

Sorry to jump on a ‘ghost’ thread but was looking for sixth form options for my DD who just stared year 11, and came across this thread.
just wanted to say that my DD (who has just graduated Uni) travelled from Canary Wharf/ Isle of Dogs to Upminster for 6th form for 2 years as their college was one of a few that offered the specific course she wanted (forensic science) at A-level and was best suited to her.
navigating the trains / tube (especially when problems arose) and being with new people from other areas really helped build her confidence & street smarts.
it definitely helped when she moved away to uni and was used to making new friends & learning new travel routes!

for DS I hope to achieve the same and will not send him to the school sixth form to help him gain more independence (plus the school 6th form is not great!)