New Admissions Policy question - Farnborough Sixth Form College

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Our local college has changed it's sixth form application process this year, and as a result, prioritises children at seventeen partner schools (including an independent school), even though all those children have other sixth form colleges in their locality. The college has 4,000 students across two years.

Children at non-partner schools, but whom live very locally, only have a two-week period to apply, ending at the start of November. Children at partner schools can apply whenever they like.

My DD applied late, because it is our third application in four years and we did not know the admissions policy had changed (despite attending open evenings etc). It is our fault the application was late, but it feels very unfair that DD is now repeatedly leap-frogged by children who live some distance away, or attend the local independent school. DD is very unlikely to get a place, and now faces a two-hour round trip by public transport to her current school (which she has been doing, but was really looking forward to attending her local college). Her current school does not support one of her A level choices. The allocation process for 'late reserve pool' children is unspecific in terms of dates. I feel she should have the same access to her local college, as other applicants.

There is no appeal process for this new policy, and it seems crazily unfair that DD lost all local options to her from 7th November onwards, whereas children at partner schools can apply to both Farnborough, and their local option.

Is there any ability to challenge sixth form admission policies at all - acknowledging that they are outside the schools admission code ? I have emailed the College and they have politely responded, but basically said it's too bad, that partner schools trump everything and local children don't matter.

I don't think you are entirely unreasonable since feeder school policies to penalise families that move.

But ultimately, as you admit... you didn't read the admissions policy

I understand your frustration, but you applied late and also chose to keep her at a school a long way away instead of her moving to a partner school when you moved. You kept her there for valid reasons but then you can't get the benefits of her being in a closer/partner school now. She has all the options of local kids and more, because she can stay at her current sixth form as well as apply to all those colleges. It's not so bleak and the only reason she can't get in your first choice is your own fault, which sucks and feels unfair, but is not the school's issue.

"no late applicants from non-partner schools are considered at all, they are in the ‘late reserve pool’ who have no chance of a place. Farnborough’s website advises that partner school children can continue to apply even now (as well as their local options which have much longer deadlines also)."

They can continue to apply, but not on the same terms as if they'd submitted by the deadline.

You said you feel your DD should have the same access to her local other applicants, and she did - there's no breach of admissions code here. That window has now passed, and anyone applying at this point is at a disadvantage compared to the first round - those at feeder schools would be very foolish to choose not to meet the deadline on the basis that their late application wouldn't be turned away.

With limited places - if any at all - to award to late applications, they have to distinguish between those somehow. And applicants who aren't favoured by the criteria can avoid putting themselves in the position that those criteria apply.

Does anybody have experience of Yateley or Farnham sixth forms ? We don’t live in Aldershot, so Alton is more difficult by public transport. I think other colleges are still open for applications, it’s only Farnborough that’s shut (for us).

I think people haven’t completely understood the local options comparison. Students much further away still have a) Farnborough with no deadline, b) their local sixth form college, c) any other school with a sixth form (including my DDs school). DD only has b and c, and ‘a’ is quite a significant loss because it’s big and very close. It’s because we applied much later for 2021 and 2022 entry that we’ve been caught out - I didn’t realise it had changed to an accelerated two week or nothing process.

However, this thread has been thought provoking in terms of the PP who noted that Farnborough may not be the right choice for somebody with no other school friends there. Maybe we are overthinking how great it is and should reflect on that a bit more. She mainly wants to go for all the sport they do, and the fact it’s so local to us, but nobody else from her school is going there. She does have a handful of friends going, but it’s so big I can see how many it might be harder to settle.

Highly recommend Yateley 6th. Go and visit with your DD. Brilliant pastoral care as well as high academic standards if that’s what you want. It surpassed my expectations whereas I was underwhelmed by F’boro for one of my older children.

No personal experience of Farnham but my understanding is it's small and very nurturing.
If there's a chance you would consider Alton (very easy by train and road) it's smaller than Farnborough and has a nice atmosphere.
I think it can depend on the child, one of mine suited the smaller more laid back style of Alton, the other the busier bigger Farnborough.
I would again add, in my experience there's lots of movement over the summer on applications so if your DD has submitted one there's still a good chance she'll get a place.

Thanks both for the recommendations of Yateley and Alton. I have seen that there’s a direct train to Alton, but we’ve had such a nightmare with the train strikes etc that Alton feels like a risky option - it’s in the opposite direction to my workplace. We might have a look at it though, and definitely Yateley which is an easier drive or there’s a bus which takes ages but is easy to get.

These colleges seem to have no published deadlines - I’m still annoyed that we may end up applying to them, whilst their students can still get in to the college on our doorstep. I’m still hopeful that a place may come up at Farnborough as you say, but aren’t holding out much hope based on their guidance.