North London Sixth Forms recommendations please

[OMVM2]

Looking for suggestions and recommendations please - son is in his last year of secondary school and is looking at different options for his A Levels.
He will keep his application in his current school as they have a sixth form to continue but he would love a change to be honest.
Also, his current school is more less average and he is quite academic with 8s and 9s predicted in his GCSEs so he's hoping to maybe get into a higher achieving school. His subject choices are History, Computer Science and Music (if he passes grade 5 as it seems to be the qualifying factor - if not he is happy to go with Physics).
We have looked at the list of schools in the area but to be honest it is little overwhelming trying to narrow these down to couple of good and suitable choices. Currently considering oversubscribed Woodhouse as we know quite a few kids who attended it and were very happy with it, but would love to hear what other schools people think are worth looking into in North / Central London?

CSG?

Given his predicted grades, Harris Westminster?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4735757-harris-westminster-sixth-form-how-is-it

Do you mean he’s currently finishing Y10?

Latymer Grammar might be an option too.

Thank you so much for suggestions, will check them out!

LASWAP?

I went to Woodhouse years ago and it was great but a lot of people travelled for miles to get there, you could have friends from Wembley to Hackney to Walthamstow. There’s no tube nearby so it can be a trek

APS has expanded it's sixth form so I think it's a bit easier to get in. You have to take 4 A levels in year 12, which might suit your DS, but they can drop one at the end of year 12.

I may be wrong, but I don't think Harris or CSG offer computer science A level.
Sorry, not very useful but I think that will be the main issue as a lot of places don't offer it. Is St Mary Mags in Islington anywhere near you?

Lots of kids at APS get asked to retake the year if grades aren't up to scratch, same with Compton.
I'd second Camden girls and LaSwap if he wants a more college environment but still the cosiness of sixth form.

They need to get at least a D at mocks to be able to continue into year 13 with the subject. Most of them, including my daughter, drop a subject at the end of Year 12. For us it worked out really well because she wasn't sure what she potentially wants to do for a degree, now she's decided and dropped one subject accordingly.

If you get less than a D in two subjects, there are some options to re-sit.

Finchley Catholic
St Michaels Finchley
Compton
City and Islington College (CANDI)
Mill Hill County

You’re right, I just looked it up. Nor Latymer Grammar.

If Computer Science is essential it looks like you’ll need to lead with availability for that OP. I had no idea it was such an inaccessible A Level.

Has your DS just done GCSEs or is he about to start his GCSE year? Because most students apply for 6th form in North London in year 11 - DS1 applied for and was offered places at 5 places including Woodhouse and APS. Although they get more applications than places I think this shouldn't be an issue if he applies at the normal time and gets the needed GCSE grades asked, then enrols on the day of results. I don't know if most students hold as many offers as DS1 but if most are are choosing between 2 or 3, the "oversubscription" isn't as tough as school places for year 7 (or for university).

DS1 has gone to APS.

For Computer Science and/or Physics, I'd think most students would be doing Maths (and possibly Further Maths) as well, and apparently a lot of Computer Science courses at university look for Maths. Interestingly, we went to a Higher Education options talk on Engineering by an A level Engineering teacher at APS, and he mentioned that most of his university friends on the same Engineering degree course now work as software engineers, whatever their degree course was in.

I believe APS and some of the other larger sixth forms also offer courses in Music Tech, though the APS one was oversubscribed. One of DS1's best friends from the same school to GCSE got in off the waiting list - depending on where your son's interests lie.

Most schools let you take 4 in y12, APS just insists on it

Thank you all for your insights and comments, so useful! Reassuring to see same schools being mentioned.

Just to explain as I have missed it, apologies - he is going into year 11 in September.

This is true that a lot of above colleges do not have Computer Science - I have planted the seed with Maths instead and he has not protested. I have a feeling that, because he is in a Further Maths class at the moment as additional GCSE, he just is Maths-ed out and the choice is based more on what he is enjoying more i.e. Computer science and Physics.

He loves music but worries he will not get the grade 5 in time so it might be that he will have to make another choice instead of Music if he is not accepted.

It is all not as easy as it seemed originally - surprisingly! I will make a list, then shortlist and share my experiences for anyone interested. Again, thank you for all the suggestions, very valuable.

Have you looked at king's maths school? Sounds like it might suit him.

As he's super academic, LA Swap and APS might not be as good a fit as places like Harris Westminster. Look at Latymer and Dame Alice Owen also?

La Swap is good for Computer Science, and generally excellent (and underrated) for most other subjects too. Being based at Parli would give the best of the history options IME, and CompSci on site.

woodhouse is excellent but impersonal, and DEMANDING. Kids moving from Fortismere that I know have struggled.

Check LAE and even Michaela, if you can stomach K Birbalsingh. (not sure if they offer Computer Science).

@geumsandpeonies - would love some more clarity on Woodhouse as considering my DS. Do you mean impersonal as really results-driven, or more to do with pastoral care?

DS1 applied to LAE but wasn't very impressed by his visit there, and noted that APS gets better A level results on lower entry requirements than LAE. Not sure about Computer Science but LAE has less range of subjects than many of the other places mentioned. Apparently one of his friends from secondary school (years 7-11) is finding Woodhouse difficult. DS1 dithered between Woodhouse and APS until the first week of term, thought APS might have been the wrong choice and called Woodhouse to see if it was too late to change. It was for his choices as the option to do Maths and Further Maths was no longer available, and Maths was/still is his likely choice for further study. DS1 had also heard that Woodhouse wasn't supportive enough.

Woodhouse is basically uni...great if you're smart, self motivated and want to be independent and surrounded by other very smart kids. Not great if you're expecting lots of hand holding or struggle to ask for help.
My DDs friend moved from Highgate Woods sixth form after a horrible first week to the Compton and has been doing really well so far.

Following with interest ...

St marylebone? But no computer science. You can do 4 if you have average grades for gcse 7.5 or higher

What school is LAE please?

Highgate Wood Sixth is on our list, for different subjects. I’d love to know what the issues are there.

Hi @OMVM2 !

I echo the earlier suggestion of The Latymer School ( academically selective, co-educational, in Edmonton).

There is a postcode restriction, though. Worth checking on the school's web site.

London academy of Excellence in Tottenham. Partly sponsored by Highgate school (the private one).
I don't know what issues Highgate wood has but my DDs friend only lasted a couple of days and moved to Compton. She said it was full of posh kids who previously went to the secondary there which tbh surprised me because the secondary isn't really all that posh, I guess the not posh kids go elsewhere.
If your child is middle class I'm sure they'll be fine there and fit in.