Any experience of Kings Maths School vs LAE for 6th form?

[JusteanBiscuits]

My son has applied to KCLMS for 6th form and also to LAE Stratford.

He wants to study Maths at University, and truly loves the subject. His heart is set on KCLMS, but as that is entirely maths / physics, I wonder if going to LAE (his second choice) would be better for the all round experience? Meeting a wider variety of people, a much wider selection of extra curricular clubs etc. I worry the excitement at 16 of being immersed in maths might wear off, and being somewhere with a wider curriculum might be better?

Any experience would be appreciated. Thanks

Unfortunately it's 2 1/2 hours journey on public transport from us :(

I'm not sure why they may have places other than it is one of the biggest maths schools but that is a shame :-(

Yes, but adding 5 hours travel onto a day isn't something I think would be healthy or good for any child! We have a 1 hour commute limit, otherwise he would lose the things he loves outside of school - and I believe are important to being a well rounded human one day!

I meant it was a shame it wasn't closer, not that you wouldn't consider it.

My son is looking at up to 1 hr 20 - 1hr 40 journey each way for sixth form on the days I can't drive him part of the way. That's longer than I'd like but he's absolutely determined to go so he knows he has to live by the consequences.

Driving anywhere would take longer. His current school is just over 2km away, but is quicker to walk than drive! We're in London but wrong side for Waterloo.. 10 minute walk to the tube, but if you're not on the right line things get messy LOL

He's just had an email asking him to send his results in tomorrow, and that places may become available, with decisions being made at 3pm.

That’s so exciting! Keeping everything crossed for him

It is exciting but a bit odd. They have given out 1,200 offers for 275 places! They must be expecting a load of offer holders to be going elsewhere. I have already warned DS that he could get the highest results and still not get in if all places go to Newham residents. I know Brampton and NCS did extremely well in their A level results so maybe they are absorbing a lot of LAE's offers.

I think the Surrey/Guildford place is good, but given the importance of social life & so on at that age, isn't commutable from London. Maybe at a huge stretch for someone who happens to live on the doorstep of Waterloo or Clapham Junction station.

No idea where you got your figures from but Kings Maths School has 70-75 places not 275. Around 1300 took the entrance exam, I think the number of offers was nearer to 100.

All the offer holders have to go in to the school on Thursday to enrol. Our slot is 11am. Presumably by lunchtime they’ll have a good idea of the number of spare places. Fingers crossed @JusteanBiscuits!

Ah, I was confused but you're talking about LAE 😁

Yes. A friend's son has decided to stay where he is for 6th form rather than go to LAE as he's concerned he could end up with no place anywhere. It does seem very strange to make so many more offers than places available.

When k emailed them they made offers only to the number of places they have - 70-75. Then you were either rejected or waitlisted.

He is wavering tonight on whether he'd take a place now 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I think it's nerves for tomorrow!

Oh the Maths school 😅. Sorry, confused. Also wondered why my DD didn't get an email! Good luck to your DS tomorrow. That's brilliant!!

Yes, I'm not sure why LAE do this (and it puts me off) but I think there is a lot of movement between schools ie. Kids applying to several top schools in Newham and they don't know how many will accept their offer. DS wants to stay at his current school but they don't offer Spanish, and it's his best subject after Maths.

DS will enrol at current school though in case he doesn't get in. But if he does get in, he's decided to go there as it will be more fun to do Spanish with other kids than trying to study it by himself with tuition (which he is capable of but not much fun). Unfortunately we are not a Spanish speaking family!

My number included the waitlist. It was 30 last year I believe.

I think everyone gets a bit nervous before results!

What happened in the end? I’m sure your son will be successful wherever he ends up as sounds like he has the right attitude and is super bright!

Oh, in the craziness of it all I forgot to come back here.

So. He got an offer! BUT then a dose of reality, and a a very long chat, he has decided he wants to stay where he is 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I understand his reasoning. And totally support him what ever he wants. But I do wish he'd decided that months ago.

I forget how spending most of year 7 locked down affects then at times. He really struggled to make friends for a few years at high school, so I get him not wanting to start again.

He has started asking about summer schools for next summer though 🤣

Brilliant news! Even if he didn’t decide to accept it, you can both look back and know that he didn’t go there through choice, not because it wasn’t offered. The best of both worlds. Although horrible for the stress and uncertainty you’ve been put through over the past few months! Interesting also that they went to the wait list which suggests that some original offer holders also changed their minds. That surprises me as generally good 6th forms seem to be in extra demand with the VAT on private schools.
Anyway I’m delighted for you that your son is taking a path he wants!

Probably the right decision for him.

It’s interesting that the longer term impact of lockdown was mentioned quite a few times during the media coverage of GCSE results.

I know from my own experience switching schools at 13 how hard the transition and making new friends can be.

DS will now be going to a 6th form where he doesn’t know anyone but at least the upside is that almost all the kids will be in the same situation.

Some people apply to multiple places though. There are a few on this thread who children had places at more than one sixth form. A friend's son had offers from three of the top London sixth forms!

Kings has had double figures of kids getting in from the waitlist in the past. A lot of the applicants also have offers from several of the top schools in London and Kings might be their second or even third choice. The same applies to Imperial Maths School from what I’ve heard.

I got chatting to a group of kids on the way back from the Kings entrance exam last year and some of them had applied to five or six schools.

@Dangermouse999Where is your son going? My son is going to LAE Stratford where everyone is starting from scratch. He already knows 2 people going (only found out after enrolment) - one from his primary school and one really good friend from church - but it's still daunting. He had a great group of friends from his old school and 5 of them traveled to France for 2 weeks after GCSEs, so it's hard to say goodbye. Also his school were bending over backwards to keep him and made him feel v special, but it was his decision in the end and I think he's made the right one. I was pretty irritated at communication from LAE (they emailed at 2.45 to say come and enrol but we shut at 4, which didn't give much time. Tried to call over and over to see if next day would be OK but no answer so just had to rush off and hope we made it). As soon as I arrived in Stratford I knew it was right for him, it's just a different vibe to the 'burbs. I love London and he's very much like me so I think he's going to fall in love with the area and the diversity plus he grew up close by until he was 7 so it's familiar. Feeling excited!

He’s going to Cambridge Maths School.

Last year the cohort of 45 came from over 30 different schools. It’s going to be a big change from his current school with 6 forms a year.

He’s fairly introverted but has a good tight knit group of friends. I’m hoping he’ll make a group of new friends but still keep close to the old gang, some of whom he’s been friends with since pre-school.