Sixth form admissions - talk to me like I'm an alien please!

[WYorksTemp]

DC in Year 11, we've been looking at various sixth form options and are going/have been to several open days. Have narrowed it down to 3 - two sixth form colleges and one school-linked sixth form. All are within easy reach by public transport but are not our closest sixth form school (we don't like that one at all).

Obviously DC will be following the application processes for each sixth form and we have looked closely at the published admissions criteria, but I am clueless about the kind of "unsaid" stuff.

E.g.
How much importance is placed on the personal statements that they have to write in the applications? Are applicants expected to have lots of extracurricular stuff?
What is likely to be expected at interview? Will they be questioned about their proposed subjects?
One college has an entrance exam. I read some previous threads suggesting that some colleges will have contextual offers so that doing well on the exam may not lead to an offer?
Most of all - is 3 options too few? Looking at the admissions criteria coupled with the extreme demand for the 3 options, we are concerned that DC could theoretically end up with no sixth form place at all! Should DC also apply for the closest school, even though we don't like it?

I would say to apply to all, even the one you don’t want at the moment, as they can change their mind.

I used to work at a Sixth form largely the application process was to give students the opportunity to apply and have an interview like they would a job and to give them the sense they have chosen the college, chosen to be there so will chose to work hard opposed to just getting a place like school selection. So do make sure the student is doing as much work to research and get in as you are. I'm not sure anyone who did have the grades didn't get in, - whether they got into their preferred course was more of a numbers game on a first come first served case of those that had the grades.

I'd apply to all of the colleges that the student likes, the application process and going through the motions if they don't mind is valuable in itself.

Thanks both, I feel reassured that the interview isn't too difficult!

I should clarify that DC is very much pro-actively involved in the decisions and applications. So when I said that "we" didn't like the closest school, that includes DC particularly not wanting to go there.

But as all the admissions criteria have a "distance" component, I feel it would be better to try for a backup place at the closest school. DC far less keen.

More generally, our thinking was that the sixth form colleges wouldn't have any pre-existing students to take priority. Unlike the current 3rd choice which is a school-linked sixth form (and also a bit further away). All have told us that they are experiencing unprecedented levels of demand this admissions round, hence my concern about securing a place for DC.

My Y11 dd1 is doing the same. 2 6th form colleges and her own school 6th form, which is where she would prefer to stay. So I think 3 applications should be enough. If in doubt, apply to your closest school as well. There is no limit to how many you can apply to, so nothing lost by doing lots!

Will discuss with DC about adding a 4th application to closest school.

I suppose one (very small) downside to too many applications is having to take too many days off school to attend interview...??

Unfortunately DC will not be staying at existing school and so cannot be a priority admission anywhere.

I also used to work at a High School and the Colleges used to come in and do the interviews at school. The interview was more of a chat about the courses they had chosen and why, future career / uni goals and their current grades to ensure they were making the best choices for them.

Someone only predicted 5/6s really shouldn't go on to Maths and Further Maths for example as the jump is just too high. Someone wanting to study Paramedical science shouldn't do a BTEC in Public Services but needs to do a Biology A level etc. The Sixth Form interview will be a just as much to guide students on making good choices so they aren't hampered at next stages. And to that end even if your DC don't know exactly what they want to study at Uni or even if they want to go at all it is worth having a look at UCAS or directly at uni websites to find out their entry requirements on any courses that may be of interest and work backwards

Oh, eck.
DS has only made one application.
No intention of applying anywhere else - the place he's applied for is the only one within a sensible distance that has decent A level results (the others have a phenomenal vocational offering).
Perhaps we need to have a rethink?

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!

I have a terrible tendency to overthink things and then when all the options we visited told us that they have had unprecedented levels of interest this year, I started to worry!

Please have a backup plan! 1) it’s good prep for life to be able to foresee multiple outcomes and be comfortable with them (even with a preference)
2) as a teacher there’s nothing worse than a student who’s massively underperformed, can’t get their place, and at midday on results day has no idea what to do. They must spend the rest of their summer in bits trying to contact colleges etc. actually the worst thing is these students who also have come without their parents being available as they really need them in these moments.

it’s not a given that students who don’t meet the grade won’t get in but it depends on school, subject etc.

Approach it gently, we believe in you, will help you plan to succeed etc but just in case, hopefully we won’t need it.

That sounds complicated. My DD only applied for one (as she intended to stay at existing but had to tick a box)

She applied and got put in a 'bucket' based on predicted exam results and that was it!

DS had to apply to his own school to get into 6th form - the interview was nothing really, completely pointless, but I guess it might be slightly more involved for external candidates if the competition for places is high. I'd have thought though the decision is mainly based on predicted GCSE grades, and making sure they're making the right choices for them - I wouldn't worry about having loads of extra curriculars or even the statement too much. They just want to see you're a decent kid with the grades to cope with A-levels I'd have thought. I wouldn't over think it.

Hi @WYorksTemp solidarity - DS is also in Y11 and also applying to Sixth Forms. We have 4 possibilities and are applying to them all, on the basis that he can decide in August. 2 colleges, 1 new school and the school he's at now.

He's got his first interview on Wednesday. I found these interview prep questions online that might be helpful to you too.

I would prefer a sixth form college to a school sixth form as normally a wider range if subjects to choose from and teachers who are all specialists in their subject at A Level. Plus it's solely focused on the needs of 16-19 year olds.

The admissions code makes it very clear that any interview for sixth form cannot play a role in the decision to offer a place - that has to be done via the defined admission criteria (which can have academic requirements).

An interview can discuss options and courses, but must not form part of the decision process to offer a place.

Thank you @PatriciaHolm That's really useful and reassuring. DS had his first interview this week (great timing with mocks!!) It was over the phone and very relaxed, seemed more in line with checking the college/courses were a good 'fit'.

DS goes to a highly selective college. He applied to two others also as they had a lower grade requirement, just in case he didn't get what he wanted. His "interviews" were just an informal chat to see what he wanted to do in the future and check that he had picked subjects that were suitable for him. He didn't have to write any personal statements.
The college he's at, as it had a higher grade requirement and it wasn't a feeder college for his school, we asked at the open evening what would happen if he was competing for a place against someone else who also met the minimum grades and wasn't from a feeder school. They said they would average all of their GCSE results and the higher would get the place. This did spur DS on to work hard across all of his subjects as he had his heart set on that particular college as they did one of his preferred courses and not many places offer it. They received nearly 4000 applications and had 1400 places.

Thanks @PatriciaHolm - that is helpful to know!

I am a bit surprised that interviews are already happening, does this mean they happen really quickly after applications go in? DC did the first application (to first choice college) in late October, so far we've had no news on that one and now I am going to fret that something has gone wrong with the application...

Meanwhile the final open day we have in our diary is not until the end of this month. This will however be the second open day that this particular college has held (we were not able to attend the first) - I would guess that means a flurry of applicants will already have got theirs in before us. So if it's first come first served, that is a matter of concern!

It's also worth noting that after GCSE results day, the deadline for enrollment is often short, so don't miss key dates. I think DS had two days to enroll (online) including results day. In some circumstances you may have to visit the college of sixth form to enroll.

We are in the process of doing DS's applications for 6th form, his school doesn't have one so he has to move.
We have been to 2 open days and a few 6th forms have been to his school to speak as well and he has decided to apply to 2, one of which is very well regarded but he stands a good chance of getting in. He says he would be happy with either but his preference is the harder one.
I don't think he has to do a personal statement BUT he will have interviews. School will prep him for those
He did say that his form teacher suggested he apply for a couple more but he only really wants to go to these 2 and he should get the grades for number 1 and number 2 is his back up in case of disaster.

Another question to all you knowledgeable people!

Reading the detailed admissions information for DC first choice college. This says they will make a conditional offer based on GCSE results. This is fine and obvious. But then it says, on enrolment day (i.e. after results come out), if there are more people who have achieved their offer grades, they will apply oversubscription criteria to determine who actually gets the places. It also says that they expect to be oversubscribed.

So that means having an offer of a place and even getting the required results could be ultimately meaningless? On 21 August 2025, DC could be "Yay! Got my grades for sixth form!" but immediately "Argh, can't actually go to sixth form!"?

This is only true of school sixth forms. The Admissions Code doesn't apply to sixth form colleges, including the new specialist (and often very selective) sixth form academies.

You are right to be concerned about this. Think about it from the school's perspective - most applicants make multiple applications, so they don't know which applicants will have them as first choice and they don't know which applicants will get the conditional grades. The most popular schools will make far more conditional offers than there are places available. The enrollment day will probably consist of timed appointments, with the timings in the order of the oversubscription criteria, e.g. after enrolling their own students, looked-after children etc, the appointments may be in distance order. They will gradually fill up their courses. If your DC's appointment is after her chosen courses are full, she may be offered an alternative. When all the courses are full they will close the doors and tell everyone else that they're full.

Why isn't your DC applying to their own school sixth form? That is the only place they can be guaranteed entry (assuming they get the minimum grades). Even then, if their chosen courses are full or withdrawn (e.g. due to low numbers) they may have to choose something else.

Thanks @filteredlight - your explanation makes perfect sense! In light of this, I think I will have to be the mean mum and insist that DC apply to our closest school as a backup.

Why isn't your DC applying to their own school sixth form? That is the only place they can be guaranteed entry (assuming they get the minimum grades).

As I don't want to get this thread derailed massively, would it suffice to say that this simply cannot happen?

Not all schools have a 6th form?

The op's school does. However, she doesn't want to say why it's not an option, which is fine.

Children at schools without sixth forms in my area have priority for an outstanding and oversubscribed local college.