NLCS vs Woodhouse college

[Rox20]

Hi everyone, my dd currently goes to nlcs, but she is not sure whether she should stay or go to woodhouse for sixth form. So far, she has enjoyed her time at NLCS, but she is saying she wants a change, etc. Can anyone compare the two and provide some insight please? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I did this, though 2 decades ago….!
Plus points were - boys. New friends. Crowd based more in Muswell Hill. Good for social life.
Teaching was OK, but you are very much left to get on with it. Lots of free periods.

Having been “spoon-fed” (exam-trained) at NLCS, and excelled at GCSEs, both myself and another friend fared worse at our A levels there than expected.
You have to be very motivated and self-reliant to succeed.
If your daughter can lock herself in the library she will be fine. If she goes off the rails a bit like I did it could affect her final outcomes… (though must add, we still accomplished degrees in decent universities, but we did not get the straight As and go to Oxbridge!).

Thanks for this! This has got me thinking... A-Levels are very important and i dont want her to have any distractions? Maybe its better if she stays at NLCS -- will tell her this but it is up to her

I’m also interested in this as have a DC at a local independent school and we are considering a move at sixth form.

Thanks for sharing @EdgarAllenRaven - I’ve heard you have to be pretty independent but also the teaching there is excellent? A friend’s son got straight As and went to Cambridge- but not sure if he’s the exception.

Any other Woodhouse parents around to share thoughts?

Woodhouse College does get quite a few students into Oxbridge, medical school or other competitive universities or courses. My sister and brother from my dad's second marriage both went there (more than 30 years ago) and went to medical school. My other sister's husband also went there in the late 1990s and got into Oxford.

DS1 seriously considered Woodhouse but chose Alexandra Park School's sixth form (which actively recruits external students for year 12 - most students start with four subjects in year 12 but continue with 3 in year 13 unless one is Further Maths - and the Further Maths contingent is actually not that large in relation in in the end after dithering into the first week of term last (school) year - both are a two bus journey from us but APS is a little bit closer (though I think that wasn't the main reason for his choice). He has said several times he now wishes he had chosen a college rather than a school sixth form, though he has a different college in mind.

Is your daughter interested in Oxbridge and/or the courses offered at Oxford or Cambridge? Does your DD know what subjects she wants to study at A level?

I would advise that anyone considering Woodhouse makes an application now (before the deadline) anyway - they don't have to commit to going there until at least GCSE results day - this was also enrolment day in 2023 and DS1 enrolled in person for APS and online for Woodhouse that afternoon and went to the first day at both (Friday for Woodhouse and then Monday for APS) - I don't recommend quite such indecision but keeping options open now is a good idea.

Woodhouse is "better" academically than it was a couple of decades ago. Lots of A stars and Oxbridge keeps going up, and they clearly push the top end, which includes plenty of Highgate/CLS etc transfers as well as St Michaels, QE etc looking for co-ed or independence. But there aren't any top schools that don't spoon feed or exam prep to an extent. If NLCS do that even more than Woodhouse then they must do it a hell of a lot!

Woodhouse is a big college and will have a more mixed ability intake (above a certain level) than NLCS, while still having plenty with straight 9s. But it's also (I think) a better bridge to University, treating its students as adults not school children. In saying that, communication with parents is pretty good and all marks, commendations, attendance etc are put on a parent portal online. It's not like they're running wild, and the general mentality of the students is towards achievement.

Woodhouse doesn't require straight 9s. They want an average of 7.5 to study 4 A levels but I think most students take 3 unless they're doing FM. Most subjects need a 7, Further Maths an 8, and I have heard of some flexibility, eg a talented artist who wanted to study History as well as art but had missed out on getting a 7. On results they clearly compete with schools with a selective intake from 11, but many students also come from comprehensives (both community schools and academies), including many that don't have a sixth form.

While they promote themselves as a route to Oxbridge/medical school/Russell group, there are other possibilities for some Woodhouse College students too - my friend's son mentioned above always wanted to go to art college and he got a degree from a post-92 university with a highly regarded creative faculty.

I moved to Woodhouse from an all girls school and got into Oxbridge. I'd say go for it.