Sixth form in Surrey/SW London (co-ed)

[surreymum54321]

Hi. Exploring options for DD, currently at a girls' school but looking to move to co-ed for 6th form.
Predicted mostly 9s and likely STEM A levels.
Thinking a boys school with co-ed 6th form could work because lots of new people will be joining rather than established groups. Kings' Wimbledon on the radar - any other suggestions? Prob not Tiffin because so tricky to get in for STEM. Also state options like Esher college or schools with a big intake at sixth form?

Is your DD doing GCSEs this year?

A lot of 6th forms closed applications back in November/December last year for this September.

No, currently year 10 so planning ahead - I know there are open days etc next term

I think wallington boys take girls in 6th form.

Sutton Grammar also takes girls in the sixth form.
Esher College is basically a lottery. It has a long waiting list, which moves because it's often a back up option. The entry requirements are very low.

If you are looking at Esher bear in mind that their open day is in the summer term and applications close at the end of September, earlier than most.

Claremont in Esher is co-ed and had a 6th form.

Where are you? DD is moving to Glyn in Ewell/Epsom in September for similar reasons (from all girls) and because of the number of new starters (around 1/3 will be girls)

it is based on location though.

Sutton grammar also takes girls

Esher is a lottery

Thanks! I discovered you can register on their website for updates so hopefully will get notified of open days.

Thanks - do you know if many join for sixth form? She’s quite shy so worried about making friends if she’s one of the only new ones.

Thanks. I think we’d be too far from Glyn. Will look at Sutton

They do go out to Sutton as DD friend is also going. Wallington Boys is another one

What about Kingston Grammar if you're considering private? Goes from about 125 kids in a year to 160-180 per year in 6th form, they're now in a separate building to the rest of the school as well.

DD is there. About 20 left at the end of GCSEs so there are a lot of new students and they've mixed in really well. She loves it

thanks! I didn’t realise they had so many new joiners - will def put it on the list to have a look.

Reed’s, Epsom College, Latymer Upper ( if you want to go a bit more central). Girls all left DDs school for these, as well as Tiggin, Esher, King’s etc

Tiffin!

Thanks! I think Reed’s and Epsom might be harder to get to by public transport but will look into it.

@surreymum54321 Tiffin School have changed their admissions policy for 2026 so it is dependent on achieved grades rather than predicted grades. That will make it fairer. If your daughter's predictions are accurate and you're within their catchment area then it's worth putting in an application.

They do tend to have more competition for STEM subjects than for some other subjects, but I expect that's the same at every boys' school with a co-ed sixth form. One of the reasons they go co-ed is to help keep their arts and humanities subjects financially viable.

Seems odd to focus on schools with mainly boys for STEM A levels (due to being boys only up to gcse) when on average girls do better grades wise in single sex schools, if preferring co-ed would ideally want one with 50/50 split.

DDs choice is a 2 to 1 split and she did think long and hard about it but for her the girls all being new and no pre existing cliques was a vital part of her decision. She no longer wanted the all girls grammar and she was adamant about that but the existing co ed choices did not appeal

That was our thinking too - DD is really worried about being one of only a handful of new joiners and feeling like an outsider/ struggling to break into established friendship groups. A co-ed with lots of extra joiners for sixth form would be fine but more difficult to guarantee than a boys school where all the girls would definitely be new.

Godalming College is excellent. It takes students from a wide variety of schools, including many from private schools, so while there will be large cohorts from the main feeders there is plenty of scope for making new friendships groups.

Yes exactly and they made her feel wanted (did a bit of a sales pitch) because they were actively recruiting for girls - the co Ed’s we visited gave the impression they couldn’t care less!

She does have friends as well from Primary school there as well

It can work that way (being hard to break into established friendship groups), but sometimes in other ways. lots of DC joining sixth form in the school they’ve been at since 11 are open / keen to meet and become friends with new people, for various reasons.

For DDs I would always prefer a ‘true’ co ed with close to 50/50 over boy dominance.

DD was in a similar situation ( STEM, girl's school -> now at KCS), but we're SW London. She applied to Latymer upper, Alleyns (prob too far for you). Also considered Trinity, Harris Westminster (but that central london), Esher, Tiffin (but they changed their catchment area and we just dropped out of it). Good luck ! :)