Keeping students in Sixth Form College

[SixthformSuzie]

Evening all!

What do you feel are the biggest factors in keeping students in 6th Form Colleges?

I'm starting a project within our very successful Sixth form college to try and mop up the students who are a flight risk. If students are going to drop out, its generally before October half term and it is often to go back to their old school, as its more local to them, their friends are there, and it feels just safe and familiar. It's pretty understandable sometimes when it's hoofing it down with rain and they have to get a bus and a train to get to college and their friends are all saying "come back", and often the school will take them back.

My challenge is to find these students and to inspire them to stay. But whilst there is plenty of research on this topic, I'd love to hear any anecdotal accounts of your experiences of this kind of thing happening. Even if it's with your own child (these things happen to children of teachers too, I'm told!)

I've decided I need to do a fair bit of roaming and to work closely with their personal tutors and look at signs in persistent absence, but I'd love to hear of any experience you have or tips for engaging with these particular students.

Lets all cross our fingers for a reasonably uninterrupted school year this year! I hope Covid fizzles out but we better not get confident there eh!

Well, I work in a school with a 6th form and hate the fact that we sometimes lose really good students to the local 6th form college. It's lovely when they see the light and come back.

@astuz

Well, I work in a school with a 6th form and hate the fact that we sometimes lose really good students to the local 6th form college. It's lovely when they see the light and come back.

Yep!

My sons secondary practically forces anyone with 5s to go elsewhere but there is still a drop out rate as only one local college offers transport to and from the rural villages. It's a really long day az it picks up at 7 and drops at 6 and there's a lot of hanging around waiting for the bus.

The other college you have to pay 400 quid a term for transport and that puts people off. Even then they need to get to the neighboring village to be picked up.

Frankly, the only option for my son will be to learn to drive asap and get an apprenticeship. I need the colleges to offer real transport. He would live to do the public services or tech courses in the city college but he just can't get there!

@astuz

Well, I work in a school with a 6th form and hate the fact that we sometimes lose really good students to the local 6th form college. It's lovely when they see the light and come back.

Interesting! And I can see why you would be glad to have them back.

Why do you think they try the colleges in the first place? Is it for a change of scene that doesn't live up to their expectations, is it location, is it outcomes? Do you think it's pushy parents?

Do many come back for social reasons only?

Why do you think they try the colleges in the first place?

Most often it's a particular course, eg. some specific field of engineering or computing course, whereas we only offer the usual academic A-levels + BTECs in certain subjects.

No idea about the answers to your other questions.

Why do you think they try the colleges in the first place? Is it for a change of scene that doesn't live up to their expectations

I would say this is the most common reason.

It does seem like there is a type of student who is likely to thrive more under the structure of secondary school whereas a young person who is seeking an establishment operating as a more young adult environment will likely be drawn to a college.

I wonder if some just aren't ready for that, and if you add a longer commute just as the weather starts to turn nasty then it would be tempting to go back.

I previously worked in a school where the majority of students travelled to colleges 15 miles or further. The alternative option was to stay with us and we offered very small class sizes but limited course options and in a school in special measures.

A handful of students started at the sixth form college every year then quit and came back us. They explained that it was due to two things.

1. There was only one bus a day so they had no option but to stay at the sixth form college all day and the journey was slow. In high winds the bridge would close and it could take them hours to get home/ to college.
2. They didn't get the academic support they had from us at GCSE and found themselves struggling. Usually it was study skills related issues. They just needed a bit more support with how to study on their own.

Another student decided to travel to a different school with an attached sixth form. He found that the students all knew each other and he wasn't welcomed by them. He felt like an outsider. He didn't choose the sixth form college originally as he wanted to attend a school sixth form instead. He wanted to study my subject but he was only one of two students in his year group wanting to study it. The trust decided that it wasn't financially viable to run. He returned to us knowing he would be welcomed back but knowing he wouldn't be studying the subjects he wanted to do.

This is all really helpful, thanks. It sounds as if there are lots of issues students face in both sides of the fence

Another one here who was sad to see bright, lovely students go off to college. And even happier when they returned. I wish our local college was more honest and upbeat when recruiting students. They offer them courses, but when the numbers are low the courses are cut, or they bus them to one of their other 'branches' adding hours to the student's week.

Our returnees complain that there is no where near the amount of pastoral support in college. In school they had a HOY and a form tutor and staff knew them by name - in college there was not that degree of relationship. They were lured in by the coffee machine, non uniform policy and promises to be treated 'more like adults'. they left because they realised that in the great scheme of things those things don't matter. The college has a budget for advertising - on the back of buses, on radio, even a TV advert. We can afford a banner to hang outside school. Sometimes even the brightest kids get taken in by this.

As I said, I wish the college was more upfront. It can be difficult for the returning students to settle back down in school after a few weeks out. Often they have to start their new course from scratch, which can be a lot of catching up.

This is great and I really appreciate all your perspectives.

I suspect the college I'm at is slightly different than some in that the lions share of our students come from schools that are fairly nearby and do not offer A levels - you have to go to college if you want to do them. My children will hopefully go here, and great students that they are, if A levels are their thing, then it's their best option (unless they got an offer at one of the grammars nearby to do A levels - they do have some spaces but I think I'd rather they start fresh at college than try and break into a school with already-established friendship groups.

There are a few students who are travelling a longer distance, and there are some students who are the only one from their school and year group. It is these students who may have more trouble settling and may be tempted to go back. And that is fine if it is in their best interests to do so - the goal is not retention at any cost.

If a pushy parent or shiny bus billboard has steered them in the wrong direction, their timetable is a shitshow that sees them hanging around half the day and not getting in till after dark, and their own school offers a good enough range or decent enough alternatives in terms of subject choices, they should be at school. Life can involve quite a long ratrace, no need to start it earlier than usual!

I do feel that it would be a shame to see them have to start again with a compromise in subject choice for the wrong reasons - social stuff, or the semi-agoraphobia some of this cohort are experiencing after 2 extensive lockdowns. I'd have no problem if they are better off at the technical college. And the most important thing is that they don't drop out altogether. I suspect that is why we have some additional funding for this and plan to focus on finding the lost and the lonely, and working through what brought them here in the first place 👍🏻

Thanks for all your input. I'd love to hear more, even if you want to have a massive rant about sixth forms or lost students, it's all very interesting! 😀