Colchester Grammar

[meboo]

Can anyone tell me anything to do with the process of getting into the 6th form at CRGS?

I have read the grades etc, but what actually happens, what should my boy be reading to prepare for any interviews etc?

[ToadMum]

Can anyone tell me anything to do with the process of getting into the 6th form at CRGS?

I have read the grades etc, but what actually happens, what should my boy be reading to prepare for any interviews etc?

State schools are not allowed to interview, although some schools invite applicants to come in and discuss their subject choices. With some schools, possibly that last bit should be written within quotation marks - and to be fair, internal candidates will probably have lots of 'formative' chats with various members of staff regarding their own applications. At the open evening it is a good idea to seek out both students studying the subjects your DS intends to take and talk to some who have joined the school for sixth form rather than moved up from the main school, to see how they feel that newcomers fit in (this one being easy at schools with a single-sex main school and mixed sixth form, but of course there will be 'newbies' of the predominant gender as well ).

[Minesatea]

CRGS holds a sixth form open evening in the autumn term , this years is 20th Oct. Application packs are handed out on the evening. Offers are based on predicted/already achieved GCSE A* grades and spaces available in subject choices. An interview is held to discuss options/ flexibility in subject choice. Make sure he is sure of his subject choices at this stage, we tried to change after GCSE results but were unable to, due to class sizes.
Be aware, progression to year 13 is not automatic at CRGS, several students failed to make it this year.

[moved]

Early offers are made on the basis of GCSE predictions (everyone we met with this route had been predicted 10 A*) and those applicants only have to get the same as the boys already in the school (5As or similar with an A in A level subjects). However, if you don't get an early offer but get great GCSE results then they also admit on results day. The results needed are much higher though, 5A* and the rest As didn't make it this year. I assume different for different subjects. A few of the current year 13 were admitted on results day.

[KB]

CRGS holds a sixth form open evening in the autumn term , this years is 20th Oct. Application packs are handed out on the evening. Offers are based on predicted/already achieved GCSE A* grades and spaces available in subject choices. An interview is held to discuss options/ flexibility in subject choice. Make sure he is sure of his subject choices at this stage, we tried to change after GCSE results but were unable to, due to class sizes.
Be aware, progression to year 13 is not automatic at CRGS, several students failed to make it this year.

However, it is a very small minority who are not allowed to progress and its very unlikely to come 'out of the blue'. If your DC is admitted as an external entry and works hard and makes the most of the help available it is very unlikely they would not do well enough to progress to year 13.
Absolutely, its not automatic but neither would I say is it something to worry about if you are capable of the results that are necessary to gain entry.

[jbmum]

Now I am worried. I knew my DS had to get a certain no of As to get into the 6th form but didn't know he needed to achieve a certain number of grades to progress from year 12 to year 13. Are you saying that if he has a wobble at AS levels next summer he won't be able to go into year 13 and finish his A levels. I have been on the CRGS website and can't find out anything about this and am getting really concerned. My DS does not know of anyone who was prevented from progressing year 12 to 13 this year. Can someone help before I phone the school to find out what is going on.

[KB]

I have been involved with CRGS for many years and had not previously been aware of this as an issue however Minesatea obviously knows about it happening this summer.
If you are concerned then its something to raise at the open evening and ask for clarification of the policy.
I can only say that in the past even pupils with relatively poor AS levels were allowed to return so either there were some very bad results this summer or the policy has changed.
From what I know in the past the school would be aware of struggling pupils pretty quickly and provide support to deal with the problems. So it would be rare to get unexpectedly bad exam results.
I would say that having a bit of a wobble at AS level wouldn't cause the school to ask you leave - slipping a grade isn't insurmountable. But from what has been posted here by others there clearly is a level of AS performance which is now deemed as not providing the necessary basis for A2 study at the school and it is this that you perhaps need the school to clarify.

There is of course the added complication of whether they will be sitting AS exams by the time the current year 11s get to that stage and if not what the measure would be for progression to year 13.

[Minesatea]

We went to the open day on Tuesday with DD, and all the subjects she looked at said that they would still be sitting the new stand alone AS at the end of year 12.

(Jbmum I have sent you a PM.)

[KB]

That's interesting.Thanks for sharing Minesatea. I,m assuming its because of the Cambridge statement that they still want to look at AS results.

Jbmum, if you get a policy statement from the school re the year 12 -13 transition it would probably be helpful to others too. Not of course if you only get the info on the QT!

Whatever has happened up to now may in any case be immaterial with the new Head in place.

[jbmum]

So, we now know they need a minimum of 3 Cs to go back into year 13 although they may be permitted to restart year 12 by agreement with the school. This doesn't seem that unreasonable.