moving to new 6th form

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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catcool
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:50 am
Location: surrey

moving to new 6th form

Post by catcool »

My DD is waiting to hear from another school is she has successfully obtained place in their 6th Form.She has a place at her present school subject to getting the required grades.

She is now starting to back peddle on the move on the basis that
she wants to have a shot at the Head Girl position and also Editor of the school magazine. She feels if she stays at her curent school all the teachers know her she will have a better chance of both but if she moves elsewhere she will be the new girl and they are more likely to consider either role for the girls who have been there since year 7.
Any views or experiences.
hermanmunster
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Hi Catcool

I reckon she is right and that it would be tricky to get those posts being a "new girl" - unless she makes a particularly major impact in the first year.
Sound like you have to look again at the reasons for applying to another 6th form in the first place and also the reasons for considering leaving the current school. You may or may not find that these outweigh the desire to be head girl.


Try a SWOT analysis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

I love swot analysis! do them for everything :lol:

I did one before I married Mr Yoyo...
:wink:
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

yep - usually manages to clarify the problem - and make the decision easier!!!

I remember doing one once for a project that seemed like a great idea but we ended up with so many points in the weaknesses and threats that we realised that it was never going to work ...
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Post by Looking for help »

SWOT analysis sounds great :lol:

One thing I'd say with regards to your problem, catcool -

If your daughter thinks she's got a chance at head girl or any other elevated prefect position, these are great things to be adding to your UCAS form when you are applying to university.
At my daughter's school (she's Y12 atm) - these positions are up for grabs at the beginning of the spring term Y12, so not alot of time for a new child to get involved, but a new girl did become girls sports captain, so it can be done. And these positions are voted in by the senior school, years 10 and up, so if she is outgoing etc, she might be able to pull it off
I guess you need to weigh up the old school vs the new school - maybe the new school has subjects on the curriculum that the old school doesn't etc.
But at the end of the day, your daughter is her own person and she is, I'm sure, eminently capable of making good decisions - I suppose you just need to keep a watchful eye to make sure these are good decisions 8)
another mother
Posts: 269
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm

Post by another mother »

We're approaching this dilemma (elder dd in year 10). And trying to weigh the pros and cons is really hard.

What I am picking up is that it can take a term or more to get into the swim of the new school/college - from working out how the structure works to friends and clubs and of course sixth form 'posts'; given you are also hitting AS quite soon it can be a bit tricky, particularly if most of the cohort is stable, knows one another and the systems. It depends a lot on the reasons for moving. Is the school similar to where your DD already is? ie: is it also single sex or co-ed (a pull for my DD!); are you jumping from state to indie or the other way, or comp to GS? or indie to comp? Do you know the best teachers for the subjects she wants to do? What exactly are the pros about disrupting things - which may be more independent learning, something fresh, better teaching in certain subjects? My DD is already taking on the drama/debating house coordinator in year 11, and is interested in all that, and I wonder if she will find it hard to establish herself in a relatively short time. Anecdotally, the more new sixth formers from outside the easier I think - but welcome all advice - and in the meantime off to do the SWOt TEST!
catcool
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:50 am
Location: surrey

moving to new 6th form

Post by catcool »

Thanks for all the views which are very helpful.
DD is currently at a single sex GS and the move if she were to get the offer would be to another single sex GS
If there is no offer, then I guess it becomes academic anyway.

With the money shortfall for 6th forms this years thanks to the Learning and Skills Council a lot of schools will not have sufficient funds for their own pupils, so its possible there may not be any offers to external students this year.
another mother
Posts: 269
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:46 pm

Post by another mother »

My DD says she'll only move if it's to a mixed school - and probably back into the state sector. She doesn't see the point of looking at other girls indies - or even the all girls GS (though I do!). Otherwise she feels she might as well stay put and reap the advantages of friendships and also knowing which courses to pick because she knows who is teaching what. It's hard to jump when her current school is eminently successful and she is doing very well but a bit of her feels she'd like something more normal! And then there is the Durham question!?
delta
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:54 pm

Post by delta »

Hi Another Mother. What is your dd's reason for considering moving? Do you think the Durham question would be addressed by moving back into the state sector?
jah
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:31 pm

Post by jah »

Many, many years ago I had to move schools as my father was relocated. So I had to go to a new school for the sixth form.

Although both schools had a simliar ethos, the girls at my new school had covered different syllabuses and so I had to adjust what I wanted to do. I made good friends, with whom I am still in contact after 30+ years, but I would have got better A'level grades for less work if I had been able to stay put at my old school.
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