top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by silverysea »

Oh dear, now both dds are bringing up how we are planning on spending their inheritance on private school fees for dd1, who has therefore announced she does not want to go to a private school but a grammar school. Well we'll see about that, but on the other hand, glancing through for example WGGS sixth form prospectus it sounds like she has a chance to qualify for some interesting A levels with her marks- but how oversubscribed is it at sixth form, does anyone know? Or Latymer, Parmiter's or DAO? Is it mad to even consider? She is predicted to meet the stated requirements but are those really just theoretical minimums?

I know HBS expects a string of I.e. 10 straight A* in practice, not much chance of that at the current school, but she doesn't want to go to dd2s school anyway. She seems to have grasped that it's not a posh private school at last, at least. She's a genetic left winger.

It's not helping our feel-good factor that we've just been ripped off by a cowboy builder and left with no kitchen for two months and counting, had no holiday in order to "enjoy" our new home but instead to cover the expense and struggle of putting it back to basic functions and taking legal action! Another learning experience for the whole family. :-(
copella
Posts: 1200
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by copella »

Latymer is very oversubscribed around 500 apply for 50-60 places. An exam has to be taken and at the moment they expect 6 A's or more. If you don't pass the exam but do very well in your gcses you can apply in August and if they have space they will fit you in. However popular courses rarely have space.

I think DAO is just as oversubscribed.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by Guest55 »

Schools have to publish the number of external places and rules for over-subscription so read those carefully.

They shouldn't prioritise their own students for places on A level courses.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by Daogroupie »

All the students we knew who applied to DAO sixth form this year from state schools in St Albans, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Hatfield and Brookmans Park have got offers. I think she would have a very good chance. Come to an concert with me and get her motivated.

Copella, I am surprised to hear there is an exam for the Latymer sixth form, I thought state schools had to treat the external applicants the same as the internal ones. HBS does not even interview before making an offer let alone have an exam and there is no exam for DAO.

Exams in every subject plus interview with the Heads of Department at Habs but not heard of a state school with exams. Is it one for each A level? DG
SteveDH
Posts: 464
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:30 pm
Location: Harrow

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by SteveDH »

Guest55 wrote:They shouldn't prioritise their own students for places on A level courses.
hmm... below are entrance requirements from my DD's ex school.
for everyone who as achieved a minimum set of grades.


Oversubscription

Where the number of applicants for admissions exceeds the places available, applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be ranked in order of the following:

Girls who are ‘looked after’ under the provision of The Children’s Act 1989 or have been ‘previously looked after’.
Girls who attended the School in Year 11
External applicants ranked according to a score based on capped predicted GCSE grades and availability of initial subject choices that meet the requirements of the conditional offer.
copella
Posts: 1200
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by copella »

All internal candidates had to sit an exam to get into Latymer and anyone joining mid year has to sit an exam so I suppose that is why it is the same for sixth form. However externals and internals need to have 6 A's at present to get into the sixth form. The exam is nvr and not subject related. There are no interviews.

They don't prioritise the internals over externals for subject choices. It is only the late applicants in August who may not be able to get into subjects if they are full. From what I can see this is the same for all schools. When my ds applied to 6 th forms last year he was offered his choice but knew that if he applied late to other sixth forms in August there may be no vacancies in his subject choices.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by silverysea »

Thanks all, I am overheating my brain now studying sixth form prospectuses (prospecti?) subjects and results tables. I think she has, as the teachers always say, no reason at all not to get an A in most of her subjects, with the current effort so she has a good chance at some of these. So, none of them bother with distance,at this stage?

Concerts are a great idea, the last one she had parents weren't invited because the students were so disorganised! It seems like a good music teaching department but they were surprised/overwhelmed by a big influx of wannabe star singers this year who are more likely to sneak off to town for a smoke with their boyfriends than attend rehearsals. I have seen them sneaking back in myself, so their unsuspecting parents still collect them. She really looks down on them, which I try not to look too pleased about or she will realise it's not cool.

I will take heart and keep trying to help her focus on the future a bit more. If we manage to save the dds inheritance, I intend to leave it to a donkey sanctuary but I'll keep quiet about that.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by Daogroupie »

Offers are purely based on predicted GCSE grades. HBS ask you to go in 20th August results day with your results slip to confirm your place. DG
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by Guest55 »

All schools usually write to the current school for a reference and confirmation of predictions.

Do note that a change is not always wise as it takes time to setle in a new school. Can the school tell you how well 'new' students do compared to others with similar GCSEs? What support do new students get? Have any 'new' students been Head Boy/Girl in recent years?

I've known good and bad experiences of change ... just be aware of how good the school is on integrating new students. Some are great, some are terrible.
copella
Posts: 1200
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: top Tips please to assess 6th forms

Post by copella »

Agree with G55 that it is very important to look at how new students are integrated and their progress. My ds had to leave his secondary as it was doing so poorly. When we looked around we really didn't want to send him to another school where he would not achieve and so integration and support were priorities for us.

Oh yes and his school had to provide references and confirmation of predicted grades for all schools he applied for.
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