How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

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

How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by silverysea »

Dd is only in year 9, and we aren't sure ourselves yet, but we'd like her to consider other schools for 6th form.

She's dead set against it already so I wondered if anyone had any stories or suggestions to cultivate an open mind in an opinionated 13 year old? It seems to be about "abandoning" a couple of friends-who already are choosing very different courses anyway. Seems a stupid reason to me when your parents could send you anywhere you could get the marks for (and they are good so far in the chosen subjects).
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by Guest55 »

I think there are other things to worry about now - when she is towards the end of Year 10 she might be more receptive.

Just go round several schools and point out pluses and minuses.
Snowdrops
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Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by Snowdrops »

Does the current school have minimum requirements for sixth form? No matter what the dc's expected grades are for GCSE's it's always worth having a back up plan, you just never know what will happen!

My dd wanted to change for sixth firm for several years, she was very determined about it. We visited several, she chose an alternative. She interviewed and got offered alternative. She accepted alternative. Now she's wobbling.

You just never can tell from one month to the next with teenagers :roll: :lol: :lol:
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KB
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by KB »

Its very early to be worrying her with this and from experience the more you dwell on it the harder she will set against it!
I would leave it for now and hopefully she will be more receptive come the beginning of year 11.
In the meantime there is nothing to stop you quietly collecting information :wink:
moved
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Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by moved »

DD wouldn't have considered moving schools when she was in year 9. Only in year 11 when she had looked at league tables, exam results, etc did she decide to change schools.

Don't worry, it's a long way off!
pheasantchick
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Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by pheasantchick »

I've got a year 9 child, and six form hasn't even been considered, apart from conversations when choosing options and the minimum points required to stay in his current school. Why are you worrying about the six form now, when there are gcses to get through first?
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by Amber »

Bit too young in my view; but here I always said that the decision on where to go for sixth form had to be an active rather than a passive one, i.e. if they decided to stay where they were it had to come from comparing it with what else was on offer. While I am a boring and bossy parent at 10 and think that parents should take responsibility for choosing a secondary school, I think by 16 children ought to be taking some responsibility for this themselves and saying 'Oh, I will just stay here because I like it' won't really do if there is a choice. So while I am very much hoping my Y10 child will stay where he is for Sixth, I am also saying he must go and look at what else is out there so that he knows he has done the right thing. It works for us to just kind of know in the background that that is what will happen, rather than having a full-on 'Chat' about it.
silverysea
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Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by silverysea »

Thanks all. She brought it up, and when I said we should look around nearer the time, tore my head off. Anyway having been caught out so often with this education struggle, I like to think ahead and plan my strategy- it's a long game especially with dd1 who gets set ideas and is more cunning at getting her way than me, never mind she can't eat without spilling down her front. Looking around secondaries was exhausting and difficult, and often things clash so starting next year to look is going to work better for us.

I like your approach Amber.
scary mum
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Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by scary mum »

I agree with Amber and it is exactly the approach we plan to take with DS (year 10). DD did not look around - she moved schools in year 10 & understandably did not want to move again so did not look at other options. With hindsight I think she might have been better off at college but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
scary mum
Rob Clark
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Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:59 pm

Re: How to get changing 6th form onto the menu?

Post by Rob Clark »

Another vote for that approach here. I think Y9 is a little early as most DCs won't have decided on what subjects they want to do for A level at that stage.

We've recently been looking round a variety of schools for Y11 DD in the sixth form (she's currently at an upper school) and it's been interesting, and quite enlightening, what she picks up on as the pros and cons of each of her options… :D
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