6th form education

I missed your update OP, so am glad this has popped up again, and so glad that your DGD is sorted out.
Really, a proper review of post-16 education is well overdue.

Is there a 6th form at another school that she could go to? My grand daughter started at her 6th form and she loves it but they have pooled together a number of school to get a decent amount. Apparently this is not for all kids as some want to get a job straight away. I hope you can get something sorted out.

There hasn't been a sixth form at my local comprehensive since about 2000. Pupils go to a FE college 6 miles away and study in a variety of subjects they want, rather than take rigid A levels as was the case when I was in the sixth form in the eighties.
I do recall two friends who opted to go to the FE college rather than stay in the sixth form as they wanted to take HNCs in engineering and computing and the school didn't offer these courses. Of course, the school commented that A levels were better if the two students wanted to go to a top univesity, but both managed to do very well by by passing the sixth form and taking vocational courses.

Four of my GC have attended Sixth Form Colleges. And a fifth is starting there this week. None of them has been required to wear uniform, though if they turned up looking scruffy, there would have been 'comments'. Sixth Form releases them from the constraints of school, though these 'colleges' were all loosely attached to secondary schools and some teachers worked at both. One DGS, never one to abide by rules if he could find a way to break them, flourished in sixth, and his relationships with his teachers were positively friendly.

Nurseundercover

Happy update GD has 6th form placement in her previous school, they have been very understanding, she’s just happy she can get on with her study. GD can finally sleep soundly ready for Wednesday’s start. Again thank you for all your thoughts and comments

Thank goodness, best wishes to her Nurseundercover

Sometimes it's better the devil school you know.
DS changed schools for sixth form because they didn't do one of the subjects at his old school but, on reflection, it wasn't the best or happiest move. He didn't even take that particular subject at Higher Education either, except as a hobby.

That is what happened to my daughter. That was Keith Joseph to blame, at a time all schools were going comprehensive and co-ed. he stepped in and kept the single sex grammar schools in the town. It became necessary to move her (and later her brother) to a proper good quality comprehensive where she could continue into a sixth form. That was a long time ago, but both kids did well in the end

LOUISA1523

I hope they got the 500 quid back.....3 days notice is disgusting....it happened in our town...one of the high schools closed its 6th form....but was announced at Easter....giving everyone time to make
alternative plans .....the other high school ( we have 2) extended its 6th form and was able to offer more spaces ....the rest must have gone to the next town maybe? ......I hope your GD gets sorted

Imo this has come about in the light of last week's GCSE results. The announcement at Easter was based on something different - a political decision, restructuring, falling roles etc.

That’s great new Nurseundercover and what a relief for you all. Good luck to her with her studies and future.

Happy update GD has 6th form placement in her previous school, they have been very understanding, she’s just happy she can get on with her study. GD can finally sleep soundly ready for Wednesday’s start. Again thank you for all your thoughts and comments

Still waiting to find out if she can get a placement elsewhere, GD is beside herself. Thank you Nanarose and other Grans for you concern, will update, thank you for caring keep your fingers crossed 🤞

Nurse, I hope your DGD is sorting things out. If you feel able, in the next few weeks, will you let us know the outcome? Best wishes to the family.

I hope they got the 500 quid back.....3 days notice is disgusting....it happened in our town...one of the high schools closed its 6th form....but was announced at Easter....giving everyone time to make
alternative plans .....the other high school ( we have 2) extended its 6th form and was able to offer more spaces ....the rest must have gone to the next town maybe? ......I hope your GD gets sorted

One of mine was asked to leave during sixth form part way through A levels (maths, physics, Spanish, product design) as he wouldn’t get into Oxbridge or Russel group

He got a first class degree anyway but at the time it was awful

Rather different, but we did have the experience of the school suddenly saying, at the last minute, they would no longer offer the subjects that my child wanted to do at 6th Form. Uniform was irrelevant and the bus was dedicated, so they weren't issues.
However, they did have the similar experience of having to make a difficult decision with only a few days to research options.
As sometimes happens, it was a blessing in disguise. A nearby FE College was offering the International Baccalaureate: www.ibo.org/. They did that, able to do their preferred subjects + broader curriculum. It played to their strengths, and they have done brilliantly ever since.
I hope something similar happens with your DGD. And I also hope you can get refunds.

I agree paddyann.
I remember a neighbour getting quite distraught and angry because his DS had just failed his A levels so I did say to him that there is more than one route to the top.
It was apparently the wrong thing to say 😯

Nurseundercover

It sounds like there are possibly a lot of young people being let down at a pivotal point in their education, sadly. I’ve seen first hand what a devastating effect this has. I think as a family our gripe is that the decision has been made within three working days of the supposed commencement. Downright cruel.

I totally agree, but the decision obviously has to come after the GCSE results are published, which was last week.

My GD left school before her 16th birthday and went to college a ferry trip away so when bad weather happened she worked from home.Halfway through the first year she was offered a job on the design team of a charity .Flew (in a tiny plane) on her own to Campbelltown,her first ever flight and was regarded as a valued member of the team .She has since set up her own small business in design and had many commissions .IF you want to succeed you will there is no guaranteed route.I left school3 months before my 15th birthday and had my own business by 21.itran successfully until Covid hit 45 years later.U I ersity isn,t for everyone and we need to tell our young people that there are alternative routes ro success.."…whatever your idea of success is.

Thank you so much for your comments and thoughts, they are really appreciated.

I agree Nursie, it is a terrible way to run an educational establishment with the future of young people at stake.

It may be a slight crumb of comfort to know that, if your GD opts for a sixth form college, statistically, she will probably get better A's than if she went to a school sixth form. I have this on good authority but I can't send a link.(I have loads of rellies who teach or taught and some set and mark A'levels)
Anyway I wish your GD all the best whatever route she chooses.

It sounds like there are possibly a lot of young people being let down at a pivotal point in their education, sadly. I’ve seen first hand what a devastating effect this has. I think as a family our gripe is that the decision has been made within three working days of the supposed commencement. Downright cruel.

Yes the academy model has removed accountability from Local Authorities. They have “executives” earning six figure salaries and can cut courses at whim. A neighbours son is a talented musician and was told he could do A level music. At Christmas the music teacher left, wasn’t replaced, so the music students were left to cope on their own. The boy got grade 8 piano and some coaching out of school but complaints to the school fell on deaf ears. He’s hoping what he’s done out of school will enable him to do a music degree, but won’t have an A level in that subject.

Exactly, J52; Academies are run by business people, and the main aim of a business is understandably to make a profit. If something is not profitable it is dropped immediately, and educational values come second.

eazybee

This sounds strange. Is it a private school? School uniform for the sixth form? There is generally a dress code but no uniform. It sounds as though this school is poorly managed, to have made the decision to pull its sixth form so late; this girl would be better applying elsewhere, possibly to her former school even though it is single sex.

Our local comprehensive school insists on uniform for sixth formers.

Many are leaving and travelling to various FE colleges to take their A levels or vocational courses instead. At that age I think it is a good idea to treat them differently from the younger pupils.

Is it just that that school is not running those particular A levels Nurseundercover? It does seem to be very late to let her know.
I hope she can remain at her present school if the A level course is appropriate and obtain a refund on the uniform and travel pass.

It’s appalling that this has been allowed to happen, especially at such short notice.
Most schools are now run by an Academy Trust, which is essentially a business. It would seem that they are now more interested in making the books balance rather than the students.
In the past when most schools were run by the LA there were advisors and inspectors who were invested in the students.
Just my opinion.

Surely there’s an alternative offered Was it just a ‘sorry no 6 th form goodbye’ or did the school offer alternatives ?