Taunton and South Somerset Living Dec 2021 - Jan 2022

CHOOSING A NEW SIXTH FORM
The Good Schools Guide offers some suggestions to take into consideration when making the change
Whether you want to change from a
single sex school to co-ed or from day to
boarding, private to state, A levels to IB -
or vice versa there are plenty of reasons to
move schools post - GCSEs.
When to start looking
We’d advise getting the ball rolling
towards the end of their year 10 in time
for sixth form open days and applications
which generally take place the following
autumn.
Discussions about post-GCSE options
will already be taking place at your child’s
current school by then and looking at
other sixth forms will widen your options.
Maybe the broader based curriculum
of the IB would suit them better than
specialising at A level? Maybe they want
to pursue a more practical, less exam
based, route? Or perhaps your child
simply feels ready for a fresh start and
new faces.
Choosing a new sixth form
The decision needs to be a joint effort
between parents and children, based as
much on personal preference as objective
research. Your child may have formed
opinions about other schools via friends
and social media but however popular a
particular sixth form may be, it’s no good
if it doesn’t offer the subjects they want
to study.
Guide your child to consider the areas
of study they genuinely enjoy or find
interesting. Also bear in mind that the
demands of some A levels, such as
maths, are a big jump from GCSE and
most schools will set higher GCSE grade
requirements for these.
It may seem too early when your child
hasn’t even finished their GCSE courses
to start talking about university subjects
and destinations, but if they are going to
change school for sixth form it’s important
to at least start thinking about the ultimate
goal. For instance, if Oxbridge or medical
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school is the aim then A level choices
need to be made accordingly and a
potential school’s record of Oxbridge and
medical school places taken into account.
If university isn’t part of the plan then you’ll
need to ask the school or college about
provision for pupils who are interested in
alternative post-18 options such as degree
apprenticeships.
You can find latest information on a
school’s Oxbridge, medical school and
non-university destinations in the ‘Exit’
section of The Good Schools Guide
reviews.
Day to boarding
A move to boarding school for sixth form
- see this article for more - is often said
to be a good preparation for university.
But manage your expectations – in our
experience most sixth form boarding
accommodation is more luxurious than the
average university hall of residence!
Most boarding schools have separate
provision for sixth formers where they can
live more independently and with fewer
restrictions than younger pupils. If you
are looking at full, as opposed to weekly,
boarding then find out how many sixth
formers are in school at weekends and
what activities are on offer (our writers
suggest looking at boarding house
noticeboards to see sign-up sheets for
weekend activities).
While it’s usually possible, with
permission, for boarding sixth formers to
attend day pupils’ parties for instance,
it’s unlikely that any school will allow the
same freedom to socialise (particularly
with regard to sexual relationships) as day
school pupils. Discuss school rules and
regulations frankly with your child - if they
(or you) are horrified then maybe boarding
isn’t the right choice.
Independent to state
A move from independent to state school
is often determined by family finances, but
we wonder whether it could also now be a
strategic decision.
State school sixth forms or sixth form
colleges often have exam results that are
comparable to independent schools and
they may also offer a wider range of post-
GCSE choices.
And as the UK’s top universities strive to
rebalance their admissions procedures to
correct what was (rightly) criticised as an
independent school bias, will this prompt
more independent school parents to send
their children to take A levels at state sixth
forms? Time will tell.
State to independent
If you think your child would benefit from
taking A levels at an independent school
but are worried about affording the fees, it
could be worth checking whether you can
apply for a bursary. Some schools offer
bursaries specifically for pupils joining the
sixth form from the local state sector.
Entry requirements
These differ considerably but five or six
GCSEs including English and maths at
grade 6 or above, with grade 7 or higher
in subjects to be studied at A level (can
be 8 or 9 for maths/further maths), is the
minimum for most selective schools.
Many schools set the sixth form entry
bar much higher and in addition to a
full set of GCSEs at grades 9-7, also
expect candidates to sit papers in their
prospective A level subjects. Schools will
usually interview prospective sixth formers
too.
The Good Schools Guide is the UK’s
number one school guide, helping
parents in every aspect of choosing
the best education for their children
using their unbiased and impartial
school reviews, alongside a host of
articles advising on all aspects of
school life. Find out more at www.
goodschoolsguide.co.uk