The Student Room Group

Advice needed choosing a sixth form!! URGENT :(

Hey everyone!

Well I've just got my GCSE results & tomorrow I have to enrol at sixth form. Problem is I have NO IDEA which sixth form to go to & I've been thinking about it all Summer :frown:

It's between:

Valentines Sixth Form
http://www.valentines-sch.org.uk/
Pro's:
Near to my house - only a 20min walk
People are really friendly - I could easily see myself fitting in with everyone
They have had decent results for the past few years

Con's:
A lot more pupils so bigger class sizes
Part of a school.....


London Academy of Excellence
http://www.londonacademyofexcellence.com/
Con's:
New sixth form so no track record of results
Quite far - 40min to an hour journey
Longer school day 8:30 till 5 everyday

Pro's:
Fewer pupils so smaller classes & more one on one
Wide range of EC's
Most of the pupils seem quite ambitious
Could be a brilliant opportunity!


So yeah....I actually preferred Valentines on induction day but LAE seems like it's too good to give up..... :s-smilie:
HELLLP :frown:
Original post by smileyelzz
Hey everyone!

Well I've just got my GCSE results & tomorrow I have to enrol at sixth form. Problem is I have NO IDEA which sixth form to go to & I've been thinking about it all Summer :frown:

It's between:

Valentines Sixth Form
http://www.valentines-sch.org.uk/
Pro's:
Near to my house - only a 20min walk
People are really friendly - I could easily see myself fitting in with everyone
They have had decent results for the past few years

Con's:
A lot more pupils so bigger class sizes
Part of a school.....


London Academy of Excellence
http://www.londonacademyofexcellence.com/
Con's:
New sixth form so no track record of results
Quite far - 40min to an hour journey
Longer school day 8:30 till 5 everyday

Pro's:
Fewer pupils so smaller classes & more one on one
Wide range of EC's
Most of the pupils seem quite ambitious
Could be a brilliant opportunity!


So yeah....I actually preferred Valentines on induction day but LAE seems like it's too good to give up..... :s-smilie:
HELLLP :frown:


Well, which one would you be able to learn best in?


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Reply 2
Original post by Sheldor
Well, which one would you be able to learn best in?


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You make it sound so simple....

& I'd probably learn better at LAE unless it turns out to be a complete failure :/
Original post by smileyelzz
Hey everyone!

Well I've just got my GCSE results & tomorrow I have to enrol at sixth form. Problem is I have NO IDEA which sixth form to go to & I've been thinking about it all Summer :frown:

It's between:

Valentines Sixth Form
http://www.valentines-sch.org.uk/
Pro's:
Near to my house - only a 20min walk
People are really friendly - I could easily see myself fitting in with everyone
They have had decent results for the past few years

Con's:
A lot more pupils so bigger class sizes
Part of a school.....


London Academy of Excellence
http://www.londonacademyofexcellence.com/
Con's:
New sixth form so no track record of results
Quite far - 40min to an hour journey
Longer school day 8:30 till 5 everyday

Pro's:
Fewer pupils so smaller classes & more one on one
Wide range of EC's
Most of the pupils seem quite ambitious
Could be a brilliant opportunity!


So yeah....I actually preferred Valentines on induction day but LAE seems like it's too good to give up..... :s-smilie:
HELLLP :frown:


I enrolled at Valentines last year and left after a week, I hated it.
It's too much like a school, actually it was way stricter than my secondary school and they have ridiculous rules such as standing up when a teacher comes into the classroom wtf?!

And most of the people at the sixth form are from the secondary school and they all stick together but the externals are really friendly.
Reply 4
Original post by HelloGoodbye
I enrolled at Valentines last year and left after a week, I hated it.
It's too much like a school, actually it was way stricter than my secondary school and they have ridiculous rules such as standing up when a teacher comes into the classroom wtf?!

And most of the people at the sixth form are from the secondary school and they all stick together but the externals are really friendly.


Hmmm thanks for your help. I don't think I could stand another two years in a school environment :s

Do you remember what the teaching was like at all?
Original post by smileyelzz
Hmmm thanks for your help. I don't think I could stand another two years in a school environment :s

Do you remember what the teaching was like at all?


I wasn't there very long but the teachers do treat you like kids because they also teach kids in year seven etc. I thought I'd love it at valentines because it's a top sixth form but I realised once I was there I couldn't stand being there for the next two years.


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Reply 6
Second one seems somewhat better
Original post by smileyelzz
Hey everyone!

Well I've just got my GCSE results & tomorrow I have to enrol at sixth form. Problem is I have NO IDEA which sixth form to go to & I've been thinking about it all Summer :frown:

It's between:

Valentines Sixth Form
http://www.valentines-sch.org.uk/
Pro's:
Near to my house - only a 20min walk
People are really friendly - I could easily see myself fitting in with everyone
They have had decent results for the past few years

Con's:
A lot more pupils so bigger class sizes
Part of a school.....


London Academy of Excellence
http://www.londonacademyofexcellence.com/
Con's:
New sixth form so no track record of results
Quite far - 40min to an hour journey
Longer school day 8:30 till 5 everyday

Pro's:
Fewer pupils so smaller classes & more one on one
Wide range of EC's
Most of the pupils seem quite ambitious
Could be a brilliant opportunity!


So yeah....I actually preferred Valentines on induction day but LAE seems like it's too good to give up..... :s-smilie:
HELLLP :frown:


Hey, I'm going to LAE - it's not really that much of a risk seen as you'll have to work hard somewhat independently wherever you go.
But seen as it's new and is backed by some of the best schools in the country it has a LOT to prove and will do everything it possibly can to ensure we are provided with the best possible teaching to hopefully get the best possible results.
The school day is only 8:30 - 4 (only until 5 on Wednesdays when we do sporting activities) :smile:
What school did you end up choosing? I am at valentines right now, but I am regretting not going to LAE. :frown:
Reply 9
Original post by CurtisDean
What school did you end up choosing? I am at valentines right now, but I am regretting not going to LAE. :frown:


I ended up choosing Valentines as well, what form are you in? Hmm is it because you don't like it at Valentines...? At first I hated it, but now that I've started to settle in and got to know people I quite like it :smile:
Original post by smileyelzz
I ended up choosing Valentines as well, what form are you in? Hmm is it because you don't like it at Valentines...? At first I hated it, but now that I've started to settle in and got to know people I quite like it :smile:


Valentines is great. I just feel as though it is quite strict and I do agree that the teachers often treat us like we are still secondary school students. However, there are some really great teachers. I have spoken to a lot of Externals. I'm in 12S, what about you?
Original post by CurtisDean
What school did you end up choosing? I am at valentines right now, but I am regretting not going to LAE. :frown:


It's not too late to come! If your results were pretty good then you still can.. we only just started lessons yesterday so you haven't missed much if anything at all.
Give them a ring if you really want to come, I know a few people have already :-p
Reply 12
Original post by CurtisDean
Valentines is great. I just feel as though it is quite strict and I do agree that the teachers often treat us like we are still secondary school students. However, there are some really great teachers. I have spoken to a lot of Externals. I'm in 12S, what about you?


Yeah I agree, it's EXTREMELY strict & the one way system is completely pointless :/ Same here, all the externals are lovely :smile: & okay I think I've seen you around actually, I recognise your picture :smile: I'm in 12E btw.
Original post by _OliviaTheOwl
It's not too late to come! If your results were pretty good then you still can.. we only just started lessons yesterday so you haven't missed much if anything at all.
Give them a ring if you really want to come, I know a few people have already :-p


Hey, I was given a place at LAE. But they didn't let me do Biology so they said I should do English Literature instead. That is the reason why I didn't go. I really wanted to though. I asked them if they would let me do both chemistry and biology but they said no because I would struggle since I got two Bs in sciences (I was doing foundation).
I really LOATHED English Language and Literature at secondary. I found it so hard and it was time demanding and just difficult. It is the only subject that I thought I could possible do on my list of subjects, since they said they don't do English Language. My heart broke a little!!

Hey can I message you? I want to ask about how it has been like at LAE so far?
Original post by smileyelzz
Yeah I agree, it's EXTREMELY strict & the one way system is completely pointless :/ Same here, all the externals are lovely :smile: & okay I think I've seen you around actually, I recognise your picture :smile: I'm in 12E btw.


Cool! How do you look like or what's your name? I will look around 4 you tomorrow. My name's curtis by the way. :smile:

What did you choose 4 a-level?
Original post by CurtisDean
Hey, I was given a place at LAE. But they didn't let me do Biology so they said I should do English Literature instead. That is the reason why I didn't go. I really wanted to though. I asked them if they would let me do both chemistry and biology but they said no because I would struggle since I got two Bs in sciences (I was doing foundation).
I really LOATHED English Language and Literature at secondary. I found it so hard and it was time demanding and just difficult. It is the only subject that I thought I could possible do on my list of subjects, since they said they don't do English Language. My heart broke a little!!

Hey can I message you? I want to ask about how it has been like at LAE so far?


Aww, dude you should've FOUGHT for Bio.. I know a lot of people that fought for their subjects and got them :biggrin:
My friend got a B in maths and they said no to her for the same reason, she came back the next week to enrol and now she's doing maths and she's doing very well in it despite their reservations about how she'd find it :biggrin:

Ahh, of course you can.. message away :smile:
Reply 16
Original post by CurtisDean
Cool! How do you look like or what's your name? I will look around 4 you tomorrow. My name's curtis by the way. :smile:

What did you choose 4 a-level?


Well, I'm mixed race and I'm quite tall aha, my name's Ella. Okay, I'll look out for you too :smile:

I chose Maths, F Maths, Economics and Spanish. You?

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