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what sixth form sounds better?

sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to, although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative (not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results.

option 2

A lot less strict than the first one. You can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. You get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. The people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. The pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. The teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!
(edited 9 years ago)

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Reply 1
It's up to what environment you prefer. The complex looking building you'll get used to.

I went to a separate college, and really appreciated the freedoms. How well you do will be 99% up to you for both, it's just whether you think you need someone stood nagging you to do things more. It's all about preference, and I just wanted to be left alone to do what I was going to do. I knew the importance of it all and I really didn't want to be told about it every day being forced into certain ways just because someone else thought it was the best for me. Some students need structure and thrive better in a stricter environment to keep them focused.

Commuting can take a lot out of you (i.e. you're spending 2 hours a day... presumably on a bus?) which begins to grate a bit in the middle of winter, personally. I would consider that in the weighting. You'll make friends at both, and the teachers are likely to be equally as supportive on average at both places as well.

The subject restriction is again up to you - just don't close any doors to your future if you don't have to.

I'd always recommend a more-relaxed atmosphere to most people, just for the freedom. You're not a child anymore, so it's a good time to learn to manage your own time before you go to university (if you want) because university has a very similar way of running - lectures are then, hand in your work then, see me if any issues. They don't enforce clothing, they don't keep you on-site when you don't have lectures etc. As I said though: different strokes for different folks. If you think you'll get distracted too easily and think you need some structure then the former may suit you better.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 2
sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to, although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative (not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results.

option 2

A lot less strict than the first one. You can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. You get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. The people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. The pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. The teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!
Option 1, it's all about the grades.
Reply 4
sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to, although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative (not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results.

option 2

A lot less strict than the first one. You can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. You get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. The people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. The pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. The teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!
Original post by booboohoo
sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to,a although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative( not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results

option 2

a lot less strict than the first one. you can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. you get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. the people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. the pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. the teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!


I was in pretty much exactly the same predicament as you this time two years ago; I had to choose between staying at my secondary school or moving to a selective all-girls school that gets some of the top results in the country, so here’s my opinion on your two options.

Option 1: It depends on how strict your current school is. If you move from one strict school to another, you won’t notice much of a difference. My secondary school was pretty much as relaxed as you can get when it comes to school rules and uniform, so the transition to a new sixth form with strict guidelines and a vast number of new rules can sometimes be quite overwhelming if its something that’s pretty new to you. Good pass rates are always a good sign, but don’t necessarily guarantee that you as an individual will be replicate the same success (not judging your academic abilities here, honest), and the 1 hour long commute there and back each day will really take its toll after a while, especially around exam season. If its 1-hour on a good day, it could be even longer when you factor in things like engineering works, road works, delays or extreme weather.

Option 2: In my opinion, this sounds like a better option. The fact that it is a lot less strict means that you’ll have greater freedom to thrive as an individual, I absolutely hated the ‘mothering’ of the teachers at the all-girls school I moved to for sixth form as I felt I was old enough to be making sensible and logical decisions for myself. It’ll take a while, but you should adjust to the complicated building within 2/3 weeks of being there, and I’m sure your teachers will understand if you’re a few minutes late to lessons if you can’t find the classroom. Trips are a great opportunity to get to know some of the other people in the sixth form, but also a something you can put down onto your application for university when the time comes around.

Pass rates are merely a statistical calculation, and don’t reflect what you as an individual will get if you attend that sixth form. I’m unsure as to whether they still are, but a lot of schools used to manipulate them through resit exams, so they aren’t always the best way to judge whether a school is ‘good’ or not. Ofsted reports (as dull as they are) for the two sixth forms may be worth a look to make a comparison, and see if either of the sixth forms show the ‘leavers destinations’ on the sixth form area of their website so that you can see where former students have gone to university.
Reply 6
Option 2, You may find that 1 hour drive in the long term becomes something that is tedious.
i swear i've seen this post before
Depends, if you think you need the extra motivation then option 1, if you are already pretty self motivated to do well then option 2.
Reply 9
Original post by moggington
I was in pretty much exactly the same predicament as you this time two years ago; I had to choose between staying at my secondary school or moving to a selective all-girls school that gets some of the top results in the country, so here’s my opinion on your two options.

Option 1: It depends on how strict your current school is. If you move from one strict school to another, you won’t notice much of a difference. My secondary school was pretty much as relaxed as you can get when it comes to school rules and uniform, so the transition to a new sixth form with strict guidelines and a vast number of new rules can sometimes be quite overwhelming if its something that’s pretty new to you. Good pass rates are always a good sign, but don’t necessarily guarantee that you as an individual will be replicate the same success (not judging your academic abilities here, honest), and the 1 hour long commute there and back each day will really take its toll after a while, especially around exam season. If its 1-hour on a good day, it could be even longer when you factor in things like engineering works, road works, delays or extreme weather.

Option 2: In my opinion, this sounds like a better option. The fact that it is a lot less strict means that you’ll have greater freedom to thrive as an individual, I absolutely hated the ‘mothering’ of the teachers at the all-girls school I moved to for sixth form as I felt I was old enough to be making sensible and logical decisions for myself. It’ll take a while, but you should adjust to the complicated building within 2/3 weeks of being there, and I’m sure your teachers will understand if you’re a few minutes late to lessons if you can’t find the classroom. Trips are a great opportunity to get to know some of the other people in the sixth form, but also a something you can put down onto your application for university when the time comes around.

Pass rates are merely a statistical calculation, and don’t reflect what you as an individual will get if you attend that sixth form. I’m unsure as to whether they still are, but a lot of schools used to manipulate them through resit exams, so they aren’t always the best way to judge whether a school is ‘good’ or not. Ofsted reports (as dull as they are) for the two sixth forms may be worth a look to make a comparison, and see if either of the sixth forms show the ‘leavers destinations’ on the sixth form area of their website so that you can see where former students have gone to university.

thanks, amazing answer.... definitely will put into consideration:smile::redface:
Reply 10
sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to, although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative (not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results.

option 2

A lot less strict than the first one. You can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. You get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. The people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. The pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. The teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!
Original post by booboohoo
sixth forms are starting in a couple of months and i have no idea where to go to, although i have two ideas in my mind , so here is a description of the two...

option 1
very very strict sixth form, no facial piercings, strict uniform etc...
very good pass rates and a popular sixth form, however i will have to go to another sixth form for one of my lessons which is part of the academy. it's like 1 hour away from my house and the people there seem nice, doesn't have one of the lessons that i want to do, but i have an alternative (not as good, but it'll do). Overall it's a really good sixth form because the teachers encourage you to try your best and push you to achieve the best results.

option 2

A lot less strict than the first one. You can wear any clothes as long as its smart and appropriate and no rules on facial piercings etc... all my lessons are there, although i'm not too keen on the building as it's very complicated. You get to go on a lot of trips and i like the atmosphere of the place. The people there seem extremely lovely and i've talked to quite a few people there. The pass rate is still good although it's not as good as the first one, but it's still great. The teachers still push you into getting the best grades but not as much as the first sixth form.

which one sounds better to you and why? thanks!


It's your decision to make and the consequences will have effect on you, so why do you ask us which one do we prefer? :biggrin: Nevertheless, to me, the first one sounds better - I think schools should have a slightly strict academic atmosphere, and teachers expecting more from you means that you'll be striving to achieve more. But whether a certain factor is advantageous or not is all very personal, so you should make this decision yourself :smile:
Original post by booboohoo
x


When it comes to sixth form, my experience is that the individual is much more important than the surroundings when it comes to achieving good A-Levels. If you're motivated and you work hard (and independently), you'll get good results no matter the sixth form. If it were me, I'd choose the sixth form I like best.
Reply 13
Although the first one sounds better, there's no reason you can't do well in either one. I'll tell you this though:

Relying on emotional support is a bad habit to get into before university. That doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for help if you need it though.
From experience, if your commute is too long, you won't want to do any work by the time you get home.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by Nymthae
It's up to what environment you prefer. The complex looking building you'll get used to.

I went to a separate college, and really appreciated the freedoms. How well you do will be 99% up to you for both, it's just whether you think you need someone stood nagging you to do things more. It's all about preference, and I just wanted to be left alone to do what I was going to do. I knew the importance of it all and I really didn't want to be told about it every day being forced into certain ways just because someone else thought it was the best for me. Some students need structure and thrive better in a stricter environment to keep them focused.

Commuting can take a lot out of you (i.e. you're spending 2 hours a day... presumably on a bus?) which begins to grate a bit in the middle of winter, personally. I would consider that in the weighting. You'll make friends at both, and the teachers are likely to be equally as supportive on average at both places as well.

The subject restriction is again up to you - just don't close any doors to your future if you don't have to.

I'd always recommend a more-relaxed atmosphere to most people, just for the freedom. You're not a child anymore, so it's a good time to learn to manage your own time before you go to university (if you want) because university has a very similar way of running - lectures are then, hand in your work then, see me if any issues. They don't enforce clothing, they don't keep you on-site when you don't have lectures etc. As I said though: different strokes for different folks. If you think you'll get distracted too easily and think you need some structure then the former may suit you better.

thanks :o:$
I think you are looking at this in the wrong way as you start with how strict they are. When you are looking for a job you will have less chance of success for well paid jobs if you don't look the part. Piercings and scruffy clothes may improve you chance of a job as a shop assistant in some shops. The strictness is for your long term benefit.

League tables don't matter. The one that gets better results probably has a much narrower ability range. What does matter is how well they do for people with your sort of GSCE results. I have known people leave a very strict grammar school to go to a more relaxed 6th form college. Those who did well at GSCE tended to have acquired good study skills and did well at A2, those who had messed around at GSCE didn't. Are you someone who needs strict discipline or are you well motivated? Sometimes a high achieving school destroys the confidence of lower achievers and they do better elsewhere.

Now there are no longer January exams distance is less important than it used to be.

Which school will support you best?
Depends more on who you are as a person. I don't mix well with rules and structure :colondollar: so for someone like me, the first one would be a living nightmare and I'd be miserable and less likely to work.

If you're more self motivated and happy to just get on with stuff on your own, go for the second one. Remember, you'll be on your own at Uni... MUWA HA HA HA

league tables are no good for judging schools, mine was pretty low and we have a terrible ofsted rating yet still have people rolling off to Oxbridge lol
what sixth forms are you thinking about applying to ?
Your performance is totally dependant on you, i went to one of the lowest achieving sixth forms in east london but still did good, and now im studying medicine. I never relied on teachers and still dont.


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I live in east london and want to do medicine too ,what did u get in ur a levels ? And what sixth form did you go ?

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