School Sixth Form or Sixth Form College?

(I'm starting this thread because the others on this subject are a few years old)

Given the choice between attending the sixth form attached to a prestigious school or a well-performing sixth form college exclusively for 16-19 education, provided the same subjects were offered, which would you advise someone to go for?

Extra questions in regards to a couple of major points about stand-alone sixth form education:

1) Is the freedom given to you a good, bad or mixed thing? How does the chance of slacking your work if left to your own devices weigh up against the independance of the set-up, in your opinion or experience?

2) Do you find that the teachers are less organised or enthusiastic than adjoined sixth form teachers, or are they more experienced in teaching their subject at an advanced level and at helping older students?

Thank you in advance

I've been to both. This is a hard question, however everyone has their own opinion, people who usually go school sixth form have no clue how it compares to college sixth form, and they always think it's better; and the main reason for that is because people who fail usually go college, right?

However it's different from that. You can get to whatever university you intend to going to college or school. I think that college you have a lot more independence which prepares you for university. Whereas schools are a lot stricter in making you do your work, forcing you to come in for the whole day. When you go to university, they don't give a flying cows if you come in or not because you are paying the £9k, and it's kind of similar to college, you can choose not to come in, and they go a lot easier than you than school, where in comparison you may be kicked out the course.

entirely it comes down to you if you are any of these things go to college:

- Independent and disciplined to do your work when it needs to be done
- Will manage your time wisely
- Will attend college even if you have one lesson during that day

If you are any of these things go to school:

- Lazy, and require more help to remain your attendance
- Come in everyday from the morning to the afternoon
- Being forced to study during your free periods

Good luck making your choice. However I think college is a lot more better, and that's my opinion, I didn't like being forced to study when I was tired and couldn't manage anything. Got a few meetings at school for attendance for legitimate reasons. Whereas going to college made me manage my time better, get work done on a basis I liked, and I got the support I needed with my teachers.

Good Luck picking.

My experience with a sixth form that is linked with a school is not too good, mainly because the whole idea of being in sixth form is like entering a maturer stage of life, but when your still at an establishment filled with younger children it kinda ruins that. it can be pretty hard to get around the school when you're path is constantly blocked haha. Another thing which might not be relevant but I've found at my sixth form the teachers find it hard to see us as maturer students as they are used to dealing with younger children and we get treated in the same way.

1) the freedom can be a good thing if you use the time wisely. This can be hard to do but you'll benefit greatly if you use the free time to get work done, just treat free periods like study periods. Also frees can be great when your feeling stressed and just need some time to chill between lessons.

2) kinda answered this above, but a relevant point is that at a sixth form college the teachers have significantly less students most of the time, meaning it is easier for them to keep tabs on how you're achieving. They also have more time to communicate with you.

Thank you for your wonderful and informative reply!

I actually went to a school sixth form for the first term of this year, but I also had problems with attendance. I'm discovering that being *told* what to do really doesn't help me get anything done, and that I'm much happier doing things by my own steam, so the scales are tipping in favour of the college, especially after seeing how friendly it is I just have to get over that idea of only people who fail go from school sixth form > sixth form college, and worrying that my friends will see it that way too :P