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Changing schools at 16
Sixteen can be a natural age to change schools. By the time they have finished
their GCSEs, pupils may be struggling to meet the requirements of their present
school's sixth form, be looking for a school where they are treated more
like an adult or just fed up and need a change. Here are some points worth
considering.
Curriculum. A student's chosen AS and A-level subjects may be taught
in one school and not another; syllabuses and assessment modes vary between
examination boards and therefore between schools. Some schools offer vocational,
rather than academic, A-levels or the IB (International Baccalaureate), which
will suit some students better.
Brevity of the sixth form courses. Some students can find that the
process of settling in to a new school can cut badly into the first term
(a significant stretch of the AS-level courses). Teachers at a new school
have just three terms to get to know students before advising on university
applications and writing their (crucial) UCAS reference at the start of the
upper sixth.
Knowing the pupils. By the end of their GCSE courses, schools will
know pupils' strengths and weaknesses and can teach to them. Conversely,
a pupil who has made little effort at GCSE might prefer to escape a reputation
for laziness.
Needs of 16-18 age group. It is axiomatic that sixth formers
are young adults and their needs are not those of Year 9 pupils. Schools
respond to this in many different ways and the sixth-form culture can be
a very important influence on academic performance and pupils' wish to transfer.
Almost all schools now relax the rules for the sixth form (eg no uniform)
and usually have a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sixth-form colleges usually
recognise the special needs of the 16-18 age group explicitly and organise
work and student environments to meet them.
Transfer from state to independent schools
Very many pupils in independent secondary schools have attended state primary
schools. But the proportions vary enormously, from under 1% to over 80%.
There is a growing trend for popular schools to start their own junior schools
and this can be expected to reduce their intake from state schools.
For parents the good news is that the majority of secondary Heads see no
problem in transferring from a state school. Many are more positive ('a very
stimulating move'). And the bad news? Very little, but you will need to
concentrate on three issues.
Transfer age: Usually easiest at 11 (or 12 in Scotland) and into the sixth
form; at other ages it is more tricky. Schools that recruit at 11 often have
large numbers from local primary schools; those recruiting at 13 (usually
boys' schools using the Common Entrance) have very few.
Entrance examination: Where schools set their own entrance exams, they are
often suited to state pupils. Common Entrance is less so. Children should
be properly prepared for the exam, particularly if it is a highly selective
school.
Settling in: At 11, there are few problems - except they are unlikely to
have learnt a language, in contrast to pupils from independent junior schools.
At 16, after GCSE, there can be problems for science pupils transferring
into an independent sixth form - particularly if they are the only one to
have taken integrated science at GCSE; they may also find that they are not
ready for an AS-level maths course. Neither is a real barrier to those prepared
to work hard.
Problems are very rare. Surprises - such as classroom silence after the hubbub
of a primary classroom, weekly tests in different subjects - are associated
with the transfer to senior school, not restricted to the transfer between
the state and independent systems.
Also try visiting UK sites for:
School League Tables
Fee Planning
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