‘More demand’ for sixth form places this year
Pupils who are receiving their GCSE results could face more competition for sixth form places this year, it has been suggested.
A rising number of 16-year-olds and a growing interest in sixth forms could mean teenagers are turned away from oversubscribed settings, the head of the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) said.
It comes as pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their GCSE and vocational and technical qualification (VTQ) results to help them progress to sixth form, college or training, writes Eleanor Busby of PA news agency.
Bill Watkin, chief executive of the SFCA, said: “I think as the population continues to grow – and the opportunities to increase capacity, to build new classroom blocks, is held back – it is going to go on getting more competitive.”
He said that the success of sixth form colleges with their A-level results last week could drive up the demand for sixth form places even further.
Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: “Competition for the most selective sixth forms will be fiercer than ever, with fears over VAT on private schools likely driving more families to seek out places in the state sector.”
He added that sixth-form admissions was the “Wild West” of the education system as entrance requirements varied significantly from one place to another.
Prof Major said: “We need a fair admissions code at 16, just as we have at 11, to stop sixth-form entry becoming a postcode lottery and ensure every teenager is fairly treated and has an equal chance to progress, wherever they are from.”
When asked whether teenagers could face more competition for college places this year, Catherine Sezen, director of education policy at the Association of Colleges, told PA: “I think it will be tight.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “There is extra pressure on secondary and sixth form admissions at the moment, due to a pupil population bulge at that age.
“Some sixth form colleges may be oversubscribed, especially in certain areas of the country – for example in areas with large amounts of new house building – which could mean competition for places for some students could be high.
“However, there are a very wide range of post-16 options for young people including school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and FE (further education) colleges.”