help my daughter wants to leave 6th form

If her heart is not in it,, she should leave, the world will not end,, by the way she can do the re-sits in college.  But tell her the explanation of the outcome of leaving just now, she will need to refocus later.

Is there a middle ground, she is there but not there in the heart so to say. Free periods can be hardwork to cope with and also with the lack of structural dialogue,, it becomes a no persons land, so no wonder she is down.

She is doing well to keep going until 6th form,, I ran away from school at 15 and hid up in the woods in the summer and the attic in the winter, I left with no exam qualifications.

However, once I left and went to college(to catch up) and then on too university(no school bully psychos there), I got an honours degree in Surveying.

So in my mind well done daughter. Mother chill

quote"Being with a different set of peers helped, and he is now in his second year on track to finish A levels in June. His attendance is not what the college wants , but he is bright and getting away with it - he's doing education in the way that works for him."/.... good comment, the peers and the environment are more adult at college and more rational learning environment

Hi Sneezy,

i can relate to your situation. My son dropped out of 6th form in the first year after a physical falling out with some boys - he hits when he is stressed and he was very stressed. This led eventually to his diagnosis afetr referrals to CAMHS at 7 amd 14, but not until depression had made him miss so much college he felt he was too far behind to catch up. So he was allowed to miss the rest of the year - and if I'm honest he just sat about and did nothing . I work too , but at least i could pop hme at lunchtime and get him up and eating. I tried to get him to do one thing a day even if it was walk round the block, or go to the library.

However, he did manage after a shaky start to begin again the following September . Being with a different set of peers helped, and he is now in his second year on track to finish A levels in June. His attendance is not what the college wants , but he is bright and getting away with it - he's doing education in the way that works for him.

Just wanted to say I tried really hard to get him to carry at college on thinking it would be a bad thing if he missed a year, but to be honest it makes no difference. When you ask around lots of kids spend 3 year in 6 form - don't see it as a sign of failure. He has a twin brother ( at a differnt college) so the difference was very noticeable when the other when off to uni this year , but he isn't bothered - its working for him.

Is it a sixth form attached to a school or a 6th form college. I have regular email contact with my sons tutor - he's at 6th form college, and I feed back when attendance doesn't look good from our end, and likewise he will query if lessons are missed for more than a day or two. It's not good your daughter missed 3 weeks and no-one contacted you - especially as she has a diagnosis. 

Could you see if you could transfer her now to where she wants to go - after all people do move into the area all the time and join school mid year . With her needs they may be more willing that otherwise. If not, could she spend time on her art coursework during the year and maybe even teach herself some of the ICT or just concentrate on a maths resit in June - maybe evening classes? If you do get her to go back, they shoud be able to offer an extension for the coursework - often it is only the schools deadline , not the exam board. She can always

Free periods are a time of loneliness for my son. Does your daughter have to stay on site? I encourage my son to either spend it doing homework( like they are meant for!) or if that's not working for him, get off site, go shopping for a walk or whatever - anything other than sitting feeling bad. Could her timetable be made easier? A 6th form college usually has more flexibility in timetabling  as they have more option blocks. maybe her 6th form could be more accomodating?

Is your daughter on medication? My son takes prozac/Fluoxetine which helps his depression and anxiety. We too have faced some dark times. The key for my son was keeping him busy and building a weekly timetable at college and out of college that works for her. Sport does seems to work at lifting his spirits, also activities that don't rely on making arrangements with unreliable friends. The disappointment when they cancel on him is hard to handle.

I would also try and contact your local authority.  They may be able to agree to fund a support worker for a couple of hours a week , or some activities to keep her busy. You may need to spell it out how hard things are for her to get them to do somthing, but to be honest if she is not in college they will be more concerned.

Hope you come up with some options that will work for your daughter - there are always options, but sometimes its hard to work out what they are.

she had far to many free periods "study periods" and these are not supervised she does not have any exams and is refusing to return to the building let alone study . she has in her mind that the grass is greener on the other side and that another sixthform will be better however she could not apply until sept . Also her maths grade is to low and i have tried to get her to resit but she has shut down . She is extremly moody and in the habit of sitting around doing nothing . I work during the week and i have another daughter in yr7 being on my own i need to work although i work term time but my hours are 8-5 i dont know what to do in the past she has become so anxious she ended up in hospital having taken paracetomol . I want her to be happy if she is unhappy in the place then i feel she should leave but there is nothing out there for her she would not last in employment she gets distracted and bored to easily Help !!!

She doesnt have a statement she had a falling out with some girls i spoke with teachers explained the situation . They did speak with the girls but she just shut down and for three weeks biometric in and then went home no one including me was any wiser she was marked absent for lessons and has now fallen behind with course work .she is doing art ,ict and drama

Is it this 6th form she doesn't like or the subjects she is doing. Does she have lots of free periods which mucks her routine?

Does she have exams in January? Be good if you get her to do these whilst you work out together what's best for her.

hi sneezy - cd you tell us a bit more so that people can give a more useful reply?  Things in a bit more detail.  Also has she got a statement?  bw