This guide is for parents and carers of Year 11 students visiting sixth forms and colleges this autumn. It covers what to do before, during and after a visit. It doesn't tell you which option is right, because that depends on your teenager, the courses they're interested in and what's available near you. A sixth form open evening is a look around, not a decision on the night.
Before you go: choose a few, not all of them
Many schools, sixth forms and colleges hold their events through the autumn term, and it's tempting to try to see everything. Two or three visits are usually enough for a first look. Seeing too many in a few weeks can make them blur together.
A good starting shortlist often includes:
- Your teenager's current school, if it has a sixth form
- A nearby college with a wider range of courses
- One option your teenager is curious about, even if it seems less likely
Before you book, check each provider's own website for the event details and for how and when to apply. Dates differ from one provider to the next, and some close earlier than families expect, so it's worth noting each one down now rather than in the spring. Don't rely on a friend's dates or last year's leaflet.
It also helps to spend ten minutes together beforehand looking at the course list. Your teenager doesn't need to have decided anything. Picking out two or three subjects or courses they'd like to hear about gives the evening a focus.
Let your teenager lead the conversation
On the night, the most useful thing a parent can do is step back slightly. Staff want to hear from the student, and your teenager will learn more by asking questions themselves, even if they're nervous to begin with.
You can agree a simple split before you arrive. They ask about the subjects and what lessons are like, and you ask about the practical things such as travel, support and timetables. Then you take the notes, so they can concentrate on listening.
If they go quiet, that's normal. A gentle "Did you want to ask about the course you mentioned?" is usually enough to get them started again.
What to ask at a sixth form open evening
You don't need a long list. A handful of good questions will tell you more than a stack of brochures. Here are some to choose from.
About the courses
- What does a typical week look like on this course?
- How is it assessed: exams, coursework, practical work or a mix?
- How big are the classes?
- What do students usually go on to do afterwards?
About support
- Who does a student go to if they're finding things hard?
- How do you help students settle in during the first term?
- What support is there for students with additional needs?
About applying
- How and when do we apply?
- What happens after you apply? Is there an interview, a taster day or a conversation about course choices?
- What happens if my teenager wants to change course early on?
Some providers are updating their post-16 courses over the next few years. If a course is new or being renamed, ask what it will be called, how it will be assessed and where it can lead.
Try not to treat entry requirements as the whole conversation. They matter, and staff will explain them, but the questions above tell you whether the place suits your teenager. No open evening can promise a place, so focus on fit rather than guarantees.
Making the most of a college open evening in Year 11
Colleges can feel very different from school. They're often bigger, with more courses, older students and a different atmosphere. That can be exciting for some teenagers and a bit overwhelming for others.
A few things help:
- Walk the route. If you can, travel there the way your teenager would on a normal day. A long or complicated journey is easier to spot on a visit than on a map.
- Look at the spaces. Where would they study between lessons? Where would they eat?
- Talk to current students. Many events have students helping out, and they'll often give the most honest picture.
- Pick up only what you need. One leaflet per course of interest is plenty.
On the way home: one impression each
The car or bus home is often the best part of the evening. Your teenager will have formed an impression, even if they can't put it into words yet.
Keep it light. Try asking:
- What's one thing you liked?
- What's one thing you weren't sure about?
- Could you picture yourself there next September?
Then share one impression of your own. Write all of them down when you get home, along with any application details you picked up. After two or three visits, those short notes are far more useful than trying to recall every detail.
If your teenager isn't sure yet, that's fine. Year 11 is a big year, and decisions about sixth form or college don't need to be made in one evening. Most families find it gets clearer once they've seen a few places side by side.
Keeping it in proportion
Open evenings sit alongside a busy term of lessons, homework and, for many students, the first mock exams. It's worth keeping visits to a manageable number so your teenager still has the time and energy for school.
The aim isn't to find the perfect option in October. It's to see a few real places, ask a few good questions and help your teenager start thinking about what they want next, at their own pace.
A quick checklist for parents
- Pick two or three places to visit
- Check each provider's website for event details and how and when to apply
- Look at the course list together beforehand
- Agree who asks what on the night
- Ask what happens after you apply
- Swap one impression each on the way home
- Write it all down while it's fresh
GCSE Boss helps Year 11 students keep revision steady through the autumn term, so there's still room for open evenings and the bigger conversations about what comes next.
GCSE Boss is an iPhone revision app mapped to 5 UK exam boards and 174 specifications, with 9,000+ spec points. Premium includes a parent dashboard: live activity, missed-session alerts, subject coverage per topic, and custom rewards. Have a look at gcseboss.com. Pricing lives on the site.
GCSE Boss is not affiliated with or endorsed by any exam board. We map their published specifications so students can revise exactly what is in their syllabus.