Sixth Form at School versus Sixth Form College UK
Paraphrasing the Mastercard advert – There are some experiences/traditions which you will only find in traditional schools, for everything else there’s colleges.
In the Post-GCSE landscape, sixth form becomes a real chance to reinvent yourself. To many this seems daunting. To others it is an opportunity. For the majority, the days of Upper Sixth form power seem like a rite of passage they have waited the school careers for however, it is difficult really to know what to expect from the whole sixth form experience. That is what causes even the most confident to stumble a little from the outset. Is the day structured very differently? What will the timetable look like? Will you feel like the new boy or girl again or will you be joined by others going through the same process?
This topic is more of a consideration as to where colleges fit into the picture. The key to note is that every student’s journey is- and should be- different. One size does not fit all, nor should it. What should also be noted is that every school is different. There is a huge argument for the importance of having a holistic experience at sixth form^ however, critically, that is not diminished though by going to a college.
Sixth form colleges nowadays require an element of myth busting. The stigma that they are only crammers and for those who have been removed from mainstream schools is frankly nonsense today. In the same way that a more sensible view is required to the idea that colleges leave you on your own and that universities regard you in a lesser light. They have morphed, diversified, grown and built and are in many ways, number one choice rather than number one backup choice for many. This is because of the variety and diversity they can offer within a more flexible environment.
The resistance from many, other than the historical misinterpretation, is whether they will be too big a jump? The honesty is that they are not as far removed from the idea of a school as one might expect when you consider where the majority of students come from. There is a difference though in that they do promote more of a sense of “independence” – though caveated to say that independence need be taught. Change is not a bad thing. It needs to be different in order for it not to be the same. A bizarre thing to say but why change for a continuation of the same. Too much of a jump? It is a big jump but so is moving from GCSE to A level wherever you go.
Regardless of where a student goes, they are now at the business end of their school career and they should use the next two years to work out what they want to do next. Expect more focus on careers and university courses, a sensible discussion on gap years now they are old enough to work out the merits of one, university visits and CV awareness. They should make good use of their university counsellors and, if going for specific programmes or universities (Dentistry, Medicine, Oxbridge etc.), make use of the specialist programmes on offer in a lot of schools. They are at the stage now whereby an element of proactivity is not only expected, it should be natural.
A new environment for sixth form can often be the best source of inspiration for the next step. What should they expect? A more adult learning experience. What should they expect of you? A more adult student. See it that way as the experience you have will be defined by what you do and what you make of it.
Advice, write your own narrative. Be the person you want to be and use sixth form as a way of breaking free from the herd mentality of GCSEs. At the very least, let us help you look at the options out there.