FAQs

What can I wear?

You can wear whatever you want so long as it is not offensive in any way. Students wear a wide variety of different fashions and that is expected to be respected by all staff and students

What do I call staff?

We are generally referred to by our first name.

How many lessons will I have?

An A Level and a Single Applied General have 4.5 hours of lessons per week. Most students take 3 A Levels or equivalent so have 13.5 hours of lessons.

Can I leave the site when I don't have lessons?

Yes, but we do encourage students to use their study periods for college work.

Where can I go to study?

We have plenty of student spaces around college including the Learning Resource Centre, Study Centre and The Hub. We also have plenty of smaller spaces such as the Maths Cave, Science corridors, Art rooms and the new Quad.

What enrichment activities are there?

We offer a range of enrichment activities to enhance your university or job application, raise your employability profile and develop your social skills.

Our enrichment programme includes sports and we support students who want to represent the college in sports such as cross country or gymnastics.

Other activities include rock band, DofE, gardening club, tre crime, and chess club.

What do students progress onto after college?

The majority of students progress to university whilst others prefer to apply for apprenticeships, full-time employment or take a gap year to travel, volunteer or earn money.

What support is there for planning my future?

We have an excellent Careers Team, who received the prestigious National Quality in Careers Award. They put on a wide range of events and talks throughout the year. They also hold one-to-one personal guidance interviews, organise mock interviews, and arrange work experience placements.

Will I get help with applying to an elite university?

We support all students with their university application from the application to the reference.

For those applying to more competitive universities such as Oxbridge or Russell group, we have a special programme called Aspire which involves half hour weekly sessions, talks, advice from older student and university trips.

Will I get exam arrangements?

If you have exam arrangements at school such as extra time or a reader, this is likely to apply at S6F but you will need to speak with our Learning Support Manager, who will liaise with your school.

What financial help is available?

If you think you may be eligible for some financial assistance, based on your household income, you can apply for the Student Support Fund. Go to our website for more information:

www.s6f.org.uk/financial-support

What travel help and information is there?

Irrespective of household income, the College will subsidise bus transport costs. You may also be eligible for further assistance depending on your household income.

You can find all the information you need including timetables and how to apply for a bus pass on our website.

We also offer a Travel to Learn Scholarship for students who live more than 15 miles away who achieve a grade 7 or higher in both GCSE English Language and Mathematics.

www.s6f.org.uk/travel

How do I pay in the College Cafe?

You can pay by cash or card. If you are on the Student Support Fund, we will put money on your student card for you to use in the cafe.

Can I get a tour of the College?

If you're unable to attend one of the open events, we can give you a tour. This can be for just you or as a group if there are a few of you who would like to have a look around the college.

To organise this, please contact Admissions.

We also have a virtual tour on our website which you can access at:

www.s6f.org.uk/virtual-tour

What if I change my mind about which courses to take?

You don't need to decide which courses you're definitely taking until enrolment at the end of August.

You can also change courses in the first few weeks if you really need to.

What support is there for students who are anxious about the move to college?

We are a very friendly and welcoming college but realise that the change can be daunting for some. You may want to come in for a tour and we also put on a transition event before S6F Preview for students who require a bit more support.

Once you have started college, we have peer mentoring which many students benefit from, even when they are not struggling. All students also have a dedicated Guidance Support Tutor who you can speak to with any concerns.

I struggle with my mental health. Can I get some extra help?

We have an in-house college counselling service which is open to all students to access free of charge.

Is there a taster day?

Yes, we have a day for applicants to come and try out our courses called S6F preview. You will have a full timetable for the day and be able to see what it is like to be an S6F student.

What happens if I don't meet my course entry requirements?

Whatever your GCSE results are, come along to your enrolment appointment and we can discuss your options with you.

It may be that you can take a similar course with lower entry requirements. For example the Applied General in Business is a good alternative to A Level Business.

We also offer a Progression Year in which you can take GCSE level courses before progressing to the next stage.

More information

If you wish to discuss any concerns you have about starting college please contact either Julie Walkington, Learning Support Manager (j.walkington@s6f.org.uk) or Rowan Johnson, Vice Principal (r.johnson@s6f.org.uk).

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