Further Education
After Year 11 you could continue your learning at either sixth form or college. Each type of place has its own structure and atmosphere - you’ll need to do some research and think about what suits you best. Visiting the places you’re thinking of studying at can help you to get a feel of what they’re really like. The range of subjects and qualifications on offer will vary from place to place but could include AS and A Levels, BTECS, Diplomas and Foundation Learning.
Sixth Form
Your options include staying on at your own school or moving to a different school’s sixth form. Sixth forms tend to be smaller than colleges though some schools work together and have a joint sixth form. This means you should have a larger choice of subjects and courses to choose from. Courses on offer will vary from sixth form to sixth form but usually include AS and A Levels.
College
Most colleges offer a range of different types and levels of courses. There are usually both full and part time courses available. Some colleges are based on more than one site and may have a “sixth form centre”. Most students will be over 16 and there are likely to be some adult learners.
Sixth forms and colleges all produce a free prospectus which has information on their courses and facilities. Get hold of a paper copy or look at their websites for this information. You’ll find local school and college web addresses by following this link. You can find out more about further education by following this link.
