The Transition Process
We offer a comprehensive and interactive transition programme into Year 12, whether students are joining us from our school or other secondary schools in the area.
For our students, the link with Sixth Form is something they will start experiencing from Year 7, as the college shares the site with the school. They will get to know many of the Sixth Form students as they see them around school, especially those who are student ambassadors and mentors, helping at sporting, performing arts and charity events. Our students also benefit from already knowing the teachers, so have formed relationships with them, making the academic transition to A-levels a smooth one. In Year 10, our staff speak to our own students, and visit students from other secondary schools in the area, to explain what our Sixth Form has to offer.
The Year 12 open evening, in October, provides opportunities to talk to staff and student ambassadors to become familiar with the college environment. In the Spring Term, offers are made, subject to the entry requirements being met. In June, applicants are invited to two taster days. These are an opportunity to experience life in the Sixth Form. In August, after GCSE results, students who have met the entry requirements enrol and meet with staff to discuss options if necessary.
Discover richmond sixth form college
A warm welcome is guaranteed at our Sixth Form College, where a thriving, vibrant community of over 200 awaits. Our positive ethos is underpinned by our six CREDIT values: Creativity, Respect, Excellence, Determination, Independence and Teamwork as we consider these to be integral to our students’ success and wellbeing.
Enjoy our Welcome to Richmond Sixth Form Film which gives a behind-the-scenes tour of our college. Find out about our academic success, exceptional enrichment opportunities, fabulous facilities, award-winning careers support, excellent transition and bridging work, inspiring alumni and much more. We hope you find our video inspiring and informative, please also enjoy our drone tour for a bird's eye view of the college and its extensive grounds.
Curriculum
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum of many academic as well as technical and applied subjects and we are extremely proud of the diversity we are able to offer. This includes subjects which students can continue to study after GCSE through to new subjects, such as Philosophy, Psychology, Economics or CTEC Sport to name just a few. We can always plan a progression route from GCSEs to Sixth Form study.
We have created individual subject films where our lead teachers give you a taste of their subjects. You can view these informative films as well as further curriculum information about our full subject offer at the CURRICULUM page.
In addition, please browse our dedicated PROSPECTUS for a comprehensive guide to all our subjects as well as further information and insight into our college.
Teaching and Student Support
We are extremely proud of our teaching teams in the Sixth Form which are made up of highly-qualified teachers with extensive experience of 16-19 study programmes. Our teachers are also passionate about the subjects they teach and this enthusiasm is passed on to the students.
Students joining any Sixth Form can find the transition from GCSE to A-level study difficult to cope with. The increase in workload and expectation that students do a considerable amount of independent learning, can be a challenge for some. We aim to ease this transition by having a Sixth Form leadership team who, together with tutors, teachers and our academic mentor, support and guide our students throughout their time at college. The Sixth Form staff team includes a tutor for every student so that every individual is well known.
We are also very proud of the strong working relationships our staff form with their students which enable them to flourish. These relationships are often commented on by students, parents and other visitors to the college. We are fortunate to have a separate Sixth Form building on the school site which has a spacious, light-filled study centre for the exclusive use of our students. The centre is equipped with 60 computer workstations and tables for written work and is staffed by the Sixth Form academic mentor.
Please browse the other Sixth Form pages to find out more about life at college, with more detailed information in our PROSPECTUS.
BRIDGING WORK
Our aim in Sixth Form is to support students to further develop all of our six CREDIT values- Creativity, Respect, Excellence, Determination, Independence and Teamwork. Our Bridging Work programme is an important part of this and is designed to ‘bridge the gap’ between GCSE and post-16 study and give students a flavour of the type of work they will be covering when they join the Sixth Form. The transition from GCSE to post-16 study can be a challenging one, and we want to provide you with as much support as we can. The study skills required of a successful student are varied, and involve you taking an active role in your progression and development. We firmly believe that getting off to a good start will aid you on your journey to success, allowing you to develop into an independent and responsible learner. When you commence your studies in September you will be expected to have completed the Bridging Work in each of the subjects you have chosen to study.
Completing the Bridging Work will prepare you for those subjects that you have chosen so you can start positively and 'hit the ground running'. Departments have put together a range of tasks for you to complete prior to starting your chosen courses. These vary in nature from course to course. It might involve learning some basics, reviewing some fundamental GCSE ideas, some reading or some research. Please undertake this with diligence and an open mind, as the first step in your new post-16 journey.
For more information on how to access the Bridging Work, please email Peter Hedley at phedley@richmond-alt.uk