Differences from school

The Sixth Form College, Solihull is an excellent bridge between school and higher education or employment. Indeed, many students find that the world of work or the university environment is less of a shock if they have been at a sixth form college, rather than remaining in a school environment.

We acknowledge that we are not the right choice for everybody, but we are proud of what we offer to young people. Although we are a large college, you should not feel concerned that you will be left without support. Whether it is guidance from your teachers, support from your academic coach or help from the various support services, there are many services available to help you to achieve.

Of course, studying at a sixth form college is different from school. For a start, A Level or BTEC Extended Diploma study is a big step up from GCSE and the equivalent. However, if we make you an offer to study at the College that means we believe you are capable of achieving success at this level. It is the reason we have set entry criteria at the levels they are. We have confidence in you and you should have confidence in yourself!

Another difference from school is the timetable. You will almost certainly find yourself with periods during the week when you have no timetabled lessons. It is up to you how you choose to use your time, but we advise you to make the best use of your time at college and get on with some independent learning, perhaps in the library or learning centre. Indeed, as well as the homework set you by your teachers you will find that some independent study will significantly aid your studies. In this regard, our approach to learning is more like what will be expected of you at university.

Don’t worry if you find it a bit different to what you are used to at the start. You will have dedicated teachers and an academic coach and they all want to help you to succeed. If you have questions please ask.

Your academic coach should be your first point of contact if you feel you need support. They are there to help you to get the most out of your time at the College and to assist you in making the next step onto higher education or employment. They will also put you in touch with specialist support (including financial advice, student welfare support, counselling, health advice, and additional learning support) should you need it.

Enrichment is another key benefit of being at College. This is an activity you take part in alongside your studies, be it another academic course, a sport, music, drama or something else. Click here to find out more.

To read about what some of our students think about their step up from Lyndon School to this College read our blog entry by clicking here.