FURTHER EDUCATION
Go To College
Many young people will go straight onto Further Education after school – you may have the option of staying on in the Sixth Form of your School or you could go to a local Further Education college or Sixth Form college. The choice is yours.
It is a good idea to visit local colleges to talk with staff and students – all colleges will have Open Days so go and have a good look around to see what works for you. Get a friend to go with you or even your parents or carer!
What course to do? – Most colleges now offer a range of courses - the traditional, and most popular route, is a 2 Year AS and A Level course. However, many colleges also offer the opportunity to do vocational courses such as BTEC, AVCE and NVQ qualifications. From 2008, a new qualification called a Diploma is also available both in school and college.
- GCSEs – Re-sit a GCSE to get a better grade or possibly take a GCSE in a new subject. Re-sits tend to take 1 year but a GCSE in a new subject may well take 2 years
- Diplomas – New work-related qualifications linked into areas of employment such as Engineering, Information Technology and Creative & Media. You will be able to study Diplomas alongside A Level, BTEC, IB or GCSE qualifications
- A Levels – most A Level courses last for 2 years. You choose up to 5 AS subjects in the first year and then take 3 or 4 of these subjects through to the second year
- Vocational A Levels– many colleges now offer vocational A Levels [VCE] – these will be in work-related subjects such as Health, Social Care, Leisure, Business Studies
- International Baccalaureate – some colleges and sixth forms offer this as an alternative to an A Level course. The IB offers a broader based course than A Levels and is recognised by universities as an entry qualification
- BTECs – many colleges offer you the change to study BTEC qualifications either alongside 1 or 2 A Levels or instead of A Levels. BTECs are vocational qualifications – if you do the BTEC Diploma, it is the equivalent of 3 A Levels and is accepted by many universities as an entry qualification
Grades not what you expected?
If Maths or English just isn’t your subject, don’t despair! Colleges do recognise the importance of that ‘C’ grade and many will let you resit a GCSE to get a pass or a better grade.
INFORMATION
REMEMBER
- Many colleges will ask you to have 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades A* - C to study A Levels, but it is always worth talking to the college to see just what they will accept
- Aim to get at least a C pass in your English, Maths and Sciences at GCSE – many jobs and university courses need you to have these as basic qualifications
- A Levels tend to be more exam based and vocational courses suit those who like learning practically – but you could do a combination of both! The new Diplomas are designed to bridge the gap between A Levels and vocational courses
- You can get financial help whilst you are at college. Talk to your school or the Connexions Service about EMAs [Education Maintenance Allowances] and other benefits