Oldham Sixth Form College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oldham Sixth Form College is a government-funded college of further education in Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. Opened in 1992 as a specialist centre for advanced-level study, the Principal of the college is Nick Brown OBE.^[1]

Despite being a relatively new college, the college has managed to gain an excellent reputation; with good reports coming from both OFSTED^[2] and the local paper^[3]. It was reported in the local paper in 2006 that the college was now the best college for advance level study in the North West and currently offers the best History department in the country.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.

Opened in 1992, Oldham Sixth Form College occupies the site of the former Oldham hospital, and still retains the original arched entrance to the structure.

[edit] Courses

The college offers over 100 courses that include academic, vocational and even GCSE courses.

Students may take between two and four A level subjects to study; but some students have been known to take five subjects due to various reasons.

Students who take three subjects study in the college for around 18 hours each week whereas students who take four subjects study in the college for around 22.5 hours.

Students at the college are also able to take enrichment courses which are held once a week on a Wednesday afternoon. These enrichment courses can be vocational or academic. Some enrichment courses result in a qualification with some resulting in complete AS/A level qualifications.

[edit] Acceptance and enrolment

The college takes on nearly 500 students each year, the majority of which have just completed compulsory secondary education.

In order to be accepted into the college students must gain five GCSE results at grades C and above including English Language and Mathematics. It is also preferred if the students attend one of the many feeder schools but the college does in fact take on a large amount of students who do not attend these feeder schools. The college works off a point system in which:

• A*, A, B = 6
• C = 5
• D = 4
• E = 3
• F = 2
• G = 1

In order to study four advanced-level subjects at the college students must gain 42 points or more; in order to study three advanced-level subjects students must gain between 38 and 41 points; and in order to study 2 advanced-level subjects students must gain between 33 and 37 points.

Students who wish to gain a place at the college must submit application forms to the college before the designated deadline. If students are accepted they are invited to an interview where they must bring: their most recent school report, mock GCSE results and their progress files. If students come across well in the interview and their mock grades are of good standard, they will be offered a provisional place at the college.

Once students receive their GCSE results they will be invited back to the college to enroll. New students and students progressing into year 13 must enroll at designated times at the end of August in order to be eligible to study at the college for the current academic year.

[edit] Timetable

College lessons run from 9am till 4:20pm with four lessons each day from Monday till Thursday and on Friday's there are three lessons which run from 10am till 3:30pm. Lessons do not run back to back with fifteen-minute breaks in between lessons 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4, with a fifty-minute lunch interval between lessons 2 and 3.

When students are not in lessons they may stay in college or leave the grounds; free periods are intended for study.

[edit] Other information

• The college also has a team of students whom help out in the local community and help improve the college for students known as 'The Student Association'. In 2006 the association held a charity fashion show in which they launched a new online student magazine for OSFC students. The association have organised what is known as Pink Day for the past two years in which the students and staff are required to wear pink and donate money to the Breast Cancer - the 2006 Pink Day raised £2000.

• College Idol - college students recently submitted an application form to the 'Student Association' proposing the launch of a fund-raising event called 'College Idol', which would be similar to the Idol series, for the 2007 term. If approved, students will be given the opportunity to tape their audition for the school website, thus having their video watched by college students who will in turn vote their 10 favourite acts through to the live finale show. College Idol was approved on December 13th 2006 and will be officially launched in February 2007. A webpage dedicated to College Idol was launched on the Sixth Form website on January 12th 2007, with applications now being entered by students. Applications were processed on February 7th 2006 and auditions will take place over a period of two weeks beginning on Monday 19th February. The final 10 will then be announced and students will perform in a live finale show after Easter, the exact date is still to be decided. [1]

• Every year an OSFC Oscars is held in which the short films made by the Year 13 students are showcased and followed by awards replicating those from the real Academy Awards ceremony.

• Field Trips are regularly held in various subjects such as the Geography trip to the Isle of Arran in 2006

[edit] See also

• The Oldham College
• University Centre Oldham

[edit] References

1. ^ New Year Honours for Locals, Oldham Advertiser, January 3, 2007 - URL accessed January 12, 2007.
2. ^ OFSTED Report, March 2004, OFSTED - URL accessed February 15, 2007
3. ^ Super schools and college trio cited as national best, Oldham Advertiser, February 2, 2005 - URL accessed February 15, 2007

[edit] External links

• Oldham Sixth Form College Official Website
• Promotional video for "College Idol" to be staged at the college in 2007