Commenting on today’s A level results, Bill Watkin, Chief
Executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association said:
“Large sixth form colleges and centres specialise in sixth form
teaching; in addition, they continue to offer subjects that
others have had to drop. There is a direct link between the size
of the sixth form and the results students achieve. It is no
coincidence that Sixth Form College students are so successful in
achieving outstanding results in so many subjects”, says Bill
Watkin, CEO of the Sixth Form Colleges Association.
This has been another extraordinarily successful year for Sixth
Form Colleges. The A level and Applied A level results show
clearly that students who attend a Sixth Form College have an
excellent chance of getting the best grades they can, and of
getting into the university of their choice. This is the first
year for the new A level examinations, with their new content and
new format in many subjects, and teachers and students in
colleges have succeeded, through a relentless focus on high
standards, targeted support and specialist expertise, in
achieving outstanding outcomes. Colleges like Wilberforce Sixth
Form College which is celebrating the best exam results achieved
by its students since the College opened, with Advanced level
achievement at 98.9% and with 55 of its 60 courses securing a
100% pass rate; or like Huddersfield New College which enjoyed
its best ever results, with nearly 50% of grades at A*, A
and B.
Colleges are able to offer a broad curriculum, with many more
subjects on offer than might be found in a typical sixth form
environment, and it is encouraging to note the number of students
gaining a wide range and blend of qualifications that will
support them as they go on to University and then the workplace.
However, Sixth Form Colleges will not now rest on their laurels.
Government funding levels for sixth formers are so low –
considerably lower than for younger pupils and university
students – that colleges and schools face a struggle to maintain
the wide range of opportunities and experiences, everything from
enrichment and sports programmes, community services, pastoral
care, careers guidance and UCAS advice to mental health support,
that are so important to a good sixth form education.
Bill Watkin adds:
“Sixth Form Colleges have done remarkably well to take on board
all the recent changes to A level and Applied A level
specifications and examinations, and to deliver once more the
fantastic results that we have become used to from them. Because
they can focus exclusively on teaching sixth formers, and because
they have large numbers of students, they are able to lead the
way in supporting young people to get the best results they can
and reach the destinations they want.”
