Consultation regarding a change to the age range
In April 2019 Worcester Sixth Form College became a 16-19 Academy and joined with Hereford Sixth Form College to form the Heart of Mercia Multi-academy Trust. This will ensure that we can continue to provide an excellent range and standard of education for young people from Worcestershire and beyond in their sixth form studies. However, in becoming a 16-19 academy new rules apply which mean that unless we are granted a change to our age range we will no longer be able to meet the needs of a small number of elective home educated students who have attended the College in year 11 to complete their studies at level 2. This consultation is part of the process by which we will apply to the DfE to have our age range changed in order to meet this need.
The Foundation Programme at Worcester Sixth Form College
The vast majority of students at Worcester Sixth Form College are aged 16-19 and are taking A levels or level 3 applied courses in preparation for University or apprenticeships. However, we also provide a range of GCSE’s and applied level 2 courses for approximately 80 students each year. The vast majority of the students taking these courses are doing so because they did not achieve the grades they expected or wanted at school and they need a second chance in order to achieve their ambitions. The majority then progress to level 3 courses with us prior to going on to the university or apprenticeship of their choice. A small number of these students, typically between 3-6 will be elective home educated students who want to enrol on the College’s resit programme in year 11 to secure the qualifications to progress to level 3 applied courses. This means that they are 15 when they start at College, hence our need to apply for a change of age range now that we are a 16 – 19 academy.
Worcester Sixth Form College has no plans to expand this provision to become a 14-16 centre and does not expect this age range change to have any impact on other schools or Colleges as the change is being requested in order to allow us to continue to meet a small but important need and not for the purpose of expansion or changed provision. If you would like to feedback on this proposal or to participate in the consultation in any way please email Jo Payne, PA to the Principal (jo.payne@wsfc.ac.uk).