What to expect if you are joining us in September

What if I am unsure about the subjects I want to study?

At Course Confirmation we will ensure that you have all the subject advice you need at the start of the new academic year in order to settle onto the right courses for you. We have also added leaflets to our website which provides more detailed information on each of our A Level and Applied courses which we hope will assist you. Please be reassured that you will be given further opportunity to reflect and, if necessary, change the options you have initially chosen before you confirm them at the start of academic year.

What happens at Course Confirmation?

After GCSE results and before you attend your Course Confirmation appointment, please complete the pre-enrolment process which involves uploading your results, an ID photo and selecting the courses you plan to study. Completing pre-enrolment will reduce the time you need to spend at College for Course Confirmation. We will send instructions on how to upload the information, but please contact us if you have any difficulties.

Please attend your Course Confirmation appointment on the day and time you are allocated. You will be welcomed by our Student Ambassadors and staff who will direct you.

You will complete the following activities during your appointment:

  • A check that the qualifications on the system are correct (please bring exam results with you).
  • An enrolment 'interview' with a member of staff. This will be a discussion about your final course choices before your programme of study is confirmed.
  • If you are still unsure about subjects, there will be an opportunity to get subject advice.
  • You can explore enrichment opportunities and add these to your programme.
  • Find out what time you are invited to attend Induction on 6th September.
  • College your Student ID card.

Please allow 2 hours for your appointment, however, if pre-enrolment has not been completed or subject advice is needed, this may take longer.

How can I best prepare myself for starting College?

We ask that you complete the bridging tasks for the subjects you are most likely to study before your first lessons. There are also some mindset activities to look at before your first tutorial session. These activities will ensure that you make a great start to your time at College. There is also information about Microsoft Teams - introducing you to the platform and explaining how it will be used by your subject teachers and tutors. Details about all of this can be found here.

What if I have not visited the College before?

Whilst it is not the same as seeing the College in person, our Virtual Tour or the ‘Day in the Life’ video (https://www.wsfc.ac.uk/video-tour-a-day-in-the-life-at-wsfc/) provides a glimpse of our facilities and gives the thoughts of one of our students as to what it is like to be a student at the College.

Your Induction Session on either 4th or 5th September will provide opportunity to familiarise yourself with the layout of the College and find out some key information.

What will happen at Induction?

Induction will provide opportunity to find out the key things you need to know before starting your lessons. There will be chance to see what other opportunities might be available in terms of enrichment and support.

More detail about what your Induction Day will be like will follow shortly.

When do I start at College?

The academic year will start on 29th August 2023. You will receive details of when your Course Confirmation interview is scheduled.

After your Induction session on 4th or 5th September, your first day of lessons will be on Wednesday, 6th September. To help ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible for you, the first day of teaching will only be for students new to College with year 2 students not returning until Thursday 7th. By this time, you will know where your classrooms are, have met your teachers and know your way around College.

How can I find out more about what else the College has to offer?

As a Sixth Form College, we believe we offer a very special environment with the right balance of support and challenge for you to thrive and achieve. We are proud that this year we were announced as the highest achieving College in the country and one of the highest for the performance of its students.   We are very proud of the achievements and successes of all our students and our staff. To see more  please visit he College’s News page which will give a flavour of recent successes

We are committed to providing you with the very best support to help you reach your full potential, both in terms of academic success and being suitably prepared for your next steps, whether this is university, employment or an apprenticeship.

As well as our wide range of subjects, there are a number of enrichment opportunities available to you and you are encouraged to consider these and add at least one to your programme of study. To find out what is available and consider what might be of interest, find out more here. Please not that because of the circumstances there may be some restrictions in place regarding the scope and availability of these options. Further information will be available at the start of the academic year.

We have huge expertise in providing careers and higher education guidance tailored to individuals’ needs. If you are unsure about what you want to do, or how the subjects you study might help you get there, visit our Careers area of our website for further guidance or contact us if you would like to speak to a Careers Advisor. The percentage of our students applying to UCAS who are successful in obtaining university places is very significantly above the national average.

Every student is allocated to a Pastoral Tutor who will stay with and support you with your welfare  throughout your time with us. To find out more about this here. We also have a specialist safeguarding team who work alongside our tutors and counsellors to support and promote the wellbeing of all our students and to help keep you safe.

Finally, some you may require some extra help with additional learning needs. We also have a small friendly team of staff to help you with this and if you would like to know more about please contact Sara Payne (sara.payne@wsfc.ac.uk).