Parent Information Guide 2021

parent information guide

Winner

Sixth form college of the year award fe awards 2018

everything you need to know for when your son or daughter joins us in September

welcome At Birkenhead Sixth Form College, we have always made it our mission to ensure that all students are afforded the same opportunities, no matter their background, circumstances or starting points.

Never has this been more applicable than in these recent times.

It would be a dereliction of duty to simply plough on as normal, expecting our new students to be at the same level of academic knowledge and experience as their counterparts in previous years, given what they have missed out on over the period of the pandemic.

Not only have they missed out on the demands and techniques that come from sitting externally assessed exams, but, however good their virtual teaching provision has been from their schools during times of lockdown, there is simply no substitute for faceto-face lessons.

From extensive experience, especially in the sixth form sector and knowing the superb teachers in this College as I do, I know that teaching is not just the delivery of information: it is the orchestration of learning.

With this as a guiding factor, we have extensively reworked the College timetable for all students in September 2021, adding an additional hour of face-to-face teaching in every subject for every student each week. This is not a one-off summer school with teachers or tutors that they don’t know. This is worked into their every day timetables, so that they benefit from regular teacher contact time with their full time teacher, which will total an additional seven-and-a-half weeks of teaching per student per year.

The academic success of all of our students is paramount, and alongside this sits our pastoral and support systems which are specially designed to support students with their transition to sixth form, rigorously monitoring their progress and preparing them for their next steps after College.

Your son or daughter could not be in better hands at the end of their high school education. As a College, we make that promise to you.

Our students emerge from their sixth form experience with exceptional results yearUK Leadership Award on-year, but what makes us even prouder than that, is the personal journeys that they go on as young adults, and the well-rounded people that they become with so congratulations much to offer as they start on their pathways to their future.

Mike Kilbride

Principal, Birkenhead Sixth Form College

Mike Kilbride Principal

UK Leadership Award congratulations

Mike Kilbride

Principal, Birkenhead Sixth Form College

key facts

Winner

Sixth form college of the year award fe awards 2018

Birkenhead Sixth Form College has truly established itself as one of the leading providers of A Level and BTEC education not just in the region but in the whole of the UK. We are specialist providers for students aged 16+ and more young people choose to better their education and themselves as individuals at the College than any other sixth form in the area.

At a glance: We are one of the country’s leading sixth forms we won the TES UK Sixth Form College of the Year Award 2018 and were shortlisted in 2021 Our Principal, Mike Kilbride, has won the UK Leadership Award, recognising his visionary approach to teaching We have 1450 students Our teachers are experts in A Level and BTEC education Our student support systems are unrivalled We have 39 course choices, which can be studied in any combination Students do better studying at this College than other sixth forms in the region

our values The College ethos is underpinned by our core values of Positivity, Ambition, Resilience and Thoughtfulness, and our staff and students embrace these values on a daily basis.

be positive

we are positive about what we do and what others can do

be ambitious we work to release the innate human drive for success

be resilient

we will not give up when faced with difficulties

be thoughtful treat everyone with respect and consideration

how College differs from school Joining the College after GCSEs is a stepping stone to university or employment. There are several reasons why College life and the universitystyle campus is so different to school and helps prepare you for your next step:

Everyone is new when they start

You manage your own free time

There is no uniform

Everyone is on first name terms

You have more independence

You’re only with students your own age

our awards

SIXTH FORM COLLEGE OF THE YEAR TES

UK LEADERSHIP AWARD Educate North

Winners in 2018 and shortlisted in 2021.

National recognition for Principal Mike Kilbride’s groundbreaking approach to sixth form education.

OUTSTANDING RATING Ofsted

COVID: ABOVE & BEYOND SFCA

SIXTH FORM COLLEGE OF THE YEAR Educate North

OUTSTANDING GCSE RESIT PROVISION TES

The College was rated as Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted.

Winners of the overall award and finalists for the ‘Student Experience’ Award.

Recognising commitment to education in the pandemic.

Celebrating the College superb Maths and English GCSE resit teaching and outcomes.

our social mobility awards We are particularly proud of these awards as they recognise our ethos that all students can succeed, whatever their starting point or background

WINNER

Award for Social Mobility and Widening Participation

BEACON AWARD FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY AND WIDENING PARTICIPATION Association of Colleges / TES This national award recognises the College’s commitment to giving the same opportunities to students, no matter their background.

AWARD FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY Educate North

Educate North Awards chose the College as winners of this award as it is an ‘engine for social mobility’.

SOCIAL MOBILITY AWARD Sixth Form Colleges Association

The College won recognition for helping students from all backgrounds reach their full potential.

what happens next

This booklet will give you all the information you need to support your son or daughter as they step up to sixth form. Here is a summary of key dates leading up to Enrolment:

AUGUST

friday

6th august

Deadline for FastTrack Enrolment

Students should return their signed consent forms by this date

AUGUST

thursday

12th august

• Bursary applications open • College bus tickets on sale

AUGUST

thursday

12th august

GCSE results day Results day clinic 11am - 4pm

GCSE results to be sent in

AUGUST

tuesday - friday

24th - 27th august

Enrolment appointments

enrolment

Tuesday 24th - Friday 27th August 2021 what is Enrolment?

A student’s Enrolment appointment is when they officially become a Birkenhead Sixth Form College student.

Every student who has accepted their offer of a place at the College will have a certain date and time specified to arrive at the College between 24th – 27th August 2021.

It is also where their final course choices are made based on GCSE results and career ambitions.

Some students will have a clear idea of which subjects they want to study and will have met all the entry criteria for those subjects, but other situations may not be so straight forward. Each student will meet with a teacher / tutor counsellor, and will spend as much time as they need to get enrolled onto the right subjects and courses for them.

the process The full Enrolment process should take no longer than an hour, and to help fast track Enrolment, students should email a copy of their GCSE results to results@bsfc.ac.uk on GCSE Results Day on Thursday 12th August 2021. They should also try to send in their completed documents that they will receive in the post before the deadline date of Friday 6th August.

GCSE Results Day Clinic Thursday 12th August 2021 | 11am - 4pm After receiving GCSE results on Thursday 12th August, some students might not get the results that they’d hoped for and they and/or their parents may feel that they need to talk to someone at the College before their Enrolment appointment later in August.

The GCSE Results Day clinic is run by our expert team of tutors and careers advisors who will be able to offer advice about course choices and the options for the next steps.

PLEASE NOTE: Attending this clinic will not replace a student’s Enrolment appointment.

course choices Information about each of the 39 course choices available at the College is on our website at the following address:

www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses Here you will find each page contains overall information about the course, a video from a teacher so you get to hear from them directly, and also a useful platform called ‘Pathways’ which gives all the information to do with the career path that the A Level or BTEC might open up, including real-time job availability, salaries, connected careers and associated university subjects.

welcome week Wednesday 1st - Friday 3rd September 2021

We have designed the start of term to help our students quickly familiarise themselves with the College and incorporate the government requirement for two on-site Covid lateral flow tests.

Each student will be operating a full timetable on these days, having lessons and tutorials between 9am - 3pm each day, and their first test will be incorporated into their timetable on Thursday 2nd September. The second test will be part of their Monday 6th September timetable.

wednesday 1st september | between 9am - 3:30pm

Welcome Day for new students to get settled into College life New students will: • meet each of their new teachers • meet their new assigned tutor • meet their fellow new classmates • have a Welcome Assembly • receive a simplified map of the College • be given a tour so they won’t get lost!

thursday 2nd september | between 9am - 3pm Lessons begin for all students | Covid test 1 for new students friday 3rd september | between 9am - 3pm Lessons continue for all students monday 6th september | between 9am - 4:15pm Lessons continue | Covid test 2 for new students College bus times will be operating in accordance with the timetable for this week PLEASE NOTE: Covid testing is voluntary and full details, including consent forms, will be given at enrolment.

find your feet The first few weeks of term involve a full range of activities on offer and processes in place to help new students settle in, make new friends and feel part of the College community. This programme is called ‘Find Your Feet’ and is a fun and enjoyable way to start the College experience. Below are some of the things going on in the Find Your Feet weeks:

Taster sessions in dozens of clubs, societies, activities and sports for new students to sign up to or have a go at ‘Inflatable Fridays’ sees large inflatable games coming to the College for students to try, or simply just to enjoy watching others. Catch the right day and you might find a few members of staff taking on a challenge or two!

Song of the Day - vote for songs to get played out in the canteen over lunch All support staff will be on corridors in between lessons to offer directions to classes

our support We are well known for our specialist support systems for students aged 16 and over.

All of our support at the College is designed to make the transition to sixth form from high school as easy as possible, to support our students in achieving their goals and to be fully prepared for their next steps after College.

the tutorial programme Birkenhead Sixth Form College, we know how vital outstanding pastoral “ Atsupport is and we invest a great deal of time and resource into ensuring that every one of our students gets the best out of their time here with us.

There is no doubt that the step into a new environment can be challenging, and as a parent I am only too well aware of what a minefield the teenage years can be! Our large, dedicated team of experienced, full-time personal tutors includes two qualified Careers Advisers and a Designated Mental Health Lead. They are here to support students with all aspects of College life, from ensuring that they settle in to the new environment, to adapting to working at Level 3, through to preparing them for their transition to university, apprenticeships or employment.

Each student has a personal tutor who will stay with them throughout their time at College – we believe that this consistency is important and hope that it is reassuring both for students and for you as parents. They will meet for a tutorial on a weekly basis and also for 1-1s throughout the year, enabling them to build a good relationship and share any worries or concerns that they may have. Our comprehensive tutorial programme covers a range of topics, with particular focus on Careers, Wellbeing and ‘Learning to Learn’ – a programme that helps students to understand the science behind learning and to develop the skills necessary for success.

Every student will have extensive support to prepare a UCAS application form, ensuring that they have at least one viable option when they leave us, as well as extensive support around Higher and Degree apprenticeship options.

We know that our Year 12 students have had a ‘different’ educational experience to their predecessors, and we know that they are likely to need a little more support too. Our fantastic tutors are keen to welcome them and will be working hard to ensure that they settle and get the best out of their sixth form experience from day one.

“

Jo Wood Director of Student Development & Careers Leader

support at a glance Assigned tutor

Study Hall

A student’s tutor is with them to help them navigate all aspects of College life.

A dedicated area for keeping up to date with work set by teachers.

Learning Support

Study Mentor

Our team of Learning Support Assistants are here to help those with additional learning needs.

Local university students run oneto-one and small group sessions to give peer-to-peer support.

Uni+ & Oxbridge Accelaration Programme Our tutor team support applications to university as well as offering a specialist support programme for those aiming for Oxbridge.

Designated Mental Health Lead A dedicated member of our staff who can assist with mental health concerns and direct students to the help they need.

Listening & Youth Services One-to-one appointments to speak to a trained member of staff in our Listening Service or a professional youth worker.

additional learning support

“ For some students, having access to excellent additional support is a

crucial part of learning. Whether a student requires 1:1 in-class support from a Learning Support Assistant or a weekly organisation slot from our LAB Assistant, we’ll work with each individual to make sure the support they receive is right for them. We are here to support students with a range of SEND, including generalised anxiety, ASC, dyslexia and literacy difficulties.

Based in The Learning Assistance Base (LAB), our LAB Assistant is on hand all week to make sure out-of-class support is accessible to all. The LAB Assistant can provide extra help with homework, organisation and revision planning as well as offering our Listening Service where students can talk privately about any issues they are facing inside and outside of College, though any safeguarding concerns will be reported accordingly. We also have dyslexia, literacy and EAL support available from our specialist tutor, who will work with students and help them develop strategies to succeed, as well as targeted support sessions to focus on areas for learning development.

Our Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) are very experienced in delivering outstanding, individual support to our students whilst promoting independence in and out of College. The LSAs will support students in the classroom, working with the student to find the best strategies and methods to allow them to succeed in their studies. Offering academic, social and emotional support, we will strive to ensure that each student has the very best experience possible in College, and that barriers to learning are removed as far as possible to allow them to achieve and confidently move on to the next phase of education.

We know that the transition to the sixth form will be a little different to previous years, so we’ll be on hand from day one to ensure our SEND students settle in as best as possible and have an enjoyable educational experience!

“

James King Director of Learning Support & Safeguarding

new for September New Timetable In recognition of the disruption to education over the last 18 months and the gaps in student learning, the College is increasing face-to-face teaching time in each of our students’ subjects per week. Totalling seven-and-ahalf weeks of extra teaching across the year per student, this offers more timetabled physical learning than any other sixth form in the UK.

New Building Situated on the corner of Shrewsbury Road and Upton Road, the College now boasts a brand new £1.7m building courtesy of a government grant.

The nine new state-of-the-art classrooms and other facilities will be the home of our Psychology department with the subject being an extremely popular choice for students each year.

New Subjects Along with a range of subjects that students may not have had the chance to study before, such as Law, Psychology, Sociology, Dance and Film Studies, the College is pleased to announce that we are offering Environmental Science at A Level from September. The subject is a chance to learn about environmental issues, human impact, energy resources, sustainability and more.

We expect the College to be operating as normal in September and we will continue to adhere to government guidance at the time in regards to COVID-19 regulations. If there is more guidance that impacts Enrolment or start of term arrangements, we will be touch via email.

adapting to any changes The last 18 months have once again proven that the College is a national leader in the field of sixth form education.

The College was honoured with the Sixth Form Colleges Association’s ‘Covid: Above and Beyond’ award, recognising the actions taken and processes implemented that gave students a full timetable of virtual, interactive lessons, and a programme of extracurricular activities that had a take-up of 95% of the student body.

Microsoft Teams The College has a range of systems that keep communication between staff and students as easy as possible and Microsoft Teams has become embedded in our communication culture.

The Microsoft Teams platform allows for such things as direct messages to be shared, both one-to-one and within groups, conversations to take place between staff and students, content to be uploaded and distributed, news to be announced and much more.

During periods of lockdown, Teams was used to give full timetabled and live virtual lessons, with teachers and students able to interact as they would in a physical lesson.

The College’s approach to virtual education and the success in continuing to deliver world class teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic drew widespread praise from parents of current students.

the timetable

extra teaching time

In recognition of our new students missing out on so much face-to-face education over Years 10 and 11, the College has redesigned its timetable to give students more time with their teachers per week. This will ensure that any gaps in their knowledge in the subjects that they’ve chosen will be addressed, and the teachers will help students establish an excellent base for their studies at A Level and BTEC. With five-and-a-half classroom hours in each subject per week, plus 90 minute tutorials and one-to-ones with tutors, this is more contact time than any other sixth form in the region, and will help the step up to sixth form to ensure success.

independent study As in all sixth forms, students will have free periods in their timetable. Students are expected to complete academic work and research in their free periods, whether that’s from home or in one of the many facilities available on the College campus.

timetable structure The College timetable is structured into boxes A - E. The top model on the opposite page shows this. Every student will take three subjects or equivalent to three, with some BTECs being equivalent to more than one A Level option.

Therefore, students will have subject lessons in four of these boxes, and a tutorial in another.

The bottom model on the right shows an example timetable of someone who has chosen three subjects, and how a timetable may pan out.

Please note that this is for example purposes only, and also that all subjects can be studied in any combination, so no one is limited by option blocks.

College Timetable

For the academic year starting September 2021 Monday 09:00

10:30

10:45

Box A

12:15

Box B

12:15 - 1:00

2:30

1:00

2:45

4:15

Box C

12:10 Lunch

Box D

Tuesday 09:00

10:30

10:45

Box E

12:15

Box C

12:15 - 1:00

2:30

1:00

2:45

4:15

Box B

12:10 Lunch

Box A

Wednesday 09:30

11:00

11:15

12:45

Box D

1:30

12:45 - 1:30

Box E

3:00

Box C

Lunch

Thursday 09:00

10:30

10:45

Box B

12:15

Box A

12:15 - 1:00

2:30

1:00

4:15

2:45

Box D

12:10 Lunch

Box E

Friday 09:00

10:00

10:10

Box C

11:10

11:20

Box B

12:20

Box A

12:20 - 12:50

12:50

2:00

13:50

3:00

Box D

Box E

Lunch

= 15 min break or movement time = 10 min break or movement time

College Timetable Example For the academic year starting September 2021 Monday 09:00

10:30

10:45

12:15

Maths

12:15 - 1:00

1:00

2:30

2:45

2:30

2:45

4:15

Psychology

12:10 Lunch

Tuesday 09:00

10:30

10:45

History

12:15

Psychology

12:15 - 1:00

1:00

4:15

Maths

12:10 Lunch

Wednesday 09:30

11:00

11:15

12:45

12:45 - 1:30

History

1:30

3:00

Psychology

Lunch

Thursday 09:00

10:30

10:45

Weekly Tutorial

12:15

Maths

12:15 - 1:00

2:30

1:00

4:15

2:45

History

12:10 Lunch

Friday 09:00

10:00

Psychology

10:10

11:10

Tutor Drop-In

11:20

12:20

Maths

12:20 - 12:50 Lunch

12:50

13:50

History

2:00

3:00

= 15 min break or movement time = 10 min break or movement time

College core requirements At Birkenhead Sixth Form College, students are taught by dedicated professionals who will work tirelessly to support them to excel in their studies. As a College student, young people are expected to take responsibility for their own education and meet the following Core Requirements:

• Attend all lessons on time and be fully prepared.

• Be attentive and engaged in class and complete all work, including homework as directed.

• Show respect to all staff and follow any directions given.

• Treat fellow students with consideration and allow them to focus on their studies.

• Turn off mobile phones and have them out of sight when in class or in The Hub. • In the unlikely circumstance of being absent, students must inform the College. Students need to also email their teachers to get work they will have missed.

• All study deficits to be cleared as required by teachers.

• With the exception of water, no food or drink to be consumed in the classrooms or in The Hub. • Wear College ID lanyards when on campus.

• Be ambitious and accept the challenge to fulfil their potential.

be positive.

be ambitious.

be resilient.

be thoughtful.

the parent partnership

College

Parents

Student

The College’s ‘Success Triad’ is built on the communcation and commitment of the three parties involved in achieving success: The College brings high quality teaching, experience and high levels of monitoring Parents should use the tools that the College provides to monitor students’ progress and communicate with students’ tutors Students should adhere to the College Core Requirements and commit to purposeful hard work

attendance and absence Research shows that students who attend 95% of lessons or more typically achieve three grades higher than those who attend less than 85%, so students should not miss any lessons!

Informing of an absence: Phone 0151 652 5575 and select option 3 or email attend@bsfc.ac.uk.

The Attendance Officer will inform the teachers and teachers may reply to students with work to complete.

Attendance officers will also contact parents to check absences.

Personal appointments such as doctor or dentist should be arranged for outside of lesson time except in an emergency.

Holidays should not be taken in term time.

COVID-19 Students should NOT attend College if they have any Covid symptoms, have had a positive test result or if there is another reason requiring them to stay at home due to the risk of them passing on COVID-19 (e.g. required to quarantine).

Students or parents should notify attendance@bsfc.ac.uk if this applies to your son or daughter.

outside the classroom Alongside academic studies, we offer an extensive range of clubs and societies for students to join, have fun and make new friends.

In September, students will have the opportunity to participate in taster sessions so they can get a feel for the different types of clubs and societies available.

Do More, Be More is the College’s enrichment programme, and encourages students all the way through their College experience to broaden their horizons in all personal, academic and career-focused ways.

Learn new skills Make new friends Good for CV It’s free Have fun!

Clubs & Societies Young Enterprise

First Aid Certificate

Criminology

Football

Anime

British Sign Language

Book Club

Law Club

D&D

Lego Club

Mandarin (Chinese)

LGBT+ and Equality

Yoga

Clubbercise

Netball Fitness

Multigym

Film Club

Arts & Crafts

Debate Club

Photoshop (beginners)

Creative Writing

Table Tennis

PC Gaming

Taekwondo

KPOP

Tag Rugby

Guitar Club

Voluntary Work

Running Challenge

Gold Duke of Edinburgh

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Visitors to the College often remark on how calm and friendly the atmosphere is on the College campus. With all young people treated like adults, the change in feel compared to being at school is immediately distinguishable, and this is ideally suited to students who feel like they’ve grown up past the point of spending time around younger children and enjoy a focused, hardworking but fun place to be.

The College overlooks the iconic Birkenhead Park, so students often enjoy lunch and breaktimes in this picturesque surrounding right on our doorstep.

school of art & design

the hub

tutors & careers

drama studio

conservatory social area

8SQ canteen

reception

learning assistance base

sports hall

science labs

financial support We are committed to ensuring that all students have access to the right resources to be successful in their academic studies and remove any barriers to participation.

Bursary support is available to help cover the cost of things like:

Travel to and from College (if you live more than a mile from the campus) College meals Compulsory College trips Selected learning materials

Students can apply for bursary support from 12th Agust 2021. Eligibility criteria applies.

www.bsfc.ac.uk/college-information/bursary-scheme

College buses We are situated in Claughton Village, next to Birkenhead Park and whether you are travelling from Wirral, Cheshire or the Liverpool area, the College is easily accessible by public transport or car.

The College offers subsidised bus services serving the following routes: New Brighton / Wallasey / Liscard / Birkenhead North

Bootle / Liverpool Service

Eastham / Bromborough / Bebington / Tranmere Ellesmere Port / Little Sutton / Hooton / Willaston / Clatterbridge / Woodchurch Neston / Parkgate / Barnston / Arrowe Park / Noctorum

Heswall / Irby / Thingwall / Prenton

Bus passes will be available to buy online from 12th August 2021.

student ambassadors

Each year, the College selects a team of Student Ambassadors whose role it is to welcome new students to the College, whether that’s at events before they start or when they officially become students here.

Led by Head Students, Jack and Abbey this year, the whole team are here to help your son or daughter with anything they need in peer-to-peer support. Settling in, navigating the College to make sure new students don’t get lost, hosting clubs and activities, offering an ear to talk to and generally being the go-to team of fellow students, the Ambassadors were in exactly the same shoes as our new students just a year ago, so they can fully empathise with new students You can spot them in their Ambassador hoodies and purple lanyards anywhere around College. You will find a leaflet of the full team within the Parent Pack.

Jack

Sibeon

Head Student

Abbey Williams

Head Student

meet Toffee, Teddy & Alfie These three are the College’s resident dogs. As well as being incredibly cute, Toffee, Teddy and Alfie are honourary members of staff because scientific studies have shown that regularly petting animals can reduce stress. Toffee originally started in his role in September 2019 with the others joining shortly after, and they have been a huge hit with students and staff alike.

@bsfc_dogs

any questions?

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on:

enrol@bsfc.ac.uk 0151 652 5575

keep in touch Keep up to date with the latest College news and events

birkenheadsixthformcollege

@BSFC bsfc_college

@bsfc_

switch why make the

to Birkenhead Sixth Form College?

the leading sixth form in the area Ofsted rated Outstanding expert A Level / BTEC teachers specialist support for ages 16+

term dates

academic year 2021-22 Autumn Term 2021 Wed 1 Sep

Term begins

Mon 25 Oct

Half Term

Mon 1 Nov

Term continues

Fri 3 Dec Fri 17 Dec

College closed Break up for Christmas Holiday

Spring Term 2022 Tue 4 Jan

Term begins

Mon 21 Feb

Half Term

Mon 28 Feb

Term continues

Fri 8 Apr

Break up for Spring Break

Summer Term 2022 Mon 25 Apr

Term begins

Mon 30 May

Half Term

Mon 6 June

Term continues

Fri 15 July

Break up for Summer Holiday

Bank Holidays 2022 Fri 15 Apr

Good Friday

Mon 18 Apr

Easter Monday

Mon 2 May

May Day Bank Holiday

Thur 2 Jun Fri 3 Jun

Spring Bank Holiday Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday

bsfc.ac.uk/term-dates all dates and information correct at time of print

Birkenhead Sixth Form College, Park Road West Claughton, Wirral, CH43 8SQ 0151 652 5575 enrol@bsfc.ac.uk

In association with

fe awards 2018 fe awards 2018

Winner Winner

Sixth Sixth formform college college of the year award of the year award