Oldham Sixth Form College is a government-funded college of further education in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. Opened in 1992 as a specialist centre for advanced-level study, the Principal of the college is Jayne Clarke. Despite being a relatively new college, the college has managed to gain an excellent reputation; with good reports coming from both OFSTED and the local paper.
Courses
The college offer 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.
Acceptance and enrolment
The college takes on nearly 1200 students each year, the majority of which have just completed compulsory secondary education. To gain admission to 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 number 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
To study four advanced-level subjects at the college students must gain 42 points or more, To study three advanced-level subjects students must gain between 38 and 41 points. To study 2 advanced-level subjects students must gain between 33 and 37 points. Students who wish to attend the college must submit application forms before the deadline. If the college accepts a student, it invites them to an interview where they must bring their most recent school report, mock GCSE results, and progress files. If students come across well in the interview and their mock grades are good, the college offers them a provisional place. 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 to be eligible to study for the current academic year.
Timetable
College lessons run from 9am till 4:15pm with five periods each day. Lessons are 70 minutes long with ten minutes movement time between most classes excluding 2nd period to 3rd period, which has a 20-minute break in between, and 4th and 5th period which has only 5 minutes of movement time. Lunch time is at 1:00pm and finishes at 1.50pm. When students are not in lessons they may stay in college or leave the grounds. There are study areas located in all three buildings of Oldham Sixth Form College.
The college's science subjects were moved from the main buildings into a new science centre on King Street in 2011. After several months of internal building work, the formerly vacant office block was transformed into the Regional Science Centre, which not only houses science lessons for OSFC but is also visited by pupils from local primary schools. It also hosts lectures for students held by science professors and experts from different fields. The centre opened to students in Spring 2011 and the official opening ceremony was held on 19 October 2011 by former principal Nick Brown OBE.
20th Anniversary
The college celebrated its 20th Anniversary in September 2012. The event was accompanied by a weekly Oldham Evening Chronicle feature which counted down the 20 weeks leading to the event with archive stories, photographs and articles on its achievements and history.
Other information
The college has a team of students known as 'The Student Association' who help out in the local community and help improve the college for students. The association regularly organise special events and charity fundraisers within the college.
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
Oldham Sixth Form College's mission is ‘to provide the highest quality education for learners in Oldham and the local area so that they are equipped to the very best of their abilities to move into higher education or employment’.
The college was awarded the learning and skills Beacon status in 2005 and most recently in an Ofsted report published in June 2008, the college achieved the highest grades in all areas.
Each year the college holds a 'Pink Day' in which staff and students wear something pink for the day for breast cancer awareness.
OSFC Xtras is an extensive programme of opportunities and activities designed to enrich the time you spend at college.
