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NCDONCASTER
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WELCOME 03 YOUR SENIOR TEAM 04 STEPS TO ENROLLING 06 YOUR SIXTH FORM COLLEGE 07 YOUR SUBJECT CHOICES 08 YOUR PROGRESS 10 YOUR RESULTS 12 YOUR WELLBEING AND SUPPORT 14 YOUR ASPIRATIONS 16 YOUR ENRICHMENT 18 OFSTED OUTSTANDING 20 TRAVEL OPTIONS 22 WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY 24 FAQ’S 26
welco
NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
welcome
We’re delighted that you’ve applied to join New College Doncaster in September. Congratulations if you’ve already had your interview and received a conditional offer. We look forward to interviewing our final group of applicants in June. The college’s popularity has grown year-onyear, with record enrolment last September and record applications for this coming September. This reflects the college’s Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating, very strong results both for A level and applied general courses, achievement rates that place the college in the top 4 nationally for sixth form colleges, and very strong progression to great universities and training. We’re proud of our students, our staff, our high academic standards and our culture. New College is a great place not just to achieve fantastic results, but also as a place in which you can flourish as a young adult. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Brendon Fletcher Principal - New College Doncaster
Students at New College Doncaster experience a culture of very high expectations, which supports them to maximise their potential and achieve their aspirations. Teachers challenge students to be the best that they can be, to have very high levels of attendance and punctuality, and to develop strong, independent learning skills. This culture prepares students exceptionally well to progress to their next steps. Ofsted, December 2021
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
SENIOR TEAM
My role is to ensure that you are well-supported and making excellent progress throughout your New College journey. I want to make sure that your tutorial programme is really valuable to you, that your progress tutors are able to provide you with outstanding personal support and guidance, and that your teachers are able to put effective support in place for you when it’s needed. You will see me a lot around college and I am also a Geography teacher so some of you will also see me in a classroom. I’m really excited about getting to know our next group of Year 12 students. Helen Jackson Vice Principal (Progress, Intervention and Support)
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
My main role in college is quality and standards, working to ensure that teachers have high expectations of all students, and that they put in place effective support and intervention to help you meet and exceed these expectations. In addition, I also co-ordinate the college’s careers strategy, working closely with staff to ensure that you are well supported in preparing for your next steps after college, through a range of activities that includes speakers from a range of universities, employers and apprenticeship providers. I am a Chemistry teacher, and look forward to sharing my passion for the sciences with those of you who choose this route at New College. Dan Wood Assistant Principal My role in college is to work closely with teachers to ensure we are continually developing our practice, drawing on the latest research and evidence to ensure we are using methods known to lead to the best results. I will also ensure we are providing students with the study skills you need to thrive during your time at college: strategies for organisation and revision which have proven success. I am an English teacher and feel very fortunate that I will get to share my love of Literature and Language with some of you. Ceri Boyle Assistant Principal
My role in college is to ensure that your wider experiences in college help to support your own personal development. I’m interested in making sure that your courses help to develop your employability skills and your readiness for university or employment, and that you have opportunities to enrich your learning in college. I also manage systems to track student attendance, which is an essential ingredient of success. Student feedback is important, and I am responsible for creating opportunities for you to share your views and comments about your experiences in college. Scott Faulker Assistant Principal
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
Steps to Enrolling We know you’ll be working hard to achieve the very best possible grades in Year 11 and we want to wish you the very best in all your examinations this summer.
Our conditional offers set out the minimum grades students need to achieve for each of their chosen courses. These minimum entry requirements are there to safeguard students and to ensure that you enrol on courses for which you have secured the knowledge and skills needed to be successful. We’ll talk to you in lots of detail about your results and your course choices when you come to enrol, after receiving your GCSE results. At the end of the summer term we’ll invite you to join one of our two Induction Days at college. This is a great opportunity to start settling into college, to meet your teachers and to find out more about your chosen courses. Your teachers will also provide you with some summer independent learning activities to help you hit the ground running in September.
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Here are some key dates for you: GCSE RESULTS DAY
ENROLMENT DAYS
THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 2022
THURSDAY 25 AUGUST 2022 FRIDAY 26 AUGUST 2022
We’ll write to you over the summer to let you know which of these two dates you should come to enrol, and at what time. It’s important that you keep these dates free and attend at the right time. If you’re not able to attend you might find there’s more limited course availability at a later stage, especially if you change your mind about your course choices or don’t quite get the grades you need.
START OF TEACHING YEAR 12
THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2022
START OF TEACHING YEAR 13
MONDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2022
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
YOUR
sixth form college
New College Doncaster is an academic sixth form which is different to both a school sixth form and a general further education college. All of our students are aged 16-19 and all of our students are studying academic qualifications, mostly A levels but a good number studying A level equivalent qualifications – applied general qualifications such as BTEC courses. New College is a stepping stone to university and your experience with us will feel different to Year 11. It’s not just the fact that students don’t wear uniforms and that we don’t have bells. It’s more about the adult relationship we develop with our students. We are careful to get the balance right – expecting students to work hard and make good progress, checking carefully that things are going well, but trusting you to use your time and the college facilities as a young adult and as an independent student.
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
subject choices
New College is the perfect size for sixth form study – we’re small enough to feel like a community but large enough to offer a huge range of subjects. This means you can genuinely choose the subjects that really excite you, that play to your strengths, that link to your future plans. We can tailor your combination of subjects to you as an individual. Helping you to select the right courses is critically important, which is why your interview and your enrolment meeting after your GCSE results are so important. If you change your mind about your subject choices, the sooner you can let us know the better, by emailing studentservices@ ncdoncaster.ac.uk or by talking to us on the induction days. We won’t be able to make changes during the summer holidays but we’ll be able to discuss course choices again at enrolment, subject to available space.
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
PROGRESS
Throughout your time at New College you’ll know exactly how you are progressing. We use lots of assessment, including traditional exams, but also small, informal knowledge checks during lessons and via your homework (directed independent learning). You’ll be receiving lots of regular feedback, reflecting on the areas you need to target, and addressing any weaknesses really quickly. This helps you to feel confident and in control, and it means you’ll be very wellprepared for your final exams or assignments. After each assessment your teacher will review any extra support you need and agree with you your next steps. You and your parents/carers can check all of your assessment grades and a summary of agreed support and next steps through Cedar, our online portal. Each student will also have a progress tutor who will have the helicopter view of how you are getting on across all of your subjects.
Parents and carers will need to be recorded as a contact to be able to access Cedar. This information is collected during the application and enrolment process. If you have any problems accessing Cedar, please email: studentservices@nclt.ac.uk
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Your New College YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
results We are extremely proud of the results our students achieve at New College Doncaster. In the last set of results published by the government: •W e were positioned top of the performance tables in Doncaster for progress in A level courses •W e were the only school or college in Doncaster where A level progress was above average. •T he average A level grade achieved by New College students was the highest of all state schools and colleges in Doncaster. •A chievement rates are outstanding – we ranked 4th out of 82 sixth form colleges nationally.
99.9% 61% A-Level Pass Rate
A-Level A* - B Grades
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
RESULTS IN 2021 WERe:
100%
75%
98%
70%
BTEC Pass Rate
Distinction* and Distinction grades at BTEC
students from low-income families progressed to university
students progressed to university
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YOUR
wellbeing & support
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
New College is a place which embraces and celebrates our differences. We want all of our students to feel happy, valued and wellsupported. Your progress tutor will often be your first port-of-call if you’re finding things tough. They can provide you with individual support or signpost you to other professionals that can also help, such as our team of counsellors or organisations outside of college. We run lots of events and campaigns throughout the year, helping students to stay safe and to make positive decisions which support good physical and mental health. We also have an experienced and committed team supporting students with additional learning needs (SEND) and a dedicated safeguarding team.
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Your New College YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
ASPIRATIONS
At New College we provide tailored support for you so that you have the very best chance of progressing from New College to a great university, apprenticeship or job. We’ll ask you to review your career plans at key points, so that we can signpost relevant talks by visiting universities or employers, or arrange for you a careers interview. We’ll support you in finding high quality work placements if you have particular careers in mind, such as medicine or teaching, or if you’re studying BTEC courses which include work placements, or if you’re considering work or apprenticeships rather than university. The broad range of activities available as part of our Excel@NCD programme have been specifically designed to prepare, support and engage all students in their applications to university and degree level apprenticeships. This includes applications to Russell Group universities, Oxford and Cambridge, and for very competitive degree courses which have extra hurdles to overcome. We’ll also create opportunities for you to engage with universities, employers or apprenticeship providers within the courses you are studying.
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
enrichment
Whilst studying with us here at New College Doncaster, you will have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of exciting enrichment activities, whether this is taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, contributing to our many sporting clubs and societies, or joining the college’s annual ski trip. There are over 60 fun and exciting extra-curricular activities for you to take part in, with many extra announced throughout the academic year. We encourage students to take part in a range of enrichment programmes, some of which run for the full year, and some of which are short 5-week blocks. This gives you lots of flexibility to choose enrichments that suit you best. Enrichments fall into four different areas: • • • •
Health and Wellbeing Leadership and Experiences Super Curricular Activities Clubs and Societies
Each of your subjects will have also developed a comprehensive range of enrichment encounters specific to your studies. These experiences prepare you for the next stage of your career and help to develop well rounded individuals, with a wide variety of skills and experiences to help you stand out from the crowd. Taking part in enrichment activities is a great way to make new friends, learn new skill, develop confidence and potentially uncover hidden talents .
For more information about any of our enrichment programmes, please visit https://www.ncdoncaster.ac.uk/enrichment
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
ofsted OUTSTANDING
New College Doncaster underwent a full Ofsted inspection in December 2021. We are extremely proud of the feedback and grades that the college received:
• Overall Effectiveness – Outstanding • The quality of education – Outstanding • Behaviour and attitudes – Outstanding • Personal development – Outstanding • Leadership and management – Outstanding • Education programmes for young people – Outstanding • Provision for learners with high needs – Outstanding
Students benefit from very high-quality teaching. Teachers demonstrate a very comprehensive knowledge of their subjects and communicate this well to students. They successfully develop students’ understanding of the technical terminology used in their subject areas. As a result, students quickly develop the new knowledge that they need when they leave college. The learning environment at the college is highly conducive to successful working, quiet when necessary for research and thinking time, but also open and welcoming to allow students to feel confident enough to ask and answer questions. Students value this environment and participate actively in their lessons. They concentrate well, work hard and demonstrate a disciplined approach when working independently. Leaders and staff successfully support students to become highly respectful and active citizens. Students have an excellent understanding of British values such as mutual respect and tolerance, and endeavour to emulate these values. They are very respectful and courteous to each other, to staff and to visitors to the college. They feel safe at college and are confident that, if they have any concerns, these will be addressed quickly.
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FSTE
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
YOUR
travel options Transport provision for college includes routes from locations in South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and North Lincolnshire. This provision is a mixture of either public service buses or private college services. You can currently get a bus directly to college from any of the locations opposite. www.ncdoncaster.ac.uk/travel
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YOUR NEW COLLEGE
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
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STUDENTS New College Doncaster
Case Study
Kundai Chindika A Level Economics A Level Business Studies A Level Accounting DESTINATION Business Management, Accounting and Finance @ Newcastle University ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I've taken part in lots of activities including Enterprise group, the Modern Languages film club and subject specific talks from the likes of Price Waterhouse Coopers."
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"Teachers and progress tutors have been great and very supportive. Lessons are challenging with lots of opportunities to push yourself."
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
New College Doncaster
Case Study
Alistair Dockerty A Level PE A Level Geography A Level Psychology DESTINATION Sport and Exercise Science @ Leeds Beckett University
ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I have represented New College playing in the first team for football. I have also taken part in the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme whilst studying at New College."
"Coming to New College enabled me to meet lots of new people outside my secondary school."
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
New College Doncaster
Case Study
Amara Piperdry A Level Maths A Level Media Studies A Level Sociology A Level English Language and Literature
DESTINATION BA Business and Sociology @ Newcastle University
ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I took part in a work experience opportunity within a law firm during my time at New College."
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Whilst at New College I received lots of support from Teachers if I ever struggled with concepts. I liked how there is a wide variety of places to study and the Starbucks on site was also a great bonus
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
New College Doncaster
Case Study
Emily Fee A Level Maths A Level PE A Level Chemistry DESTINATION Chemistry MSC @ University of Birmingham
ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I have taken part in a wide range of activities including netball, Sports Ambassadors, the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, peer mentoring and the Maths Challenge."
"Meeting new people and studying independently, whilst having opportunities. Having teachers who know their subjects in a lot of detail as well as having access to really good facilities in a positive environment. I've also received a great amount of support and advice in regards to my application for university."
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
New College Doncaster
Case Study
Lucy Brindley A Level Maths A Level Biology A Level English Language and Literature DESTINATION Biomedical Science @ University of Sheffield
ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I have taken part in badminton as an extra curricular activity."
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"The quality of teaching here at New College has been great, there is lots of access to study materials. There is also lots of advice on effective revision techniques that are beneficial for the future."
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
New College Doncaster
Case Study
Ben Herring A Level History A Level Politics A Level Economics DESTINATION Politics, Philosophy and Economics
@ University of Cambridge ENRICHMENTS TAKEN "I have represented New College numerous times as part of the football team. I have also taken part in subject enrichments such as talks from the Bank of England and a Nick Fletcher MP focus group whilst studying at New College."
"I like the freedom to choose my own subjects in an adult environment, which has allowed me to pursue my interests. New College has always been accommodating of extra curricular passions, building dedicated time into our timetable for these."
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faq’s
NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER
faqs
What if I change my mind about my subject choices? Don’t worry, it may be possible for you to change subjects. Just let us know by emailing studentservices@ncdoncaster.ac.uk by Wednesday 6 July. You may also be able to change subjects when you come to enrol. This will obviously depend on there being space available on the course, and you achieving the subject entry requirements.
If I change my mind about courses, what happens to the Summer Independent Learning? You will need to complete the SIL for the courses that you enrol on before the start of term in September. If you are undecided between 2 courses, we strongly recommend that you complete the work for both courses. This will help you to decide which you prefer and will also mean that you are ready in time for the start of term. What if I’ve also applied to my school sixth form? That’s no problem. Remember that you are free to apply to as many places as you like and you don’t have to make your final decision until after your GCSE results, when you officially enrol. At this stage, any places you accept are simply provisional (and you can accept places at more than just one place, for the time being).
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What if I don’t get the grades I need? We offer a range of courses with different entry requirements, so if things don’t go quite to plan we’ll explore all of the other options that may be available to you at your enrolment. What if I haven’t done the Summer Independent Learning? The SIL is a requirement for all courses and MUST be completed before the start of term. It will be the basis of your first assessment and it will tell us how committed you are to studying with us. Any incomplete work will be expected to be done within a very short deadline and you will have given a poor first impression.
YOUR NEW COLLEGE
OFFICIAL The official New College clothing range is available to all students. Order yours online at ncdoncaster.ac.uk/nc-official
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NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER Hurst Lane, Doncaster, DN9 3HG Phone: 01302 976777 Email: info@ncdoncaster.ac.uk ncdoncaster
