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New College Pontefract 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 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, apprenticeships or employment 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 mainly about the adult relationship we develop with our students. We work hard to get the balance right – expecting students to work hard and make good progress, checking carefully that things are going well, but relying on you to use your time and the college facilities effectively as a young adult and as an independent student.

In 2020, New College Pontefract was named as both Sixth Form College of the Year and Overall FE Provider of the Year at the 2020 TES Awards. This was joined by the SLT winning a ‘Silver’ award in the Team of the Year category at the Pearson National Teaching Awards.

SUBJECT CHOICES YOUR

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 interest you, that play to your strengths and 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. Don’t worry if you’ve changed your mind about your subjects, just let us know by emailing studentservices@ncpontefract.ac.uk, or let us know when you enrol. It’s best to let us know as soon as you can though, as subjects do become full.

Summer Independent Learning (SIL)

Instructions for completing the SIL for each course is available on our website - ncpontefract.ac.uk/SIL. This work is intended to keep your mind active and to prepare you for the courses that you are studying at college. The work is compulsory and will be either handed in during your first lesson or tested during the first week of term. It’s really important that you put in enough time and effort to get this right – it’s the first impression your teachers will get and it will help you to really decide if you’ve made the right subject choices. Don’t leave it until the last minute, as you will need approximately 12 hours per subject to complete the work.