Your New College 2024 - New College Pontefract

NCPONTEFRACT

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VICKY MARKS Principal of New College Pontefract

Many congratulations on receiving a conditional offer to study at New College Pontefract from September. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with you on the next step of your learning journey, but before you join us you will need to complete the hurdle of your GCSEs. These genuinely make a difference to the opportunities available to you after college, so I know you will want to work hard at ensuring they are as strong as possible. To give you something positive to look forward to, this booklet provides a more detailed picture of all the benefits of joining us at New College in September, once this summer’s exams are over. If you have any other questions after reading it, we look froward to answering them at your NCP Induction Day when we see you in July.

Until then, good luck with the rest of your GCSEs and keep up the hard work.

YOUR SENIOR TEAM

One of my main roles is to ensure that your transition from school to college is as smooth as possible. This can be a daunting time for any young adult and making the decision about where to study post 16, and which courses to choose, are most likely the biggest decisions of your life so far. Once you are at college, I want to ensure that you have an amazing experience both inside and outside of the classroom and that we enable you to continue to grow as an individual, to leave completely ready for the next journey in your life. I’m a Maths teacher who is not only passionate about my subject but also about helping young people to become all they can be. You will see me around the college on a daily basis and I’m really excited about getting to know our next group of Year 12 students.

Neil

Mumby Vice Principal (School Liaison, IAG and

transition)

As Vice Principal my main role is to ensure that you receive the highest quality education during your time at New College. I work closely with teaching staff to ensure that high standards are consistent throughout all subjects and qualifications, so that students are able to achieve the best possible outcomes. Part of my role involves checking that students are being provided with all the information, resources and skills that they need to succeed, and also that students are using these tools effectively. You will see me frequently around college and I am very much looking forward to meeting our new year group. I teach Physical Education and I believe that every young person deserves the best education possible to enable them to excel in their chosen futures!

Chelsea Branson Webster Vice Principal (Quality, Standards, Performance & Personal Development)

As Assistant Principal for Achievement and Support I oversee and line manage pastoral support services including Progress Tutors, Study Support, Safeguarding and Counselling. As part of my achievement focus, I make sure support is put in place, where required, to ensure students achieve their desired outcomes. I am also one of the Progress Tutors within college.

Jo Holden Assistant Principal

I am the Assistant Principal responsible for Teaching for Learning. My role is to ensure that students get an outstanding experience in the classroom. My background is in Psychology, so I train teachers how to use effective strategies to enhance student learning and memory. You can expect to see me coming in and out of lessons across the college, as I love to see what’s going on!

Lisa Marwood Assistant Principal

James Morris

Assistant Principal

I am the Assistant Principal overseeing all Applied General qualifications at college, such as BTECs, Cambridge Technicals, CACHE, UAL and WJEC qualifications. I also lead on behaviour management in college, and teach in the PE and Sport department.

Jones Assistant Principal

As Assistant Principal for Quality and Standards, it is my responsibility to assure that all students receive a consistently high level of education that is challenging, engaging, and purposeful. I work alongside our teaching staff to ensure that high expectations are upheld and that you have effective support and intervention in place to reach your potential. I teach Sociology and love sharing my passion for the subject with the students in my classroom.

Gabrielle

YOUR STEPS TO ENROLLING

Once GCSE exams are over, you will be invited to one of our Induction Days on 4 or 5 July. This is an important opportunity to start settling into college before the summer, 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, which you will need to complete before coming to college in September.

Before the end of July, we will invite you by letter to attend Enrolment Day on 22 or 23 August. This letter will contain very important information about when to attend and what to bring with you, so please read it carefully.

Here are some key dates for you:

THURSDAY 4 AND FRIDAY 5 JULY 2024 INDUCTION DAYS

THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2024

THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2024

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST 2024 GCSE RESULTS DAY ENROLMENT DAYS

YOUR sixth form college

MONDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2024

THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2024 START OF TEACHING YEAR 12 START OF TEACHING YEAR 13

Enrolment is when we review your GCSE results with you, and check if you have met the entry requirements for the courses you chose. It is at this point that we make final decisions about your place at New College Pontefract and the subjects you will study with us.

It is extremely important that you let us know if you can’t attend on the day and time of your enrolment appointment. To do this, please follow the instructions on the invitation letter when you receive it.

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 A-levels or 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 added to with the SLT winning a ‘Silver’ award and the P.E. and Sport department winning a ‘Gold’ award in the ‘Team of the Year’ category at the Pearson National Teaching Awards.

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 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 critical, which is why your interview and your enrolment meeting after your GCSE results are so important. If you’ve changed your mind about your subjects, it may be possible to make changes, depending on availability. You can email NCP-StudentServices@nclt.ac.uk by 5 July 2024 at the latest or alternatively you can request changes during the enrolment process. The courses fill up quickly, so we can’t promise that everything will be available, and of course you will need to meet the entry requirements.

Summer Independent Learning (SIL)

We ask all students to complete some work during their summer break to keep your mind active and to prepare you for the courses that you are studying at college.

Instructions for completing the SIL for each course will be available on our website: (SIL is usually uploaded in the last week of June)https://ncpontefract.ac.uk/SIL/

The work 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.

It may be advisable to complete the work after enrolling in August if you are unsure as to whether you will meet the entry requirements for your chosen courses.

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 well-prepared 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.

You will need to be recorded as a contact with your email address to access Cedar. This information is collected during the enrolment process.

If you have any problems accessing Cedar, please email: studentservices@nclt.ac.uk

New College Pontefract students have achieved another set of excellent results this year, meaning that the significant majority have progressed to the university course, job or apprenticeship of their choice.

This year, 61.2% of A-level students achieved an A*, A or B in their results, matching the same figure for 2019, reflecting not only the hard work of the staff and students but also the national context of a return to pre-Covid grade boundaries. This is well in excess of this year’s national average of 52.7% for high grades at A-level. Alongside this, 69.3% achieved a high grade in their Applied General courses such as BTECs, only slightly below last year’s 72%, when the grade boundaries were more generous. For A-level, the overall pass rate was 99.8%, and for Applied General 99.6%.

These results ensure that the significant majority of students will be able to access the university, job or apprenticeship of their choice, building on the excellent trackrecord New College has of ensuring that young people make concrete progress towards

YOUR WELLBEING & SUPPORT

New College is a place that embraces and celebrates our differences.

We want all of our students to feel happy, valued and well-supported.

Your progress tutor will often be your first port-of-call if you’re finding things tough.

They can provide you with individual advice and 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 that 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.

New College has a dedicated team of counsellors situated within the privacy of our onsite Wellbeing Hub, to confidentially support our students with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Regular one-to-one appointments or drop-in sessions are available throughout term time. The Wellbeing Hub is also where you will find our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, should you have any safeguarding concerns or queries.

Wellbeing Hub New College offers support to students through a free and confidential counselling service which is provided for all students to access throughout their time at college. The counselling service is provided by qualified counsellors and is here to provide students with the opportunity and space to think, talk and explore any difficulties they may be experiencing in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

The Wellbeing Hub also offers support to students from external agencies around mental health and wellbeing.

Directed IndependEnt Learning

This is at the heart of every student’s success.

Taking responsibility for your own learning is essential if you are to succeed in post-16 education.

College life differs in some important ways from school life, and this may be partly why you are interested in joining us. To start with, there are no uniforms and no bells, and you are encouraged to call staff by their first names.

However, taking responsibility for your learning is a part of this young adult approach.

You will have study periods on your timetable where you will be expected to undertake your Directed Independent Learning.

You will be set independent learning tasks by each subject for up to 4.5 hours every week.

This means that in Year 12 every student will need to work for an average of up to 13.5 hours outside of class, in college or at home.

Intervention And Support Centre

New College has a dedicated silent study space called the Intervention & Support Centre (ISC).

This can be used to support you to complete Directed Independent Learning or other self-directed work during periods where you are not timetabled in other sessions, should you require more structure to your college day in order to stay organised.

Students may be referred to the ISC for one or more periods a week by their teachers or tutor; though many students opt to self-refer when they recognise the benefits of having independent study periods on their timetable.

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 experience especially if you have a particular career aim in mind, such as medicine or teaching, or if you’re studying BTEC courses with mandatory work placements. All students meet employers during their two years with us and leave ready for the world of work or further study.

The broad range of activities available as part of our Excel@NCP 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.

YOUR ENRICHMENT

At New College we expect all students to benefit from our varied enrichment programme. Activities are grouped into ‘Clubs and Societies’, ‘Health and Wellbeing’, ‘Super-curricular’ and ‘Leadership and Life Experiences’.

If you’re sporty, you might be interested in the football, rugby, netball or basketball teams. If you enjoy travel, you could take part in World Challenge, fundraising for an expedition to a far-flung part of the world.

We offer Duke of Edinburgh Silver and Gold awards, too. You could get involved in our student executive team and stand for election, organising events, raising money for charity, and giving a voice to the student body.

You could become a Student Ambassador and support your subject departments during open events and as a peer mentor.

There are also many opportunities to join trips or to attend talks by visiting speakers, some of which will be organised within your courses, and some of which are open to students across the college.

At New College there is lots to get involved in outside of lessons and it’s a great way to make new friends, learn new skills that will be valuable for life, develop confidence and discover hidden talents.

If you don’t see anything that interests you, let us know or feel free to run your own club!

Find out more at ncpontefract.ac.uk/enrichment

YOUR TRAVEL OPTIONS

Transport provision for college includes routes from locations all over the Yorkshire area. This provision is a mixture of either public service buses or one of our twelve private college services. Please see the map for the college service routes.

For more information visit ncpontefract.ac.uk/travel

New College offers 12 private bus routes operated by Poppleton’s Coaches, serving many surrounding areas of the region. We heavily subsidise the cost of the pass to make it easier than ever for you to access New College.

For more information, to access the latest up-to-date timings and to find out the latest pricing, please visit www.ncpontefract.ac.uk/travel or speak to a member of the Student Services team on 01977 702139

ADDITIONAL INFO:

• For all bus routes you should arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes before departure and signal the bus to stop.

• The bus will NOT STOP unless an indication is made to the driver that you wish to board!

• All buses can be boarded at any bus stop along all routes

BUS PASS INFORMATION

• To travel on a New College bus, you must have a New College bus pass and it must be shown on each journey.

• Timings are subject to change. Please check our website for the most up-to-date information.

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

VANESSA OBASOGIE SAM KAY

I STUDIED: I STUDIED:

ROYDS SCHOOL KETTLETHORPE HIGH SCHOOL A

• MEDIA MAGAZINE

• TEXTILES STUDENT AMBASSADOR

• Duke of Edinburgh Bronze • Runner-up for President of Student Exec

What did you enjoy best about college?

• DUKE OF EDINBURGH BRONZE

• RUNNER-UP FOR PRESIDENT OF STUDENT EXEC

ENRICHMENTS TAKEN: ENRICHMENTS TAKEN: NOW STUDYING:

• A LEVEL MATHS TUTOR BA IN FASHION DESIGN BSC IN MATHEMATICS NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

Great environment and staff that are always willing to push you to your highest potential.

• A Level Maths tutor BSc in Mathematics

What did you enjoy best about college?

The best part of studying at New College was the friendliness and support from all the teachers. I thoroughly enjoyed all my lessons and was never afraid to ask for help.

Scan or click the QR code to see the video from our latest results day

a large number of students “progress to higher-level study at degree level or apprenticeships at level 4 and above.”

New College Pontefract, has once again been awarded an “outstanding” report by Ofsted.

The inspection report found that the college’s students “demonstrate exemplary behaviour in lessons and around the college”, and that they “benefit from a very supportive culture at the college”, developing “very positive relationships with teachers and staff in a supportive role.”

Amongst the many high points, the report identified the college’s success with all students, including those with high needs, in achieving “their planned qualifications with high grades”, as well as pointing out that a large number of students “progress to higher-level study at degree level or apprenticeships at level 4 and above”.

Teachers “provide highly specific feedback, which supports students to identify how they can achieve higher grades”, whilst the inspectors found that leaders and specialist subject staff “have designed a highly ambitious curriculum across a broad range of subjects”.

The report also praises the “very broad range of enrichment activities” on offer that “almost all students participate in”, as well as commending the College’s local advisory group and the Trust’s directors for helping “to steer improvements and ensure that leaders act promptly and effectively when required to do so”.

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: NCP-StudentServices@nclt.ac.uk by Friday 5 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.

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.

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 two 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).

What if I can’t make my enrolment appointment?

You will be given detailed information in your enrolment letter that you must follow.

In short, you will have to fill in an online form by the given deadline and we will save places on the courses you have chosen, if you have met the entry requirements for those courses.

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. Failure to complete the SIL beforehand will give a very poor first impression. Any incomplete work will be expected to be finished within a very short deadline.

The official New College clothing range is available to all students.

Order yours online at ncpontefract.ac.uk/nc-official