Rochdale Sixth Form College
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Rochdale Sixth Form College
| image = Rochdale Sixth Form College Logo.png
| image_size =
| coordinates = {{coord|53.6171|-2.1637|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}
| motto =
| established = 1 September 2010
| closed =
| type = Sixth Form College
| religious_affiliation =
| president =
| head_label = Principal
| head = Karl Smith {{cite web |title=Meet the Team |website=Rochdale Sixth Form College |url=https://www.rochdalesfc.ac.uk/81/meet-the-team }}
| chair_label =
| chair =
| founder =
| specialist =
| address = College Road
| city = Rochdale
| county = Greater Manchester
| country = United Kingdom
| postcode = OL12 6HY
| local_authority = Rochdale
| ofsted =
| dfeno =
| urn = 144463
| staff =
| lower_age = 16
| upper_age = 18
| houses =
| colours =
| publication =
| free_label_1 =
| free_1 =
| free_label_2 =
| free_2 =
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| free_3 =
| website = http://www.rochdalesfc.ac.uk
}}
Rochdale Sixth Form College is a Sixth Form College opened in September 2010. The Sixth Form College campus is situated next to Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, forming an educational quarter in the town. Rochdale is the first sixth form college to be opened in the UK since 2004, and the 93rd sixth form college in the country. The college is a member of the Sixth Form College Association (SFCA), founder of the Student Union of Celebration and Co-operation (SUCC), and the Association of Colleges (AoC).
History
From the 1970s to the 1990s, most secondary schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale offered sixth form education such as A-levels to school leavers. In addition, Hopwood Hall College also offered a provision of sixth form courses to students.
By the 2000s, sixth form students studying in Rochdale Borough were achieving below the national average in terms of A Level results. As well as this, many local school leavers were opting to study sixth form education at schools or colleges outside of Rochdale borough, particularly at dedicated sixth form colleges in nearby areas such as Bury and Oldham.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/2254/number-of-alevel-students-justifies-need-for-rochdale-sixth-form-college |title=Rochdale News | News Headlines | Number of A-Level students justifies need for Rochdale sixth form college |publisher=Rochdale Online |date=2007-08-16 |access-date=2012-08-06}} In a local area review of post-16 education in Rochdale in 2004, the Learning and Skills Council proposed the construction of a new sixth form college in Rochdale borough. Rochdale's MP, Paul Rowen, along with local student, Sajid Suleman, launched a campaign in 2006 for a new sixth form college in Rochdale to stop the "brain drain".{{cite news|url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/education/s/221845_stop_brain_drain_so_town_can_make_grade|title='Stop brain drain so town can make grade'|work=Manchester Evening News|date=28 August 2006|last=McMullan|first=Dan|publisher=M.E.N. Media}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/4018/time-to-end-brain-drain-says-rochdale-mp |title=Rochdale News | News Headlines | Time to end brain drain says Rochdale MP |publisher=Rochdale Online |date=2006-08-25 |access-date=2012-08-06}} After funding for the new college became available, the Department for Children, Schools and Families formally approved the construction of the new college in August 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/12536/rochdale-sixth-form-college-gets-go-ahead |title=Rochdale News | News Headlines | Rochdale Sixth Form College gets go ahead |publisher=Rochdale Online |access-date=2012-08-06}}
The Chair of the Governing Body is Dame Pamela Coward, former headteacher of Middleton Technology School.
The £26 million new sixth form college campus was subsequently constructed next to Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale town.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/36030/rochdale-sixth-form-college-links-with-leading-universities |title=Rochdale News | News Headlines | Rochdale Sixth Form College links with leading universities |publisher=Rochdale Online |date=2010-02-01 |access-date=2012-08-06}} Rochdale Sixth Form College opened in September 2010, overseen by the Founding Principal of the college, Julian Appleyard. Appleyard served as Principal of the college for eight years, leaving his position at the end of February, 2018.{{Cite web |date=6 September 2017 |title=Julian Appleyard to leave Rochdale Sixth Form |url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/112246/julian-appleyard-to-leave-rochdale-sixth-form |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Rochdale Online}} Appleyard was followed by Richard Ronksley, who assumed the role of Principal near the end of 2018.{{Cite web |date=20 June 2018 |title=New principal appointed at Rochdale Sixth Form College |url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/119758/new-principal-appointed-at-rochdale-sixth-form-college |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Rochdale Online}} Ronksley served as Principal of Rochdale Sixth Form until January 2023, when the current Principal, Karl Smith, took his position.{{Cite web |title=Karl Smith on LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-smith-01a81770/?originalSubdomain=uk |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=LinkedIn}}
Rochdale Sixth Form College is now the primary provider of sixth form education in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, with around 10% of students on roll from schools outside of Rochdale.{{Cite web |title=College Context and Admissions |url=https://www.rochdalesfc.ac.uk/419/college-context-and-admissions |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Rochdale Sixth Form College}} Since the opening of the college, most (but not all) secondary schools in the borough have ceased to offer sixth form courses for students. Hopwood Hall College has also discontinued its provision of A-levels,{{Cite news |date=18 August 2010 |title=College says "goodbye" to A-levels |work=Rochdale Online |url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/45942/college-says-goodbye-to-alevels |access-date=28 November 2023}} concentrating instead on offering vocational further education for school leavers, as well as courses for adult learners.
Today
Opened in September 2010, Rochdale Sixth Form College offers a range of A-level courses to students from Rochdale and the wider borough. Facilities at the college campus include a theatre and dance/drama studio,{{Cite web |title=Rochdale Sixth Form College |url=https://www.sevenarchitecture.co.uk/latest/projects/rochdale-sixth-form-college/ |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=sevenarchitecture|date=7 September 2018 }} learning resource and study centre, ICT suites, science laboratories,{{Cite web |title=Rochdale Sixth Form College |url=https://find-an-architect.architecture.com/seven-architecture-limited/harrogate/rochdale-sixth-form-college |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Find An Architect}} a music recording studio and Mac suite, specialist art and design studios, a restaurant, a coffee house, a fitness suite and a multi-faith prayer room.
The first set of academic results by the College were in the top 5% of all sixth form institutions in the UK in value added terms. The College received national coverage for this performance. In the same year the College Principal was the key note speaker at a number of sixth form national conferences and continues to feature leading sessions on post 16 leadership at national conferences.
The College continues to make the headlines for its academic performance. The A Level results showed a 99% pass rate and value added for AS Level place it in the top 1% of sixth forms in the country. The College featured very prominently in the Department for Education League Tables in February 2013 where it was number two out of 93 sixth form colleges in the UK in terms of value added. The College had its first OFSTED inspection in March 2013 and received the result of being an outstanding college, one of only two sixth form colleges nationally to be awarded the outstanding status under the rigorous new inspection framework.
The College goes from strength to strength and now has national acclaim. The College made history in January 2017 being the first placed college for the third consecutive year in the Department for Education Performance tables for A level progress. In January 2019, the College achieved first place in the Department for Educations Performance tables for the fifth year running,{{Cite web |date=29 January 2019 |title=Rochdale Sixth Form College ranked number one for fifth year |url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/125714/rochdale-sixth-form-college-ranked-number-one-for-fifth-year |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Rochdale Online}} and went on to win the sixth-form of the year award at the 2021 Tes FE Awards,{{Cite web |date=1 June 2021 |title=Rochdale Sixth Form College wins at prestigious Further Education awards |url=https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/141215/rochdale-sixth-form-college-wins-at-prestigious-further-education-awards |access-date=28 November 2023 |website=Rochdale Online}} Tes Magazine being widely considered the most trusted source of education news and views in the UK.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Schools in Rochdale}}
{{Universities and colleges in North West England}}
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Category:Education in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
Category:Sixth form colleges in Greater Manchester