Sixth Form College, Farnborough

In 2006, the college ranked third place in the school league table for Hampshire, achieving a higher ranking for A-Level results than several highly regarded independent and private schools in the area.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/education/06/school_tables/secondary_schools/html/850_alevel_lea.stm|title=BBC NEWS – Education – League Tables – Secondary schools in Hampshire|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}

In 2007, the college was rated 'Outstanding' by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector,[http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=295114&providerCategoryID=524288&fileName=\\school\\130\\av1_130703_20070420.pdf 2007 inspection report]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} from OFSTED and it retains Beacon Status as one of the country’s top sixth form colleges. The college was rated 'Outstanding' again in 2021.{{cite web|last=Ofsted Communications Team|date=8 October 2020|title=Find an inspection report and registered childcare|url=http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report|access-date=12 November 2021|website=reports.ofsted.gov.uk}}

In 2010, the college was one of the first colleges nationwide to gain the 'NFER Research-Engaged Award'.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In 2012, Prince Philip presented the college with one of the first Duke of Edinburgh Award Operating Licences, making the college a Directly Licensed Centre in the Duke of Edinburgh Award network.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

The college has also attained awards including the 'Investors in People', 'Investors in Careers', 'Positive about Disabled People' and 'Fairtrade' awards.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

The college was founded as the Farnborough Grammar School in September 1936, when the Aldershot County High School outgrew its premises and the boys were relocated to Farnborough.{{cite web|url=http://www.f-g-s.co.uk/|title=Farnborough Grammar School|website=www.f-g-s.co.uk}}

The Sixth Form College was created from 1974 to 1978, gradually enlarging as the number of Grammar School pupils reduced. Since being incorporated as a sixth form college in 1992, it has grown fast from 1,180 full-time students in 1992{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} to now having over 3000.

Dr John J Guy was the principal from 1992 to 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/files/File/JobDescriptions/About%20the%20College%20February%202008.pdf |title=The Sixth Form College Farnborough – About The College |date=25 January 2009 |access-date=25 January 2009}} {{dead link|date=September 2010}} He served on a number of government committees, including the Tomlinson Committee on 14–19 reform, and in 2001 was awarded the OBE for services to education.[http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/about/principalship.aspx The Sixth Form College Farnborough – Principalship] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220022048/http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/about/principalship.aspx |date=20 December 2008 }}

He was succeeded as principal in September 2010 by the college's deputy principal, Simon Jarvis.[http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2067509_farnborough_sixth_form_college_unveils_new_principal Farnborough Sixth Form College unveils new principal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322205822/http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2067509_farnborough_sixth_form_college_unveils_new_principal |date=22 March 2010 }}, Get Hampshire, 12 March 2010

In February 2018, it was announced that Catherine Cole, Deputy Principal (Student Services), would succeed Simon Jarvis when he stepped down as Principal (but would continue as CEO of the Prospect Trust) in September 2018.{{cite web|url=https://farnborough.ac.uk/news/show/6492|title=New College Principal Appointed – News – The Sixth Form College Farnborough|website=farnborough.ac.uk|access-date=2 June 2018}}

Catherine Cole stepped down as Principal of the college at the end of the 2022–2023 academic year. She was replaced by Zoe Smallman.{{cite web|url=https://farnborough.ac.uk/news/show/6802|title=Newsletter February 2023|website=farnborough.ac.uk|access-date=10 April 2023}}{{fv|date=September 2023|reason= no mention of Zoe Smallman}}

On 19 November 2024, the school was placed into lockdown twice as a result of bomb threats allegedly from a 40 year old man from Farnborough, who the police arrested on the same day. {{cite news |title=Man arrested over college bomb threat |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gp9lxd2d2o |access-date=19 November 2024}}

File:Cafe Direct at Farnborough Sixth Form College.jpg

The college has undergone a major building programme costing over £15 million. The first project was the Prospect Theatre and performing arts suite, which was opened by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex in 2000. Also, The Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre was opened on 25 April 2007 by the double Olympic gold medallist. The developments have also seen the construction of a brand new quad built in the centre of the college, and the Whitehouse Building which boasts an e-Assessment Centre – an IT centre for students to use. The John Guy Building is a new block which replaced the former 1960s Scola block {{cn|date=April 2023}}. The John Guy Building was opened by the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove in 2010 and houses the physics, computing, arts and photographic departments. It was given a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating. The college has three cafeterias: Café Direct, TimeOut and Shades. The college also has two large fields which are used for sports and recreational purposes. The latest building is the Simon Jarvis lecture theatre attached to the Ranson building, which was opened in September 2018.{{cite web |title=Official opening of new lecture theatre – News – The Sixth Form College Farnborough |url=https://farnborough.ac.uk/news/show/6548?fromArchive=True |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=farnborough.ac.uk}}

Every March, students elect a President and Vice President, via Single Transferable Vote, who together lead the appointed committee to organise student affairs and social activities in and outside of the college, as well as charity events. The President and Vice President sit on the Academy Quality Council.

In October 2007, the 2007/2008 Student Association broke the college record, which had been set the previous year, for the most money raised in a single college day; the £1,800 that was raised eventually went to a variety of gene therapy charities through the 'Jeans for Genes' initiative.[http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=88 Students Boycott Jeans for Genes] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009080301/http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=88 |date=9 October 2008 }}, News page on college website, 1 November 2007 In 2007 the school undertook a project for Red Nose Day in which over a thousand students took to the field holding red paper above their heads, first making the shape of a nose and then a 6 (the logo of the college), filmed by the BBC from a helicopter.

The college has established links with Presbyterian Secondary Technical School, Aburi, Ghana. This project is called the Ghana Link and it aims to broaden students from both schools' horizons and develop a two way partnership that would be of benefit to both parties.{{cite web|url=https://myspace.com/ghana_link|title=Ghana Link (ghana_link) on Myspace|website=Myspace}}[http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=113 Ghanaian Students visit College] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412173840/http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=113 |date=12 April 2008 }} from the news pages of the College website

The college also has links with the German town of Oberursel and its secondary school. There is an annual exchange program for students studying German. {{cite web |title=German Exchange Trip – News – The Sixth Form College Farnborough |url=https://farnborough.ac.uk/news/show/6633?fromArchive=True |access-date=17 April 2023 |website=farnborough.ac.uk}}

In March 2000, Prince Edward opened the new £2.5 million Performing Arts Centre incorporating the modern 300-seat Prospect Theatre and teaching suites for music, dance and drama. One of the music enrichments making use of this facility is the biannual college Opera Project, where full-scale operas are performed by students. In 2006, the college staged The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart.[http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=27 News report of The Marriage of Figaro performed at the college] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009080235/http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=27 |date=9 October 2008 }} from the news pages of the college website A performance of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel took place in July 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=122 |access-date=17 August 2008 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009080224/http://www.farnboroughsfc2.ac.uk/home/news.aspx?id=122 |archive-date=9 October 2008 |title=The Sixth Form College Farnborough }}

File:CristalWeb.pngCristalWeb is the college's web-based management information system that allows students and staff to see the data that the college holds on them. It is extensively used within the college, to pass messages from staff to students, take registers of classes, submit absence reasons, look up exam results, amend certificates of enrichment, and edit students' personal information.{{cite web|title=Your College, anywhere – The Sixth Form College Farnborough|url=https://farnborough.ac.uk/learning-oursystems|access-date=7 October 2021|website=farnborough.ac.uk}} Students also have access to Google Sites created by each subject; this is referred to as the Study Directory. Homework is assigned through Google Classroom. The CristalWeb system has been operating since mid-2004.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

• Nicholas Hoult, actor
• Carla Denyer, Member of Parliament for Bristol Central, and Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales completed A-levels in maths, further maths, physics, and philosophy {{cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/greens/2024/07/inside-greens-battle-bristol-central|title= Inside the Greens’ battle for Bristol Central|date=2 July 2024|via=www.newstatesman.co.uk}}
• Grace Blakeley, journalist
• Remember Monday, girl band and Eurovision 2025 entrant for the UK
• Jessica Castles, gymnast
• Victoria Atkin, former Hollyoaks actress

{{cite web |url=http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2119101_stars_of_future_learn_from_hollyoaks_favourite |title=Stars of future learn from Hollyoaks favourite- Gethampshire |access-date=21 August 2012 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120824180512/http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/2119101_stars_of_future_learn_from_hollyoaks_favourite |archive-date=24 August 2012 }}

• Stephen Timms, government minister, Labour MP since 1997 for East Ham and from 1994–7 for Newham North East{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/7726242/Stephen-Timms-MP-with-the-safest-seat-in-Commons.html|title=Stephen Timms: MP with the safest seat in Commons|date=14 May 2010|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}
• Michael Whelan, Professor of Microscopy of Materials from 1992–7 at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford{{cite web|url=https://authors.library.caltech.edu/5456/1/hrst.mit.edu/hrs/materials/public/Whelan/Whelan_interview.htm|title=Interview Professor Michael Whelan|website=authors.library.caltech.edu}}
• Alan Clayson, musician and author

{{reflist}}

• [https://farnborough.ac.uk/ Official website]
• [https://archive.today/20130513111237/http://www.edubase.gov.uk/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=130703 EduBase]

{{Universities and colleges in South East England}}

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Category:Learning and Skills Beacons

Category:Sixth form colleges in Hampshire

Category:Educational institutions established in 1936

Sixth Form College

Category:1936 establishments in England