ofsted
ofsted

A Guide to College for Year 9 and 10 Students

Make Yourself at Farnborough

As a student in Year 9 or 10, leaving school may seem like a long time away – but it’s never too early to start thinking about what you’d like to do in the future. One of your options after your GCSEs is to join our outstanding college and become one of the many students who succeed with us.

Through this guide we’ll introduce you to what college life is like here at Farnborough, the different types of courses and subjects you can choose from, and the easy steps to joining us.

Choose the Subjects You Want to Study

At Farnborough you can study the subjects you’re passionate about. From creative to hands-on, there are a wide range of exciting choices that could lead to a career you’ll love.

New Skills, Friends and Experiences Await You

We offer a number of enrichment activities, events and trips, giving you the chance to learn new skills and make friends – whether that’s at our Gaming Club or Freshers’ Fair celebration.

We’ll Guide and Support You Along the Way

We want you to be happy and healthy as a student with us. Whether you need assistance with your studies, health, wellbeing, or the costs of studying, we have plenty of support in place to help.

Choosing your course

Whatever your style of learning, we offer something for everyone. There are four types of course you can choose from with us, which are each taught in different ways. It’s good to consider how you like to learn as well as your goals when making your choice.

A Levels

Study Multiple Subjects In-depth

Students choose to study A Levels with us for our close-knit classes and dedicated lecturers. A Levels give you the opportunity to study three different academic subjects, meaning you can keep your options open for university and careers. They are taught in a similar way to school, with teaching mostly taking place in classrooms.

  • Ideal if you want to study multiple subjects
  • Can lead to university-level study, including with us at University Centre Farnborough
  • Typically assessed through exams with some coursework
  • At Farnborough you will receive plenty of personalised support and won’t get lost in the crowd

Click here to explore our A Level subjects.

Mix and match

We offer a unique opportunity to combine some of our Vocational and Technical courses with A Levels, allowing you to tailor your qualification to your goals. Click here to find out more.

Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn

Our range of Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to earn a salary while you learn. Apprenticeships are real jobs with training. They involve a mix of learning in the workplace and at college with support from our dedicated Apprenticeships Team. This means you earn a salary while training for a specific career.

  • Ideal if you have a particular career or employer in-mind
  • Can study up to university-level in many subjects
  • Lots of hands-on learning
  • Many students remain with their employer after completing their apprenticeship

Click here to explore our apprenticeship subjects.

BTEC and Vocational Courses

Get hands-on and career-ready

At Farnborough we’re known for our range of work-focused Vocational and Technical courses. These courses allow you to study one subject in-depth and prepare you for an exciting career in a specific profession or industry. You’ll train hands-on in our industry-standard facilities, learning practical workplace skills and technical knowledge.

  • Ideal if you want to study one subject that you’re passionate about
  • Assessments are usually through work-related assignments
  • Our Level 3 courses can lead to university-level study, including with us at University Centre Farnborough
  • Lots of hands-on learning

Click here to explore our BTEC and Vocational subjects.

T Levels

The next level qualification

T Levels are a new, technical alternative to A Levels, designed with employers to give you the skills that industry needs. We’re excited to be one of the first colleges in the country offering T Levels, thanks to our Outstanding Ofsted rating and links with industry.

These two-year courses are equivalent to three A Levels, and give you the option to progress to university, an apprenticeship, or employment. You’ll learn a combination of technical knowledge and practical skills specific to your chosen industry or occupation, relevant English, maths and digital skills, and common workplace skills.

  • Involves a 45-day work placement to give you experience alongside your qualification
  • Can lead to university-level study, including with us at University Centre Farnborough
  • Teaches technical skills and practical knowledge

Click here to explore our T Level subjects. New T Levels are being developed for release in 2022 and 2023.

The steps to joining us

1. Choose Your GCSE Options

When choosing your GCSE options in Year 9 you should consider what career you might like in the future and which subjects you enjoy. This will help you to decide which subjects you might want to study with us at college.

2. Do Your Research

By Year 10/11 you should be researching your options. Attending our Virtual Open Event will enable you to explore our courses and facilities. Our website and prospectus contain lots of useful information too.

3. Make Your Application

In Year 11 you’ll need to apply to study with us. You can apply for your chosen course online through our website and we recommend that you do so by December.

4. Attend an Interview

Once you’ve applied we’ll invite you for an interview to find out more about you and your goals. We’ll then contact you by email to let you know if you have a conditional place.

5. Get Your GCSE Results

You’ll receive your GCSE exam results in the summer. If you achieve the grades needed for your course you’ll be offered a firm place to study with us.

6. Start College!

When you accept your place, you’ll be invited to our Joining Days to meet your new classmates and teachers, and begin your college journey.

Your future starts here

College is one of the first steps towards your dream career, and at Farnborough our focus is your success. We’ll support you in your next steps after your course with us, whether that’s University-level study with support from our ‘Degree Passport Scheme’, apprenticeships or employment. As a student with us you’ll also benefit from one-to-one advice sessions with our dedicated Careers Team and a variety of careers talks throughout the year.

Industry Placements as part of your course will give you the opportunity to develop your practical and technical skills in a role directly relevant to your course. We also work with employers to ensure you learn skills that will be needed for the workplace of the future.

Thinking about university?

As well as college courses, we offer a range of degrees and higher education courses at University Centre Farnborough. This means you can start as a college student and finish as a graduate, all under one roof. Find out more.

Have a question about college?

You can contact our friendly team at info@farn-ct.ac.uk, 01252 405555. We also hold online Live Q&A Sessions throughout the year where you can speak directly with our teachers, with new dates being added. Click here to find out more and register.

Skip to content