[maverick123]

Does anyone go here?

I'm applying for A2 as I really don't like my current college, what can you tell me about it on the following things...

1) Standard of teaching
2) Social life - nice people? Parties?
3) Extra curricular activities - sports? trips?
4) What are the people like - nice/rough/how ethnically diverse is it (not bothered just wondering.)

Thanks in advance

[Bonged.]

(Original post by maverick123)
Does anyone go here?

I'm applying for A2 as I really don't like my current college, what can you tell me about it on the following things...

1) Standard of teaching
2) Social life - nice people? Parties?
3) Extra curricular activities - sports? trips?
4) What are the people like - nice/rough/how ethnically diverse is it (not bothered just wondering.)

Thanks in advance

When I was there a boy was hacked with a machete. Very inner city environment. I would suggest esher if you can.

[see-are]

I don't go there but I know people who have.
It sounds like its very mixed. Some really rough kids who scraped in with poor results and are just basically trouble makers and then some good students. It is really ethnically diverse - all the people I know who went there are black. It is really near Esher which is supposed to be a lot better in general - although if thats the college you are coming from then I guess thats not helpful !
So basically it isn't a total dive, I guess you get out what you put in, its just some of the students put in v. little.

[Pixie_95]

(Original post by maverick123)
Does anyone go here?

I'm applying for A2 as I really don't like my current college, what can you tell me about it on the following things...

1) Standard of teaching
2) Social life - nice people? Parties?
3) Extra curricular activities - sports? trips?
4) What are the people like - nice/rough/how ethnically diverse is it (not bothered just wondering.)

Thanks in advance

What subjects are you applying for? I'm there now (am in my AS year) studying History, English Literature, Classical Civilisation and Religous Studies. I also was doing AS maths for 3 weeks before i changed subjects (because i sucked at maths )

1) Standard of teaching
All my teachers are great! Very approachable and are actually passionate about what they are teaching.

2) Social life - nice people? Parties?
I don't come from the Richmond Borough so at first i was worried about meeting new people. However i have made a big group of friends; all from different parts of London. When you first start your course, most people will not know eachother (its a big college with many different classes for each subject) so everyone is in the same position when it comes to meeting new people. The Student Union does throw many events, however i have never been to any of them, but hear they have been good)

3) Extra curricular activities - sports? trips?
There are many different clubs you can join (will be a fair within the first month of term where you can sign up for different societies). Although i am not part of anything, i have friends who do different sports (netball, football, basketball, rugby etc) and there are often trips where they compete againsnt different teams/colleges).

4) What are the people like - nice/rough/how ethnically diverse is it (not bothered just wondering.)
The college is very ethnically diverse (it's a big college). However everyone seems to mix.

Feel free to ask anymore questions!

Also can i just mention that i have met many people who have friends who complain about the quality of teaching at Esher (i had never heard of the place untill i came to Richmond college). In addition to this, two of the friends i made actually did their AS year at Esher and did not like it there......

[maverick123]

Okay thanks alot. Yeah, that's what I was interested in in terms of the ethnically diverse situation, my college at the moment is pretty mixed I just wanted to ensure there's a good atmosphere and that everyone gets along and just to make sure that it wasn't dominated by one race, or divided in that sense.

Also, it isn't rough at all is it? As I need to persuade my parents to let me change and it won't be easy if they find out there are like crime problems, drugs etc.

Do many people get uni places from there? Do the college help/support in terms of this?

Thanks

[Bonged.]

(Original post by maverick123)
Okay thanks alot. Yeah, that's what I was interested in in terms of the ethnically diverse situation, my college at the moment is pretty mixed I just wanted to ensure there's a good atmosphere and that everyone gets along and just to make sure that it wasn't dominated by one race, or divided in that sense.

Also, it isn't rough at all is it? As I need to persuade my parents to let me change and it won't be easy if they find out there are like crime problems, drugs etc.

Do many people get uni places from there? Do the college help/support in terms of this?

Thanks

I can't speak for how it is now, but when I was there it was very rough, there were riots at twickenham train station where the pupils ransacked the shop there, there are often police with dogs at the station to try and control the pupils etc. tbh if you're looking for somewhere quiet this isn't the place.

[Pixie_95]

(Original post by maverick123)
Okay thanks alot. Yeah, that's what I was interested in in terms of the ethnically diverse situation, my college at the moment is pretty mixed I just wanted to ensure there's a good atmosphere and that everyone gets along and just to make sure that it wasn't dominated by one race, or divided in that sense.

Also, it isn't rough at all is it? As I need to persuade my parents to let me change and it won't be easy if they find out there are like crime problems, drugs etc.

Do many people get uni places from there? Do the college help/support in terms of this?

Thanks

Despite what other posters have said, i can honestly say that the college is not "rough". Yes there are some people who think they are "gangsters" but the college is VERY strict. There are security at the gates and around the college who check for college ID and make sure that there is no trouble. If you do cause trouble then you are kicked out and i have witnessed this with two people who used to be in my Tutor group. I have never actually witnessed a fight nor heard of any riots that have taken place.

There is not really a drug problem. There are smoking areas, however i have heard that if you are caught with weed then you can be expelled (if you are carrying alot). At the end of the day there are going to be some people from any college that you apply to that do drugs, no matter how posh the college is! Just don't get involved with those type of people.

I can't remember, but before i started the college i attended an open eveing where the headmaster gave a speech and stated the percentage of people who went to university last year. I remember 12 people got into oxbridge and then there was quite a high percentage of those who got offers from Russel Group unis. There is a Careers and University office which is open everyday where you can go in and talk about university/finance/any problems or questions you have that your tutor cannot answer regarding university.

Also if you do wish to apply to Oxford or Cambridge (your tutor will ask you at beginning of term) then you will be put forward for a special group where you go to meetings and get extra help with your application.

[Bonged.]

(Original post by Pixie_95)
Despite what other posters have said, i can honestly say that the college is not "rough". Yes there are some people who think they are "gangsters" but the college is VERY strict. There are security at the gates and around the college who check for college ID and make sure that there is no trouble. If you do cause trouble then you are kicked out and i have witnessed this with two people who used to be in my Tutor group. I have never actually witnessed a fight nor heard of any riots that have taken place.

There is not really a drug problem. There are smoking areas, however i have heard that if you are caught with weed then you can be expelled (if you are carrying alot). At the end of the day there are going to be some people from any college that you apply to that do drugs, no matter how posh the college is! Just don't get involved with those type of people.

I can't remember, but before i started the college i attended an open eveing where the headmaster gave a speech and stated the percentage of people who went to university last year. I remember 12 people got into oxbridge and then there was quite a high percentage of those who got offers from Russel Group unis. There is a Careers and University office which is open everyday where you can go in and talk about university/finance/any problems or questions you have that your tutor cannot answer regarding university.

Also if you do wish to apply to Oxford or Cambridge (your tutor will ask you at beginning of term) then you will be put forward for a special group where you go to meetings and get extra help with your application.

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtime...tation__riot_/

*shrugs*

[Pixie_95]

(Original post by Bonged.)
http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtime...tation__riot_/

*shrugs*

oh i've never heard anything about that It happened in 2009 and i have only been going there since September.

I take the train everyday and have never experienced any fights or riots at the station. The headmaster or deputy head often comes down to the station to supervise when it gets really busy. You are warned that if you cause trouble outside of college then you will be kicked out.

[maverick123]

Thanks for all reponses really appreciate it.

Just one more thing, how likely would I be to get a place for A2? What could count against me is the fact that in my January AS exams I got 2 D's an E and an A, however I am resitting the ones I did badly in. But I did pretty well in my gcse's and taking 4 AS's so I'm hoping they should be able to see that I'm capable of doing better. Do many people get kicked out after the AS year?

[Pixie_95]

You really need to talk to the college as i don't know the requirments for A2 applicants changing from different colleges/sixth forms. If you are retaking then you need to make sure that the college does the same exam board and course sprecification that you did before, otherwise (i have heard) that it is very difficult to arrange resists for AS modules.

As long as you got an E and above for your AS then you can carry onto A2, however teachers would expect you to resit exams that you scored low in. People do not get kicked out after their AS year, the college will do their best to help them if they have failed any AS exams (U grade) and many 1 year intensive courses are offered to these people. You will only be kicked out if you get really bad attendance or cause trouble.

Also, have you considered resiting your AS year? I know many people who have come to richmond college to resit their AS year again due to underperforming in their previous college/sixth form.

[maverick123]

Well I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that tbh and that I do well in my summer exams. I was wondering if many people join for A2 and whether or not these people tend to have done really well at AS or not. I phoned them and they said they're sending me an application form btw.

[maverick123]

(Original post by Pixie_95)
You really need to talk to the college as i don't know the requirments for A2 applicants changing from different colleges/sixth forms. If you are retaking then you need to make sure that the college does the same exam board and course sprecification that you did before, otherwise (i have heard) that it is very difficult to arrange resists for AS modules.

As long as you got an E and above for your AS then you can carry onto A2, however teachers would expect you to resit exams that you scored low in. People do not get kicked out after their AS year, the college will do their best to help them if they have failed any AS exams (U grade) and many 1 year intensive courses are offered to these people. You will only be kicked out if you get really bad attendance or cause trouble.

Also, have you considered resiting your AS year? I know many people who have come to richmond college to resit their AS year again due to underperforming in their previous college/sixth form.

I just wanted to know, is all that stuff that guy is posting on the threads about Richmond Upon Thames College going downhill lately with teachers leaving, worse results etc. true?

Thanks

[Emmense]

(Original post by Bonged.)
http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtime...tation__riot_/

*shrugs*

The riot was not that bad like nothing compared to last summer's events in london. I went to the college and did the IB, finished in 2009. It's a mixture of people... it's big enough to find people on the same wavelength as you. They were helpful with getting into university. Highly reccommend you don't consider chemistry AS/A2 as the teaching quality was poor when I was there - that being said teachers may have changed. I had an AMAZING maths teacher called Kathy and legit the best ever biology teacher called Jean. A lot of the teachers there do actually want to see you succeed - just do the work and they'll work their arses off to help you!

[Bonged.]

(Original post by Emmense)
The riot was not that bad like nothing compared to last summer's events in london. I went to the college and did the IB, finished in 2009. It's a mixture of people... it's big enough to find people on the same wavelength as you. They were helpful with getting into university. Highly reccommend you don't consider chemistry AS/A2 as the teaching quality was poor when I was there - that being said teachers may have changed. I had an AMAZING maths teacher called Kathy and legit the best ever biology teacher called Jean. A lot of the teachers there do actually want to see you succeed - just do the work and they'll work their arses off to help you!

Were you there?

Out of interest who was your chem teacher, I did it for a while but swapped subjects cos of poor teaching.

[Emmense]

(Original post by Bonged.)
Were you there?

Out of interest who was your chem teacher, I did it for a while but swapped subjects cos of poor teaching.

my friends were there I think I was by the station. My chemistry teacher was someone called Valerie initially, then 3 months in had Steve Norton or something like that. Absolute disgrace the chemisty teacher - all other subjects ( I did 7 in total because of the International Baccalareaute) were fantastic pretty much!

[Pixie_95]

(Original post by maverick123)
I just wanted to know, is all that stuff that guy is posting on the threads about Richmond Upon Thames College going downhill lately with teachers leaving, worse results etc. true?

Thanks

As said before all my teachers have been great! I am not sure what the college was like before but i can assure you now that i am not unhappy with the colleges performance.

The headmaster has announced that some A levels will be cut and not avaliable next year due to not enough students applying for them and therefore some teachers will be fired. (subjects such as geology, theatre design, applied business ect)

There is also going to be a new tutor system. Before we had teachers also being tutors, however the headmaster has now changed this and as of next school year we will all have professional tutors who focus more on the students and univeristy applications. Due to this being a new system there has been confusion to how it is going to work and tbh im not really sure whats happening. Some of my teachers have complained to us about the headmaster as apparently he is a very weak man who does not listen to their views. However this does not affect the teachers teaching ability. They are all very helpful and i am happy with the quality of teaching and my time at RUTC so far

[maverick123]

(Original post by Pixie_95)
As said before all my teachers have been great! I am not sure what the college was like before but i can assure you now that i am not unhappy with the colleges performance.

The headmaster has announced that some A levels will be cut and not avaliable next year due to not enough students applying for them and therefore some teachers will be fired. (subjects such as geology, theatre design, applied business ect)

There is also going to be a new tutor system. Before we had teachers also being tutors, however the headmaster has now changed this and as of next school year we will all have professional tutors who focus more on the students and univeristy applications. Due to this being a new system there has been confusion to how it is going to work and tbh im not really sure whats happening. Some of my teachers have complained to us about the headmaster as apparently he is a very weak man who does not listen to their views. However this does not affect the teachers teaching ability. They are all very helpful and i am happy with the quality of teaching and my time at RUTC so far

Ok thanks, do you think any of the following subjects will be cut: Economics, Business Studies (not applied, normal), English Lang & Lit, Politics?

[Pixie_95]

(Original post by maverick123)
Ok thanks, do you think any of the following subjects will be cut: Economics, Business Studies (not applied, normal), English Lang & Lit, Politics?

No. Those are all very popular subjects and i know for sure that they weren't on the list of subjects being cut

[maverick123]

(Original post by Pixie_95)
No. Those are all very popular subjects and i know for sure that they weren't on the list of subjects being cut

That worries me a little though as even if I don't get my target grades of at least 2 A's and 2 B's (which if I don't get I will just retake year 12) they won't able to accommodate me if they are that popular. Are the departments for these very big?