Sixth form vs Sixth form college vs College

what is the difference , please explain x

Hi there,

If something is labelled as a 'Sixth Form' this means it is related to a specific High School. The difference between a 'Sixth Form' and a 'Sixth Form College' is quite a small one: essentially, 'Sixth Forms' primarily offer A-Levels whereas a 'Sixth Form College' will offer A-Levels and some BTECs.

'Sixth Forms' usually prepare people for the world of University and the main focus is put on this and 'Sixth Form Colleges' do this also, with the added conjunction that they prepare their students for slightly different next steps, like apprenticeships and future employment, for example.

In terms of Colleges, these are independent and tend to offer a wider range of courses as opposed to the 'Sixth Forms' and 'Sixth Form Colleges' which are mainly A-Level and BTEC focused.

It's also worth mentioning that age can be a factor. 'Sixth Forms' and 'Sixth Form Colleges' generally deal with 16, 17, 18 and 19 year olds. Some 'Sixth Form Colleges' will take on older applicants, but this isn't always the case. However, 'Colleges' on their own have courses that also take adult learning into account, with schemes like the 'Multiply' programme - here's an example from Cornwall College: https://www.cornwall.ac.uk/multiply/#:~:text=Multiply%20is%20a%20new%20FREE%20fully-funded%20programme%20to,or%20level%203%20qualification%20%28equivalent%20to%20A%20levels%29. These courses tend to be run in an evening. I know someone who did 1 year of sign language at a College near me when they were 44 for example, you'd be very hard pushed to find a 'Sixth Form' or 'Sixth Form College' that do sign language as a course, as this isn't a traditional A-Level or BTEC.

I hope this helps!

Ethan

Thank you for the detailed explanation. I live close to a sixth form college, and I think it's best for me personally. Also, because my school doesn't have a sixth form.

You're very welcome. Good luck with your next steps!

Ethan