Welcome from the Principal

I am delighted that you are considering studying A Levels at Rochdale Sixth Form College. The College is now in its second year and we are extremely proud of how quickly our reputation as a sixth form college is growing both locally and beyond the Borough of Rochdale.

Julian Appleyard

We feel that we do things differently here at RSFC. We are the only specialist sixth form college in the area that exclusively focuses upon A Levels. It is important that our students are taught by specialist teachers of high calibre. We believe that young people in the Borough deserve an A level centre of excellence and our approach is a simple one; a commitment to quality in the classroom where high aspirations can be realised and potential reached and a commitment to individualised pastoral care for 16-19 year olds at a crucial time in their lives. At RSFC we call our approach “compassionate rigour”. What that means is that we have the highest expectations in and out of the classroom and underpin this by ensuring pastoral care is personalised so that each student feels that RSFC staff walk alongside them over the two years that they are with us.

Rochdale Sixth Form College is smaller than the average sixth form college and much smaller than large General Further Education Colleges and we like it that way! The College has a community of around 1000 students, so it is similar in size to many 11-16 schools. We believe this benefits our students as we have a more intimate environment that allows a personalised approach to sixth form study and ensures that all students are known on an individual basis. The move from secondary school to a college environment can, at times, be daunting and we are small enough to allow students to be in a diverse environment but one in which they don’t feel isolated or lost. We feel a sixth form college of around 1000 students is the perfect halfway house for the large numbers of our current students that will be applying to university. Sixth Form College life, of course, should not just be about studying but should also provide opportunities for you to take part in sport, music, drama, dance as well as visits to places in this country and abroad. This is what will help you develop as well educated young men and women and our enrichment programme is as varied as anywhere in the country. Additionally, many of our students take part in our Honours programme which offers extension qualifications and additional activities which ensure their UCAS application is highly competitive for applying to highly prestigious areas such as medicine, law and Oxbridge Universities. We believe that the young people in the Borough of Rochdale deserve the very best and Rochdale Sixth Form College is exactly that. A specialised A level sixth form college in a state-of-art building and the most up to date technology is coupled with high quality staff who truly believe in you. If you want to reach your potential and fulfil your ambitions and be with like minded students that wish to follow an academic programme, then RSFC is the place for you.

Please take your time choosing your next step. Do your research by coming to the Open Events and talking to our teachers and current students. Discuss your options with the careers staff or your teachers in school and remember your family might well be a good source of advice too. Most of all though, do what’s right for you. You’re the one in control; you’re the one who’ll take the final decisions. We hope you decide to join RSFC but whatever your next step we wish you the very best of luck.

Best wishes,
Julian Appleyard
Julian Appleyard
Principal