Look out for your invite – it will be in your letter box at the beginning of June!

Bet you can’t wait for September!

Eighteen students at the school have completed the application process and been offered conditional places at the brand new £26 million sixth form college, which opens its doors in September 2010.

Heywood Community High School students offered provisional places so far are: Phillippa Blackburn, Declan Duggan, Paula Lyons, Hannah Finan, Jennifer Lodge, Georgia Smith, Emma Langford, Shoni Burke, Kyle Worthington, Charlotte Hatton, Jennifer Staveley, Toni Venables, Jade Brewin, Elizabeth Senior, David Holt, Thomas Smith, Kelly Minshull, and Jake Ellis.

Each of the students have been through a tough interview process to assess them for suitability and are now among the first in the borough to be offered a place there to study A Levels.

Paula Lyons, one of the students from Heywood Community High School offered a place said, “I can’t wait to start at the new sixth form college and am really looking forward to the fantastic new facilities and brilliant teachers that will be there”.

Rochdale Sixth Form College will cater exclusively for 16 to 19 year old students studying A and AS levels and will accommodate a modest 1000 students – half the number of neighbouring sixth form colleges in the borough.

Principal Julian Appleyard, said: “The competition for places is already hotting up. There are a lot of very intelligent and vibrant young people in Heywood, and the standard of applications we’ve had from Heywood Community High School has been extremely high.

“We’re delighted to offer these eighteen students a place and wish them all the very best for their exams. We look forward to seeing them in September when they will hopefully be among the first to try out the fantastic new teaching facilities that will be available to them.

“Heywood Community School is known for the excellent pastoral care it offers. We are working with the senior leadership team at the school to ensure that the transition from GCSE study to A and AS levels is as smooth as possible, and aim to give these students the same level of support when they come to Rochdale Sixth Form College.”

Rochdale Sixth Form College will offer 34 different A and AS-Level courses when it opens on College Road, in Rochdale town centre, next year.

David Yates, Headteacher at Heywood Community High School said: “There has been a lot of interest in the facilities and courses available at the new Rochdale Sixth Form College from our year eleven students.

“We are working closely with Rochdale Sixth Form College and believe our students that aspire to AS/A level courses there will enjoy a first class experience.

“We’re very pleased that they have been among the first to be offered places there, and look forward to seeing more of our students going to on to higher education at the new sixth form college.”

The University of Manchester, which receives more student applications than any other in the UK and has twice been named University of the Year, has teamed up with the new sixth form college to advise students on how to succeed in the application process.

The college’s aim is to ensure that not only will students leave with the highest grades possible, but they will also be given the best chance of securing places at the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of leading universities – which include the University of Manchester.

Julian Skyrme, Head of undergraduate recruitment and widening participation at the University of Manchester, said: “Applying to leading universities is now a very competitive process and we are determined that every young person should be given the best chance to excel.

“What we are doing with Rochdale Sixth Form College is developing a unique package of programmes, events and information sessions to ensure all students get the tailored help they need to do well not just in their exams, but in preparing and presenting themselves for life beyond A-Levels – whether that is at Manchester or any other leading university.”

College principal, Julian Appleyard, said the partnership was just one part of his plans to ensure students leave not only with excellent academic qualifications, but having had every assistance possible to fulfil their potential.

He said: “As a sixth form college specialising in A Levels with around half the number of students of other colleges nearby, all our students will benefit not only from specialist teachers but also individualised support throughout the two years they are with us.

“But Rochdale Sixth Form College is about more than helping young people achieve good grades. We want to prepare them for life after A-Levels and partnerships like this – and others we have in the pipeline – is just one of the ways in which we intend to help them do that.”

Rochdale Sixth Form College will offer 34 different A and AS-Level courses when it opens on College Road, Rochdale town centre, next year.

A special event held by Rochdale Sixth Form College saw crowds of Year 11 students and their parents pack a meeting room at the Broadfield Park Hotel in the town centre to find out what studying A-Levels at the new sixth form college would be like.

As well as hearing from college principal, Julian Appleyard, students and parents were also given presentations by the head of undergraduate recruitment at Manchester University and construction experts responsible for building the new £26 million sixth form college in Rochdale town centre.

Mr Appleyard explained that unlike school sixth form colleges and FE colleges, Rochdale Sixth Form College would focus solely on teaching A and AS Levels to 16 to 18 year olds, and thereby provide a tailored environment to help young people prepare for university.

He said: “The college will be designed to strike a balance between treating 16-year-olds as developing young adults, while recognising that students of this age group still need specialised pastoral support .”

It was a view echoed by Julian Skyrme, head of undergraduate recruitment at The University of Manchester. He explained that sixth form colleges, through their focus on high level academic achievement and excellent support for students, were very successful at preparing young people for university, and for succeeding once there.

Mr Skyrme also outlined how Manchester University would be working closely with Rochdale Sixth Form College when open, and how programmes are now available to many students to assist them in getting to the top universities.

The event also gave construction experts from AA Projects, Seven Architects and Bardsley Construction, who are working on the creation of the new college, the opportunity to tell people about the college’s design, and the construction process in the run up to college’s opening in September 2010.

Mr Appleyard said : “We were absolutely thrilled with the level of interest we saw from students and parents at the event.Unlike an open day, we wanted to use the event to help people to look forward; not just to the completion of the college building, but to the style of the teaching environment and the assistance it will give students in helping them in their onward journey to university and in their future careers.”

Rochdale Sixth Form College will open its doors in September 2010. The college building was designed by award-winning architects, Seven, and is located on College Road, in Rochdale town centre.

The universities of Lancaster and Liverpool are the latest establishments to have offered their support for the college, which will open its doors for the first time in September.

Lancaster University was ranked as the best university in the North West by The Sunday Times University Guide 2010, while Times Higher Education named it as being among the best in the world. Lancaster’s Management School is also regarded as being amongst the highest ranked in the world.

The University of Liverpool is also among the UK’s top research-led universities and is seen as a centre of excellence in a number of disciplines including engineering, medicine, dentistry, business and law.

Both of the universities will work alongside Rochdale Sixth Form College to help students to prepare for and apply to university.

The new £26m sixth form college will serve 16-18 year-olds and focus purely on A and AS Levels in a bid to provide students with a supportive yet challenging learning environment which will compliment a progression to university.

Fred Binley, undergraduate recruitment manager at Lancaster University, said: “It is fantastic to be involved with what will soon become a centre of A Level excellence for Rochdale.

“Being brought in at this early stage gives us a chance to work alongside the college’s staff to maximise our opportunities to work together for students’ benefit from the very beginning.

“At Lancaster University we are keen to work with A Level students to help them to decide what they want from further and higher education and the direction they want to take their careers in, to give them the best possible chance of succeeding.

“We will be working with Rochdale Sixth Form College to offer presentations and workshops for students who need advice on courses, what to expect from the university lifestyle and how to apply.”

David Winstanley, education liaison manager for student recruitment and admissions at University of Liverpool, said: “We have found that colleges dedicated to A Level study, like the new Rochdale Sixth Form College, provide a great environment for students not just to learn, but also to find out about themselves too.

“As part of our partnership, we will be keen to visit Rochdale Sixth Form College and speak to some of the students who will be applying for university places and give them guidance on courses, university applications, and how to get the most they can from A Level study.”

Julian Appleyard, the College’s first principal who initiated the relationship with the three leading universities, said: “For most A and AS Level students, going to university is their long term goal, so we want to give them as much support and advice as we can to fulfil their ambitions.

“The fact that we are already working with three fantastic universities further proves just how dedicated we are to bringing our students some of the best academic opportunities the UK has to offer.”

Rochdale Sixth Form College will offer 34 different A and AS-Level courses and accommodate a modest 1,000 student places in a bid to foster a welcoming and supportive learning environment that will cater for the individual student’s needs.

Mr Appleyard added: “We have already received an overwhelming number of applications for Rochdale Sixth Form College for the September 2010 term, and are currently assessing those received so far.

“We’ve started and are really enjoying the interviews, which are being held as part of the college application process, as they give us a chance to meet with potential new students and discuss their plans for study at the new sixth form college and their aspirations for the future.”

The deadline for student applications to Rochdale Sixth Form College is Tuesday 23rd February.

Rochdale Sixth Form College, which will opens its doors in September 2010, launched its website -www.rochdalesixthformcollege.co.uk – over the summer and in just two months has received over two thousand hits from youngsters around the borough.

The website offers potential students a virtual walkthrough of the college’s state-of-the-art facilities and details about the 34 different A and AS-Level courses that will be available.

In an effort to track the number of year eleven pupils visiting the site, the website also gave students in the borough the chance to win one of two new Apple iPods and received over 200 entries as a result.

This week, Jack Turner, who attends Siddal Moor Sports College, and Natalie Santi from St Cuthbert’s RC High School, were presented with their prizes by principal Julian Appleyard.

Jack said: “My friends and I have all been checking out the new Rochdale Sixth Form College website and think the college and its facilities look really interesting.

“It’s really exciting to think that we could be some of the first students to go there and I can’t wait to have a look round the college when it is finished.”

Mr Appleyard added: “We’re delighted with the number of visitors that the site is getting and the level of interest we’ve received so far.

“It’s really encouraging that so many students are taking an interest in the A level offering the college will have and the future of their education”

The new college, which is currently being developed on College Road in the town centre, is set to be completed in summer 2010.

Lancaster University was ranked as the best university in the North West by The Sunday Times University Guide 2010, while Times Higher Education named it as being among the best in the world. Lancaster’s Management School is also regarded as being amongst the highest ranked in the world.

The University of Liverpool is also among the UK’s top research-led universities and is seen as a centre of excellence in a number of disciplines including engineering, medicine, dentistry, business and law.

Both of the universities will work alongside Rochdale Sixth Form College to help students to prepare for and apply to university.

The new £26m sixth form college will serve 16-18 year-olds and focus purely on A and AS Levels in a bid to provide students with a supportive yet challenging learning environment which will compliment a progression to university.

Fred Binley, undergraduate recruitment manager at Lancaster University, said: “It is fantastic to be involved with what will soon become a centre of A Level excellence for Rochdale.

“Being brought in at this early stage gives us a chance to work alongside the college’s staff to maximise our opportunities to work together for students’ benefit from the very beginning.

“At Lancaster University we are keen to work with A Level students to help them to decide what they want from further and higher education and the direction they want to take their careers in, to give them the best possible chance of succeeding.

“We will be working with Rochdale Sixth Form College to offer presentations and workshops for students who need advice on courses, what to expect from the university lifestyle and how to apply.”

David Winstanley, education liaison manager for student recruitment and admissions at University of Liverpool, said: “We have found that colleges dedicated to A Level study, like the new Rochdale Sixth Form College, provide a great environment for students not just to learn, but also to find out about themselves too.

“As part of our partnership, we will be keen to visit Rochdale Sixth Form College and speak to some of the students who will be applying for university places and give them guidance on courses, university applications, and how to get the most they can from A Level study.”

Julian Appleyard, the College’s first principal who initiated the relationship with the universities, said: “For most A and AS Level students, going to university is their long term goal, so we want to give them as much support and advice as we can to fulfil their ambitions.

“The fact that we are already working with three fantastic universities further proves just how dedicated we are to bringing our students some of the best academic opportunities the UK has to offer.”

PUPILS at Falinge Park High School in Rochdale are hoping to become the next generation of radio personalities after they were given an introduction to the media industry.

Seven teams from the school were given the chance to work with professionals from radio station, Key 103 as they took a trip to the school grounds.

The pupils worked with station to gain hands on radio experience and produce a podcast advertising the new Rochdale sixth form college, which is due to open in September this year.

But it was pupils Shannon McAthey, Lucy Burke and Emilee Bowker who came top of the chart, with their podcast chosen to represent Falinge Park High against two other schools in the borough in a battle to be official podcast for the new sixth form.

But the school's spin on the airwaves doesn't stop there with Key 103 returning to school to help set up a Falinge Park radio station, which will have a direct link from the Key 103 website.

Aim higher co-ordinator, Sarah Keaveny, said: "The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the activities carried out on the media bus and were very excited to work with members of the Key 103 station."

Read the full article on the Rochdale Online website

Rochdale Sixth Form College, which will opens its doors in September 2010, launched its website www.rochdalesixthformcollege.co.uk over the summer and in just two months it has received over 2,000 hits from youngsters across the borough.

The website offers potential students a virtual walkthrough of the college's state-of-the-art facilities and details about 34 different A and AS-Level courses that will be available.

The website also gave students the chance to win one of two new Apple iPods, receiving more than 200 entries.

Read the full article on the Manchester Evening News website

Visit Rochdale Online to read the full article

Rochdale Sixth Form College’s Looking Forward Event will be an opportunity for Year 11 students and their parents to find out more information about the progress of the new college and about recent developments that have taken place. The evening will feature presentations by those leading the project, including the Principal, Julian Appleyard, Simon Parker from Seven Architects, Mark Abbott from AA Projects and a speaker from the University of Manchester. In addition, there will be a chance to meet the newly appointed Senior Leadership Team, the building contractors and to view displays and photographs of the proposed interior of the college.

The event is open to all prospective students and parents for this September and there is no need to book a place.

The new development is situated opposite the Hopwood Hall College and aims to radically transform sixth form education in the borough by providing a first class, A-level education establishment.

Accommodating approximately 1000 students, the college will ensure the best possible education opportunities are available for young people. Impressive teaching facilities, a state-of-the-art IT suite, and theatre and fitness suite are included in the designs for the new building. The facilities will be amongst the best in the country for 16-18 year old A-level students.

Terry Piggott, Executive Director for Children’s Services at Rochdale Borough Council said this is a very exciting project that will transform the lives of local young people:

“We are determined to ensure our young people aim high and reach their full potential. With the college now becoming a reality, young people of Rochdale can look forward to studying A-levels in their home town.”

Chair of the Rochdale 6th Form Governors, Dame Pam Coward, said it’s an exciting time:

“Now work has started on site, residents and young people will start to see the new college develop. We are all working hard to ensure that young people in the borough get the high quality post-16 education that they deserve and we will work in partnership with local schools, Higher Education and Hopwood Hall to create a world class, vibrant and modern facility."

The college will open in September 2010.

The ceremony formally launched the construction of the new development, situated opposite the Hopwood Hall site on College Road, which is due to open in September 2010.

The students were joined on site by Principal Julian Appleyard; governors; Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families; representatives from Rochdale Borough Council, local secondary school headteachers and building contractors.

Julian said “The day marks the start of a new chapter for A-level education in the borough. It’s great to see the young people involved with the event, as this college is all about their future.”

Once open, the new college will boast impressive teaching facilities, a state-of-the-art IT suite, and theatre and fitness suite. The facilities will be amongst the best in the country for 16-18 year old students and will radically transform sixth form education in the borough by providing a first class, A-level education establishment for around 1000 students.

Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families said “I’m very pleased to see the sixth form college now taking shape. It will provide a great facility to propel local youngsters onto university and good jobs.”

Terry Piggott, Executive Director for Children’s Services at Rochdale Borough Council added “The new college will change the lives of young people in the borough. Now work is underway on site, residents and young people will start to see the new college take shape. It is an exciting time, seeing this project becoming a reality.”

Contractors, Bardsley Construction, have been on site since May and are working to finish the construction of the building ready for the opening in September 2010.

A third of the steel framework of the building next to Rochdale’s Asda superstore is now finished.

And new college principal Julian Appleyard says there has already been a ‘phenomenal response’ from the prospective new students, who will begin their final year at school in two weeks.

Mr Appleyard, who recently visited schools across the borough to talk to this year’s Year 11 pupils about the specialist A level college and the courses available, said: "The positivity I received from across the borough was wonderful.

"Pupils who will start Year 11 in September realised that it is their college. It has received phenomenal interest and I am proud that it will be an iconic building that will deliver educationally what the borough is needing."

Pupils who met Mr Appleyard last month have also received a letter about the college for 16 to 19-year-olds, which has the motto ‘A level of excellence' and a newsletter has been sent to parents.

Next month a prospectus and application forms will be available in schools for the college aimed at stemming the ‘brain drain’ of students travelling out of the borough to study for their A levels.

The development by Bardsley Construction will accommodate approximately 1,000 students.

It will house modern teaching facilities and a state-of-the-art IT suite, theatre and fitness suite.

Mr Appleyard added: "We are now out of the ground and visually the construction is very impressive. This is the newest sixth form in the country and to see it emerging is a good feeling."