The guidance on admissions reflects the Mission and Vision of Priestley College.

As an inclusive sixth form college we exist to serve the post-16 needs of Warrington and the surrounding areas.

The College prides itself on the advice and guidance it gives to prospective students to ensure they are enrolled on the most suitable course and qualification level.

Students applying to Priestley will usually have followed a GCSE or equivalent programme and be expected to meet the entry requirements for the options for which they are applying.

Overall programmes will be determined by average GCSE points scores and course combinations studied at school.

At Priestley, students enrolling on a Level 3 programme are able to study one of four distinct pathways:

● A-Levels

● Vocational qualifications

● Mixed programme

● T-Levels

Those following an A-Level programme will take AS exams at the end of Year 1 and will receive an AS qualification in any subject they do not continue to A-Level. In Year 2 most students will continue with three A-Levels or equivalent.

College entry requirements are reviewed annually and are subject to change. The deadline for receipt of applications is also reviewed annually and is published on the website and in college promotional materials.

Our entry criteria is for guidance. Where necessary we will take into account individual circumstances, for example, for health reasons an applicant may not have been able to take eight GCSEs or equivalent in Year 11. If there are special circumstances you wish us to take into account please let our Admissions Team know as soon as possible.

We reserve the right to amend our admissions criteria. With the exception of students who receive additional funding (SEND), the Local Authority does not coordinate admissions for sixth form colleges, nor does it dictate or direct enrolment processes, entry guidance or any appeals.

This guidance has been created in line with government guidance for 16-19 sixth form academies (Admissions Code). This document indicates that: Admission authorities [Priestley College] can, however, set academic entry criteria for their sixth forms, which must be the same for both external and internal places.

As with other points of entry to schools, highest priority in oversubscription criteria for sixth form places must be given to looked after children and previously looked after children who meet the academic entry criteria.

Offers

All students will attend an Admissions One-to-One Discussion before an offer of a place is made and all students offered a place must agree to subscribe to the Student Learning Agreement.

Offers are conditional on achieving the minimum college entry requirements and, where applicable, any subject specific entry requirements.

This is in addition to a satisfactory reference from school which indicates a good record of attendance, punctuality, general behaviour, attitude to learning and aptitude for the proposed courses and any other specific conditions communicated during the interview process.

During the Admissions One-to-One Discussion prospective students must meet the following criteria:

1. The student should demonstrate a strong commitment to further study and the College’s values.

2. Students can confirm predicted grades that are likely to meet the minimum college entry requirements, as well as any additional subject requirements.

Core Admissions Guidance

A college place will be prioritised for those who:

1. Submitted their application by the annually published priority deadline.

2. Attended their scheduled Admissions One-to-One Discussion.

3. Returned their acceptance forms by the stated deadline after receiving an offer to study at Priestley at their Admissions One-to-One Discussion.

4. Attended their scheduled Enrolment Interview.

5. Indicated Priestley College as their first-choice place for post-16 study.

6. Have not already commenced a post-16 study programme elsewhere and are therefore ‘new’ Year 11 applicants.

7. Are in receipt of a satisfactory reference from their high school.

Oversubscribed Admissions Guidance

Priestley College is a popular and oversubscribed sixth form college and, as such, certain courses or programmes of study can become full.

Equally, certain courses have maximum capacities. This might be due to rooming, college capacities or staffing availability.

The College offers a small number of level 2 courses as a pathway to level 3 (GCSE / equivalent resit programmes / T Level transition) and spaces on these are limited.

Should our Level 2 provision become full, College will consider each applicant on a case by case basis and will review, alongside the points below, GCSE combinations, average GCSE Score, career and progression ambitions.

In such cases as courses or the College becomes full, bullet points 1-7 above would be used in the first instance to prioritise places.

After this the following will be considered:

● Students who attend a partner school.

● Students who live in the Warrington Borough Council area.

● Have previously applied for that specific course and accepted a first choice place at the college.

● Attendance at one of our Year 11 New Student Welcome Days.

● Have previously informed the College that they wish to change their choice course at one of the three points in the year outlined below.

● Detailed information from high school relating to attendance, effort and behaviour.

● How close your predicted grades were to those that were actually achieved.

Choosing Subjects

Priestley College acknowledges that making a choice of courses can be quite challenging.

As such we aim to provide excellent advice and guidance to help our prospective students make informed choices.

We recognise that the course initially applied for might change throughout the academic year and we offer three points at which a student can change their programme.

These are:

1. Following our final open event

2. During one-to-one course discussion interview

3. After attending Year 11 New Student Welcome Days We cannot guarantee availability on courses to any student who has not previously applied and been accepted on that course / programme before enrolment.

Exceptional Circumstances

Students should be aware that Priestley staff may discuss predicted grades with their school. In some cases we may feel that there are no suitable courses available at college for the applicant or the applicant will not benefit from the programmes of study we have.

Under these circumstances the applicant will be offered the opportunity to meet with our Careers & Guidance team to explore alternative options available elsewhere.

The College reserves the right to refuse admission if previous behaviour, attendance, effort, achievement or any other significant factor has cause for concern, even if a conditional offer has already been made. For example, this might be the case where the reference from the school arrives after an admissions interview and discloses information that raises concerns.

The College maintains the right to withdraw an offer if a student submits false or misleading information or is involved in misconduct on or off the College site.

The College reserves the right to withdraw a course if there are insufficient numbers of students, or suspend applications for courses which are full (see above guidance). In these cases, applicants will be informed as soon as realistically possible and, where appropriate, suitable alternatives investigated.

The College reserves the right to take into account any individual and exceptional circumstances that may impact upon the normal college entry requirements being met.

This will be done at the discretion of the Principal or nominated designate, whose judgement will be final in relation to whether a student can or cannot be offered a place at the College.

Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

At Priestley we strive to ensure that comprehensive arrangements are available to support all our students. Students with particular special educational needs or those who are high funded learners will be interviewed in liaison with the Local Authority and our Learning Support Team.

Further information on how we work closely with individuals and their families is available under the ‘Local Offer’ information via our website. This document deals with the support and information available and details how we support transition.

Late Applicants / Applicants who have studied elsewhere Whilst there is no guarantee of a place offer at Priestley College, late applicants or applicants who have studied elsewhere for a year may be offered an Admissions One to One Discussion after all on-time applicants have been met. Prospective students will be offered a place on a case-by-case basis taking into account:

● Satisfactory references from a previous school or college

● Space available on chosen courses or qualifications

● Mitigating circumstances impacting upon choices (for example moving into the area)

● An understanding of the reasons for wishing to move post-16 providers

● Availability of funding

● Any other mitigating factors or individual circumstances to which the Principal or designate may apply discretion.

Appeals Process

Any appeal against the decision of the college must be made in writing to the Principal.