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What makes this 6th
form the best in The North West?
WINSTANLEY College, Wigan, has been
named as one of the best Sixth Form Colleges in the country by The Sunday
Times Schools Guide.
It is 2nd nationally in terms of average total points score per student and
in terms of the percentage of students getting AAB in 2+ facilitating
subjects, the college is ranked 7th. It misses out slightly on the top spot
for total points to Greenhead College whose students get a mere 32.4 points
more than Winstanley College students. An impressive 99% of its students
achieve 3 or more A-levels.
The ranking makes it the best 6th form college in the North West of
England.
So, what's so special about Winstanley College? How does this college in a
quiet, semi-rural location on the outskirts of Wigan achieve such excellent
results?
Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking that maybe they simply attract the
brightest students from the area and so this reflects on the grades they end
up achieving. But no, they've also just been promoted in the Government's
'Value
Added' league table to a grade 2 for AS level results. Unlike
traditional league table rankings, Value Added scores compare pupil
performance in and between public examinations. They are designed to provide
a measure as to how much more or less successful students have been by
virtue of the school/college they attended, declaring how much 'value' their
school or college has added to their results.
Vice Principal Mel Chadwick explains:- "You could look at it this
way…if students with mostly Bs at GCSE go to most other colleges they
achieve C grades on average at AS level, when students come to Winstanley
College they achieve B grades."
So, this new ranking means that Winstanley College is in the top 10% of
A-level providers nationally for 'Value Added' too.
Also, over 90% of students state that they are highly satisfied with their
experience at Winstanley College and so clearly the College is doing
something right. The College runs an extensive extra curricular activity
programme and has built strong links with universities and employers,
helping to strengthen their students' subject understanding and ultimately
their employability.
Within the region, the College's excellent reputation is demonstrated by the
numbers of students who apply each year, with a 28% increase in applications
since 2009.
The results are based on exams taken in 2014 and the 2015 results will be
published by the Government in January. Principal Louise Tipping is over the
moon:- "I'm delighted that we are ranked so highly; it's testament to
the hard work and dedication of both our staff and students." |
