Our primary aim is to provide students with excellent teaching, enabling students to meet or exceed the high targets that are set for them. This is best evidenced through our outstanding ALPS reports:

Although academic excellence is at the heart of everything we do in the Joint Sixth Form, you can expect a lot more from your time with us.

Tutor Programme

Our tutorial programme has been tailored to help you get the most out of your time in Sixth Form and prepare you for life Post-18. The tutorial programme covers all aspects of applying to university, including finance decisions and how to write a brilliant personal statement. We also support study skills, looking at how to research, cite and write effective academic essays. Alternatives to university are covered, as are expectations of the workplace. Following feedback from students, we have increased the amount of financial education we provide our students, covering debt, knowledge of financial products and keeping identities secure when online. We cover social and emotional aspects, too – with talks on Safer Driving, Drugs & Alcohol and staying safe online.

Give Back

During your time in the Joint Sixth Form, you will be expected to play an active role in the school and community. Called ‘Give Back’, these sessions are designed to play to your strengths and help enrich the experiences of children lower in the school and within the larger community. In the past, students have helped in the subject they excel most in, perhaps helping a small group of students improve their reading or helping to run an Art class. Students have volunteered in the Trust’s primary schools and pre-schools, too. The work done during Give Back really enhances UCAS applications to university, giving students valuable experience and an understanding about how institutions work. We will do everything we can to accommodate your ideas for Give Back.

The ‘personal statement’ aspect of applying to university benefits enormously from initiatives like ‘Give Back’, and providing you with valuable, meaningful work experience is also vitally important. Our study programme expects all students to engage with work experience (usually in the summer term of Year 12) and students should take ownership of their experience. Although we will help you secure a work experience that is relevant to your studies and future plans, we encourage you to use your initiative when researching experience opportunities.

Work Experience

All Year 12 students undergo work experience in the summer term. The school can help you organise a placement that fits your plans for a future career, or works with the combination of A Levels you are studying. We believe that meaningful, engaging work experience is an important part of post-16 study, and as such we encourage students to be proactive around work experience, and support those students who wish to explore more adventurous options! The school monitor all work experience placements carefully to ensure our students are getting the experiences they deserve.

Careers Fair

Colfox hosts a major post-16 careers fair each year during the autumn term. The aim of the event is to promote higher level employment opportunities in West Dorset and the surrounding area. Over 50 different businesses and higher education establishments attend each year. The event provides an excellent opportunity for students to secure high quality work experience placements in the summer.

Social Life, Trips and Visits

Finally, we can’t ignore the social side of things! Being in a Joint Sixth Form, you have the benefits that come from a meeting of two schools. Effectively, your social life has the opportunity to blossom into new groups and opportunities. Christmas parties and The Sixth Form Prom are obvious highlights of the year, and regular events such as quizzes and meals out help to balance out the hard work that you will be doing!

Larger-scale trips and visits also take place each year, including those organised by Camps International and visits to New York City.

A Level subjects will enrich their offerings with trips and visits over the year. Expect visits to the theatre, art galleries, geography field trips and visits to the Houses of Parliament to be amongst the many trips and visits organised.