| Private colleges of further education usually offer a | | | | (biology, chemistry, mathematics including further |
| comprehensive choice of sixth form/A-level courses, in | | | | mathematics, physics). |
| order to prepare their students for all types of studies | | | | The objective of private colleges of further education |
| at university level that they may wish to pursue. | | | | is, ultimately, to help all their sixth-form students achieve |
| Independent colleges also provide extensive support | | | | top grades, so they can obtain a place at a top UK |
| and advice regarding university applications, including | | | | university such as Oxford or Cambridge. |
| specialist advice to achieve admission to top UK | | | | To achieve this goal, independent colleges offer their |
| universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. | | | | A-level students a variety of extra resources and |
| Sixth form/A-level courses are primarily for students | | | | support to maximise their academic potential. |
| between 16 and 18 years of age. Students are | | | | Prestigious independent colleges of further education |
| required to take three or four A-level subjects. | | | | usually have high expertise when it comes to advising |
| Independent colleges of further education usually | | | | applicants to top UK universities. They are also well |
| accept AS transfers from other colleges for students | | | | qualified to provide support to A-level students who |
| who wish to complete their sixth-form studies at a | | | | wish to apply for a place at a Medical School. |
| different institution. | | | | In the second year of A-level courses (A2 year) the |
| A-level courses offered by private colleges may | | | | main focus of tutors shifts from monitoring the |
| range from two years to 18 months or one-year | | | | students’ academic progress to guiding them |
| courses. The latter are intensive courses and are very | | | | through their university application. Preparation to |
| demanding as they condense a six-term course in | | | | university admission usually includes detailed advice to |
| three terms: so, only students with exceptional | | | | sixth-form students regarding which university to apply |
| academic abilities are usually recommended to choose | | | | at and which specific courses to take. A great effort is |
| one-year A-level courses. | | | | put in by tutors at independent colleges towards |
| At independent colleges of further education, each | | | | preparing students for the interview they are required |
| sixth-form student is generally assigned a personal | | | | to attend at the university of their choice. For example, |
| tutor. Class sizes at private colleges tend to be small, | | | | specialist coaching and mock interviews conducted by |
| not exceeding ten students per class. Parents of | | | | internal and external specialists may be available to |
| A-level students studying at private colleges usually | | | | sixth form/A-level students at private colleges. |
| receive reports from tutors every half-term and are | | | | Independent college tutors also offer advice on drafting |
| able to meet the teaching staff twice a year, so | | | | personal statements supporting the students’ |
| feedback from the college is available to them on a | | | | university applications, and help students improve their |
| regular basis. | | | | research and presentation skills. The tutor may also |
| Subjects available to sixth form/A-level students at | | | | suggest appropriate reading to undertake prior to the |
| independent colleges include all traditional subjects; they | | | | interview. |
| often also include niche courses for A-level students | | | | UCAS seminars may also be available to A-level |
| who wish to pursue a specific course of studies at | | | | students at private colleges of further education and |
| university level. So, A-level subjects offered to | | | | visits to some university colleges may also be |
| students at private colleges may include: Arts and | | | | organised for students. |
| Media (art, drama, film studies, graphic design, history of | | | | So, independent colleges of further education do not |
| art, media studies, photography and textiles); Finance | | | | only offer sixth-form/A-level students a |
| and Computing (accounting, business studies, | | | | comprehensive range of course options and course |
| computing, economics and ICT); Humanities (classical | | | | subjects; they also provide their students with |
| civilisation, English language, English literature, history, | | | | extensive support to facilitate their admission to top |
| Latin and philosophy); Languages (Arabic, French, | | | | universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, including |
| German, Japanese, Spanish); Social Sciences | | | | one-on-one tutor support and internal and external |
| (geography, government and politics, law, psychology, | | | | specialists to maximise the students’ academic |
| religious studies, sociology); Traditional Sciences | | | | potential and fulfil their aspirations. |