Totton College Introduces The New Sixth Form Baccalaureate

Totton College has been given the green light to offer the prestigious Sixth Form Baccalaureate from September 2010.  It is one of only nine colleges in England to be approved after a rigorous validation process and the only College in Hampshire.  This validation was overseen by the Institute of Education in London (London University) led by Professors Ann Hodgson and Ken Spours.  It is also supported by the Sixth Form Colleges Forum in London.

Thirty places are available for talented science students this September.  It is planned that a further thirty places will be added the following year.  Exceptional science students may also apply for the Sixth Form Baccalaureate Plus.  Students will receive the normal A Level certification if successful but in addition can achieve the Baccalaureate if they successfully complete the broader Sixth Form Baccalaureate programme.  The programme is testing and requires enthusiasm, high ability and commitment over a two year period.  As well as subject specialisms, the Sixth Form Baccalaureate  student has to develop learning and life skills, values in learning and enrichment and enhancement experience in breadth of learning.

The Sixth Form Baccalaureate will be monitored nationally but also locally through an impressive Steering Group of top university academics and senior scientists in Industry.

Mark Bramwell, College Principal, sees this “as one of the most exacting academic programmes we have launched in the last fifteen years.  The country needs to increase the supply of talented scientists and the Sixth Form Baccalaureate is an ideal platform to nurture young people who want to reach the top in science and technology”.

Dr Paul Roberts, Head of Science, at the College is looking forward to the start of the programme in September, “I am thrilled that the Sixth Form Baccalaureate is to be introduced here and for science to be chosen as the priority.  It will enable me and my colleagues to offer a challenging but wider and very rewarding science experience to those students who want to specialise in science at and after Sixth Form College”.