Alongside a wide curriculum encompassing academic, creative and sports subjects, we have a comprehensive enrichment programme designed to place our students in the best position possible for a variety of pathways after their time with us - be it in the world of work, or academia.
We pride ourselves on our pastoral system. Each student is recognised as an individual; their individual talents contributing to make us a strong and diverse Sixth Form.
Pastoral and academic support and guidance are delivered through small tutor groups, overseen by The Head of Sixth Form and Deputy Head of Sixth Form. UCAS and Careers are delivered through this network, plus a wealth of contacts with different spheres of both working and academic environments. Students normally study three subjects for two years, or the Sports Baccalaureate option. Enrichment and sports and fitness complement the academic programme.
We view the Sixth Form as being the transition to the adult world. In an environment of mutual respect and cooperation, teachers and students work together towards achieving aspirations - whatever they may be.
Our Sixth Form centre offers a base to do so in school, and is much more than just an academic hub. With numerous sporting and social opportunities, Plymouth College is very much the place to be to develop each element of character and personality. Being part of our Sixth Form enables students to be themselves, to be a success and we help, support and guide them along their own chosen pathway.
Senior and Sixth Form Wellbeing and Pastoral Care
I started at Plymouth College in Year 7, and I can safely say that that was the start of the best six years of my life. Having come from my local village school, I remember being nervous about joining a school separate from my friends at the time, and I was unsure how I would deal with it. However, Plymouth College made me feel welcome from the start and I made friends quickly. The main reason I joined Plymouth College was because of my sport, I was a Pentathlete at the time and loved all kinds of sport. The school worked with me in order to balance my training with my lessons, maintain a good standard in both, and I do not believe this would have been possible in any other school.
In my later years at the school, team sports such as Netball and Hockey were the main sports I had interests in. I gained so much confidence and skills, such as team work and communication that I have taken on into my time at University, having joined the University of Surrey Hockey team. Although teams sports was the main area in which I thrived, the schools ability to support and encourage students in all areas cannot go unmissed, as it has lead so many students to success.
Away from sport, the main thing I loved about Plymouth College was the small class sizes. The teachers also made it very clear that if I needed any extra help outside of teaching hours to explain something again or go over some extra practice questions, then they’d be happy to help, and this helped me greatly. In sixth form, small class sizes also mean I could build good relationships with my teachers and have clear guidance with my work. The small community of Plymouth College allows for great friendships to be formed and altogether a friendly atmosphere around the campus.
I decided that I wanted to apply to university and start a degree, though I was unsure what to study to start with. The schools support though applications and the UCAS process was incredible. To ensure that we got as many offers a possible, the Heads of Sixth Form and form tutors personally oversaw each and every part of our applications. This allowed me to study Psychology at the University of Surrey. I miss Plymouth College; the atmosphere was always happy and the teaching staff were always so friendly and keen to help. It has definitely been some of the best years of my life and I have had some amazing opportunities that I will never forget.
I joined Plymouth College at the start of Sixth Form from a large independent school in Somerset and can honestly say it was the best two school years I had. Sixth Form is, of course, the most crucial period of any pupil’s school life and what Plymouth College enabled me to do was set a platform for myself to not only succeed in my A levels but also further on into higher education and my future careers. The one thing that set PMC apart from any other school I attended was the sense of community and family, both within my year group, but also to the wider pupil body and the teaching staff. The teachers and sixth form staff really care about you and go out their way to help in whatever way they can. This may be going through multiple university personal statement drafts, academic support sessions outside of class or just some being there to talk to.
The university process of UCAS daunts many pupils going into 6th form but with help from Mr. Summons and other leading teachers, the UCAS process couldn’t be smoother or more rewarding. Despite the looming January deadline every year it is thanks to the school that we are able to send so many pupils to Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities as well as a whole host of other top institutions, including a number of friends who have gone off to study in the US. Alongside the academics at Plymouth College, there is also the huge bonus of the co-curricular programs which encompass so many different aspects of school life whether that be sport, music, art, or a number of other things!
The varied range of opportunities is incredibly rare and allows any pupil to fully gain the benefits of school life outside of the classroom. I studied Economics, History and Geography for A-Levels and throughout both years I had immense support from my teachers in order to get grades I was proud of (A*AA). With the small class sizes and tailored teaching methods, Plymouth College allowed me to fulfill my academic potential to the highest level whilst also always allowing me to enjoy and thrive outside of the classroom. I am now studying PPE at Exeter University and thank Plymouth College for setting me up on this journey.
I joined Plymouth College in 2018 for Sixth Form taking A-levels in Economics, History and Art. It was the start of an academic adventure and it is thanks to Plymouth College that I achieved a place at SGH Warsaw School of Economics, the number one institution for my course in the country.
Knowledge that I received in Plymouth is already serving me well in my lectures and I genuinely believe that it is because of the school that my transition into university life has felt so smooth.
Besides my academics I loved training with Plymouth Leander swimming club, the strong partnership with Plymouth College provided a great opportunity to combine high performance training with academic life. I was welcomed into the school with open arms and settled so quickly. It is thanks to so much support from boarding staff, coaches, teachers and entire Plymouth College community I managed to develop my performance swimming career as well as strengthen my academic skills. Although I was only in Plymouth for two years, the place will hold many happy memories for me.
I joined Plymouth College as a boarder for Sixth Form. Although I only spent two years at the College, I was really prepared for the future. When I arrived at Plymouth College, I didn’t know what I wanted to do or if and what I wanted to study. At the College, the staff, who were always very understanding and supportive, helped guide me through the different options and ultimately helped me realize what I wanted to do next.
I now study at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, USA and the skills I learned as a boarder at school have helped me get settled in my first semester here. Although the academic support is amazing, I loved my teachers, the best thing about the College is the sense of community. I made friends I am sure I will keep all my life.
In my time at Plymouth College I didn’t just learn about the Tudors, the intricacies of French grammar or how to do implicit differentiation, I learned skills such as self-organization, discipline, adapting to a new, international environment that will be valuable to me for my entire life. I am very grateful for the opportunities that the College has given me.
I studied at Plymouth College for A-Levels and am now a Business Support Executive at Arbuthnot Latham Private Bank. What I remember most about Plymouth College was the ability to manage my sporting and academic commitments.
The school allowed me to balance training and studying to be successful in both. Teachers supported, encouraged and pushed me to achieving a strong set of A-level results alongside becoming the U20 and U23 British Fencing Champion.
