What must I study?

It is really about what is right for you?

MK6 offers a very wide range of courses that have been designed to give you as much choice as possible.

You may just want to study A-Levels - AS and A2, in which case you will study three or four subjects from a choice of twenty-five possibilities, as well as Key Skills qualifications and units at the level appropriate to you.

You may think the Advanced Vocational route is the right one for you. At MK6 we offer AVCE Business Studies, Construction and the Built Environment, Information and Communications Technology, Performing Arts and Travel and Tourism alongside AS and A2 studies.

Many of our students will decide to study a mix of academic and vocational courses. It depends what suits you, what gives you the best chance of success and what you want to do next. Maybe you are thinking of a career in the travel industry, in which case, perhaps an AVCE in Travel and Tourism together with French and German at A-Level (AS and A2) would provide you with the right mix of subjects for your career goals.

The possibilities are considerable and making the right decision is all important. At MK6 we will help you make the right choice.

A Word about Key Skills

All students of MK6 will have the opportunity to develop Key Skills. This is an important part of the curriculum and affords the opportunity both to maintain breadth and to develop skills essential for employment and higher study.

Key Skills comprise of Application of Number, Communication and Information Technology. There is also what is known as the wider Key Skills, and these are, Improving Your Own Learning and Performance, Working with Others and Problem Solving.

All are very important to employers, all are recognised by Universities and all are designed to make you a more capable individual and able learner. As a student of MK6 you will study those Key Skills necessary to ensure there is breadth in the mix of courses and subjects you are studying and that you develop the skills necessary for your needs and goals.

Key Skills may be studied at different levels; you will study at the level appropriate to you.

Making the Right Choice

It's all about match: matching what MK6 can offer you to what you need.

All students applying to MK6 will be interviewed. This interview is your chance to explore the possibilities and to see if what MK6 offers, suits you. We believe you will find MK6 very suitable.

We publish Admissions Criteria which guide us, and hopefully you, in making decisions. Our job is to do all we can to help you succeed and the first step in this is getting on the right course!

All students of MK6 will take part in a screening process either just before, or just at the start, of their course. This screening helps us to get to know you as a learner and helps you to understand how you learn. It also means we can tailor your learning programme to your needs. If you need study support with maths we will make it available. If you have a specific learning difficulty for example, Dyslexia, specialist tutors will work with you to help you achieve.

Staying On Track

At MK6 we have high expectations of our students. Our role is to work with you to ensure you end your time with us having achieved what you set out to achieve.

Central to this philosophy is our Tutorial System. You will have an identified tutor and, it is intended, that your tutor will remain the same throughout your years of study at MK6. In this way a really effective working relationship is established. Your tutor is there to help you: helping you to manage your learning and also working with you to keep you focused and on track.

Your tutor is key in advising, supporting, encouraging and where necessary chasing. If you have a problem your first step is to speak to your tutor.

MK6 offers a planned tutorial curriculum, which will include careers education and issues which affect your day -to-day life. During these sessions you will meet in groups with other students. Your tutor will also work with you individually to identify your learning plan, monitor and review your progress to ensure you are on target and have all the support you need.

MK6 operates a system of target setting, which will be managed by your tutor. You will know the minimum standard you should achieve. In most cases, we believe you can do even better than that, with our support and your hard work, you will do well. Your tutor will have a good understanding of you and the progress you are making in every aspect of your studies.

Enrichment

Enrichment at MK6 is an important part of your learning.

The purpose of enrichment is to ensure you do not just focus on your main subjects but are also involved in developing core life skills; developing an understanding of your own learning and in so doing becoming more independent and self aware. The aim is to ensure you have the skills appropriate to cope with Higher Education and employment.

Enrichment activities will be an integrated part of your experience at MK6. You will be able to develop your sporting, community, cultural and other interests. Examples of enrichment include a group of students who, last year, planned a series of fund-raising events and raised £1,000 for the NSPCC Full-stop Campaign. Enrichment may also involve work experience, field trips, visits to theatre or museums, trips abroad and outward bound activities. All sorts of activities that give you a broader perspective and enhance your learning but also extend it outside the classroom.

Enrichment develops the wider person. We intend that you leave MK6 with a clutch of good qualifications, articulate, confident and ready to take your next step in the world.

An Adult Environment

MK6 is a new and welcome experience. The environment is probably more adult than school. You will have a little more free time to plan wisely.

You will have to work to agreed deadlines and to be a little more independent and thoughtful. You will have to use your own initiative from time to time. That is not to say that we leave you to fend for yourself all the time. Our job is to help you to do well; all we ask is that you share in that responsibility.

Your progress at MK6 will be reviewed regularly and parents, guardians or carers if they wish, may attend termly progress review meetings with you. In fact, at MK6 we welcome their involvement. Effective learning is the result of a partnership between the student and the learning institution. This partnership is strengthened by the support provided by parents, guardians or carers.

At MK6 we hope your parents, guardians or carers will get involved; they are very welcome to get in touch should they have any queries about what is available. Additionally, do remind them, that if they have any questions or concerns throughout the year, your Personal Tutor can always be contacted.

Services for Students

In addition to the excellent learning facilities at MK6, you may also make use of the well-stocked Learning Resource Centre of Milton Keynes College. Here you will have access to a wide range of learning media to support your studies, as well as to PCs supported by industry standard software and internet access.

You will also be able to access a wide range of support services. Careers Guidance is available for all students and could cover concerns ranging from evaluating the options available after your course of study to applying for employment, including writing your CV or preparing for selection interviews.

You may have worries, problems or concerns which would be helped by sharing with someone removed from the situation. In such cases you may choose to contact our Counselling Service. This service is available by appointment or lunchtime drop-in, it is completely confidential, and will allow you to explore choices and alternatives so you may choose the best way forward.

Support for students is also a feature of MK6. Support is available for students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities. Dyslexia support is also available and Study Support can provide help with issues of communication and number at all levels of study as well as providing guidance on how to study effectively.

Finally, if you have worries about income, accommodation, health or immigration matters, or need to know more about claiming benefits or funding your studies, our Welfare Team are here to help you.