Greenhead College

About the organisation:

Greenhead College is a sixth form college located on a single site near the centre of Huddersfield, within the Kirklees metropolitan district, in Yorkshire. It was awarded Learning and Skills Beacon Status in September 2004.

Context:

The college was established as a sixth form college in 1974. There is one other sixth form college and a general further education (GFE) college within Huddersfield. A concordat between the three colleges was agreed in 1998 to provide a comprehensive curriculum for the local community while enabling the colleges to focus on their specialisms.

Greenhead decided that, given its expertise, its contribution to the community would best be served by concentrating on A Levels and some applied courses for full-time students aged 16 to 18. There is no provision for adults.

The college has 1,770 students and has trebled in size since 1993 when there were 550 full time students. The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups is in line with that of the local population.

Strengths

In 2006 the A Level pass rate was better than 99 per cent for the fourth year in succession. Of more than 2,500 entries, almost 1,000 were passed at grade A. The college came top in results tables published by two national newspapers.

One in four of the A Level grades achieved by the students averaging C and below at GCSE were A and B grades, which the college hails as an exhilarating success for a group of students who would be denied entry to so many other sixth forms.

Greenhead College developed the A Level Performance System (ALPS) used by about 40 per cent of schools and colleges throughout the country to measure the value added of students achievements when compared to prior attainment.

Beacon activity:

The college has held a series of conferences and consultation days aimed at sharing its outstanding practices. It works in partnership with local Learning and Skills Councils and Alkemygold, the education consultancy, to deliver high quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for post 16 teachers. A number of staff regularly lead CPD sessions at other schools and colleges around the country.