Further education and school sixth form

College

College is usually your next step after you have finished high school. A further education college gives you the option to study a number of different qualifications, such as A-Levels or BTEC courses.

You may choose to study an A-Level subject that you took at GCSE, or something new. You could take three broad subjects that you're interested in to keep your career options open, or choose new ones for a specific career.

Further education colleges also give you the option to study vocational courses if you do not want to go down the A-Level route. These are more specific to different industries, so a good option if you know the career path you want to pursue.

There are different study levels, from Level 1 Foundation learning to Level 3. You can also restudy Maths and English if you need to.

School sixth form

School sixth form gives you the option to study A-Levels or BTEC courses, just like a further education college. It's usually attached to a high school - either the one you're already at or a different one in the borough.

If you stay on after high school, one advantage is you'll already know your surroundings and teachers, which may help you to settle into sixth-form life sooner.

School sixth forms tend to have smaller class sizes than mainstream colleges, meaning you'll get more interaction and support in the classroom.

Both further education colleges and school sixth forms will prepare you for the next step, whether that's university, employment or an apprenticeship.

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