PRIESTLEY College offers the widest array of courses of any local college giving students the greatest chance to succeed.

With more than 70 courses to choose from, there is a lot to consider so to make life easier for prospective students, the college has created four distinct pathways it recommends they follow at Level 3.

You can find out more about the courses available at Priestley by booking a place at the college’s open event on Wednesday, March 8.

For those wanting to study at Priestley in September, it is essential to apply before the 28th February deadline.

You can do both at www.priestley.ac.uk

Leigh Journal:

A-Levels

Priestley offers up to 38 A-Levels including Art & Design, Music, Geography, Chemistry and three modern languages.

What the college does differently from many of its counterparts is place a greater emphasis on AS Levels. It firmly believes that while they are the first year of an A-Level, AS-Levels can provide students with more flexibility and opportunities to specialise as they progress into their second year.

Furthermore, the AS grades achieved in Year One provide a more reliable indicator to universities about how students are performing, who also think a broader and more balanced curriculum better prepares students for higher education.

T-Levels

T-Levels are equivalent to three A-Levels, and focus on technical skills that help students secure employment and apprenticeships.

Students spend 80% of their time in the classroom and 20% in a work placement gaining essential experience and the chance to apply theory in practice.

The five T-Levels available at Priestley are Engineering (Design & Development), Education & Childcare, Health (Nursing and Paramedical Services), Digital Production Design & Development, Management & Administration.

Leigh Journal:

Vocational

A Vocational pathway can prepare students for university or careers ranging from the police to theatre set designing or sports coaching to name just a few.

They aim to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to break into a particular industry or to secure an apprenticeship. In some cases, students can combine a Vocational course with an A-Level.

The focus is also mainly on coursework and assessments.

Mixed programmes

For those students who find it hard to choose between A-Levels and a Vocational programme, the flexibility of Priestley College’s timetable means that they may be able to enjoy the best of both.

Students might combine an A-Level and BTEC for many reasons; they could complement the career path they want to take, or help accrue UCAS points for university. More simply, it could just be that students want to get the best experience possible out of their time at college, and enjoy that particular set of subjects. To investigate the options available go to www.priestley.ac.uk/course-builder

Extra-curricular programmes

As well as their study programme ‘Priestley Plus’ provides opportunities to enrich both students’ time at Priestley and their CV. From the Duke of Edinburgh Award to First Aid, to creative writing and kayaking, there’s a vast array of new skills to explore.

Find out more about all these pathways at www.priestley.ac.uk