Esher College is an extremely successful open access, non-selective Sixth Form College situated in Thames Ditton, near Hampton Court, Surrey.
We are one of the few colleges in the country to achieve ‘Outstanding’ in all areas of our last two full Ofsted inspections and were awarded Beacon Status in 2005. As a heavily over-subscribed college we have a reputation for delivering exceptional results and pride ourselves on creating a friendly and purposeful atmosphere for all students and staff.
Intake
Esher College is a large sixth form college with about 1,600 full-time students and 1,000 part-time (adult) enrolments attending in the evening. During the day we specialise in 16-19 education where we have an unusual pattern of student intake. Because of the good communications, students travel to the College from a wide area. Although we have partnerships with schools in the vicinity we draw on over 100 schools for our intake - from both maintained and independent, from inner and outer London, most of Surrey, and occasionally from other counties.
The diversity of students has a beneficial effect on the health of the College, making it a friendly and lively place to work and study. We are a heavily over-subscribed College and there appears to be no sign of this situation abating. We also operate a growing programme of short and long courses pertinent to local community needs, and many organisations use our facilities ‘out of hours’.
Curriculum
Our full time provision covers a full range of A level, AS level and Applied A level syllabuses and a small number of GCSE subjects. All students take level 3 courses as part of their programme of study. Every student takes a diverse range of enrichment courses including Key Skills, AS Extension Studies, tutorial, the Extended Project, work experience, sport and drama and other additional studies courses.
We aim to provide a curriculum for students which is broad, balanced and coherent, capable of providing successful progression to university/work, but also fun. In 2009 over 90% of our students went on to Higher Education.
Our evening and short course programmes concentrate on meeting the needs of local residents, whilst our recreational facilities accommodate a variety of community activities.
Performance
We have a reputation for high quality academic performance which is borne out by the results we have achieved recently. Our A level pass rate for 2009 was 99%, with 30.7% of entries being awarded an A grade and 58% an A or B. With AS passes and high grades well above national averages, we are one of the top Sixth Form Colleges in the country for level 3 performance. Of course you might expect results to be this good, but in fact we also add value to the levels of GCSE performance we inherit - our intake is more mixed than one might anticipate and we maintain a genuine open-access policy, without any selection or “creaming” mechanisms. In February 2005 and in May 2008 we underwent full Ofsted Inspections in which we were awarded Grade 1: Outstanding for all areas inspected; a wonderful accolade for the College. We have received Beacon Status and have been featured in Ofsted publications of particularly successful schools/colleges.
Key strengths of the College, identified by Ofsted, include:
• Very high success rates
• Very good progress of students
• Outstanding teaching and learning
• Outstanding extension and enrichment activities
• Very good facilities and resources
• Strong commitment to equality of opportunity
Beyond the Academic
Most teaching staff are personal tutors in a ‘horizontal’ year group based system; part time staff share tutor groups. We have a strong student support structure to monitor student progress and to provide careful guidance to the individual student when needed. The students run a very effective Student Council which organises many events, some purely social, many raising funds for charity. Recently we have established a registered charity to support aids orphans in Africa. We have a team of staff who are trained counsellors and who provide an expert level of advice for students with personal problems. We also have a learning support team which assists students who need extra help in improving their learning skills. The staff room is very friendly as we have a wide range of experience and ages and the general atmosphere is purposeful and cooperative. Many excellent teachers have moved on to posts of responsibility after ‘cutting their teeth’ with us.
Facilities and Accommodation
The College’s facilities and accommodation are some of the best available in the area, having benefited from a comprehensive refurbishment and enhancement programme in recent years. There are specialist facilities for all subjects, with IT access and projectors in every room, a large Learning Resource Centre, including a library and extensive computer access, a Theatre and Drama Studio and a College café for students to relax in. We have a large Sports Hall, where staff and students have free access to an on-site gym. We are also fortunate in having a large, landscaped campus, with tennis courts and playing fields.
Staffing
The College currently employs some 200 staff, with an approximate 2:1 split between teaching and support functions, mostly on permanent contracts. Relationships across the staffing structure are very good, being supportive and friendly, with encouragement given to colleagues to contribute to a variety of local, regional and national initiatives.
Travel
The College is located in Thames Ditton with Hampton Court Palace and the River Thames close by, and within easy access of the A3 and the M25. Thames Ditton train station is only a 2 minute walk from Esher College.