First new courses revealed for Telford College’s expanded sixth form

Telford College has revealed the first new courses to be launched as part of the creation of a dedicated sixth form base in the heart of the town centre.

The college is expanding its A level curriculum with the opening a brand new sixth form centre on the site of the town’s new Station Quarter development.

It will allow the team to introduce a series of new A level study options – the first of which have been revealed as theatre studies, and politics.

The theatre studies course will give students chance to explore the world of drama in both a performance and theoretical context, taking part in workshops and attending and evaluating live theatre performances.

The politics A level will focus on the roles of parliament, government and the people, looking at current political debates through a mixture of research, analysis, group discussion and debate.

Rob Bennion, learner manager in the A level department, has a performance background and is delighted to be adding theatre studies to the curriculum.

“I’ve taught this in the past, and seen students progress into everything from palaeontology to teaching, plus a host of performance roles – from theatres to cruise ships. There is an incredibly wide scope for progression, which is really exciting.

“This is not just for extroverts who love being on stage performing; there’s also a route for those who prefer more backstage roles like costume design or sound technology, to support performances from behind the curtain.

“You can mix and match too – if you start off being more comfortable in behind the scenes roles, you are able to then step in front of the curtain to do some performing. It’s incredibly flexible.” 

Telford College’s chief executive and deputy chief executive, Graham Guest and Janet Stephens, visited the Station Quarter development to take a look at the progress of building work on site, joined by Councillor Eileen Callear, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for education, employment and visitor economy.

Councillor Callear said:

 “The launch of the new A level centre at Telford College marks a significant step forward in our commitment to nurturing the potential of our students.

“These new courses, including theatre studies and politics, exemplify Telford College’s dedication to providing a diverse and enriching educational experience.

“It’s a testament to our collective effort, and I’m excited to see the borough’s students thrive in this vibrant learning environment.” 

The town centre sixth form centre is being made possible with the help of £4.5 million of central government Levelling Up funding.

Mr Guest added:

“Our new A level centre will sit right next to the new digital skills centre opening in Station Quarter next year.

“It is all part of a long-term strategy which will allow us to invest significantly in our existing Haybridge campus to establish it as a specialist technical learning centre.

“These are exciting times for the college as we continue to work closely with employers and schools to prepare the workforce for the future, with higher levels of skills.”