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BSix Sixth Form College: a brief overview for prospective job applicants

“The college is an asset to potential learners, providing educational opportunity for many students who have previously experienced disappointment” – Further Education Commissioner 2021

Thus the words of an October 2021 Stocktake Report from the Further Education Commissioner’s Office, acknowledging a host of improvements made by the college and its consolidation of a distinct niche amongst post-16 providers in Hackney and surrounding boroughs. This about a college which by the end of 2017 was struggling to justify its continued existence – buffeted by declining student numbers, beset by extreme financial pressures and reeling from a second successive ‘Requires improvement’ judgement by Ofsted inspectors.

The transformation, sealed by the securing of a ‘Good’ in our most recent inspection and the earning of a first prize in the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association’s 2023 awards for ‘Curriculum Innovation’, has required a major and united effort by college management and staff. Significant economies have been effected, the quality of teaching and learning raised and a new management ethos nurtured without any loss of morale or any deterioration in industrial relations.

There remains much to do if we are to consolidate the gains which have been made and to implement new strategies. Money remains tight, student retention and financial outcomes are not yet consistently strong and our reputation in some parts of the locality frequently lags behind the reality of what happens on the ground. Those tasks will be made more achievable if we can continue to augment our existing staff team with new injections of expertise, enthusiasm and openness to learning. Successfully appointing staff of the calibre we need is one of the very most important tasks we face.

If you would like to contribute to the improvement drive at BSix we would love to receive an application from you. The rewards awaiting successful applicants are considerable. As well as the  fringe benefits listed elsewhere in this information pack, you will experience an institutional culture hugely supportive of professional learning and development. Management is ambitious but benign; communication is open and regular and there is a strong sense of institutional identity and common cause which transcends any differences between support staff and teachers, long-serving colleagues and recent recruits.

I look forward to receiving your application form and supporting letter stating why you are attracted to BSix and the qualities you can bring to its further growth. Should you want an informal discussion before committing to paper, please request one via our HR Manager, Claire Crook, at ccrook@bsix.ac.uk.

Kevin Watson.

Principal.