Wyke College

Overview

Wyke Sixth Form College opened its doors in 1988 and has grown from strength to strength. The original perception of Wyke Sixth Form College was that it was a further education establishment intended for students in the western part of the city, but as the College began to develop, so did its successful reputation, which increased the interest from students from all over the city and further afield. Wyke is the largest A level provider in Hull and East Riding offering more than 40 different level three courses. It houses four buildings on its site at Bricknell Avenue which include an extensive library and learning resource centre, a canteen and coffee shop, extensive sports facilities and state of the art classrooms. Many students choose to go to Wyke as it offers a very different environment from school. The friendly, mature atmosphere gives students freedom, often not found in school sixth forms, an opportunity to develop their independence, making the best of their choices, talents and opportunities.

Results

The percentage pass rate at A Level in 2012–13 was 99.6. At AS Level, the pass rate in 2012–13 was 94%, which is also one of the best in the country. It’s A*-B rate of 49% combined with a very high average point score means that Wyke is in the top 10% of Colleges nationally. Progression data for entry to University and to the Russell Group is outstanding and all its Oxbridge and medical applicants have been successful. In its Ofsted report it achieved outstanding in science and mathematics, languages and literature. Read the report here Ofsted Report

Facilities

Students are making the most of the redevelopment of Wyke, which has seen the creation of a whole new College providing a "University Campus" feel.

The first building is the Oak building.

In October 2008 the £7 million Ash building was opened by Stephen Greep, chief executive of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. The total investment in the project which covered three new buildings was £20 million. The Ash building houses science, art, humanities, information and communication technology, health and social care and modern foreign languages. In April 2010 the new Oak building was opened, completing the colleges £20 million redevelopment project.

In November 2013 Wyke opened its fourth new building; Elm which completed the transformation of the College. There is an enormous Learning Resource Centre, allowing more students than ever to access both reading materials and on-line resources. The building provides excellent sports facilities, with a four badminton court sports hall. The contemporary theatre space accommodates Dance, Drama and Music performances. The Music department have a high tech recording studio and Media have video editing facilities, an apple mac suite and a visual effects green room. Students are also enjoying the Refectory, which serves breakfast and lunch, and the Coffee Bar which is available for drinks and snacks throughout the day. The landscaped area outside links all four buildings and provides an extensive external social space.

Courses

Wyke offers more than 40 different level three courses, which allows students to put together a programme of study that exactly matches their interests, strengths and future aspirations. As an academic sixth form college, Wyke have the breadth and depth to deliver course choices without clashes. Most level three students choose four AS level courses or equivalent in their first year at Wyke. In addition to the comprehensive range of courses, for those students who achieve very high GCSE grades Wyke offer a customised programme of events and activities led by the senior team that is designed to enhance applications to highly selective Higher Education institutions. To see more information on courses click here Wyke Course Details

Guidance

Student Advisers, MIS and Exams staff all work closely together to provide the Guidance service which is available during College timetable hours. The Guidance staff can offer help with timetable queries, transport information, exam questions and much more. The College also has first class careers provision. There are regular careers talks and in-depth help with university applications and life after college.

Learning Mentors

The Learning Mentor team provides a friendly area for students who need any kind of support on the following:- • Personal issues (friendship and relationship worries, family and housing issues) • Homework and coursework (helping students to understand what has been asked of them, helping them meet deadlines and giving students somewhere to complete their work). • Revision (helping with revision strategies, planning revision timetables and allowing students to revise with a mentor). • Other issues (these can be a whole range of things from attendance to living independently).

Learning Support

The Learning Support team provides extra study support to students who need it or who want to improve their study skills. They support students with dyslexia or dyslexic tendencies and can lend out equipment such as laptops, voice recorders and lift keys to students who require them. The department also supports disabled students either on a one-to-one or occasional basis. The department can offer tutorials for study support; dyslexia screening; assistance with time management, essay writing and exam preparation.

Student Association

The Student Association organises a number of events during the year such as charity fundraising events and parties. In 2013 they raised £2,074.32 for The Smile Foundation through a wide variety of events and fundraisers over the course of the year. As well as organising the Colleges RAG week, they continued in a long tradition of organising college parties and events.

The Tutor Team

The Tutor Team at Wyke consists of specialist tutors whose aim is to deliver a high level of support to students. Each member of the team offers skills and specialisms that contribute to enriching the time students are at Wyke. The tutors act as the main point of contact and liaison for both teaching staff and parents. They maintain an overview of students’ progress, encouraging them to work towards achieving both their academic and personal goals.

Sport

Wyke has an outstanding reputation in sport, as well as previously winning "Sports College of the year" in 2008 and 2012 (BCS Sport website). Wyke managed to win six trophies in football, netball and basketball in the 2012/13 season. From September 2013 Wyke introduced its 'Wyke Football Academy' which offers talented young male footballers the opportunity to combine performance and academic excellence. Footballers within the Academy will receive 8–10 hours of expert coaching and sports science support. This includes technical, tactical, strength and conditioning coaching for all players. For students who want to participate 'just for fun', Wyke also run an Inter-Tutor League where students compete in dodgeball, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and darts. Recreational activities are available every lunch time for all students who wish to stay active, including badminton, zumba and basketball. The Wyke PE and Sports Department offers a large number of experiences and excursions with some of the most recent opportunities including trips to Wales, St Georges park, Loughborough University, Old Trafford, the BCS National Finals plus many more.

Enrichment

Enrichment courses are short courses that take place for one or two hours each week. Many provide certificates and others allow you to gain extra UCAS tariff points required for university entrance e.g. Extended Project Qualification. A level General Studies is taught to all Level 3 students through tutorial. Enrichment courses develop important life skills which have a use beyond college ( e.g. First Aid), others develop vocational skills and experience ( e.g. Work Experience, Community Sports Leader Award, Law Society and Music Ensembles). You can become more involved in the life of a busy sixth form college by participating in the College Production at Wyke and Student Crew. Enrichment courses also help with making new friends and developing new skills.

Wyke Trips

Students are encouraged to make the most of their time at Wyke and take advantage of as many experiences that are open to them as possible. Recent opportunities have included trips to New York, South Africa, Iceland, Belgium, Germany and Italy.

Wyke Flyers

The Wyke Flyers programme is designed to help the most academically able students reach their full potential. 2012/13 was an outstanding year for the Wyke Flyers, with all its Oxbridge and medical applicants being successful. Initially the most able students are identified by their GCSE score (majority A Grades) and then added to this group, are all the students that start to ‘fly’ in their academic studies at Wyke. Each student is assigned a senior staff mentor from the senior management team, or heads of faculty. Students can then discuss their progress and aims directly with tutors and senior staff regularly throughout the year. As students progress through their first year, Wyke offer the EPQ qualification, residential university visits and start preparation for applications to highly selective courses and institutions such as Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering and Law.

Life at Wyke

In 2012/13, two A Level science students launched "Café Scientifique", in association with Hull University. The visiting lecture programme was organised for students who were looking forward to exploring subjects not on the curriculum, in an informal and exciting way. The "Café Scientifique" concept invited students and staff to hear about cutting edge science from university professors, whilst providing an opportunity for like-minded students to develop new friendships.

Volunteers from Anthony Nolan, which runs the UK bone marrow register, visited Wyke College in November 2012 & 2013 as part of the charity’s "Register and Be a Lifesaver" (R&Be) programme. Aimed at 16- and 17-year-olds, R&Be educates students about the importance of blood, organ and stem cell donation. The visit was a great success with over 100 students signing up to become potential lifesavers, breaking all previous records.

Charity at Wyke

Every year, Wyke Sixth Form College holds its ‘Rag Week’ which sees the College putting on a host of madcap events for charity. In 2014, the week opened with Principal Jay Trivedy posting a selfie and ended with a fantasy-themed Fancy Dress Friday. Students and staff ran a number of traditional sponsored activities such as car washing and face painting alongside some more unusual events, such as stomach-defying food challenges and bouncy castle battles reminiscent of an episode of Gladiators. There were several themed days, with a Moustache Monday and a Onesie Wednesday, all culminating in Fancy Dress Friday, for which the theme was ‘fantasy’. Principal Jay Trivedy said "Whether it was dressing up as your favourite film character or running a second hand bookstall, students and staff worked together to raise an impressive sum and had lots of fun into the bargain." Rag Week has raised £1,680 for Make-a-Wish, which aims to grant the wishes of children and young people living with a life-threatening condition.

College Alumni

College alumni include the musician Gay-Yee Westerhoff, journalist and presenter Sarah Cruddas and the actors Liam Garrigan and Daniel Smales.

Security Scare

On 15 January 2016, Wyke College closed for the day due to a security alert. Principle Jay Trivedy stated that the college had an alert via e-mail and the security of staff and student were paramount to this decision. Later Humberside Police confirmed they were investigating the incident and subsequently it was a hoax. The force announced it was part of a worldwide cyber attack on educational departments.