While we try to cover everything you need to know about Franklin on our website, in our Course Guide and at our Open Events, you’ll inevitably have more questions. So, we’ve collated all the frequently asked questions from applicants, students and parents in one useful list. Simply find your section below and use the drop-downs to access the information you need.
If you still can’t find the answer to your question, please get in touch with our team, and they’ll be more than happy to help.
Applicant FAQs
A Level – These are studied over 2 years and each subject will only constitute one of your three options. A Levels are well established qualifications which are examined at the end of a 2 year study period. A Levels may have elements of course work, but there will be considerably more examination. A Levels can be taken alongside A Levels or Level 3 qualifications.
BTEC/CTEC – BTECs and CTECs are a 2 year programme that may include some work experience and are a little more practical in their nature. They will often apply learning to real-life situations and have more assessments throughout the 2 years. These courses are a combination of exams, coursework, and controlled assessments.
T Level - T Levels are a 2 year programme. They are a vocational course with a career focus which provides the opportunity for you to develop relevant core knowledge and skills. They are equally valuable to employers and universities. These courses offer a combination of classroom learning with a large focus on industry placement too; giving the opportunity for hands-on learning and application of knowledge. This course is assessed via exams, coursework, and employer set projects (ESP).
Most students will do 3 subjects if they select single options, for example 3 A Levels or a single vocational subject with 2 A Levels. Some of our courses are available as Double and Triple options. This means some students will take 1 Double course alongside a Single course subject, or a Triple course as their full study programme. A small number of students will study 4 courses, for example when a student is studying Further Maths as a 4th option.
Choosing which courses to study is an important decision, so we advise you to choose courses that you think you will enjoy studying and work hard over the next 2 to 3 years.
Choosing courses that you have already studied at GCSE is a great progression route to develop your skills at a higher level. You also have a great opportunity to try something new or develop a passion or hobby you already have.
If you are still unsure, join us at one of our Open Events where you can find out about all our courses, meet our specialist teaching and support teams, see our subjects in-action, meet our students and find out about our amazing Personal and Professional Development opportunities.
We have over 70 courses to choose from and countless combinations, so you can create a tailor-made study programme that is right for you.
If you have a certain goal or dream career you want to achieve, we will help you from the very start to choose subjects and experiences that will strengthen your application and ensure your very best chance of success. Advice from the Admissions Team, teachers, Progress Coaches and our Career Advisors will ensure that you get the most out of what Franklin Sixth Form College can offer you.
We understand that sometimes you do not achieve the grades that you are predicted to get.
At Franklin we offer a range of GCSE, Level 2, Level 3 Vocational and A Level Programmes; in fact, we offer the widest range of course options in the region. So, we will work with you to get you on the best Study Programme for you. In some cases, if your work is good, and you have just missed the entry thresholds by a little, we may allow you to start the course and see how you go, or we may conduct some tests to see if we believe you can cope with the demands of the course.
Our Admissions Team will work with you during Year 11 and at enrolment to ensure you are on the most suitable programme. This does sometimes mean your original plan has to change, but this is to support you to achieve the best grades overall by not putting you on a course which you may struggle with.
If things don't go to plan on GCSE results day, don't panic! We will have a helpline available, which means you don't need to wait until your enrolment appointment to discuss your results and course choices.
We are aware that things can change. This might be because your aspirations have changed or because your results are not exactly what was expected. Throughout Year 11 we are here to support your questions and any changes and will do our best to ensure we support you however we can.
At enrolment, you'll be able to have a full discussion about choices. We are generally able to accommodate course changes because we have a much bigger curriculum choice than other local schools and colleges. It is important to talk to us as quickly as you can if there are any changes you want to discuss.
During the first couple of weeks you can talk to your Progress Coach if you need to clarify options. It is more difficult to change the longer the term goes on and all bridging work assigned to you on Taster Day must be completed if a change is agreed.
Please note that any course changes will not be made until after Wednesday 21st August at your enrolment appointment. Please complete the bridging work for all your chosen courses.
No, our Level 3 courses are equivalent. They will be viewed in the same way whether you want to apply for university, an apprenticeship or employment in the future.
We are still accepting applications. You can apply online or via Lincs2 (North East Lincolnshire students).
Our application system consists of five easy steps.
- Open Event - Attend an Open Event and find out what is on offer at Franklin.
- Apply - Make an application through Lincs2 or via our website.
- Interview - You will be invited for a College interview to discuss your application and choices.
- Taster Days - All applicants will be invited to Taster Days and experience what it is like to be a Franklin student!
- Enrol - Enrol at Franklin once you have received your GCSE results in August.
We ask you to bring any evidence of your current school performance. This can be attendance data, attitude to learning and predicted GCSE grades. We also ask that you have had a think about your future aspirations and courses you would like to study prior to your interview. You can look through our Course Guide, or you can also contact our Admissions Team, who are always happy to provide a wealth of advice and support. But your interview is nothing to worry about.
After you have submitted your application to Franklin, we will arrange an interview for you in the upcoming weeks or months. Your interview will either be scheduled after school or during half term holidays.
Please note that we are currently receiving a high volume of applications, and we will contact you as soon as possible to confirm your interview date and time.
Our Taster Day is a fantastic opportunity to experience all things Franklin. You will try each of your first-choice courses, experience what life is like as a student at Franklin outside of classroom and hear all about the fantastic opportunities and facilities which will be yours once you join Franklin.
Our Taster Day is always really exciting, enjoyable and informative; by this time, you will have finished your exams and be looking forward to your future as a Franklin Student. Taster Day this year is the 8th July.
You will attend Taster Day and after this a member of our Admissions Team will contact you to arrange an enrolment appointment. We will confirm this appointment time via phone, email and letter, and you will attend this appointment after you have collected you GCSE results. It is important that you attend your appointment because we will only reserve the space on the course for you until this appointment. You will also be assigned bridging work at Taster Day to provide you with an insight into the course style and work of your chosen courses. Bridging work is to be completed ahead of your enrolment.
Our Learning Support Team will identify any support arrangements, including extra time, with you. This may mean undertaking assessments to ensure we get the right support in place for your needs. If you have any questions, please contact our Admissions Team, who will be more than happy to support you.
The short answer is ‘any member of staff’ who you feel comfortable to talk to. Before your enrolment this will be the Admissions Team. But once you are a College student, any member of staff with a pink lanyard on will help.
If you are attending an Open Evening, then you do not need to book.
If you are attending a Saturday Open Morning, then you will need to book. Visit our Open Event page to find out more.
Our further education courses are for students aged 16 - 18.
We have a great range of courses in our Adult Learning Department for students aged 19 and above.
Our courses are free. There may be some additional costing for things like transport, food, equipment and trips.
We offer a Student Financial Support Fund for students who are eligible. Information on the Financial Support Fund is posted out to all Applicants prior to the summer so we can put plans in place for students ready for the start of term in September.
The cost of our adult learning courses may vary depending on the course. Please visit our adult learning page for more information.
The application process begins in the same way for every student.
For overseas applicants, we’d need to check any grades are equivalent to UK GCSEs.
At this time, please also confirm any additional needs such as ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) requirements.
Any additional assessments can be arranged.
Please feel free to contact our Admissions directly with any concerns or queries.
Financial Support application packs for starting in September are sent to applicants in May.
An application pack contains all the relevant information, including the types of financial support available.
Find out more here.
All applicants should complete the Summer Bridging Work for each chosen subject. These tasks are great for a number of reasons. 1, they provide a great insight into your chosen courses; 2, they prepare you for the start of term and; 3, they show us at enrolment that you're committed and allow us to look at the work you've completed.
For more information, click here.
Keep up to date with everything we've got upcoming over the next few months, to help you prepare for life at Franklin here.
Student FAQs
The College day starts and 9.00am and will finish no later than 4.15pm.
You'll have your own personalised timetable which will identify when you have lessons and other timetabled activities.
Each subject has three 90-minute lessons per week. 2 of the 3 lessons are placed together, as a 3-hour block, with a break in the middle. The 3rd lesson will be a lesson of 90 minutes.
Double and Triple courses have two or three times as many classes, but all are timetabled to the same format. Your timetable will include sessions of Independent Study, Personal and Professional Development, and your timetabled Aspire tutorial programme.
You will get your timetable at the Start of Term. You will receive this electronically so you can see your lesson times and rooms.
No, but we do encourage students to use facilities for Independent Study and extra activities as part of the Personal and Professional Development Programme. This will all help to develop you as a person during your time at Franklin. There is an expectation for you to be on site for timetabled activities, but you will find out everything you need to know about expectations during your transition activities to College.
The amount of work to be done outside class will vary a little through the year, but you should expect to be, as a full-time student, doing a similar number of hours outside of class time as you do in timetabled classes. Independent study which is on your timetable 3 times will help you gain a deeper understanding of the subject, plus any completion/catch up you need to do, or developmental work set by teachers alongside your own research.
At Franklin, we work to ensure staff and students stick to our ABCs - Attend, Behave, Commit. With that in mind, a part time job should be no more than 12 hours per week to ensure it does not interfere with your College time.
Yes! We encourage our students to participate in as many extracurricular activities - including work experience - as possible. Through our nationally-recognised Centre for Professional Development , we offer a huge variety of work experience opportunities to students.
We also encourage our students to participate in as many extracurricular activities as possible; at Franklin this is called Personal and Professional Development.
Basic stationery - pens, pencils, paper and folder - for starters. Each course may have additional equipment expectations such as calculators and textbooks. You will find out all about the equipment you need during Taster Day, with plenty of time to plan. Feel free to ask any questions at our Open Events.
Our Student Financial Support Fund is there to support students with funding for equipment and resources.
Yes, there is free Wi-Fi. We are currently improving technology around College to a university level standard to support teaching and independent learning.
We asked all applicants to complete a home-working survey and are aware that there are likely to be some students in this position. We offer support with equipment, and you are always welcome to use The Bridge, our Learning Centre.
We have laptops available for long and short term loan, as well as data sim cards for students without internet.
If you ever have any additional requests or need specific support, your Progress Coach is always the best first contact. If you need help before you enrol, contact our friendly Admissions Team who will be more than happy to help you!
There is no uniform and you can express your own style, so long as it is appropriate.
Subject tutors will be able to set catch-up work, independent study exercises and support you wherever possible. It is really important that you put effort into catching up any work missed through sickness absence. We offer a study support desk in The Bridge too which supports students with missed work and study skills, such as exam techniques, revision, and any other study skills. College is different to school so often students need a little support to adjust to help them with the different ways of studying.
The short answer is ‘any member of staff’ who you feel comfortable to talk to. For most students this is usually their Progress Coach. This person is the main point of contact in College, and they can liaise with subject areas and make any necessary referrals depending on the problem or concern. But you will still see the member of staff who interviewed you around Franklin, so students often still contact this member of staff for support because they are familiar. Any member of staff with a pink lanyard on will help.
We need to ensure we know who our students and staff are. This is a part of our safeguarding policy and is really important. It is also good practice as many employers also require identification to be displayed in this way.
This is time for you to study outside of your lessons independently. This should be when you complete homework, extra research or invest time in your subjects outside of the classroom. You are timetabled for 3x1hour slots per week for this. This should be completed onsite in an area of your choice, wherever you feel you study best.
This is for you to develop skills, knowledge, and behaviours linked to career pathways, explore new experiences, develop new skills, interests, and talents.
Personal Development is:
- Enriching
- Fun and active
- New experiences
- Develop interests and talents
- Make new friends
- Learn and develop skills along the way
Professional Development is:
- Delivered via our Centre for Professional Development
- Career Pathways
- Develop key skills, knowledge, and behaviours
- Work experience
- Increase confidence
You can do this via your Study Portal, which can be found here:
https://student.franklin.ac.uk
Use your college login details to access your student portal.
Parent FAQs
You might hear your child speak about Level 3 study. Level 3 is the natural progression for many students when they complete Year 11. If students achieve predominantly Grade 4s or above in their GCSEs, they will be likely progress on to a Level 3 study Programme, which may comprise A Levels, Level 3 BTECs/CTECs or T-Level courses.
Some students may benefit from another year of GCSE/Level 2 study. This is for students who don’t quite achieve the grades needed for a Level 3 Study Programme. For these students we offer a 3-year Study Programme, where they will spend the first year undertaking a Level 2 package alongside their Maths and/or English GCSE (if they have not previously achieved a Grade 4). On completion of this Level 2 programme, they will move onto Level 3 study. We design all Study Programmes based on an individual's needs so that we can support them to achieve the best they can during their time at Franklin.
For many parents/carers their own time as a student may seem a while ago and changes in education happen all the time, so a quick recap might be useful:
A Level – These are studied over 2 years and each subject will only constitute one of a student’s 3 options. A Levels are well established qualifications which are examined at the end of a 2-year study period. A Levels may have elements of course work, but there will be considerably more examination. A Levels can be taken alongside other A Levels or other Level 3 qualifications.
BTEC/CTEC – BTECs and CTECs are 2-year programmes that will include some work experience and be a little more practical in their nature. They will often apply learning to real life situations and have more assessments throughout the 2-year course. These courses are a combination of coursework and controlled assessments.
T Level - T Levels are Level 3 qualifications. They are vocational courses with a career focus which provide the opportunity to develop relevant core knowledge and skills. They are equally valuable to employers and universities. These courses offer a combination of classroom learning with a large focus on industry placement too, giving the opportunity for hands-on learning and application of knowledge.
Students undertaking a Level 3 Study Programme can take up to 3 courses (in a few exceptional cases, they may take an additional subject). They may however choose one of the BTEC/CTEC courses that counts as a double option, reducing the number of different subjects they will study but still giving them a full programme. This will still equate to the same amount of study and UCAS Points.
Level 2 students will normally take one BTEC/CTEC option alongside their English and/or Maths GCSE, with a view to moving onto a Level 3 course the following year.
You can view all our courses here.
If you have any questions about our Study Programmes, please contact our friendly Admissions Team, who will be more than happy to advise you.
Email: Admissions@franklin.ac.uk
Phone: 01472 875000
They will be invited to attend their Taster Day before enrolling in the summer. This day is a fantastic opportunity for students to try out the subjects they have chosen to ensure they have made the right choices for them. The day also gives students a chance to experience everything else at Franklin, from our state-of-the-art facilities to our support staff; social life to Personal and Professional Development and, our great food.
We know that making decisions about courses can be daunting and things can change; we hope however that they will have received a lot of guidance at their interview from our experienced Admissions Team at admissions@franklin.ac.uk and therefore will have a well-considered plan based on their predicted grades and career aspirations. Should there still be questions about courses, do not hesitate to get in touch and we will be able to offer more guidance or reassurance. Taster Day is a great chance to test course choices and changes can be made at that time.
Yes, we offer a Student Financial Support Fund for students who are eligible. This fund helps with costs such as food, travel, trips, and equipment. Information on the Financial Support Fund is posted out to all Applicants prior to the summer so we can put plans in place for students ready for the start of term in September.
Yes, there is free travel for eligible students. We offer many different bus routes across the North and North East Lincolnshire area. For students not eligible for a free bus pass, College buses are subsidised and charged at only £1 per journey.
Every student will receive support and guidance from their subject teachers both in and out of the classroom. Parents and Carers are also encouraged to contact staff if they have a concern or query.
Every student is allocated a Progress Coach to support them with additional aspects of their Study Programme and in planning for their future. A Progress Coach will support a student with their applications for university, an apprenticeship or employment alongside tips on supplementing their studies with additional activities and opportunities.
Students also have access to our Study Skills Team in the Learning Centre to help with any specific study needs and access to our Careers Advisor for one-to-one interviews and guidance. Our Centre for Professional Development Team will guide them to their dream future.
No. Holidays are not allowed during term time under any circumstances. The College will, in some cases, remove students from roll if holidays mean attendance is affected. It is important to note that poor attendance seriously affects grades but also, in many cases, also affects student wellbeing. At Franklin we are committed to students doing their best whilst with us.
We know that good attendance is crucial for students to succeed, and we seek to work with students and their parents/carers to maintain a high levels of attendance. All students will be made aware of reporting attendance and expectations when they enrol. Parents can also report an absence by telephoning 01472 875000.
We will keep you informed about attendance and about any other concerns we may have. We understand that students are sometimes ill or may need time away from College due to special circumstances, but we do not authorise time out of College during term-time. We understand how important attendance is and the impact this has on learning. If students miss lessons and need to catch up, or need some study support, such as revision techniques, managing time more effectively and much more, we support students daily at our Study Skills Desk. Students can access this support in the Learning Centre.
The short answer is ‘any member of staff’ who you feel comfortable to talk to. Before enrolment this will be the Admissions Team. Once your child is a Franklin student, you can liaise with reception or your child's Progress Coach who can forward or make any necessary referrals depending on the problem or concern. Any member of staff with a pink lanyard on will be able to help.
Please check out our Applicant Calendar and Student Calendar for some important dates to add to your diary.
