FAQs for Prospective Parents and Students

1. How do I apply for a place for my child at BWCTC?
2. What does the assessment day involve?
3. How can I prepare my child for the admissions tests?
4. What are you looking for in a Brooke Weston student?
5. Do you take only the very able students?
6. What proportion of applicants is offered a place at Brooke Weston?
7. How will the curriculum differ from that of other schools?
8. What is the College policy on homework?
9. What are the class sizes?
10. What are the meals in the restaurant like?
11. How much are the meals in the restaurant?
12. What is the structure of the College day?
13. What extra curricular activities are on offer at the College?
14. What happens if you lose your card?
15. Is there a swimming pool?
16. How does the College year differ from that of other schools?
17. Do we have the same amount of holidays as other schools?
18. Do students get an opportunity for work experience?
19. Do we have to pay to use the College buses?
20. What kinds of activities do you do at Fairthorne Manor?
21. What can I do if I cannot find my bus at the end of the day?
22. What vocational subjects are on offer?
23. Is there any bullying in the College?

1. How do I apply for a place for my child at BWCTC?

Application forms are available directly from the College and must be returned to the College by 31st October 2006. Your child will then be invited to participate in the assessment day on Saturday 25th November.

2. What does the assessment day involve?

The assessment day will be in three parts, which are intended to establish the ability, the aptitude for the specialist subjects of the College and the motivation of each applicant. The whole assessment will take approximately two hours.

1. Nelson Non-Verbal Reasoning Test
   The Non-Verbal Reasoning Test is a multiple-choice paper which concentrates on the sequences of shapes. The paper is divided into three sections and there are two practice questions at the beginning of each section. The answers to the practice questions are given before each section is started. In order to indicate the answer, candidates are only required to mark a box on a separate answer sheet.

2. Specialist Aptitude Test
   The science and technology aptitude test contains questions designed to assess the applicant's ability in these subjects. In order to indicate the answer, candidates will only be required to mark a box on a separate answer sheet, or give a short written answer. Spelling accuracy is not part of the criteria considered in the test.
3. Interests Questionnaire
   Each applicant will be invited to complete an 'Interests Questionnaire' designed to give an opportunity for students to tell the College more about themselves, their interests and hobbies outside school.

3. How can I prepare my child for the admissions tests?

There is no need to prepare students for the tests.

The purpose of the tests is to identify students who have a natural technological and scientific ability, and to ensure that places are offered across the whole ability spectrum.

4. What are you looking for in a Brooke Weston student?

The College promotes an independent learning style, so a student will benefit if they are self motivated and have an enthusiasm to learn. We are also looking for students who have a natural scientific and technological aptitude.

5. Do you take only the very able students?

A popular misconception is that the College selects only the most able. In fact, each year's intake has to include students from across the whole ability range.

6. What proportion of applicants is offered a place at Brooke Weston?

There are 185 places on offer.

The number of applicants is usually in excess of 450.

7. How will the curriculum differ from that of other schools?

Students are taught the same subjects as in other schools. The year 7 curriculum consists of lessons in English, mathematics, science, literacy, technology, personal health and fitness, ICT, art, humanities, religious studies, music and a modern foreign language. All students in the College have a period with their tutor once a week, usually first lesson on a Monday, where they are taught personal, social and health education, citizenship and careers. Stage 3 is taught in 2 years instead of 3, with SAT tests in English, maths and science taken at the end of Year 8.

8. What is the College policy on homework?

Students will be given homework in most subjects once a week. They are usually given at least a week in which to do this. Students are expected to organise themselves to ensure that homework is submitted on time.

As students get older they will be expected to increase the amount of time spent on homework.

9. What are the class sizes?

In Year 7 most lessons will be taught to the tutor group of 23 or 24 students. From Year 8 onwards students are put into sets in some subjects. Teaching groups rarely exceed 26 students.

10. What are the meals in the restaurant like?

The restaurant offers a variety of meal options.

For example, at breakfast students may choose cereal, toast, a cooked breakfast, fruit or yoghurt.

At lunch there are always 3 cooked options of main course, including one vegetarian option, plus a range of salads, sandwiches and rolls. For dessert there is a choice of puddings, cakes, biscuits, yoghurt or fruit.

Drinks include tea, coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, a range of fruit drinks, and still and sparkling water. Fizzy drinks are not available.

11. How much are the meals in the restaurant?

Breakfast can cost between £1 and £1:90 (for a full cooked breakfast).

A standard 2 course lunch with a drink costs £1:80

A snack lunch (e.g. sandwiches and drink) costs £1:40

(Prices quoted are for January 2006, and may be subject to increases during an academic year.)

Cash is not accepted as payment in the restaurant. In order to purchase food and drink, students use their smart card.

12. What is the structure of the College day?

The teaching day starts at 8:35 and ends at 4:05. There are 5 lessons each day. Each lesson is 75 minutes in length, with periods one and three being longer to accommodate breakfast and lunch. Students also attend a tutor period and an assembly every day. There are no breaks or play times, apart from those used for meals.

13. What extra curricular activities are on offer at the College?

After College there is a range of sports clubs and teams on offer, plus choir and instrumental group practices, chess club, creative writing club, reading groups etc. Students may also stay on at College to continue their studies. The College is open until 6 p.m. from Monday to Thursday for students who wish to take advantage of this facility. They will be expected to sign in and to act responsibly. The library is open until 8 p.m. for both students and parents.

14. What happens if you lose your card?

A new card can be ordered from Mr Jackson in the AV office.

The new card costs £5.

15. Is there a swimming pool?

The College does not have its own swimming pool. However, Year 7 students are taught swimming at Corby swimming pool.

16. How does the College year differ from that of other schools?

The College has a 5 term year. Each term is 8 weeks long, with a 2 week holiday separating most terms and a 4 week holiday in the Summer. The College Year begins in the middle of August, with 2 week breaks in October, December/January, March and May.

Please note that the 5 term year of the College means that holidays do not usually coincide with those of local schools.

17. Do we have the same amount of holidays as other schools?

There are 12 weeks of holiday during the academic year, plus bank holidays (most of which fall outside our holiday period).

This is slightly less holiday than other Northamptonshire schools.

18. Do students get an opportunity for work experience?

All students participate in a 2 week work experience at the beginning of year 11.

19. Do we have to pay to use the College buses?

There is a charge for the use of the buses. This is a set cost that covers use of the bus to travel to and from College during term time. If a student only uses the bus for a part of the time, there is no reduction in the cost.

20. What kinds of activities do you do at Fairthorne Manor?

The activities at Fairthorne include abseiling, orienteering, kayaking, raft building, rock climbing, initiative tests, aerial runway, an assault course and the infamous Burma Bridge!

All students (and their tutors) are encouraged to participate in all the activities but it is "challenge through choice" which means that if you really do not want to join in with a particular activity, you will not be forced to do so.

21. What can I do if I cannot find my bus at the end of the day?

Ask a teacher or one of the bus drivers to identify your bus. You will need to know the colour and number of your bus route (eg. Red 1). In time you will get to recognise other students on your bus and the driver, so you will find it more easily.

22. What vocational subjects are on offer?

Applied science, applied business, IT, leisure and tourism, travel and tourism, health and social care, DJ technology and BTEC music.

23. Is there any bullying in the College?

There is a zero tolerance policy towards bullying. Students are encouraged to report any such incidents to their tutor or another member of staff, and it will be dealt with. It is a characteristic of the College that students are rarely out of the company of adults for long and so opportunities for bullying are limited. Students feel safe when in College, and this is reflected very strongly in the responses of all year groups to the online survey of student views.