The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) is an organisation that represents over 90

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A- ...

education providers in England; its members are

sixth form colleges A sixth form college is an educational institution, where students aged 16 to 19 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A Levels, Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) and the International Baccalaureate Dip ...

and other providers of 16–19 education, including

academies An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

and

further education colleges Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. I ...

. There are over 160,000 students studying at a sixth form college, and the sector is responsible for over 20% of the

A levels The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...

sat in England each year. SFCA has been representing the interests of the sector since sixth form colleges became independent corporations in 1992. The SFCA leads national negotiations with recognised

trade unions A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

on pay and conditions of staff in 16-19 providers. The SFCA produces a range of publications, including an annual funding survey that outlines the impact of funding cuts on 16-19 providers. The SFCA also act as the secretariat for the

All Party Parliamentary Group An all-party parliamentary group (APPG) is a grouping in the Parliament of the United Kingdom that is composed of members of parliament from all political parties, but have no official status within Parliament. Description and functions All-party ...

for Sixth Form Colleges.

Post-16 area reviews

In 2015, the

Department for Education The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education (compulsory, further and higher education), apprenticeships and wider skills in England. A Department ...

announced a major restructuring of the

further education Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. I ...

sector, through 37 area reviews of post-16 provision.
Department for Education. Retrieved 01 May 2017. The SFCA criticised the reviews for not directly including providers of post-16 education other than colleges, such as school and academy sixth form college, sixth forms and independent training providers. The proposals were similarly criticised by

NUS NUS or Nus may refer to: *National University of Singapore * Nus, a town in the Aosta Valley of Italy * Neglected and Underutilized Species, or Neglected and Underutilized Crops * National Union of Students (Australia) * National Union of Students ...

then-Vice President for Further Education Shakira Martin for not sufficiently taking into account the impact on learners.

References

External links

* {{Official website
Register of the APPG for Sixth Form Colleges
Educational organisations based in the United Kingdom Sixth form colleges in the United Kingdom