The College of West Anglia - or CWA, as we call it - is a further education college, offering hundreds of courses in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Our courses are focused on getting you prepared for work or university and students study at one of our campuses in King’s Lynn, Wisbech or Cambridge, or at our Sports Campus (Alive Lynnsport, King’s Lynn).
What is further education?
Further education (FE) includes any study after Year 11. You might go to college, sixth form or take an apprenticeship.Higher education (HE) is study after Year 13 at Level 4 or above, and usually takes place at university.
Choosing your GCSEs
Your GCSEs will be good general preparation for further education and employment and may have an impact on many of the decisions you make after you leave school.
It is also an exciting opportunity for you to choose the subjects you enjoy. You might even be able to select a new work-related subject, such as health & social care or business.
Not sure what to do?
Use the career wizard to help you choose a career path based on your interests!
Remember!
- Your GCSE results can determine which college or sixth form you go to. FE courses have minimum grades for you to achieve in order to study them.
- Your GCSE subjects can affect which FE course you study and your chosen career path, eg: you will need double science to become a pharmacist; or a language will be useful in the travel industry.
- Employers will ask for your GCSE results when you apply for a job. Most professions require certain grades at GCSE level (particularly in English and Maths).
- The better your grades, the more options may be open to you later.
DO:
- Think about what you might want to do in the future and research the subjects you need to achieve that.
- Keep your options open if you have no idea what sort of job you want to do and choose a variety of subjects.
- Choose something that you enjoy. You’re going to be studying these subjects for (at least) two years and if you enjoy them, you’re more likely to do well.
- Play to your strengths. Choose subjects you are good at and suit your style of learning.
- Get advice. Careers advisors, teachers and older pupils can tell you more about what is studied in the GCSE courses.
- Give yourself time to gather information and make an informed decision.
DON’T:
- Choose something because your friends are. Having your friends around won’t help you when you sit an exam in that subject.
- Choose something because you like the teacher. That teacher may not teach you next year.
- Choose something you don’t like or because someone told you to - you’re the one who will be studying the subject.
- Choose a subject because you think it’ll be easy. No subjects are easy!
- Stress too much! There is a lot of support out there to guide you.