Judged outstanding in all areas by Ofsted in September 2021, the College now has just over 4,000 students enrolled on over 40 Level 3 courses. The College community continues to grow and a record number of applications were received for September 2025.
In recent years, academic outcomes have been well above the national average both in attainment and progress. Alps value added measures put the College in the top 10% of providers nationally both at A level and for vocational courses.
As well as the pursuit of academic excellence, the College is renowned for its commitment to providing the highest possible standard of pastoral care. We provide group/one-to-one support and students also have access to a first-rate onsite counselling service. The College benefits from excellent facilities and educational resources and works closely with seventeen partner secondary schools to ensure students enjoy a smooth transition to post-16 education.
We are proud to be a College with zero mean and median gender pay gap within teaching. Our commitment to gender neutral pay ensures that all staff have equal access to progressing and opportunities, regardless of gender, making the College an ‘employer of choice’.
Formed in 2017, WMAT has developed into a strong and collaborative community serving Surrey, North East Hampshire and North Sussex.
Our vision is clear: Stronger together, transforming lives, creating memories which are celebrated for a lifetime. Guided by our core values of aspiration, ambition, trust and integrity, we are committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience for every student, alongside a supportive and rewarding professional environment for every colleague.
Collaboration lies at the heart of WMAT. While each site retains its own distinct identity and ethos, we work collectively to share expertise, innovation and best practice, accelerating improvement and expanding opportunity. From outstanding academic provision to a rich programme of enrichment in sport, the arts, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and international travel, our sites are dynamic environments where both students and staff can flourish.
Thank you for considering a future with WMAT. If you are ready to make a meaningful difference, develop your career and contribute to a positive, forward-thinking organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you. Together, we can shape the future of education.
The Farnborough 5 are the core principles of great teaching at The Sixth Form College Farnborough. The Farnborough 5 offers a flexible and evidence-informed structure for effective teaching, built on five core principles: Review, Position, Chunk, Chew and Check. These are not mechanical steps, but adaptable principles designed to help teachers sequence learning effectively, manage cognitive load, and deepen understanding through active processing and precise checking for understanding. Student attention is fundamental - without student attention, or if attention is split, the principles lose their impact Importantly, The Farnborough 5 is not a pro-forma to be followed rigidly, but rather a tool for reflection, growth and a shared language - celebrating teacher expertise and encouraging subject-specific adaptation.
The Farnborough 5 are: Flexible - they are adaptable to subject and context. One lesson may require a single, deep Chunk-Chew-Check cycle, while another might involve several rapid rotations. Whether a ‘Check’ is a quick cold-call or extended independent practice, teachers’ subject pedagogy guides its implementation. Inclusive and adaptive - designed for all learners by default, the F5 helps teachers to adapt their practice in real-time to meet the evolving needs of every student. Quality-focused - the question is not ‘do we use the F5?’, but rather ‘how well do we use the F5?’ The T&L Reading List outlines the research behind The Farnborough 5 and is regularly updated to reflect the latest evidence on effective teaching. Ultimately, The Farnborough 5 is a tool to help us all deliver consistently great teaching and learning for our students.
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Siobhan House Subject Tutor BusinessI have previously worked in St Paul's Catholic College which is a secondary and sixth form college. Prior to that I worked in industry predominantly in a global IT distribution company. "I most enjoy working with motivated students who choose a large college and are eager to excel, while also having the time to refine my teaching methods." |
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Russell Garcia Subject Tutor GraphicsI was previously working in Industry as the Head of Design. "What I enjoy most about working here is that everyday is completely different. I am able to share my experience and knowledge with the next generation of designers. I still get to be involved in the creative process, but in a different and deeply rewarding way. The students are always looking to develop their skills and techniques that pushes me to keep learning too.." |
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Martin Cookson Subject Tutor LawI have 33 years of experience teaching law at A level and other Level 3 courses as well as being a Senior Tutor, university application advisor and IB teaching internationally. "I most enjoy that the vast majority of students at the College are keen to improve their academic performance and grades and work enthusiastically toward this with you." |
Siobhan: There are so many programmes that the students have access to, from careers to their tutorial programme. It is a great feeling to be a part of that offering.
Russell: What makes this such an inspiring place to teach is the mix of talented students, dedicated staff members and excellent resources. Having a supportive environment where students are encouraged to experiment and be as creative as possible.
Martin: The absolute commitment from managers and colleagues to improvement and allowing experimentation within your pedagogy, while at the same time the enthusiasm for providing new ideas and lenses through which to examine your practice. I can honestly say that, despite being an extremely experienced teacher who has worked for most of their career at 'Outstanding' sixth forms, I am a better teacher now than when I arrived here. Even this old, old dog has been taught some new tricks.
Siobhan: The facilities are spacious, clean and modern which means the students respect it too. There are facilities available from computer rooms, Chromebooks and the LRC which are all useful to making for dynamic learning.
Russell: I'm particularly impressed with the facilities available for our graphics students. The classrooms have brand new Apple Mac computers with industry-standard software, printing and production equipment that are excellent. All of the resources help prepare the students to develop their skills and prepare them for the professional world.
Martin: As a Law teacher we don't need any specialist facilities but surrounding support and infrastructure - support staff, amazing tutorial provision, IT etc - are extremely good and extremely well used.
Siobhan: We are entitled to flexi time for one of our 90 minutes blocks which is amazing as it means I can be present for my own children too. I am trusted to manage my own time which means if I need to go when the lessons finish and can work in the evenings to catchup, I can. Meetings are also kept to prompt times and scheduled in.
Russell: The College has a very supportive culture, helping me balance teaching and time with my family.
Martin: Some sound policies - no teaching on more than two subjects for example - help support work life balance.
Siobhan: It has been great to see the support and progress students make in such a big college. Previously my sixth form was 128 per year, whereas this is circa 700 just for Business! This means there are more other teachers to collaborate with and resources to best support student progress.
Siobhan: Watching and helping them literally transform from children in year 11 so young adults going on to do amazing things.
Russell: For me the best part of working with sixth form students is watching them develop their skills and grow in confidence. Helping these students get ready for university or starting a creative career, knowing that I have helped in some small way is the most rewarding part of the job.
Martin: Seeing 16 year old children arrive and 18 year old adults leave, ready for their exciting next steps and being part of that formative process has always, and continues to be, an immense privilege. In over thirty years in the sector I have never, ever been bored of helping expand the horizons of students as they in turn help me expand mine.
Siobhan: The scale. The College has the facilities and resources available to best support my teaching.
Martin: The community as a whole is happy and good-natured, the levels of politeness and humour are high and there is a the huge range of additional activities students - and staff - can take part in (or get support to run themselves)
The Sixth Form College Farnborough is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All positions involve a degree of responsibility for the safeguarding and welfare of children and are, therefore, exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020). An Enhanced Disclosure from the DBS will be required for the person appointed.
Any future offer of employment remains subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including enhanced DBS clearance, a health check and references.
