Skip to content

Parents and Carers

Our College is an exciting and dynamic place to learn, and we are dedicated to helping your son or daughter succeed and fulfil their ambitions.

During their time at our College your child will be challenged. At the same time, they will be provided with outstanding support and access to extracurricular opportunities that will support their personal development and make their time with us enjoyable.

We offer students the widest choice of courses in the area and provide outstanding progression to university, apprenticeships and employment. Whatever your child’s ambitions, we can help them succeed.

Useful information

Student attendance and achievement

One of the key measures of success for colleges is the retention rate for students on our courses.

Unexplained student absences or patterns of irregular attendance are important signs that students are at risk of dropping out of courses and/or facing significant life issues.

Quick action to contact the students, and when appropriate their parents and employers, following such absences is an effective way of minimising the risk that such absences will lead to the student leaving our College.

This procedure aims to ensure that a consistent approach is adopted across college, making sure all students are aware of and enabled to meet their obligations to attend regularly and punctually. It promotes early identification of concerns and implementation of follow-up support as required.

GCSE English and GCSE Maths requirements

English and Maths are the most fundamental skills for everyday work and life a young person can have.

In order to help our students achieve success now, and in the future, we ensure they continue to make progress in these subjects.

Whatever grade a student achieves in their GCSEs, their programme of study at City College Norwich will include opportunities for them to develop and renew their English and Maths skills. They will be supported to reach their full potential both in their chosen subject and in classes that build on their prior attainment.

Our Approach to English and Maths

If you don’t have a GCSE grade 4 in either maths or English:

You will work towards achieving a good pass in both English and maths as part of your programme of study.  

You may study GCSE so you can retake the qualification or you may take a Functional Skills ‘stepping stone’ course instead of a GCSE qualification if this is more suitable for you.

If you have a GCSE grade C in one subject but not the other:

You will be enrolled on a qualification as part of your programme of study, to work towards a grade C in the subject you have yet to achieve in. This will either be a GCSE or Functional Skills ‘stepping stone’ course.

If you have a GCSE grade 4 in one subject but not the other:

You will be enrolled on a qualification as part of your programme of study, to work towards a grade 4 in the subject they have yet to achieve in. This will either be a GCSE or Functional Skills ‘stepping stone’ course.

If you achieve a grade 4 in GCSE maths or English, we will discuss with you if they wish to retake the qualification to achieve a grade 5 or better as this may be important for some career and University progression.    

If they have GCSE grade 4 or better in both maths or English:

If you have a Grade 4 result in English and/or maths we will discuss with you if they wish to retake the qualification to achieve a grade 5 or better as this may be important for some career and University progression.   

If you have a Grade 5 or above, we will continue to develop maths and English skills as appropriate within your programme of study to ensure you fulfil your potential.