As a parent you want your son or daughter to get the best out of their education. With more and more opportunities available to them from as early as Year 10, making the right decision is not always easy.

Read on to find out more about your child studying at Trafford College...

The Year 9 Options programme requires students to attend College whilst in year 10 and 11, to learn new skills, explore new subject areas, and experiment with specialist facilities in a new and exciting environment. By studying at College, we aim to build your child's confidence and life skills to increase the opportunities available to them when they leave school.

For more information on the types of qualifications or the subjects available click on the 'Qualifications' link or the course links from the Year 9 Options homepage.

Students choosing a vocational option at Trafford College will still attend school to study towards their GCSEs, but will choose fewer options. Students will be required to attend College for either one day, one and a half days or two days per week depending on their vocational subject choice, during term time in year 10 and 11. Depending on course choice, students will either be carrying out their studies at the Altrincham site or the Technology Centre in Stretford. Locations are highlighted within the course information.

Students would be expected to make their own way to and from College and should ensure they are on time for their scheduled lessons. Students can apply for a GMPTE (Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive) pass which offers discounted fares for students on all GMPTE transport services. Visit www.gmpte.co.uk for more information or click on the 'How to Find Us' link for more information on campus locations.

At Trafford College, we appreciate that choosing to attend College as an option choice is often quite daunting at first, which is why we ensure that all students have access to a comprehensive support package to help with both their studies and personal development. When your child starts their College course they will be teamed up with a personal tutor who will be their point of contact throughout their time at College. Their personal tutor will be on hand to support with any queries your child may have.

We have a specialist 14-16 Co-ordinator who liaises directly with your child's teacher. Attendance, punctuality and progress reports are routinely fed back to schools and we work closely with them to ensure you are kept up to date with how your child is getting on. Other student support services such as disability support, careers, guidance and counselling are available to all students throughout their time at College. Click here to find out more about the student support available at Trafford College.

We would advise all students to speak to their careers teacher or Connexions Advisor in school about which course would be best for them. Once you've made your choice, the school will support your child in putting forward an application to the College.

All successful applicants will be invited to College for an interview which, where appropriate, will be followed by an offer letter and a trial induction period over the summer.

Click on the 'How to Apply' link for more information.

MEET ABIGAIL

14-16 Course: Accounting

Now Studying: International Baccalaureate Diploma

Previous School: Altrincham College of Arts

"I chose the Accounting course to study in Year 10 because it was different from the traditional options at school. The course was really interesting, I learnt different things that I wouldn't have done in school and gained an insight into real job opportunities. I'm now studying the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma at Trafford College, where I could achieve up to 6 A Levels at grade A. It's a challenging course but I feel that studying the Accounting course first prepared me for it; I developed better time management skills which were really useful when I started on the IB Diploma."

MEET ABIGAIL'S MUM

"College has been really good for Abigail. She met lots of different people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds. The skills that she learnt on the Accounting course have helped her with her studies now. The tutors were very supportive and gave regular feedback on Abigail's progress. I think that any parent who is a bit nervous about allowing their child to attend College shouldn't worry. Your child will get more opportunities to study the things they're really interested in."- Pamela Bentley