--- title: "Specialist Support & Villiers Park Courses Help Guide Honours Programme Students' Career Paths" url: "https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2016-04-04-specialist-support-villiers-park-courses-help-guide-honours-programme-students-career-pat" school: "Birkenhead Sixth Form College" --- [![Birkenhead Sixth Form College](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/logo/BSFC_FC_RGB(1).png)](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/) - [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/birkenheadsixthformcollege) - [X](http://www.twitter.com/BSFC) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs0mV-sqmiu8V_19dpFY3Zw) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bsfc_/) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@bsfc_college) [Apply Now](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/application-form) ![OFSTED](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/theme/birkenhead/img/ofsted_new.png) # Specialist Support & Villiers Park Courses Help Guide Honours Programme Students' Career Paths 4 April 2016 ![Image of Specialist Support & Villiers Park Courses Help Guide Honours Programme Students' Career Paths](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/news/Villiers_Park_3.jpg) Two [Honours Programme](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/HonoursProgramme) students have been given the chance to explore their chosen future career paths at one of the UK’s most prestigious learning courses. [Villiers Park Educational Trust](http://www.villierspark.org.uk/) aims to ensure young people with a passion for study and learning reach their full academic potential, with an emphasis on helping those from less advantaged backgrounds gain places at leading universities and thrive once there. With keen interests in careers in [Law](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/law-1) and [Computer Science](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/computer-science) respectively, Ruby Keeler-Williams and Alex Parkinson gained places on the selective courses through the [specialist support](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/support) of The Sixth Form College’s Personal & Guidance Tutors, whose [work within social mobility has already been praised](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2015-10-30-social-mobility-foundation-features-personal-guidance-tutor-in-national-project). ![](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/images/Villiers_Park_1.jpg) First year Ruby, who joined the college from Woodchurch High School and studies [Psychology](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/psychology) and [Science](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/level-3-qualifications/applied-science-btec-level-3) along with [Law](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/law-1), is looking at becoming a lawyer and said that the five day [Villiers Park](http://www.villierspark.org.uk/) course at the campus in Cambridge went a long way in helping her decide in which direction she’d like to go: “I’ve known that I wanted to do Law since I started at The Sixth Form College, but the course has reaffirmed that for me, especially that I want to concentrate on criminal law or human rights law – somewhere that I feel I can make an impact. We had some sessions on commercial law but I feel quite strongly that the other two areas could be my vocation.” As one of the selected 20 students on the [Law](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/law-1) course, making her in the top 5% of performers in the country according to [Villiers Park](http://www.villierspark.org.uk/) staff, Ruby, who is part of the [First XI Football Team](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2015-10-16-bsfc-football-team-success) at the college, explained that the long days of study and research in Cambridge weren’t as much of a shock to the system as they could have been: “It was great to be learning in what felt very much like a higher education environment. It was very intensive, listening and learning from others around you as well as directly from the speakers and teachers, but the way that we’re taught at the college meant that I was prepared for that and it wasn’t such a big step.” Fellow first year, Alex Parkinson, is targeting a career in the [Computer Science](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/computer-science) industry, and studies the subject at The Sixth Form College along with [Maths](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/mathematics-1), [Further Maths](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/mathematics-further) and [Physics](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/courses/as-a-level-level-3/physics). Alex, formerly of Pensby High School, said: “We were all encouraged to learn something new and interesting and, because we all went for one subject, computing science, everyone had the same interests and hobbies. For the most part we made web pages out of html and a chosen language like JavaScript or Python.” Alex continued: “It gave me a real idea of what you would do in a profession involving Computing. It was a great experience because it helped develop attributes that I’m not too skilled in at the moment, and from that it's really sparked an interest in me to do more programming. It also really helped me to get used to meeting new, interesting people and get socialising.” To learn more about our[ specialist support](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/support) at The Sixth Form College, click [here](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/support). For more on the [Honours Programme](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/HonoursProgramme) for high-achieving students click [here](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/prospective-students/HonoursProgramme), and for more on our work within Social Mobility, click [here](http://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2015-10-30-social-mobility-foundation-features-personal-guidance-tutor-in-national-project). **Tags:** [Computing](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/computing) [Science](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/science) [Psychology](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/psychology) [Law](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/law) [Social Mobility Programme](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/social-mobility-programme) [Honours Programme](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/honours-programme) [Computer Science](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/computer-science) [Mathematics](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/mathematics) [Villiers Park](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/tag/villiers-park) - [ previous](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2016-04-01-law-students-rehearse-for-bar-mock-trial-national-finals) - [next ](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2016-04-05-national-youth-orchestra-courses-inspire-music-students) ### [Latest News](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news) [![Image of Health Professionals Programme students qualify as first aiders](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/imagecache/750x480c/news/HPP_first_aid_Collage.png)](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2026-11-11-health-professionals-programme-students-qualify-as-first-aiders) 11 November 2026 #### [Health Professionals Programme students qualify as first aiders](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2026-11-11-health-professionals-programme-students-qualify-as-first-aiders) ### [Upcoming Events](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/events) [![Image of Open Evening](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/imagecache/750x480c/events/Edited_Top_3.jpg)](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/events/2026-11-26-open-evening) 26 November 2026 #### [Open Evening](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/events/2026-11-26-open-evening) ### [Blog](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/blog) [![Image of Students Secure 3rd Place in Merseyside Police Cyber Challenger 2025](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/imagecache/750x480c/blog/IMG_0394.jpg)](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/blog/2025-03-06-10-26-00-students-secure-3rd-place-in-merseyside-police-cyber-challenger-2025) 6 March 2025 #### [Students Secure 3rd Place in Merseyside Police Cyber Challenger 2025](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/blog/2025-03-06-10-26-00-students-secure-3rd-place-in-merseyside-police-cyber-challenger-2025) [Tweets by BSFC](https://twitter.com/BSFC) ![Top 3](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/Top_3_Footer.jpg) ![Educate Awards - Most Inspirational Sixth Form](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/Most_Inspirational_Winner_-_Banner_Rounded_Corners(1).jpg) ![Educate North College of the Year 2023](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/College_of_the_Year_Badge_-_Banner.jpg) [![Ofsted](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/Ofsted_Outstanding_OP_Colour.png)](https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50248883) [![TES Shortlist](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/For_Website_Partner.jpg)](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/news/2018-02-26-college-wins-national-sixth-form-college-of-the-year-award) [![Quality in Careers](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/Quality_in_Careers_Standard_-_JPEG.jpg)](https://www.qualityincareers.org.uk/) ![CE Certified](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/new_ce_badge.png) [![Sixth Form Colleges Association](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/SFCA.jpg)](http://www.sixthformcolleges.org/) ![AoC](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/Without_Border.jpg) [![Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/partners/DofE-logo-gunmetal-full-RGB_(504x800)_(403x640).jpg)](http://www.dofe.org/) ![Birkenhead Sixth Form College](https://files.schudio.com/birkenhead/images/logo/logo-white(2).png) © Copyright 2011–2026 Birkenhead Sixth Form College All rights reserved. **Birkenhead Sixth Form College** Park Road West, Claughton Wirral, Merseyside, CH43 8SQ Tel: 0151 652 5575 Email: School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://www.bsfc.ac.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)