Year 11 Taster Days: 16th January 2025

Please arrive at College between 8.30am and 8.45am. We’ll have lots of friendly faces around to meet you and advise you through registration which will be:

Step 1: Enter through the main College front doors and join the registration queue. We'll give you a wristband to wear so we know you're a York College student for the day, as part of our visible ID policy for safety, and some information leaflets so you know where to find things during the day.

Step 2: The queue will lead you to our registration desks - these are arranged alphabetically by surname. Go to the desk which has the letter your surname begins with and let us know you're here. 

Step 3: After that you can enjoy some breakfast pastries and drinks in one of our social lounges, where you can speak to our staff who will be on hand to answer any queries you have. We’ll have lots of staff around to direct you where you need to go.

Step 4: You should make your way to the classroom for your first session of the day which starts at 9.15am. This is detailed on your timetable that we have sent to you. The first part of this session will be a Welcome presentation to give you important information about the day, then you’ll continue in the same classroom for your subject taster session. 

Step 5: Follow your timetable for the rest of the day.

If at any point you're not sure where you need to go just ask a member of College staff and they'll show you. All staff wear College staff lanyards.

Please note that there will be no parking charges in the College car park on the Taster Days to enable students to be dropped off and picked-up.

Your timetable for the day has been sent as a PDF attachment to the email we sent confirming your place on the Taster Day. This may appear at the bottom of the email. If you have not received this, please contact the Schools Liaison Team on info4schools@yorkcollege.ac.uk or call 01904 770239.

We have tried to timetable as many of your chosen subject choices, however, in some cases this may not have been possible due to subject clashes, high numbers, or your timetable already being filled with subjects you chose as a higher preference.

If we have been unable to allocate all of your subject choices (or the number of subjects chosen did not fill the day) we have allocated enrichment sessions for you to attend. These are intended to provide some insights into the wider College life, as well as providing some helpful tips and advice, to make sure you know what to expect when you come here and will get the most out of your time with us. The enrichment activities include:

• Core Maths – Running as part of the A Level programme, discover how taking this qualification will support your work in other subjects and benefit you in everyday life.
• Magical Mystery Tour of Maths & The Art of Communication - Take part in a fun activity to discover how maths helps with everything you do and explore how communication is the key to a successful career.
• Your Skills Uncovered - Discover your skills and get to know yourself better.
• Well-being - Coping with change & resilience.
• College Life – Information about what happens in a typical College day, support available, and a chance to ask any questions you may have.
• Your Experience – Discover some of the enrichment opportunities College has to offer, spend some time taking part in a fun activity or find answers to questions you have about starting at College.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award – Information about how you can take part in this prestigious achievement programme during your time at College.

All students attending the Taster Day will have a full timetable until 4.00pm/4.15pm.

Please note that we are unable to swap any of the timetabled sessions, or the day you are due to attend. 

Lunch/Your Experience – where there is a gap in between sessions for you to get lunch we have highlighted this on your timetable. As well as having a break and getting something to eat, this is also an opportunity to visit the activities detailed in the Your Experience leaflet that will be given to you on arrival. 

If your timetable comprises of only A Level subjects you may have two opportunities to do this and can therefore choose when to have lunch and when to visit the Your Experience activities.

Break times - if you have a gap of 15 minutes in between sessions, this is when the normal break times fall. If you have any sessions that run back to back, ending and beginning at the same time, please don’t worry. The tutors will be aware that some students may be arriving to the session a few minutes later due to travelling time between classes.

You do not need to wear school uniform, but please try to dress appropriately as some subjects will be practical. 

Please note the requirements below if you are doing any of the following sessions:

Vocational Creative Practice 3D Design/T Level Craft & Design Level 3 – you will need to wear sturdy footwear (safety boots are available to borrow), trousers need to be worn (no shorts or skirts and tights) and long hair must be tied back.

Construction subjects (Vocational Bricklaying, Vocational Carpentry & Joinery, Vocational & T Level Electrical Installation, Vocational Painting & Decorating, Vocational & T Level Plumbing) – please wear suitable footwear for a workshop environment (no open toe shoes) and clothes that you don't mind getting dirty due to the practical activities in some of these sessions, particularly bricklaying and painting & decorating.

Vocational Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy and Hair & Media Make-up – in order to participate in the activities please don’t wear false nails/nail extensions or any expensive jewellery and bring accessories to tie your hair back if you have long hair.

Vocational Exercise Instructor, Sports Coaching, and Sport & Exercise Science – please wear (or bring to change into) sports kit and footwear suitable for light physical activity.

Vocational Music Performance & Production – you are welcome to bring your own instrument to use in the Taster Day session, although we do have plenty of guitars, bass, piano, keyboards and drums for students to use if you prefer not to.

Vocational Performing Arts Acting, Dance & Musical Theatre – please make sure you bring or wear loose clothing and suitable footwear (including socks) for indoor exercise.

A Level Drama & Theatre Studies – please make sure you bring or wear loose clothing and suitable footwear (including socks) for indoor exercise.

Vocational Uniformed Services – please wear (or bring to change into) sports kit and footwear suitable for a practical training session.

You should bring a pen and some paper to make notes.

You will need some money to buy lunch, or a snack or drink if you wish to do so. 

If you plan to use a College coach to travel to and/or from the Taster Day, there is a different York College coach timetable to the current term-time one. The Taster Day College Coach timetable can be found here as well as on our Travel & Transport page.

Pick-ups at Riccall, Escrick and Deighton - In case of high numbers on Route 13, Route 7 will also pick up from these stops. If you are catching the bus from here you will get on Route 13 but if Route 13 is full you will get on Route 7. Please board the bus route number you came in on for the journey home.

It is free for you to use the College coach on the Taster Day. You should use the email confirming your place on the Taster Day (or print a copy) as your College coach travel voucher to show the driver as you board. 

Please be at your stop 5 to 10 mins before the College bus departure time to avoid missing your bus. Please make sure you are at the bus stop and the bus driver can see you. Put your hand out for the bus to stop when you see the bus approaching.

The above information does not apply if you are using the Reliance service from Thirsk and Easingwold, First, Transdev, Connexions or any other public transport operator. Please see individual operators’ websites for details of their ticket prices and timetables.

Please note that tickets for public transport routes are not free for students using them to attend the Taster Days.

You'll find details of other bus companies that stop at or close to York College in the section Local Services (for areas not served by the College buses), as well as the link to the Journey Planner to find routes and pick-up times, on our Travel & Transport page too. 

If you have any queries regarding transport for Taster Days, please contact our Transport Administrator at Transport@yorkcollege.ac.uk or ring 01904 770330.

If you are being brought by car, please note that there will be no parking charges in the College car park on the Taster Days to enable students to be dropped off and picked-up.

Lunch
During the lunch break you can buy some food from our catering outlets (you’ll find information about what’s available here) or you can bring your own food to eat in our social areas.

End of the Day
Everyone’s timetable will finish at 4.00pm/4.15pm, which is when you will leave College.

For safeguarding purposes we request that you stay on the College site for the duration of your Taster Day. 

If you need to leave College earlier than your timetable states, you must visit the Schools Liaison Team at the Information Point at the front of the Atrium to notify them of your departure and sign-out.