What Is It Really Like to Start Fresh at John Leggott College When You Don't Know Anyone?

Ashleigh arrived not knowing a single person. She had moved from Hull, and the first day felt exactly like that - a new campus, new faces, and the kind of uncertain start that most students quietly dread. By the end of that first lesson, she had met Jess.

Ashleigh is a Psychology, Law, and Criminology student at John Leggott College, Scunthorpe. She is heading to the University of Sheffield in September to study Law , a Russell Group institution consistently ranked among the UK's leading universities for law [Cite: Russell Group — russellgroup.ac.uk]. 

But before any of that, there was a first day in a psychology classroom, a seat next to someone she did not know, and a conversation that turned into one of the most important friendships of her college years.

What is it like to study Psychology, Law and Criminology at JLC?

Studying three academically demanding subjects at the same time is genuinely challenging, and Ashleigh is direct about that. Psychology, Law, and Criminology are not easy courses, each has its own theoretical frameworks, assessment styles, and volume of material to work through across two years.

The combination of subjects is a strong one for a student heading into law. Psychology builds an understanding of human behaviour and motivation. Criminology provides the social and systemic context for how the legal system operates in practice. Law itself introduces students to case analysis, statutory interpretation, and the kinds of detailed written argument that university-level law demands from the first term.

What support do JLC teachers provide outside of lessons?

The support Ashleigh describes goes beyond classroom time. Steph, her Psychology teacher, has continued to be a point of contact even after lessons have ended, available by email for feedback, extra questions, and the kind of specific guidance that helps a student move from understanding a concept to being able to use it confidently.

"Steph has been brilliant. Even after college, if I email her with a question or want feedback on something, she always gets back to me. It's that kind of support that makes a real difference when you're working through a subject as complex as Psychology."

That level of contact is not unusual at a specialist sixth form college like JLC. Smaller class sizes mean teachers know their students individually. A question that gets lost in a school corridor does not get lost here , it gets answered.

The UCAS personal statement and university application process is another area where JLC's pastoral and subject teams provide direct support, which matters considerably for a student applying to a competitive law programme at a Russell Group university [Cite: UCAS undergraduate applications — ucas.com].

What did the JLC Italy trip actually involve?

Two weeks. A different part of the country most days. Italian coaching lessons. Cooking lessons. Beach days. And a group of students who arrived as college acquaintances and came back as close friends.

Ashleigh went on the JLC Italy trip a year ago, and when she talks about it, the itinerary is almost secondary to what the trip actually produced. The experience of being abroad together, navigating new places, learning things that had nothing to do with exam specifications, and spending time with people outside of the college environment - changed the group dynamic in a way that two years of shared lectures does not always manage.

JLC runs enrichment trips and international experiences across subject areas throughout the academic year, with funding available through the Turing Scheme to ensure access is not limited by cost.

How quickly do students make friends at John Leggott College?

For Ashleigh, it took exactly one lesson.

She sat down next to Jess in Psychology on the first day, and that was the beginning of a friendship that has run through both years of her time at JLC and will almost certainly continue well beyond it. For a student who moved from Hull and arrived knowing nobody, that first conversation mattered more than any subject content covered that morning.

What that reflects about JLC is something that prospective students and their families often ask about: what is it actually like to arrive somewhere new? The answer, based on Ashleigh's experience, is that the environment makes it easier than most people expect. A college built around a specific age group and stage of life tends to create the conditions for connection faster than a larger school where social groups are already fixed.

For students currently in Year 10 or Year 11 in North Lincolnshire and the wider Humber region who are weighing up whether to stay in a school sixth form or move to a specialist college, Ashleigh's story is worth sitting with. The unfamiliarity she felt on day one was real. What she found on the other side of it was also real.

FAQ Section

What A Level and vocational subjects can students study at John Leggott College alongside Law?

JLC offers Law alongside a broad range of complementary subjects including Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, English, and Politics, allowing students to build subject combinations that strengthen university applications in law and related fields. The full course list is available at leggott.ac.uk.

Does John Leggott College support students applying to Russell Group universities?

Yes. JLC students regularly progress to Russell Group institutions including the University of Sheffield, University of Leeds, and University of Nottingham. The college's UCAS team provides dedicated support with personal statements, predicted grades, and interview preparation for competitive university applications.

What enrichment trips and international experiences does JLC offer?

JLC runs a range of enrichment trips and international experiences throughout the academic year, including the Italy trip that Ashleigh attended. Funding through the Turing Scheme means that financial cost is not a barrier to access. Details of upcoming trips are published on the JLC website and shared with students through their tutors.