Farnborough College of Technology Review 2026: Career-focused routes with standout apprenticeships

Farnborough College of Technology sits in a space that many families actively look for after GCSEs, a large, specialist provider offering technical and vocational courses alongside a smaller AS and A-level offer. The scale is significant, with Ofsted’s most recent inspection noting 2,161 learners on programmes for young people, plus substantial adult learning and apprenticeship cohorts.

The latest Ofsted further education and skills inspection (11 to 14 March 2025) judged overall effectiveness as Good, with Outstanding grades for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, adult learning programmes, apprenticeships, and provision for learners with high needs.

For families weighing academic versus technical pathways, the headline trade-off is clear. Technical, apprenticeship, adult, and high-needs provision are areas of real strength; the A-level strand is a weaker part of the overall picture, both in external evaluation and in outcomes data.

This is a college built around employability and professionalism. External evaluation points to learners who are motivated, punctual, and ready to work, with strong professional conduct across classrooms, workshops, and workplaces. That matters in practice because post-16 study success is often less about “being clever” and more about being consistent: meeting deadlines, showing up prepared, and taking feedback seriously.

There is also a strong sense of applied purpose. Examples in the inspection evidence show students producing work that is intended for real audiences and real use, not just assessment. Art and design students produced illustrations for a local library; catering learners developed food for festivals using ingredients they had grown sustainably. The implication for students is straightforward: if motivation increases when learning has a visible endpoint, this environment is likely to feel engaging rather than abstract.

The practical context has been disrupted by estates issues. Since September 2023, parts of the Farnborough campus have been closed and staff and learners relocated due to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Families considering entry should expect that rooming, workshop access, and on-site routines may not look like a typical steady-state year while building access is managed.

For A-level outcomes specifically, the available data indicates performance below England averages.

• A-level grades: 2.86% A*, 10.00% A, 18.57% B; 31.43% of grades at A* to B.

• England averages: 23.6% at A* to A, and 47.2% at A* to B.

Interpreted plainly, A* to A sits at 12.86% here, compared with 23.6% across England; A* to B is also lower than the England benchmark. (A-level comparisons are England-only, and reflect the most recent published data.)

FindMySchool’s ranking places the college 2,035th in England for A-level outcomes (a proprietary FindMySchool ranking based on official data), which sits within the below England average band.

The key implication is not that the college is “bad at academics”, but that families should be careful about assuming a sixth form style A-level experience is the core product. For students aiming for A-levels as the main route to a university course, it becomes important to look closely at subject-level support and teaching consistency. External review evidence aligns with that caution, noting that too few AS and A-level learners achieve the qualifications they set out to study.

Teaching is strongest where the curriculum is demonstrably applied. In advanced manufacturing engineering, learners are taught through practical demonstration and repeated, safe use of equipment, including welding and modern lathes. The educational advantage is immediate: students can connect theory to a task and build competence through doing, not just listening.

The same applied logic shows up in education and early years routes. Learners use simulated nursery and play areas to practise skills relevant to placements, and teaching links theory to practice rather than treating it as a separate academic exercise. For students who learn best by seeing, practising, and reflecting, that style can be a strong fit.

Apprenticeship delivery stands out for depth and industry realism. Training includes specialised resources such as replica jet engines and hydraulic training systems for aviation apprentices, and employer-linked mentoring from specialist engineers in international aviation companies. The implication is that apprentices are likely to develop confidence with industry-standard processes before they are fully exposed to the pressure of live commercial work.

This provider serves multiple end-points, and the right measure depends on the student’s programme.

For the 2023/24 leaver cohort, destination data indicates:

• 15% progressed to university

• 7% progressed to further education

• 11% started apprenticeships

• 43% entered employment

These figures reflect the 2023/24 cohort year and do not need to sum to 100%. They are best read as a signal of overall direction of travel: a substantial employment pipeline alongside meaningful progression into apprenticeships and higher study.

For apprentices in particular, progression is a major part of the offer. Evidence from external review points to apprentices moving on into employment, further training, or promotion, supported by training that often goes beyond the base qualification requirements. For families choosing apprenticeships as a route, the implication is reassuring: the college’s strengths are concentrated precisely where employability outcomes matter most.

Admissions at a post-16 provider are not a single funnel; they vary by programme type.

For 16 to 19 study, the practical first step is usually to choose a pathway, then confirm entry requirements and the application process for that route. At a provider offering programmes from levels 1 to 3 for young people, plus apprenticeships and adult learning, eligibility can differ meaningfully between, for example, an advanced technical programme, an access route, and an apprenticeship.

Families should treat three areas as essential due diligence:

1. Programme fit: technical and vocational routes appear to be a core strength; A-level provision requires closer scrutiny because teaching consistency is identified as an area for improvement.

2. Work placement expectations: some routes require placements or industry engagement; the experience can be excellent for motivated students, but it needs time-management maturity.

3. Travel and timetable reality: with activity previously curtailed due to site disruption, ask what the current weekly rhythm looks like, including where teaching is delivered if parts of the estate remain offline.

Parents comparing options may find it helpful to use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to keep programme notes, open-event impressions, and travel-time considerations in one shortlist.

A strong indicator for post-16 settings is whether students feel safe, respected, and taken seriously as young adults. Here, the tone appears purposeful and supportive, with learners gaining confidence in a respectful culture and showing strong professional behaviours.

Support for learners with high needs is a clear strength, including effective use of assistive technologies such as adapted keyboards and screens, speech-to-text software, and reading pens, alongside specialist therapeutic input that informs target-setting and classroom strategies. The practical implication for families is that support is not treated as an add-on; it is integrated into learning so students can participate fully.

The report also confirmed safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Enrichment is not just “clubs after college”. The most convincing examples here are those that extend technical identity and social purpose.

• Art and design with civic purpose: students producing illustrations for a local library, and creating reusable sanitary products for people affected by war and displacement.

The implication is that creative learners can build portfolios that show both technique and applied impact.

• Catering with industry exposure: learners visiting high-end hotels and restaurants and competing in prestigious competitions, alongside selling food at festivals linked to sustainable growing.

This matters because hospitality careers often depend on credible experience, not just a certificate.

• Engineering and aviation identity: apprentices training using replica jet engines and hydraulic training systems, with mentoring from specialist engineers.

For students who want to be taken seriously as emerging professionals, this kind of specialist resource can accelerate confidence and competence.

A practical note: leaders have managed to keep meaningful opportunities available, but some activities beyond the curriculum were reduced due to the disruption caused by RAAC-related closures.

As a further education provider, the daily pattern can vary by programme, including part-week timetables, block practical sessions, and work placements. Travel planning is therefore part of admissions thinking, especially if sessions are split between sites in Farnborough and Aldershot.

For families comparing options by journey time, it is sensible to test travel at realistic times of day rather than assuming a standard school run rhythm. Open events can help validate the real routine, including where specialist facilities are currently based.

• A-level pathway needs scrutiny. External evaluation identifies A-level and AS-level teaching and assessment as an area needing improvement, and outcomes data is below England averages. This may still work for some students, but it is not the safest default choice for an A-level first experience.

• Estates disruption. RAAC-related closures have led to relocation of some provision since September 2023. Families should ask what that means for the specific programme, including workshop access and day-to-day movement between sites.

• Multiple routes, different expectations. A T Level, an apprenticeship, and a classroom-based vocational programme can have very different demands. Students who prefer clear structure should confirm the timetable model, placement requirements, and independent study load before committing.

Farnborough College of Technology is best understood as a large, career-led provider with notable strengths in apprenticeships, adult learning, and high-needs provision, backed by strong culture and professional expectations. The fit is strongest for students who want applied learning, industry realism, and progression into employment or higher-level training, especially through technical routes. It may also suit learners who want a supportive environment with integrated assistive technology. Students whose main goal is a conventional A-level experience should examine subject support carefully and compare alternatives before deciding.