The Studio School Liverpool Review 2026: Creative and Digital Innovation from a Grade II Warehouse

In Liverpool's Baltic Triangle, where a Grade II listed Victorian warehouse once housed an oil trade, young people are now learning to code, design games, and collaborate with Amazon Web Services, Ford, and Sony. The Studio School moved into this restored 1850s building in 2013, and has spent more than a decade perfecting a model where the classroom blurs into the workplace. For Year 10 and Year 12 entrants (ages 14 and 16), the philosophy is crystallised in the school motto: every day is an interview. With around 300 students across ages 14-19, small class sizes, and a sixth form ranked in the top 25% of schools in England for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking), this is a state school pursuing an unapologetically different path. Entry happens at 14, not 11, which means students here have made an active choice to pursue careers in creative media, digital technology, or related entrepreneurship. The April 2024 Ofsted inspection confirmed the school's Good rating, with inspectors noting the leadership's commitment to preparing students for real careers through industry partnerships and project-based learning that sits at the heart of every subject.

The physical environment at The Studio signals something different the moment you enter. The lofty spaces of the former warehouse — with exposed beams, high ceilings, and natural light flooding through industrial windows — create an atmosphere closer to a creative agency than a traditional school. Purpose matters here. Every detail, from the lecture theatre cinema with its 120-seat capacity to the programming studio with private professional networks, has been chosen to mirror the working environments students will eventually occupy.

Leadership shapes the tone. Principal Jill Davies and her senior team (Vice Principal Rupert Evans, Assistant Principal Fiona Markey, and Head of Sixth Form Giuseppe Bonfante) have built a culture where independence is encouraged and high expectations for behaviour are non-negotiable. This is reflected throughout the school: the team includes experienced staff with computing, creative media, humanities, science, and health expertise. The leadership's commitment to continuous improvement is visible in small ways — the school's dedication to preparing students for future careers, visible in pastoral systems overseen by staff like Paul Taylor (Pastoral Manager and DSL) and Debra Marsden (SENDCO), suggests a genuinely student-centred approach rather than a tick-box operation.

The school's values — inclusive, innovative, curious, diverse, professional, and respectful — live in the rhythms of the day. Students describe a culture where mistakes are part of learning, and where effort is celebrated regardless of starting point. The smaller cohort size (around 300 across two year groups) means staff know students well. Behaviour management relies not on punitive measures but on consistent expectations and community: students understand that poor behaviour on campus reflects poorly on employers watching, and that "every day is an interview" applies to attitude as much as academic output.

GCSE Performance

GCSE results at The Studio present a paradox worth understanding. The school's average attainment 8 score is 36.7, which sits below the England average. Progress 8 stands at -0.82, indicating that students here, on average, make below-average progress by national measures. Ranked 3595th out of 4593 secondary schools in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), the school sits in the bottom 40% of schools nationally. Locally, it ranks 40th out of approximately 45 secondary schools in Liverpool.

The apparent weakness in GCSE results requires context. The Studio recruits into Year 10 rather than Year 7, drawing students from across Merseyside who have actively chosen a creative or technology pathway rather than following the traditional academic track. Many arrive with lower starting points — students who found mainstream Year 7-9 schooling uninspiring or who are already clear about wanting careers outside traditional academic routes. The absence of English Baccalaureate entries reflects the school's specialism; it is not offering the broad academic curriculum that feeds the EBacc, but rather a focused pipeline into creative, digital, and technology sectors.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form tells a markedly different story. With 59% of A-level grades at A*-B (and a further 29% at B grade), the school ranks 608th in England out of 2,649 providers for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking). This places it in the top 25% of schools nationally and 5th among Liverpool sixth forms. The A* percentage sits at 14%, A at 16%, with the combined A*-A-B totalling 59%. These figures exceed both the England averages for A* (14% vs 12%) and A (16% vs 12%), and place the school well within the strong tier of A-level providers.

The published figures suggest a school where teaching quality is high, where students who do progress to sixth form are well-taught, and where the employer-led curriculum does not compromise academic rigour. The jump in performance between GCSE and A-level likely reflects self-selection — by sixth form, students who have thrived in the Studio environment remain, having already proven they can succeed in a less traditional setting. Those who might struggle with the demands of project-based learning or independent work will have moved to conventional sixth forms earlier.

The curriculum at The Studio is structured around a principle that sounds deceptively simple: learning should mirror how work actually happens. Project-based learning (PBL) is not an occasional enrichment activity here; it underpins every subject, every term. Students work on challenges defined by real employer partners — designing social media campaigns for a tech business, prototyping product packaging for manufacturers, building portfolios for freelance careers.

At Key Stage 4 (Year 10), the school delivers core GCSEs (English, Mathematics, Sciences) plus specialist option subjects aligned to the student's chosen pathway. The breadth is deliberately wider than typical secondary schools: photography, digital media, graphics, film, art and design, computer science, digital information technology sit alongside traditional humanities. What distinguishes The Studio is how these subjects are taught. A GCSE in graphics does not exist in isolation; it connects to live projects with employers. Students use industry-standard software and hardware from day one. The art and media studio, games design artwork suite, and high-spec programming studio are not museum pieces; they are daily workspaces.

The Ignite programme in Year 9 (ages 13-14) serves as the entry level. This year-long accelerator introduces students to the specialist option subjects and employer partnerships they might pursue. Ignite is deliberately broad and balanced, avoiding premature specialisation. By contrast, Year 10 allows much greater choice. Staff help students select subjects that align with career interests, though the school publishes all national curriculum subjects alongside specialist options, ensuring students who shift direction mid-course are not locked in.

For the sixth form, students choose between two recommended pathways or design their own bespoke route. The Creative pathway focuses on A-levels in art, design, graphics, and lens-based media. The Technologist pathway offers extended diplomas in games, animation and VFX, or AQA diplomas in scripting and programming, paired with mathematics. A-level subjects available include mathematics, computer science, digital information technology, English, humanities, and sciences. Notably, sixth-formers can draw on courses from the co-located Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, giving them access to health and science specialism if they wish to cross disciplines.

Employer masterclasses punctuate the academic year. Amazon Web Services delivers cloud computing training; Sony and Creative Assembly coach on game development; Ford brings real automotive design briefs. The promise is explicit: complete your studies, and you leave with job interviews lined up, apprenticeships arranged, or university places secured through a carefully built portfolio and industry network.

The school's leavers destination data from the 2023-24 cohort shows that 50% progressed to university, with a further 9% entering further education, 5% securing apprenticeships, and 14% moving directly into employment. The remainder pursued other pathways. This distribution reflects the school's two-track mission: some students are university-bound (and the sixth form A-level results suggest this cohort performs well), while others are work-ready, equipped with portfolios, industry contacts, and qualifications that lead directly to employment or degree apprenticeships.

The school makes an explicit promise: university placement, apprenticeship, degree apprenticeship, or employment upon completion of studies. This is not hyperbolic marketing. The careers operation is embedded; Michael Saint-Cricq leads careers information, advice and guidance, working both in-house and alongside external advisors to ensure every student has concrete next steps. The focus on portfolio building and professional practice means students here arrive at university or workplace with a head start over peers from schools where work experience is an occasional week in July.

Specific university destinations are not published on the website, and the leavers data set is small (56 students in the cohort), limiting granular analysis. However, the sixth form's strong A-level results and the employer partnerships (which include Unilever, Sellafield Ltd, AstraZeneca, and others) suggest pathways leading to Russell Group and specialist universities, as well as top-tier apprenticeships with blue-chip employers.

The Studio's extracurricular offer is distinctive because the line between academic and enrichment is deliberately blurred. The school does not offer a traditional breadth of sports clubs or hobby societies; instead, it offers opportunities deeply aligned to careers in creative media and technology.

Creative and Design Spaces

The art and media studio, operated by staff including Johnny Price, Lee Tisdale, Phillip Rogers, and Stef Mansfield, is a working creative space, not a classroom. Students produce artwork, photography, and digital media for real clients. The games design artwork suite supports game designers working with peers from the co-located UTC. The retro games console space serves both as cultural history and inspiration for emerging developers. A gallery space within the studio rotates student work, giving visual prominence to creative achievement.

Technology and Programming

The programming suite with private professional network and access to industry-standard software is available for independent study and project work. The 3D printing facilities feature prominently in the school's ethos; students have designed and produced festive decorations for fundraising, and a 3D design and production capability sits within the engineering suite. Advanced students can pursue internships or projects with companies like Amazon Web Services and Sony, working on real technical challenges.

STEM and Research

The school's partnership with the co-located Liverpool Life Sciences UTC creates unexpected enrichment. Students can access state-of-the-art innovation labs, engineering suites with design and printing facilities, and science facilities. A notable initiative is the Baltic Research Institute Journal (BRI)—a student-led scientific journal where Year 10 scholars serve as Junior Editors, publishing peer-reviewed research conducted by their peers. This positions scientific research as a live, creative practice rather than a textbook exercise.

Performance and Communication Spaces

The 120-seat lecture theatre and cinema serve dual purposes. Film screenings celebrate moving image work created by students. The space also hosts guest speakers from industry, allowing employers to share career stories directly. The dedicated health suite with real hospital beds and a 'Sim Man' (fully functioning dummy patient) reflects the school's partnership with Liverpool Life Sciences UTC and allows immersive health and science experiences.

Fitness and Wellbeing

The fitness suite and gym, equipped with current sports kit, support a wellbeing curriculum that includes physical education taught across multiple activities. The emphasis is on lifelong fitness and health awareness rather than elite sports competition. Staff including Anna Durrance, Graham Scofield, and Philip Forrest (PE department) develop students' skills across varied disciplines while fostering a culture of respectful, responsible citizenship.

Pastoral Enrichment

The ground-floor café and co-working space for sixth form students reflects the school's ambition to feel less like a traditional school and more like a working environment. Students take breaks in a professional setting, encouraging independence and self-management.

Shared Enrichment with Liverpool Life Sciences UTC

Because The Studio shares the CUC building with Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, students have access to shared spaces including a cinema, refectories, gym, and sports hall. During Key Stage 4, Studio students are taught alongside UTC pupils in some subjects, creating an intellectually mixed community and exposing creative students to science and health pathways, and vice versa.

The Studio recruits at two entry points: Year 10 (age 14) and sixth form (age 16). There is no Year 7 entry, which fundamentally changes the school's character and admissions strategy.

For Year 10 entry, students apply directly to the school between autumn and spring, rather than through the standard local authority coordinated admissions process. Application involves completing an online form, attending an open evening (held both in person at the CUC building and online), and demonstrating genuine interest in creative media, digital technology, or related entrepreneurship pathways. The school is transparent that this is not a school for everyone; students should be choosing The Studio because they have already decided they want a career in creative, digital, or technology sectors, not because it happens to be their local option.

Entry is not selective by entrance examination, but genuinely seeks students with aptitude and enthusiasm for the specialist offer. The application asks students to reflect on why they wish to pursue these pathways and what they hope to build. Previous academic performance (KS2 or KS3 grades) is considered but is not the sole criterion. The school welcomes students across the ability range, provided they have genuine interest in the specialism.

For sixth form (age 16), entry typically requires completion of GCSE English and Mathematics (grade 4 or above), though students from other schools can also apply. The sixth form, branded as CUC6, is housed in the same building and offers the same employer-connected curriculum. Students joining in sixth form immediately access the same facilities, staff, and partnerships as those who entered at Year 10.

The admissions process emphasises early decision-making. Students are encouraged to visit the school, speak with current students, and understand the non-traditional nature of the offer before committing. The school hosts open evenings typically in autumn and spring; parents should check the website or contact the school directly for exact 2026 dates.

The school's pastoral operation sits at the heart of its identity. With around 300 students across two cohorts, every student has a tutor and a named point of contact within the pastoral leadership team (overseen by staff including Paul Taylor, the Pastoral Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead, and Debra Marsden, the SENDCO).

Behaviour management relies on the school's core ethos: every day is an interview. This is not punishment-based; it is aspirational. Students are consistently reminded that behaviour, appearance, and communication now reflect how they will be judged in the workplace. The expectation is that students will self-regulate, understanding the consequence of poor choices. The school maintains high expectations; this is not a soft-touch environment, but one where challenge is paired with clear, consistent boundaries.

Wellbeing support includes weekly access to a trained counsellor for students requiring additional emotional support. The Jigsaw curriculum (a whole-school approach to PSHE and health and wellbeing, meeting statutory RSHE requirements) spirals learning across year groups, ensuring students encounter key themes at developmentally appropriate times. Students with SEND or additional needs work with Debra Marsden (SENDCO) and a team of learning support assistants (including Cristina Justino Do Nascimento, Ian Hesketh, Kim Jenson, and Nicola Naylor) to access appropriate support and accommodations.

The school's commitment to inclusion is visible in its physical accessibility (fully wheelchair accessible throughout, with disabled toilets on every floor) and in pastoral practice. Students describe feeling known and cared for, even within the fast-paced, career-focused environment.

The school day runs from registration/start time through to 3:20pm for Key Stage 4 students, with potential extended hours for sixth form depending on timetabling. There is no boarding provision; all students are day students. The school is located at 41 Greenland Street in the Baltic Triangle, approximately 15 minutes' walk from Liverpool city centre and accessible by public transport (Lime Street Station is nearby, and numerous bus routes serve the Baltic Triangle). Parking is available but limited; most students and families use public transport or walk.

Uniforms are required and reflect the school's professional ethos; students wear business-casual dress (blazer, trousers or skirt, shirt). The school provides a uniform list on the website. Lunch can be purchased in the café/refectory or brought from home. Music lessons, specialist software, trips, and some enrichment activities incur additional costs; the school's website details optional spend. As this is a state school, there are no tuition fees; however, families in financial hardship can access support via the school's pupil premium, free school meals eligibility, bursary support, and family support services (details available through the school's parents section on the website).

GCSE results are below England average. The apparent weakness in GCSE performance reflects the school's unusual intake and mission. Students here are often those who found traditional Year 7-9 schooling unrewarding or who knew from age 12 that they wanted creative or technology careers. They are not necessarily lower ability; many are students for whom project-based learning, employer engagement, and clear career pathway visibility matter more than traditional academic study. However, families should be aware that progression to sixth form or further study elsewhere will be based on GCSE results that sit below national averages. Students planning to move to a conventional sixth form (rather than staying on at The Studio) should understand this context.

Entry at 14 is a major transition. Unlike most secondary schools, where students enter at 11 and spend seven years in one institution, The Studio requires students to make an active choice at 14. This suits families who have already identified a creative or tech career interest and want authentic employer exposure. For families still exploring options at 14, or whose children are early developers who will later change direction, the specialist focus may feel restrictive. Parents should ensure their child genuinely wants this pathway before applying.

Not a traditional breadth of extracurricular activity. The school does not offer a wide range of sports clubs, drama societies, or hobby activities typical of comprehensive schools. Instead, the extracurricular offer is tightly aligned to creative, digital, and technology enrichment. Students interested in elite sports, drama production (beyond the curriculum), or traditional societies should enquire about partnerships with the UTC or local community options.

Small sixth form means fewer subject choices than large sixth forms. While subject variety exists, the sixth form is smaller than some competitors. Students seeking a very broad A-level offering (e.g., 40+ subjects) may find constraints, though most core and specialist A-levels are available.

The Studio School represents a genuine alternative to the traditional secondary school model, and one that is delivering results — particularly at sixth form level, where A-level outcomes place it in the top 25% nationally (FindMySchool ranking). The school excels at preparing young people for work in creative and digital sectors through authentic employer engagement, project-based learning, and a deliberately non-traditional environment. For students aged 14-16 who have already decided they want careers in digital media, game design, software development, or creative entrepreneurship, the offer is compelling: a state-funded education aligned to real industry needs, taught in a Grade II listed warehouse by staff with genuine expertise, connected to employers including Amazon Web Services, Ford, Sony, and Unilever.

However, it is not a school for everyone. GCSE results are weak by national measures, reflecting the school's mission to serve students who learn best through project work rather than traditional academics. Families with younger children, or whose teenagers are still exploring their interests, should carefully consider whether the specialist pathway suits them before applying at age 14. The school works brilliantly for students who want it; it would not work well for those who feel coerced into it.

Best suited to young people aged 14 and upwards who have genuine enthusiasm for creative media, digital technology, or related entrepreneurship; whose families value authentic industry experience and portfolio-building over traditional academic curricula; and who thrive in environments where behaviour, independence, and professional practice are emphasised. The main advantage is the employer pipeline and small-scale, specialist teaching; the main caveat is the weak GCSE starting point and the need for genuine career clarity before entry.