St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College Review 2026: A Catholic sixth form with a strong personal development offer in North Kensington

St Charles is pitched at students who want clear structure and visible expectations, plus a defined personal‑development programme alongside A-level and vocational courses — the offer is designed around that balance. The curriculum runs from level 1 to level 3 across academic and vocational pathways, with a sizeable cohort retaking GCSE English and mathematics alongside their main study programme.

The college’s most recent external evaluation judged it Good overall, with Outstanding judgements for Behaviour and attitudes and Personal development, and effective safeguarding. The culture is rooted in Catholic values, while the student body is drawn widely across London and includes many faiths.

This is a post-16 setting that takes the idea of “community” seriously, but expresses it through routine and clarity rather than informality. Expectations around conduct and participation are explicit, and students are expected to engage with the wider programme, not only the qualification they came for.

Faith is present in a way that is meaningful for Catholic families, while still accommodating a broad mix. Students can attend weekly Mass and there is a multi-faith room, which supports the reality of a mixed-faith intake. The tone is respectful, and the college’s approach to diversity is framed as part of daily life rather than an occasional theme.

Leadership is stable. Mr Martin Twist is named as the principal in recent official inspection reporting, and the same leadership title and name appear consistently across inspection cycles.

This review uses FindMySchool rankings and the supplied outcomes data for performance context.

Ranked 2,285th in England and 11th in Kensington and Chelsea for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), St Charles sits below England average overall, placing it within the bottom 40% of providers nationally by this measure.

The A-level grade profile indicates that top-end grades are less common than England averages. In the most recent dataset provided:

• A*: 0.67%

• A: 6.7%

• B: 19.93%

• A* to B combined: 27.3%

For comparison, the England averages supplied alongside the data are 23.6% for A* to A and 47.2% for A* to B.

Context matters here. The college offers both A-level and vocational routes, and a significant number of students are also retaking GCSE English and mathematics alongside their main programme. That mix can create a very wide spread of starting points, and it helps explain why the headline A-level grade distribution should be read as one part of the picture rather than the whole story.

The curriculum offer is broad, spanning academic and vocational courses across areas such as business, economics, social sciences, sciences, information and communication technology, media studies, health and social care, politics, art, geography, and sport. The design is intentionally two-track: qualifications plus a structured personal development model.

A distinctive feature is the weekly pattern that separates core study from broader development. Students spend four days focused on their main qualification, with a dedicated day used for a wider programme that includes work placements, volunteering, and activities intended to build personal capability and readiness for next steps.

Teaching is built around discussion and active checking of understanding. Examples in official reporting point to subject-specific classroom habits, such as structured debate in humanities and careful sequencing in vocational sport, where students learn core anatomy and physiology early before applying it to coaching programme design.

Where Students Go Next

Destination data in the supplied dataset (2023/24 leavers cohort, cohort size 368) suggests a mixed set of progression routes:

• 43% progressed to university

• 21% progressed into employment

• 3% progressed to further education

• 2% started apprenticeships

The college’s careers guidance model is a practical strength. Students receive structured careers information, including talks from external speakers, guidance on applications for university and apprenticeships, and support to move into employment. The wider programme includes work placements and volunteering, which is particularly valuable for students who want to strengthen personal statements, interview readiness, and workplace confidence.

For families interested in highly competitive pathways, the college also highlights individual examples of progression to leading universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, but it does not publish a complete set of cohort-level figures for those destinations in the information available for this review.

As a sixth form college, entry is at post-16 and applications are made directly rather than via a local authority coordinated secondary transfer process. The college’s application portal lists 08 October 2025 as the opening date for applications for September 2026 entry, with an application deadline of 30 April 2026.

Open events are clearly part of the admissions rhythm. An open morning is listed for 29 January 2026, and an additional information session is listed for 04 February 2026, aimed at helping applicants compare routes such as A-level and vocational pathways.

Course entry requirements vary, and families should check subject-by-subject requirements as published by the college alongside each programme. For applicants managing multiple options, the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature can help track open events, deadlines, and offer decisions in one place.

Pastoral support is structured and explicitly taught, with tutorial provision used to deliver values-led guidance and practical education on staying safe. Safeguarding is effective and students are clear on who to report concerns to.

Personal development is a visible strength. Students are taught about risk, consent, and how to seek help for themselves and others. The college also supports belonging through targeted groups, including an LGBTQ or questioning group that is open to all students.

Support for students with additional needs is a significant part of provision. The college teaches students with education, health and care plans, and recent reporting describes strong specialist support and highly individualised teaching where needed.

Enrichment is not treated as an optional add-on. The programme is broad and specific, with clubs named in official reporting including weaving, debating, acting, clay jewellery making, salsa dancing, and Italian. That variety matters because it creates genuine routes for different types of student, from the academically focused to those who gain confidence through performance, creativity, or community activity.

The wider weekly programme strengthens this further. Work placements, volunteering, and organised activities are built into the timetable, so students who might otherwise struggle to access these opportunities can still develop experience and evidence for applications.

This combination has a clear implication for fit. Students who engage with the whole offer, not only their exam subjects, are likely to gain the most from the college’s model.

The college is well placed for public transport in North Kensington. Ladbroke Grove Underground Station is nearby, and multiple TfL bus routes stop around St Charles Square, which supports travel from different parts of London.

Daily start and finish times, and the precise weekly timetable structure by programme, should be confirmed directly with the college as they can vary by course and by year. Term dates for the academic year are published through the college’s online information channels.

• A-level outcomes context. The A-level grade profile in the supplied dataset sits below England averages. Families should look closely at the specific subjects a student plans to study, and ask how the college supports progress within those departments.

• Variation across courses. Recent official reporting notes that achievement is stronger in some areas than others, with specific mention that A-level science and level 3 vocational media studies were areas where outcomes were not strong enough at that point in time.

• GCSE resits add load. A large number of students retake GCSE English and mathematics alongside their main programme. That can be a positive second-chance route, but it does increase the weekly workload and time management demands.

• Deadlines matter. The published application deadline for September 2026 entry is 30 April 2026. Students should apply early enough to keep a good range of course and timetable options open.

St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College suits students who want a structured sixth form with clear expectations, a faith-informed ethos that remains welcoming to a broad intake, and a personal development programme that is built into the week rather than left to chance. It is particularly relevant for students who value a mixed academic and vocational offer, and for those who benefit from strong pastoral routines alongside their studies. The main decision point is whether the student is likely to engage with the full programme, including enrichment, work placements, and wider development, not only the qualification.