Barely a decade into its life, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre has carved out a remarkable reputation as one of the UK's most academically driven sixth forms. Based in a Grade II* listed building in East Ham, the centre occupies refurbished Victorian architecture with modern laboratories and university-style lecture halls. The school was founded in 2014 by Mouhssin Ismail, with the explicit mission to raise aspirations among East London's brightest students, and that ambition permeates every aspect of the experience here.
The latest figures tell a compelling story. At A-level in 2024, over 92% of grades achieved A*-B, placing the sixth form in the top 10% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking). Oxbridge remains within reach for many: 33 students secured places at Oxford and Cambridge, with a combined acceptance rate of 82%, and over 95% of leavers progress to Russell Group universities. These are not coincidental achievements, but the result of deliberate systems: expert teaching, intensive enrichment, and an unwavering culture that expects excellence.
Since 2022, Ms Anita Lomax has led the college, bringing fifteen years of A-level teaching and previous sixth form leadership from Seven Kings High School. The college operates under the City of London Academies Trust and maintains a strategic partnership with University College London, which brings PhD-level mentoring and industry connections into the classroom.
With 650 students across Years 12 and 13, this is a selective, purposeful environment. The sixth form is by no means a pressure cooker, but it is uncompromisingly ambitious. Students here choose Newham Collegiate because they want to aim high.
Walking into Newham Collegiate, you encounter an institution calibrated for academic seriousness. The Victorian red-brick facade gives way to modern interiors: classrooms fitted with iPads and stylus pens for every student, nine dedicated science laboratories, and a university-style lecture theatre that immediately signals the level of intellectual engagement expected. The building breathes purposefulness without ostentation.
The Ofsted inspectors who visited in October 2021 reported that learners' behaviour is impeccable. Respect and intellectual humility characterize the peer culture. Students support one another's learning; they engage in rigorous debate during lessons and in after-school seminars. There is no sense of cut-throat competition. Instead, the tone is one of collective ambition.
What sets the atmosphere apart is the holistic integration of academic rigour with personal development. This is not a sixth form that teaches to the syllabus alone. The Code Breakers course, delivered to all students, explores the unspoken social and professional codes that matter in elite professions: how to communicate clearly, how to present yourself, how to navigate corporate and academic environments. This runs parallel to the supercurricular seminars, in which students study undergraduate-level content in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, or explore topics such as the synthesis of superheavy elements.
The underlying philosophy is explicit: excellent A-levels are the foundation, but they are not the end. Ms Lomax and her team believe that young people from Newham and the surrounding boroughs deserve the same preparation, mentoring, and access to professional networks as their peers at independent schools. That belief animates everything here.
In 2024, 93% of A-level grades achieved A*-B. Breaking this down: 27% achieved A*, 42% achieved A, and 23% achieved B. Across a cohort studying primarily sciences and mathematics, with smaller numbers in humanities, these figures represent sustained excellence. The England average for A*-A sits at 24%; at Newham Collegiate, 69% of entries achieved A* or A, positioning the college well above the national typical range.
The sixth form ranks 75th in England for A-level outcomes, placing it in the top 3% (FindMySchool ranking) and 3rd among sixth forms in Newham. This is in the top 10% of schools in England: well above England average, a top 10% performance.
Subject strength is most pronounced in mathematics and the sciences. Mathematics was taken by 473 students; chemistry by 399; biology by 341. These are majorities within the cohort, reflecting the college's specialisation and its appeal to students aiming for engineering, medicine, and sciences at university. History, English Literature, Economics, Government and Politics, Psychology, and Religious Studies are also on offer, though in smaller numbers.
The Progress 8 equivalent (though not published for sixth forms as a direct metric) is evidenced by the college's ALPS Grade 1 ranking, placing it in the top 1% of all UK schools for value added. In plain terms: students make exceptional progress relative to their starting points and the national average for similar cohorts.
In 2024, 76% of leavers progressed to university, with a further 5% embarking on apprenticeships and 7% entering employment directly. This aligns with the college's explicit mission to prepare students for Russell Group universities and beyond.
The Oxbridge pipeline is particularly strong. The college ranks 14th in England for combined Oxbridge applications and acceptances (FindMySchool ranking). In 2024, 137 students applied to Oxford and Cambridge; 33 were accepted. This 24% acceptance rate (and 82% offer-to-acceptance ratio) exceeds the national average and positions Newham Collegiate ahead of many prestigious independent schools.
Beyond Oxbridge, 95% of leavers secure offers from Russell Group universities, with particular success at Imperial College, UCL, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), and King's College London. Edinburgh and Durham are also popular destinations. This is a measurable differentiator and reflects both the academic calibre of the intake and the intensive university preparation embedded throughout the programme.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
92.51%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
Instruction here is characterised by exceptional subject expertise and a commitment to learning beyond the examination specification. The Ofsted inspectors noted in 2021 that teachers possess high levels of subject knowledge and create exceptionally high-quality learning resources. In mathematics, for instance, lessons begin with careful recapping of GCSE-level foundations, then build methodically through A-level content, ensuring students master both 2x2 matrices in Year 12 before progressing to 3x3 matrices in Year 13. This scaffolded, logical approach is replicated across disciplines.
Classroom practice is underpinned by rigorous assessment. Teachers identify common misconceptions and address them explicitly in subsequent lessons. For learners who fall behind, intervention is rapid and targeted; the college has developed highly effective support programmes to help students return to expected progress.
The Super Curriculum is the mechanism for stretch. Students take seminars on undergraduate topics beyond their A-level syllabuses: quantum mechanics, polymer chemistry, asymptotic analysis, moral philosophy. These are led by passionate subject specialists and, increasingly, by PhD students recruited through the UCL partnership. The aim is to deepen understanding, foster genuine intellectual curiosity, and help students decide whether they want to pursue further study in that discipline at university.
Teaching staff have benefited from continuous professional development rooted in research-based pedagogy. The college has been deliberate in recruiting teachers who are not only subject experts but also passionate educators, many of whom are graduates of the same universities (including Oxbridge) that students here aspire to attend.
The sixth form's enrichment offering is what distinguishes it from traditional comprehensives and many independent alternatives. This is not a checklist of clubs; it is a structured ecosystem designed to prepare students for competitive universities and elite professions.
The five Professional Schools are the core of this approach. The NCS Med School provides intensive preparation for medicine and dentistry applicants, with mock interviews, anatomy sessions, and exposure to hospital environments; over 100 medicine and dentistry offers are secured annually. The NCS Engineering School supports students aiming for engineering and physics at top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, and MIT. The NCS Law School prepares aspiring barristers and solicitors with guidance from Magic Circle law firms and top barrister chambers. The NCS Finance School caters to students targeting banking, investment, and finance careers. The NCS Liberal Arts School serves humanities and arts students, teaching dialectical thinking, rhetoric, and synthesis of human knowledge.
Each Professional School is led by a Director of Admissions with deep sector expertise. Students receive tailored coaching on national entrance examinations (UCAT for medicine, LNAT for law), mock interviews, and placement opportunities with leading employers.
The Emerging Talent Programme is the second pillar. Students participate in structured work experience and mentoring with leading firms and institutions: investment banks (Citibank, Barclays, BlackRock), consulting firms (KPMG, Deloitte), law chambers (25 Bedford Row), hospitals (Guy's and St Thomas's, Barts), and multinational corporations. The programme includes an annual trip to the USA, with visits to the United Nations, Capitol Hill, and Ivy League campuses. Students shadowed consultants, attended masterclasses delivered by sector leaders, and gained exposure to industry-specific knowledge that becomes invaluable in competitive applications.
The Code Breakers course teaches the unwritten social codes required for success in elite professions. Students explore personal presentation (clothing, grooming, body language), speech quality (accent, diction, confidence), and conversational norms. The aim is not to erase regional identity, but to equip students with a second dialect they can deploy in professional contexts. The Polish & Etiquette course teaches corporate protocol, dining etiquette, and executive communication.
The NCS Lecture Programme brings leading figures from business, science, politics, and culture into the college. Recent speakers have included Gina Miller (political activist and businesswoman) and Adil Ray (television presenter and broadcaster). Students encounter ideas and perspectives that extend far beyond the curriculum.
The Super Curriculum seminars occur in small groups (typically 6-8 students) led by expert teachers and, increasingly, by PhD students from UCL. A chemistry student might explore superheavy element synthesis; a mathematician might study asymptotic analysis with a UCL professor. A physics student might investigate quantum entanglement. These sessions stretch the most able and clarify university-level thinking.
Beyond the formal enrichment structure, students have access to Music Society, Art Society, Games Club, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Drama clubs, and Debating Society. The Debating Society has achieved notable success, with one student recognised as the first state school student to win Best Individual Speaker at the Eton Debating Championship.
Leavers' destinations reflect the college's success in preparing students for competitive universities. 80% progress to university, with 95% securing places at Russell Group institutions. Oxbridge acceptances (33 in 2024) place the college among the top performing sixth forms in the country for this metric. The remaining leavers pursue apprenticeships (5%) and direct employment (7%), many within professional firms that have hosted work experience students throughout the year.
Beyond numbers, destinations speak to diversity of ambition. Whilst STEM-heavy (reflecting the college's strengths in mathematics and sciences), English Literature, History, Economics, and Psychology cohorts also progress to leading universities. The college does not sort students into sterile pathways; instead, it broadens the range of universities and professions within reach.
Total Offers
40
Offer Success Rate: 29.2%
Cambridge
19
Offers
Oxford
21
Offers
Entry to Newham Collegiate is highly selective and academically rigorous. The college receives approximately 3,000 applications for roughly 300 places in Year 12. Selection is based on a rigorous academic threshold: students must achieve a minimum of 62 points from their top eight GCSE subjects. Entry is mainly from Newham partner schools, and also from 70+ schools in other boroughs, including Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, and Barking and Dagenham.
Admissions are non-selective in the technical sense (the college does not administer entrance examinations), but the GCSE threshold acts as a gate. The competition is fierce: nearly 10 applicants per place. Students must understand that they are choosing a high-pressure environment where academic achievement is the central measure and where peer competition, though not destructive, is real.
There is no catchment boundary. The college draws from across East and North East London, with some students travelling substantial distances. For families outside Newham, transport links are important; the college is accessible by multiple bus routes and is near Central Line stations, though journey times can be lengthy for students living in outer London boroughs.
School hours run from 8:50am to 3:20pm on Monday to Thursday, and until 2:00pm on Friday. The earlier Friday finish is intentional: the East Ham Leisure Centre is adjacent, and students are encouraged to use its facilities for sport and wellbeing.
The sixth form is a day school with no boarding provision. Students are expected to manage their own study time, with supervised study spaces available on site. Uniform is smart and professional: blazer, shirt, trousers or skirt, tie. A dress code policy emphasises that presentation matters and reflects the broader message that professional standards are non-negotiable.
Technology is pervasive. Every student receives an iPad with stylus pen for use across lessons and independent study. Learning management systems and digital resources are integrated into teaching. This is not window dressing; it reflects genuine commitment to contemporary pedagogy.
Despite the academic intensity, the college has developed robust pastoral systems. Every student is assigned a tutor and a Year Leader who know them personally. The Ofsted inspectors reported that learners feel safe, supported, and confident that staff will help them with academic and personal difficulties. An anonymous online reporting tool provides an additional channel for raising concerns.
Counsellors are on site to offer additional support for students dealing with anxiety, stress, or personal challenges. The college recognises that high-achieving students, particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds, may experience imposter syndrome or struggle with the pressure of competitive university applications. Pastoral care is designed to build resilience and self-esteem, not merely to manage crisis.
Mental health awareness and wellbeing are woven throughout the personal, social, health, and citizenship education curriculum. Recent additions have included sessions on sexual health, current affairs, and debate. Students appreciate these sessions as lively and engaging; they value the opportunity to develop critical thinking and to discuss contemporary issues.
Intense academic culture. This is an environment where A-grades are the norm and every peer has achieved highly at GCSE. Students who struggle with the competitive atmosphere, or who fear being "not clever enough," should carefully consider whether this is the right fit. The college is not a pressure cooker, but it is uncompromisingly ambitious. Success here requires not just intelligence, but resilience and genuine intellectual curiosity.
Very selective entry. With 3,000 applications for 300 places, securing admission is difficult. Students must achieve 62 points from their top eight GCSEs and navigate fierce competition. Families should plan for the possibility that their child will not gain a place.
Extensive applications to universities. The college's success at Oxbridge and Russell Group is real, but it is also competitive and time-intensive. University preparation is thorough, which is a strength, but students must understand that they will be part of cohorts targeting the same institutions. Not every student will secure their first-choice university, despite high grades.
Travel and accessibility. For students living outside Newham, journeys can be long. The college is accessible by public transport, but families living in outer London boroughs should verify commute times and consider whether an hour or more of daily travel is sustainable over two years.
newham, collegiate, sixth, form, centre and is one of the UK's most academically successful sixth forms and, remarkable for a state institution, rivals many independent schools in terms of university outcomes and professional preparation. The college is genuinely excellent: strong teaching, selective intake, rigorous curriculum, and exceptional enrichment conspire to produce students who are not only academically accomplished but also professionally polished and globally aware.
Best suited to students who have achieved highly at GCSE, who are intellectually curious, and who want intensive preparation for Russell Group and Oxbridge universities. The college excels at social mobility: it provides students from Newham and surrounding boroughs with access to professional networks, mentoring, and university preparation that would typically require private school fees. For families seeking exceptional A-level education with zero tuition cost, this is as good as it gets.
The main caveat is selectivity and intensity. This is a sixth form for students who want to aim at the highest tiers; it is not for those seeking a gentler, broader educational experience.
Yes. The college was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in all categories in 2021. A-level results consistently exceed England averages, with 93% of grades at A*-B in 2024. The college ranks in the top 10% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking). In 2024, 33 students secured Oxbridge places and 95% of leavers progressed to Russell Group universities, rates that rival many independent schools.
Very difficult. The college receives approximately 3,000 applications for 300 places in Year 12. Students must achieve a minimum of 62 points from their top eight GCSE subjects. This represents roughly a 1 in 10 chance of admission, making it one of the most selective state sixth forms in London. Entry is based entirely on GCSE performance; there are no entrance examinations.
Outstanding. In 2024, 93% of grades achieved A*-B, compared to an England average of 47% for A*-B. The sixth form specialises in mathematics and the sciences, with particularly strong outcomes in these subjects. Students can also study English Literature, History, Economics, Government and Politics, Psychology, and Religious Studies. The college ranks 75th in England for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 10%.
The college occupies a Grade 2* listed Victorian building in East Ham, refurbished with modern facilities. These include nine dedicated science laboratories, a university-style lecture theatre, and bright, contemporary classrooms. Every student receives an iPad with stylus pen for use in lessons and independent study. Adjacent to the building is the East Ham Leisure Centre, which students can access for sport and wellbeing activities. The campus does not have on-site sports pitches, but partners with the leisure centre for facilities.
The college is renowned for enrichment. Five Professional Schools (Medicine, Engineering, Law, Finance, and Liberal Arts) provide intensive preparation for careers and university applications in these fields. The Emerging Talent Programme offers work experience, mentoring, and industry placements with leading firms and institutions, including annual trips to the USA. All students participate in the Code Breakers course, which teaches professional communication and etiquette. Clubs include Music Society, Art Society, Games Club, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Debating Society, and Drama. The Super Curriculum provides seminars on undergraduate-level topics, often led by PhD students through the college's partnership with University College London.
Overwhelmingly to Russell Group universities. In 2024, 95% of leavers secured Russell Group offers, with particular success at Imperial College, UCL, Queen Mary University of London, King's College London, Durham, and Edinburgh. Oxbridge is within reach for many; 33 students secured places at Oxford and Cambridge in 2024. Beyond Russell Group, a small number progress to other good universities and a handful pursue direct employment or professional apprenticeships.
School runs 8:50am to 3:20pm Monday to Thursday, and until 2:00pm on Friday. Students are expected to be independent learners, with supervised study spaces available on site. Uniform is required: blazer, shirt, trousers or skirt, tie. Mobile phones are not visible during the school day except during lunch. The college emphasises professional standards and expects students to manage their time maturely.
No. Newham Collegiate is a day school. All students commute from home. For those living outside Newham, travel can be lengthy; families should verify transport accessibility before applying.
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