City College Plymouth Review 2026: A large, skills-led college with standout student culture

City College Plymouth is built around choice and progression, with provision stretching from 16 to 18 study programmes through to apprenticeships, adult learning and university level pathways. Its scale matters: the most recent inspection reported more than 3,400 learners aged 16 to 18, around 1,300 apprentices and about 1,700 adult learners at the time of inspection, spread across three sites in the city.

The college’s identity is closely tied to employability and technical training, but it is not narrowly vocational. Alongside mainstream classroom learning, you will find purpose-built spaces, employer-linked training and commercial, public-facing outlets that double as live learning environments. A key headline from the latest inspection is that day-to-day culture is a strength, with Behaviour and attitudes judged Outstanding.

Leadership is led by Principal and Chief Executive Jackie Grubb, who has been in post since 2019, giving the college several years of continuity through a period of change in the further education sector.

City College Plymouth describes its purpose as being “the learning destination of choice”, and its values are framed around Respect, Ownership and Integrity. The tone this sets is practical rather than ceremonial. For students, that often translates into clear expectations and a focus on what comes next, whether that is a job, an apprenticeship, a higher technical route or university.

The most recent evidence base points to a calm, orderly culture in shared spaces. Large colleges can feel impersonal, but the inspection evidence highlights that learners’ and apprentices’ behaviour is excellent and that social areas are used harmoniously, which supports a positive study environment for teenagers mixing with adults.

There is also a visible wellbeing strand. The inspection record points to strong counselling and mental health support, and to practical help for students facing hardship, including access to food and essential items. For families weighing a post-16 move, this matters because the transition from school to college often coincides with increased independence, more travel and a less structured day.

City College Plymouth is a post-16 provider, so academic outcomes are best understood through the lens of its curriculum mix rather than a single exam route. The inspection evidence indicates a wide spread across levels 1 to 3, including large cohorts in sports coaching and development, uniformed protective services and engineering, plus a substantial apprenticeship programme.

It also offers thirteen T Level qualifications, including areas such as business management and administration, childhood education and healthcare science. This is significant because T Levels require substantial industry placement time and tend to suit students who want a structured technical route with strong workplace relevance.

Parents comparing local post-16 options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to keep like-for-like comparisons in view, for example, A-level focused sixth forms versus mixed technical colleges, and the types of pathways each supports.

The teaching model reflects the breadth of provision. Evidence from the most recent inspection points to teaching that often breaks complex learning into manageable steps, which is especially important for apprentices and for technical programmes where theory must translate into competent practice.

A consistent feature is employer relevance. The inspection record points to a curriculum aligned to local and regional skills needs, supported by employer and stakeholder links. In practical terms, this shows up in specialist centres and programmes intended to mirror the expectations of industry, particularly in engineering, manufacturing and maritime areas.

Where the picture is more mixed is in provision for learners with high needs. The latest inspection judgement for this area was Requires improvement, and the improvement points focus on better use of prior learning information, stronger specialist SEND support (including speech and language therapy), and clearer targets. The implication for families is straightforward: the college can still be a good fit for some learners with SEND, but those with higher needs should probe carefully on how support is planned, delivered, and reviewed course-by-course.

Where Students Go Next

City College Plymouth functions as a transition engine for multiple routes, so destinations are a core part of the value proposition.

From the most recent leaver cohort data available, 9% progressed to university, 12% to further education, 20% to apprenticeships, and 32% to employment. These figures reflect the provider’s breadth, including adult learners and work-focused programmes, rather than a single sixth form style pipeline.

At the high academic end, the most recent Oxbridge data available records two applications and one acceptance in the measurement period. For a large general further education college, that is a meaningful signal that academically ambitious students can still find a route through, particularly when combined with the college’s university-level options and support for UCAS pathways.

Admissions here are not about catchment and distance. They are about course fit, entry criteria, and readiness for a more independent study model.

The college’s published admissions approach emphasises guidance at the point of application and a structured interview for full-time applicants and for part-time courses requiring an interview, with interviews typically booked within two weeks of a submitted application. This is a useful operational detail because it suggests a responsive process once an application is in.

For university-level courses, the college sets out a clear route, including applying through UCAS for relevant full-time courses, and a deadline of 30 June, after which places may still be available via Clearing.

Open events are the practical starting point for many families. The college lists open days in February and May 2026, which suit both Year 11 leavers and adult learners considering a change. Families interested in multiple providers can use the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature to track open days and application tasks in one place.

Pastoral support at college has to work differently to school. Students may be on site fewer days a week, may be working part-time, and may be moving between sites.

The strongest published evidence here is the combination of wellbeing infrastructure and practical support. The inspection evidence highlights that students value counselling and mental health support, delivered in calm and confidential areas that make it easier to ask for help, plus tangible support for those experiencing hardship. This matters for retention and confidence, particularly for students stepping into a larger environment after a smaller school.

The college also signals support mechanisms for specific life circumstances, for example childcare support routes for young parents through its student funding systems.

Extracurricular life in a college setting often looks less like “clubs after school” and more like enrichment, student leadership and real-world practice.

City College Plymouth explicitly promotes clubs and societies, volunteering, student ambassador programmes, guest speaker events and trips as part of student life. The Students’ Union is presented as a social and support hub, equipped for low-pressure downtime with features such as pool tables and games consoles, which can be important for helping new students build friendship groups quickly.

What really differentiates the college is how many learning spaces double as public-facing or industry-facing environments:

• PL1 restaurant, run by hospitality and catering students under professional supervision, with a public offer that creates a genuine service environment rather than a classroom simulation.

• Stars Hair and Day Spa, providing live client experience for hair and beauty training, again with a real customer setting.

• Digital Learning Quarter, housing the library, the Maths Centre for Excellence and The Core, framed as a central learning support space with specialist equipment.

For students, the implication is clear. If you learn best by doing, and you want your programme to include authentic practice, these settings can accelerate confidence, customer skills and employability behaviours.

Because the college serves a wide mix of students, daily timetables vary by course. The college signals that many students attend up to five days a week depending on programme, and that work placements may be part of the weekly pattern.

For travel, the college publishes unusually concrete practicalities. Students can use a free number 36 bus during term time with a student ID card, and there are cycle facilities including bike shelters, showers and a drying room. Parking policies are also explicit, including £1 per day for standard parking and a 30 minute free drop off and pick up window at entrances.

For term planning, the college publishes 2026 to 2027 term dates, including an autumn start on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

• High needs provision has a clear improvement agenda. The latest inspection judgement for learners with high needs was Requires improvement, and the published improvement points focus on assessment, specialist SEND support and clearer targets. Families should ask detailed questions about staffing, therapy access where relevant, and how progress is tracked on the specific course.

• This is a big provider, and independence is expected. The scale brings breadth and facilities, but students need to manage timetables, travel and workload in a more self-directed way than at school. A transition plan matters for students who benefit from structure.

• Routes and costs differ by age and programme. Some 16 to 18 provision is typically free, while adult courses may have fees or loan routes depending on eligibility. It is worth checking the course page and funding guidance before committing.

• Multi-site learning can be a benefit or a complication. With provision across Kings Road, Oceansgate and Picquet, some programmes may involve travel between sites. Students should confirm where the majority of teaching happens for their chosen route.

City College Plymouth suits students who want a practical, future-facing post-16 experience, with clear routes into work, apprenticeships and higher technical options, plus a supportive wellbeing infrastructure. The strongest fit is for students who like learning through applied projects, live environments and employer-linked pathways.

It is also a credible option for academically ambitious students who prefer a broader college setting over a school sixth form, but families should be realistic that outcomes and peer mix are shaped by a very wide mission. For learners with higher needs, the decision should be made with careful, course-specific scrutiny of support and specialist staffing.