Preston College Review 2026: A technical, career-facing post-16 provider with wide pathways

Fifty years on from opening as W.R. Tuson College in 1974, this is a large, single-site college that has stayed close to its original purpose, practical education that leads to work, apprenticeships, and progression routes into higher study.

The scale matters. The most recent further education and skills inspection describes provision for around 2,300 young people, alongside adult learning, apprenticeships, and programmes for learners with high needs. For families, that breadth usually translates into choice, not only between A-levels and technical options, but also between full-time study, apprenticeships, and adult pathways.

Leadership has been in a period of change. Simon Nixon was appointed Principal and Chief Executive in May 2023, following an interim period from July 2022. The direction is clearly towards industry alignment, visible in specialist facilities and in the way courses are framed around employability and progression.

The college presents itself as a modern vocational and technical environment, with a deliberate emphasis on learning spaces that resemble real workplaces. That intent shows up most strongly in the named centres and buildings on the Fulwood campus, where specialist areas cluster around major curriculum routes such as construction, STEM, health and wellbeing, service industries, and the visual and performing arts.

Culture is described in the inspection report as positive and welcoming, with learners understanding expectations around respect and responsible behaviour. It also highlights that learners feel safe and are confident raising concerns with staff, including around harmful behaviour and discrimination. For parents, the practical implication is that safeguarding and conduct are treated as daily operational priorities rather than as posters on a wall.

There is also a civic and community-facing strand to the college’s identity, including work with local stakeholders and support for disadvantaged groups, which becomes relevant for students seeking a setting that feels adult, purposeful, and outward-looking rather than school-like.

Ranked 2,584th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits below England average and within the lower band of outcomes nationally. For a mixed-offer further education college, it is worth reading this as one signal among several, because many students will be taking technical qualifications, apprenticeships, or mixed programmes rather than a purely A-level diet.

The inspection report describes carefully sequenced curriculums for 16 to 18 learners, with regular opportunities to practise and consolidate learning, and it states that most learners and apprentices achieve their qualifications and progress into higher education, further training, or employment. It also identifies weaknesses that families should take seriously: attendance in GCSE English and mathematics is flagged as too low, and too few learners achieve high grades in GCSE English and mathematics despite interventions.

A strength is the emphasis on industry credibility. The report describes staff as well qualified and experienced with good subject knowledge and industry experience, and it gives concrete examples of technical learning in environments designed to mirror practice at work, including carpentry and joinery workshop routines and sector-specific application of maths.

Parents comparing post-16 options may find it helpful to use the FindMySchool Comparison Tool to view performance and destinations alongside nearby sixth forms and colleges, then weigh that data against course fit and facility strength.

The educational proposition here is applied learning with a clear line of sight to next steps. The inspection report describes programmes designed to move learners through increasing levels of difficulty as skills develop, and it gives examples from performance and production arts (building from foundational understanding to work placements and live performance) and from health and social care (applying equality, diversity and inclusion to clinical practice topics).

Facilities reinforce that style. The iSTEM Centre is presented as a hub for advanced manufacturing, multi-functional science laboratories, and 3D printing, intended to support idea generation, testing, and presentation. Engineering and welding provision is described as including a subsonic wind tunnel, 3D printers, industry-standard equipment, and dedicated welding bays.

Recent investment also signals priorities. In September 2024 the college described a refurbishment that created digital suites, creative design studios, and a specialised gaming room to support T Level delivery across digital and creative disciplines.

The college serves multiple “next step” routes, and the destination profile reflects that breadth. For the 2023/24 leaver cohort (919 students), 10% progressed to university, 14% to apprenticeships, 35% to employment, and 8% to further education. This pattern points to a provider with a strong labour-market and apprenticeship orientation rather than one that is primarily university-feeding.

Inspection evidence supports that broader progression picture, including examples of adult learners developing employability skills, apprentices gaining confidence and professional behaviours, and learners with high needs benefiting from bespoke support, including supported internships.

For families focused on university progression, the key question is whether the student’s chosen programme provides the right academic currency and support for that route. For families focused on employment, apprenticeships, or applied higher education, the practical, industry-facing model may be a better match.

Admissions are primarily direct, via the college’s online application process, supported by interviews and, where relevant, assessment and guidance to place students on the right level. Published entry expectations vary by programme level. For example, Level 3 study typically expects five GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 including English Language or maths at grade 4, while T Levels set higher thresholds, and some subjects specify additional GCSE requirements.

For 2026 entry, the published student calendar shows a clear late-summer pathway: GCSE results day and 16 to 18 enrolment commencing on Thursday 20 August 2026, induction running from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 September 2026, and teaching starting on Monday 7 September 2026. The enrolment information for the 2025/26 cycle also indicates that GCSE results day enrolment can run extended hours, which is useful for families planning logistics.

Open events and course conversations matter more in college admissions than in school admissions, because the “fit” is as much about pathway choice as it is about competition for places. The college maintains an events calendar that includes open events and sector-focused sessions.

Support is structured like a post-16 environment rather than a school, with an emphasis on student services, safeguarding routes, and targeted support for additional needs. The campus map highlights Student Services and Safeguarding, and it also indicates SEND support points.

The inspection report describes learners feeling safe and confident reporting concerns, and it highlights support for learners with high needs, including staff building strong rapport and enabling learners to ask for help when needed. It also points to areas the college needed to improve, including how consistently incremental progress towards EHCP outcomes is tracked for learners with high needs, which is relevant for families who rely on meticulous progress monitoring.

For many students, wellbeing hinges on course placement and workload realism. Families should look closely at entry requirements, expected independent study, and how resit support works for English and maths where applicable.

Enrichment appears to be intentionally broad and student-led, which can suit teenagers who want autonomy and variety. The college’s enrichment offer highlights opportunities to improve CVs, develop skills, and build friendships, including the option to start a club or society. Examples of student-led clubs include Dungeons and Dragons, and a Creative Writing and Poetry club.

Sport is also positioned as a serious strand for those who want it. The football academy content describes competition experiences including travel to the President’s Day Tournament in Phoenix, and it notes progression routes such as scholarships in the USA for some learners. For students aiming at sport-related careers, that mix of training, competitive exposure, and progression narrative can be a strong motivator.

Facilities support extracurricular life as well as curriculum. On-campus facilities listed include a 100-seat theatre, a fitness centre, and training salons for barbering and beauty, which can create a “live environment” feel for creative and service-industry students.

The Fulwood campus is designed to be accessed by public transport and by car. The college publishes direct bus services that drop off and pick up from the campus (including routes such as 125C, 61C, 40A, 59C, 68C, 19, 111C, and 1C). Parking is described as available for learners on dedicated car parks accessed from St Vincent’s Road and Sharoe Green Lane, offered free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.

For students arriving via rail, the adult course guide notes the relationship between Preston train station and the city’s bus station, which is useful when planning a bus-to-campus commute.

Daily start and finish times vary by programme and timetable, so families should treat transport planning as course-specific rather than assuming a single “school day” pattern.

• A-level performance signal. The A-level ranking (2,584th in England) suggests this may not be the strongest local choice for students seeking a traditional A-level pathway as the primary goal; it may suit better where technical and vocational routes are central to the plan.

• English and maths resit reality. The inspection report flags low attendance and weaker outcomes in GCSE English and mathematics in places; families should ask directly how resit teaching is structured and how attendance is managed.

• First-come parking. Parking is described as free but first-come, first-served, which can add stress for students who drive, especially at peak arrival times.

• High needs progress tracking. The inspection report highlights that tracking incremental steps towards EHCP outcomes needed improvement; families relying on detailed progress evidence should explore current systems and reporting frequency.

Preston College suits students who want a post-16 setting that feels adult, practical, and aligned with real job roles, especially in technical, service, and applied creative routes supported by specialist facilities. It is also a credible option for apprenticeships and employment-focused progression. Best suited to students who will benefit from industry-style learning environments and clear progression planning, and who are ready for the self-management expected in a college timetable.