Solihull Sixth Form College Review 2026: A large post-16 college with strong support systems and broad course choice

For many Solihull and Birmingham families, post-16 choice comes down to a practical question, do you want the structure and identity of a sixth form college, or the continuity of a school sixth form. Solihull Sixth Form College sits firmly in the first camp. It is a specialist 16 to 19 provider offering A-levels alongside alternative level 3 routes such as applied and vocational programmes, with learners typically combining three A-levels or mixing pathways where appropriate.

The latest full inspection judged the college as Good across overall effectiveness and key areas, with safeguarding confirmed as effective. A significant recent development is the Turvey Building, opened in November 2025 to expand Psychology teaching space, positioned by the college as a net-zero construction with eight new classrooms. For parents and students, the headline is simple, this is a large, established sixth form college with clear systems, extensive subject availability, and an admissions process that runs on published dates.

Sixth form colleges live or die by how “adult” they feel while still retaining enough structure to keep 16 and 17 year olds on track. Here, the tone is intentionally supportive rather than hands-off. The most recent inspection describes a positive environment where learners build independence and resilience, reinforced by close monitoring of attendance and intervention when patterns slip.

Pastoral architecture is visible on the website, with defined support strands rather than a single catch-all. Mental health and wellbeing support, a pastoral support offer, and targeted help for specific groups such as young adult carers are signposted as part of student life. Practical support is also explicit, including a bursary and free meals offer for eligible students, and the Summit Base Camp initiative providing a warm space and breakfast from 8:30am, alongside essentials such as food pantry access and charging points.

Leadership is clearly presented. Dr Martin Sullivan is Principal, supported by a published senior leadership team structure including a Vice Principal and multiple Assistant Principals. The college also states it is part of the Summit Learning Trust, which matters for parents because governance, policies, and improvement capacity are often shaped at trust level in the 16 to 19 academy model.

Because this is a post-16 provider, the most relevant academic picture is A-level outcomes. On FindMySchool’s A-level measures, 46.62% of grades were A* to B, with 13.65% at A and 5.38% at A*. England averages are 47.2% for A* to B and 23.6% for A* to A, which places the college broadly in line with England on A* to B, while sitting below England on the very top-end A* to A share. That is a useful distinction for families weighing whether a highly academic pathway is essential, or whether a broad, well-supported college environment is the better overall fit.

Rankings add context. Ranked 1,326th in England and 6th in Solihull for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of schools and colleges in England (25th to 60th percentile). That typically indicates consistent outcomes without the extreme selectivity or exam intensity seen in the highest-performing specialist cohorts.

The inspection detail also helps explain what sits behind results. The curriculum offer is described as large, with learners choosing from 42 subjects, and there is a clear emphasis on reviewing teaching quality through curriculum reviews that look at work standard and feedback, then applying targeted interventions. For students, the implication is a college that tries to manage variation across a big subject offer through common monitoring rather than leaving quality purely to individual departments.

Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view post-16 outcomes alongside nearby providers, using the Comparison Tool to keep the analysis like-for-like across A-level metrics.

A sixth form college’s teaching story is often about consistency, can a large provider maintain high standards across dozens of subjects and multiple qualification types. The latest inspection points to strong subject expertise and teaching that supports learners to build new knowledge, skills, and behaviours, with examples drawn from vocational learning in sport where knowledge is applied to real performance contexts.

The same report also signals where the college is still tightening practice. It notes that in some subjects a few teachers do not always stretch all learners sufficiently, and it highlights the importance of using starting points to plan learning so progress is sustained. For families, the practical implication is that the experience can vary by subject and teacher, as it can in most large colleges, so it is sensible to ask subject-specific questions at open events, particularly for high-attaining students targeting the most competitive university courses.

The course information on the college website shows an approach that blends structured teaching with guided independence. For example, the A-level Economics course describes full mock examinations with detailed feedback and additional sessions to address problems encountered on the course, paired with expectations around independent research and topical engagement. This kind of design tends to suit students who are ready to manage their own workload but still benefit from frequent checkpoints.

Facilities investment is also part of teaching quality in a sixth form setting. The Turvey Building expansion, positioned as a specialist space for Psychology with eight new classrooms, signals continued capital investment aimed at keeping teaching spaces modern and fit for growing cohorts.

Destination data is strongest when it is specific, but many colleges do not publish granular breakdowns such as Russell Group percentages. In the most recent published leaver destinations dataset, for the 2023/24 cohort (cohort size 1,246), 60% progressed to university, 5% to apprenticeships, 18% to employment, and 1% to further education. This profile suggests a clearly academic pathway for many students, with a meaningful minority choosing employment routes and a smaller apprenticeship share, which is typical in large A-level heavy sixth form colleges.

For Oxbridge, the available data shows 18 applications in the measurement period and 1 acceptance, with the Cambridge acceptance recorded as 1 and Oxford as 0. For most families, the value of this statistic is not the absolute number, but what it indicates about aspiration and the presence of guidance for the highest-tariff pathways. It suggests there is an Oxbridge application culture for a small group each year, even if it is not the defining feature of the college.

There are also qualitative signals about progression culture. The college website highlights a Cambridge Foundation Year talk delivered by a former student, which reinforces that progression guidance is not limited to traditional routes and that alternative pathways into elite institutions are actively discussed.

Applications for September 2026 entry have clear published dates. The college states applications open on 18 October 2025 and the deadline to apply is 31 March 2026.

Selection is not described as an entrance exam in the way a grammar school or some independent sixth forms operate, but there is a structured process. Applicants are interviewed before an offer is made, and the college publishes interview days for the 2026 cycle, starting with an Interview Day on Monday 19 January 2026 and continuing with multiple interview evenings through to Thursday 7 May 2026.

Oversubscription handling is also stated. Where courses are over-subscribed, priority is given first to applicants from named partner schools, then to applicants living within the Borough of Solihull. The practical implication is that families outside those priority routes should apply early, attend an open event, and be realistic that some popular courses may fill first.

Open event scheduling is unusually clear for a post-16 provider. The college lists an Open Evening on Thursday 22 January 2026, and Spring Talks and Tours on Thursday 5 March 2026, with booking required. Parents looking to time decisions around Year 11 milestones should note that enrolment for September 2026 is tied to GCSE results day timings, which is standard across sixth form settings.

Families shortlisting options should use the Saved Schools feature to keep track of open event dates, interview invitations, and course-level requirements across multiple providers.

Pastoral quality in post-16 is often a combination of emotional support and practical barrier removal. The college is explicit about financial and practical support for eligible learners, including bursary assistance that can cover meals, bus passes, learning materials, and trip costs, and it states eligibility parameters in terms of age and household income threshold. This matters because transport and day-to-day costs can be a hidden determinant of attendance and persistence, especially in a large catchment drawing from multiple areas.

The Summit Base Camp initiative is also positioned as a wellbeing and inclusion measure, offering a safe space, breakfast provision, a food pantry, and connectivity support. For students, the implication is that the college expects some learners to face practical pressures and has designed visible, accessible support rather than assuming everyone has the same starting point.

Safeguarding is a baseline requirement in any education setting, but it is especially important in large colleges where students move between many staff and spaces. The latest Ofsted inspection confirms safeguarding arrangements are effective.

The most useful question for sixth form extracurricular life is not “how many clubs exist”, but “which activities are distinctive enough to shape student experience and strengthen progression”.

Debating is a good example of a named, structured enrichment with external progression. The Debating Society is described as meeting weekly and working towards participation in the English Speaking Union Mace competition, with a year-long commitment and additional time during competition periods. The implication is clear, students looking to build public speaking, argumentation, and interview confidence have a defined pathway with recognised external benchmarks, rather than informal lunchtime debating.

Community and international engagement also appears to be a visible strand. The college has publicised substantial fundraising linked to its Team Gambia volunteer project, including amounts raised for specific partner causes. In a sixth form context, this kind of sustained project can be particularly valuable for students seeking evidence of commitment, leadership, and teamwork for personal statements and applications.

Student voice and civic engagement show up in trust-wide activity, including Student Union involvement in sustainable travel campaigning and participation in wider initiatives on safety and community culture. For parents, the implication is that enrichment is not purely recreational, it includes structured activities that align with employability and civic responsibility.

The college publishes opening hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 4:00pm on Friday. Day-to-day timetables vary by programme and subject combination, so students should expect a mix of taught lessons, supervised study, and independent study time across the week.

Transport is a clear strength. The college identifies Widney Manor and Solihull as the nearest rail stations, noting that Widney Manor is closer but Solihull has more frequent services. It also lists bus services that stop outside or nearby. For families planning travel, the key is to test the commute at the times students would actually travel, as service patterns can be very different at peak times.

There are no tuition fees because this is a state-funded sixth form college. Some additional costs may apply for items such as transport, course materials in certain subjects, and trips; students eligible for financial support should explore the bursary offer early.

• Very high demand for information and guidance. The college explicitly advises applicants to use published FAQs due to high volumes of emails. For families, the implication is to plan ahead, attend open events, and read course and entry requirement pages early rather than leaving key questions to late-stage email exchanges.

• Subject-level variation in stretch. The latest inspection highlights that in some subjects a few teachers do not always stretch all learners sufficiently. High-attaining students should ask subject-specific questions about extension, enrichment, and how top grades are supported in the subjects they intend to study.

• Careers breadth still developing. The inspection identifies the need to strengthen guidance about the full range of progression opportunities, including apprenticeships and employment, particularly for learners not moving straight into higher education. Students focused on apprenticeships should ask detailed questions about employer engagement, application support, and how vacancies are sourced.

• Oversubscribed course priorities. Where courses are oversubscribed, priority rules reference partner schools first, then Solihull borough residency. Families outside those groups should apply early and keep alternative course combinations in mind.

Solihull Sixth Form College is a large, established post-16 provider with a clear admissions timeline, extensive subject availability, and visible systems for attendance, pastoral care, and financial support. Outcomes sit broadly in line with England on A* to B grades, and the latest inspection judgement of Good provides reassurance on overall effectiveness and safeguarding.

Best suited to students who want a sixth form college environment, value breadth of choice across A-levels and applied routes, and will make purposeful use of the support systems and enrichment on offer. For students seeking consistently intense top-end stretch across every subject, it is sensible to probe departmental practice carefully at open events and interviews.