City of Stoke-On-Trent Sixth Form College Review 2026, Post-16 choice with a broad programme and strong student support

Post-16 is where young people start making genuinely adult choices, about subjects, career direction, and how independent they want to be day to day. This sixth form college is set up for that transition, with a 16 to 19 focus, a large course menu, and a campus designed around study spaces as much as teaching rooms.

Leadership has recently changed hands. Lesley Morrey is Principal, and began the role in June 2024. The college sits within the Potteries Educational Trust, which matters for governance and strategy, and is an additional layer of accountability beyond the college itself.

Quality assurance has an important external reference point too. The most recent further education and skills inspection, published in June 2023, confirmed the provider continues to be Good, and safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective.

A sixth form college works best when it treats students as young adults without leaving them to sink or swim. Here, the tone is intentionally grown-up, but it is paired with a structured support model. Official evaluation describes a mature, caring environment where students are treated as individuals and feel confident asking for help. That combination tends to suit teenagers who want more independence than school, while still benefiting from clear routines and accessible staff support.

The language the college uses about belonging and confidence is not incidental. It frames the student experience around transition and progression, with the expectation that students will build independence over time rather than arrive fully formed. The support structure reinforces that aim. Progress Coaches are positioned as a consistent point of contact, with termly one-to-one meetings, attendance and progress checks, and ongoing guidance around study habits and wellbeing.

There is also a visible emphasis on careers and next steps as part of normal college life, not as an add-on late in Year 13. Students are pointed towards careers and employability guidance, work experience, guest speakers, and a “Futures Zone” style approach to progression planning. For many families, that matters as much as exam teaching, particularly for students who are motivated but uncertain about what comes next.

Outcomes in a sixth form college need careful interpretation, because cohorts are large and course mixes can vary from year to year. The most useful lens for comparison is the college’s A-level performance profile.

At A-level, 3.63% of grades were A*, 12.87% were A, and 44.79% were A* to B combined. England averages were 23.6% at A* to A and 47.2% at A* to B. This places the college slightly below the England benchmark on the very top end, with a broadly comparable profile when you widen the lens to include B grades.

For parents comparing options locally, the ranking context is also helpful. Ranked 1,498th in England and 5th in Stoke-on-Trent for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), performance sits in line with the middle 35% of sixth forms in England (25th to 60th percentile).

That profile is consistent with a large, broad-access sixth form college: a minority of very high grades, a substantial middle achieving strong B-level outcomes, and a structure aimed at supporting a wide range of starting points.

A broad sixth form college can feel fragmented if departments operate as silos. The strongest ones work hard on sequencing and coherence, so that students experience a clear learning journey rather than a set of unrelated topics. Inspectors highlighted structured sequencing in subjects, with teaching that builds from foundation knowledge to more complex concepts, and clear explanations that help students grasp new ideas.

The curriculum model is designed to make the offer legible to students, especially those arriving from multiple feeder schools. The Aspire Curriculum is framed around three components: qualifications, futures and personal progress sessions, and Aspire+ activities such as clubs, societies, trips and visits. It is a sensible structure for post-16, because it reinforces that outcomes depend on more than subject grades, particularly for apprenticeships, competitive university courses, and employment routes.

The college also runs a one-year GCSE Level 3 Foundation Programme for students not yet ready to start Level 3 study but who have the potential to progress with the right preparation and support. That pathway matters in a city where young people’s starting points and school experiences can vary widely, and it provides an internal bridge rather than forcing students to seek a reset elsewhere.

Where Students Go Next

There are two ways to understand destinations here: the broad progression picture across the whole cohort, and the high-attainment pipeline for the most academically ambitious students.

On the overall progression picture, 2023 to 2024 leaver destinations data shows 48% progressed to university, 7% to apprenticeships, 25% to employment, and 1% to further education. This suggests a cohort with a significant university route, but also a sizeable group moving straight into work, which is typical for a large sixth form college serving a mixed intake.

At the high-attainment end, the college has an Oxbridge pipeline, even if it is not the defining feature. In the measured period, 19 applications were made to Oxford and Cambridge combined, four offers were received, and one student ultimately accepted a place. That is a small number in absolute terms, but it demonstrates that targeted support for elite applications exists and is being used.

The qualitative picture on university progression is reinforced by student case studies published by the college, which reference destinations including Oxford, Leeds, University of Arts London, Keele, and Royal Veterinary College. These examples should not be read as representative of the whole cohort, but they do show the range of routes students take when teaching, guidance, and ambition align.

Parents comparing sixth forms should use the FindMySchool Local Hub to view A-level performance alongside nearby providers using the Comparison Tool, then weigh those outcomes against subject availability, travel time, and support structures.

This is a state-funded post-16 provider, so admissions works differently from a school with a defined catchment. The college describes an open-access approach for 16 to 19 full-time applicants, with programmes designed around academic A-level routes, vocational pathways, T Levels, and a Level 3 Foundation year for students who need a stepping stone before moving into full Level 3 study.

In practice, “open access” does not mean every course is suitable for every starting point. The admissions policy makes clear that applicants are guided towards programmes that fit their progression plans, and that prior qualifications needed for high achievement on each course are discussed as part of enrolment. Students with additional needs, including those with an Education, Health and Care Plan, are expected to share information early so support can be assessed and reasonable adjustments planned.

For families thinking about 2026 entry, the clearest fixed points are the open event dates and the enrolment timeline. Open events for the 2025 to 2026 cycle are listed as 08 October 2025, 18 November 2025, and 12 March 2026, each running 5pm to 7pm. Applicants are told to expect an enrolment pack in July 2026.

If a student is considering applying late, it is worth asking how subject blocks are allocated and when popular courses typically fill, as those operational details can be decisive even in a generally open-access model.

The pastoral model is one of the college’s clearest strengths. The Progress Coach structure is designed to prevent students drifting, which is a common risk in post-16 settings. Termly one-to-ones, ongoing monitoring, and structured personal progress and development sessions give students a consistent adult relationship alongside teaching staff.

There is also dedicated wellbeing provision. The college states that a qualified counsellor is available, alongside counsellors and Emotional Wellbeing Officers providing group and one-to-one confidential support. For many teenagers, the availability of timely support can be the difference between coping and withdrawing, particularly during assessment periods or when personal circumstances change.

Safeguarding education is embedded through tutorial content, covering themes such as healthy relationships, stress management, and local risks. This is appropriate for the age group, where the safeguarding agenda shifts towards self-management, consent, and risk literacy.

A college of this size needs enrichment to feel personal rather than anonymous. The structure for that is Aspire+, positioned as clubs, societies, trips and visits that build skills and friendships alongside formal study.

Importantly, there are identifiable student-led activities rather than generic claims. The college references clubs and societies including Chess Club, Creative Writing Society, Maths, Engineering and Computing (MEC) Society, and Musical Theatre Society. For the right student, that variety matters because it gives a reason to stay on site, build peer networks, and develop confidence beyond lesson time.

Sport provision appears well integrated, including access to nearby facilities at Fenton Manor Sports Complex, with a 25m swimming pool and a 3G all-weather pitch among the listed resources. For students aiming at elite sport or sports-related courses, the combination of facilities and structured programmes such as an Elite Athlete pathway can be a meaningful differentiator.

Creative and performing arts students have a similarly concrete offer: the college describes studios and specialist spaces including drama and dance studios, a media editing suite, art workshops, a games design suite, and music practice and recording rooms. These details are useful because they indicate whether a student can practise and produce work to a serious standard, rather than simply take a qualification.

Transport is unusually straightforward for a city sixth form college. The college states it is located next to Stoke railway station, and that many local bus routes stop directly outside. The travel information page also lists example train journey times from nearby stations, which helps families estimate daily travel impact realistically.

Financially, this is a state-funded provider with no tuition fees for 16 to 19 study programmes, but costs still exist in practice, travel, meals, equipment, trips, and exam resits for some students. The college’s 16 to 19 bursary guidance is detailed, including support categories such as travel, meals, childcare, DBS checks, music tuition, sports kit, course equipment, and university open days. Eligibility includes a discretionary bursary for households with income of £32,000 or less after deductions, and a benefits-based route for bursary and free meals.

College day start and finish times vary by programme and timetable, and are not clearly published as a single standard day. Families who need fixed wraparound arrangements should ask directly how timetables are built for first-year students and how many supervised study periods are on-site.

• A-level profile and stretch. The A-level grade profile sits slightly below the England average at A* to A. Students aiming for the most selective university courses should ask how the college supports top-end attainment, including high achiever provision and subject-specific intervention.

• Independence expectations. The support structure is strong, but post-16 still requires self-management. Students who struggle with organisation should be ready to use Progress Coach meetings and study spaces proactively.

• Travel costs and time. Proximity to rail and bus links is a strength, but daily travel can still add cost and fatigue. Check real journey times against the published examples and consider bursary support where eligible.

• Reputation management. The college has had recent national media coverage relating to an individual student complaint. Families may wish to ask how complaints are handled, what student support looks like in practice, and how staff are trained to respond to students with additional needs or trauma backgrounds.

This is a large, mainstream sixth form college built for breadth, with credible teaching structures, detailed progression support, and a well-specified facilities offer across study, creative arts, digital, and sport. It suits students who want independence with visible scaffolding, including those who benefit from a Progress Coach model and structured futures guidance. The best fit is a student who will use the campus and enrichment offer fully, not just attend lessons and leave.