Barking and Dagenham College

About Barking and Dagenham College

Barking and Dagenham College is a state-funded, mixed sixth-form college for students aged 16 to 99, sitting within the Barking and Dagenham local authority. It is one of six schools in the borough rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and ranks fifth out of 13 same-type schools locally on Progress 8. The top-performing peers in the area are Goresbrook School, Riverside School, and The Sydney Russell School, all of which sit above it in the local rankings. The college is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 794 applications for just 125 places, with 134 first-preference applications and only 81 first-preference offers. That works out to an oversubscription ratio of 6.35 applicants per place, making it a highly sought-after option for post-16 study in the borough. Its nearest Outstanding-rated neighbour is All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, just 1.6 km away.

Academically, the college performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.45 is nearly double the Barking and Dagenham average of 0.23, and the school is banded as 'Above average' nationally. Attainment 8 sits at 52.7, with 72.9% of students achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 58% achieving grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 5.01, and 82.3% of pupils entered the EBacc. At A-level, the college's value-added score of 0.22 is also above average, with students averaging a B grade per entry and a best three A-level grade of B-. The points per entry of 38.39 translate to a solid B average. Ofsted’s most recent inspection in 2022 awarded Outstanding across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, sixth-form provision, and early years provision. The previous inspection in 2010 had also rated the school Outstanding overall.

The college offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, playing fields, tennis courts, a theatre, art studios, music rooms, and a dedicated sixth-form centre. Sports provision is extensive, covering swimming, basketball, gymnastics, hockey, badminton, martial arts, football, tennis, rowing, and cricket. There are also numerous clubs such as orchestra, coding, gardening, science club, film club, book club, eco club, art club, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. SEND support is comprehensive, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate to severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 34.1% of students eligible for free school meals, the college serves a diverse and inclusive community. It is best suited to students aged 16 and above who want strong academic outcomes in a well-resourced, oversubscribed setting with a clear track record of progress and achievement.

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