City of Bristol College

About City of Bristol College

If you are a parent considering City of Bristol College for your 16-plus child, the first thing to know is that this is a large, non-selective state sixth form and further education college, not a traditional school. The college does not publish a parent-view recommendation score, so you will need to rely on other signals to gauge family satisfaction. One useful indicator is demand: the college is oversubscribed, with more applicants than places available, which suggests it is a popular choice locally. The college is co-educational and has no religious character, and it is led by principal Julia Gray. It serves students from age 16 up to 99, meaning it also offers adult education courses alongside its sixth-form provision. The college is located in the Bristol, City of local authority area, and its facilities are extensive, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gymnasium, theatre, and a dedicated sixth form centre.

Academically, the college's most recent A-level results (for the 2023/24 academic year) show a mixed picture. The average points per entry was 29.06, which equates to a grade C, and the best three A-levels averaged a C- grade. Only 1.2% of students achieved AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects, which is low compared with the top-performing schools in the local authority, such as Redland Green School and Bristol Cathedral Choir School. The college's value-added score was -0.3, with a progress banding of 'Below average', meaning students on average made less progress than similar students nationally. The lower confidence interval for value-added was -0.44 and the upper was -0.16, so the negative result is statistically significant. For context, the local authority average Progress 8 score for secondary schools is 0, so the college's performance sits below that benchmark.

For families, City of Bristol College offers a broad range of facilities and extracurricular activities that may appeal to students who want a more adult, college-style environment rather than a traditional school sixth form. There are sports including netball, rugby, and martial arts, plus clubs such as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, orchestra, and a film club. The college has science labs, ICT suites, music rooms, and a chapel. It is worth noting that the college is a state-funded institution, so there are no tuition fees for 16- to 18-year-olds. Given its below-average value-added and low AAB rates, this college may suit students who are self-motivated and looking for a less academically selective environment, but families aiming for highly competitive university courses may want to compare outcomes with local sixth forms that have stronger academic track records.

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