City of Wolverhampton College

About City of Wolverhampton College

City of Wolverhampton College sits within Wolverhampton local authority, one of 21 state secondary schools in the area. Its Progress 8 score of -0.35 places it 16th in the LA, meaning it ranks below the local average of -0.06 and well behind the top-performing peers nearby. The three highest-ranked schools in the authority are Heath Park, The Khalsa Academy Wolverhampton, and Wolverhampton Girls' High School — the last of which is also the nearest Outstanding-rated school, just 0.2 km away. The college itself is a 16-99 mixed state provider with a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a rating it has held consistently across both its inspections. It serves a notably diverse intake: 24.8 per cent of students are eligible for free school meals, and the school offers a wide range of SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and physical disabilities.

Academically, the college's results present a mixed picture. At Key Stage 4, its Progress 8 score of -0.35 is below the LA average of -0.06, and the school is ranked in the bottom 50 nationally on this measure. The Attainment 8 score of 44.5 is modest, and only 41.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 17.8 per cent, and just 7.7 per cent achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. However, at Key Stage 5 the picture improves: the college's value-added score of 0.11 is positive, and its average points per entry of 35.52 equates to a B- grade. The best three A-levels average a B grade, and 24 per cent of entries achieved AAB or higher. The sixth form provision was rated Good by Ofsted, with behaviour and attitudes also Good, though early years provision was judged as Requires Improvement.

The college is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 347 applications for 148 places, with 120 first-preference applications and 109 first-preference offers — an oversubscription ratio of 2.34. Facilities are extensive and include a sports hall, gymnasium, swimming pool, tennis courts, art studios, music rooms, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer range from rowing and rugby to martial arts and hockey, while clubs include coding, Young Enterprise, debate, and eco club. This is a large, urban college that suits students aged 16 and above who want a broad curriculum with strong sixth form options, particularly those who benefit from a Good-rated setting with substantial SEND support. Families should note that while the college is popular and oversubscribed, its KS4 outcomes are below the local average, so it may be better suited to post-16 study than to GCSE-level entry.

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