Melton Vale Sixth Form College
64%
Capacity
513
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Melton Vale Sixth Form College
Melton Vale Sixth Form College is a 16-19 state secondary in Leicestershire that currently serves 513 students against a capacity of 806, leaving a notable amount of headroom. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 25.5%, which is significantly higher than the national average for secondary schools and suggests the college draws from a catchment with above-average economic disadvantage. Despite this spare capacity, the school is oversubscribed for 2025/26: it received 244 applications for 114 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.14, with 107 first-preference offers made. This demand indicates strong local reputation, particularly given that the college competes in a Melton local authority where only one other school holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The college is mixed, non-denominational, and led by headteacher Nicola Dartnell, who took over a school that had previously been rated Requires Improvement in its 2010 inspection.
Academically, the college delivers strong outcomes relative to its local context. At KS4, its Progress 8 score is 0.45, well above the Leicestershire local authority average of -0.1, and is banded as 'Above average' nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 51.1 and EBacc APS of 4.68 are solid, with 83.3% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the picture is more mixed: the value-added score is -0.84, banded as 'Well below average', and the average points per entry is 28.58, equivalent to a C grade. However, the college ranks first out of four schools in Melton on Progress 8, and sits in the top 25% nationally. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management judged Outstanding. The previous graded inspection in 2013 had rated the school Requires Improvement, so the trajectory is clearly upward.
The college offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports provision covers dance, tennis, football, rugby, and martial arts, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Model UN, and an orchestra. SEND support is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This breadth of provision makes the college well-suited to families seeking a large, well-resourced sixth form that can accommodate a diverse range of needs and interests. The oversubscription data suggests it is a popular choice locally, particularly for students who want strong GCSE outcomes and a Good-rated environment, though the A-level value-added figure is worth investigating further for those focused on post-16 academic progression.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Burton Road, Melton Mowbray, Melton, LE13 1DN |
| Headteacher | Nicola Dartnell |
| Local Authority | Leicestershire |
| Number of Pupils | 513 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.5% |
| School Capacity | 513 / 806 (64% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Apr 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (19 Apr 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 28 Mar 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.45)
560th of 3,141
Nationally
30th of 273
In East Midlands
1st of 4
In Melton
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
32.1
'22/23
31.6
'23/24
28.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2323%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 124 pupils).
- Sixth form college29%
- FE college25%
- School sixth form (stay)23%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained4%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 21 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
12%
Russell Group
15%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)52%
- Not sustained19%
- Employment10%
- Further education5%
- Apprenticeship5%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics10
- Business Studies:Single9
- Geography7
- English Language6
- Physics5
- Psychology4
- Computer Studies / Computing3
- Design and Technology (Product Design)3
- Media/Film/Tv Studies3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed114
244
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
107 families put this school as their 1st choice (44% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.4%
- White (other)5.0%
- Mixed1.7%
- Asian1.1%
- Black0.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
4
Total schools
4
Oversubscribed
3
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Melton Vale Sixth Form College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Burton Road, Melton Mowbray
Melton, LE13 1DN
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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