The Blackpool Sixth Form College
N/A
Capacity
N/A
Pupils
2.0x
Demand
About The Blackpool Sixth Form College
The Blackpool Sixth Form College received 308 applications for 152 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, an oversubscription ratio of 2.03, with 128 of those being first-preference choices. This level of demand suggests it remains a popular option for local families despite its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, which rated the school as Requires Improvement across all areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This is a downgrade from its previous inspection in 2014, when overall effectiveness was Good and leadership and management were Outstanding. The college is a state-funded, mixed sixth form for students aged 16 to 19, led by headteacher Nicola Craven, with 29.1 per cent of students eligible for free school meals.
Academically, the college’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year is -0.59, placing it well below the national average and in the bottom 50 nationally. Its Attainment 8 score is 36.7, and the EBacc average point score is 3.19. Just 1.9 per cent of students achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths, and only 1 per cent achieved the EBacc at that level. However, within the local authority of Blackpool, where the average Progress 8 score is -0.98, the college ranks second out of nine schools, so it performs relatively well in a challenging context. The Progress 8 breakdown shows the weakest area is the open element at -1.07, while maths is closest to the national average at -0.15. The college’s Progress 8 banding is well below average.
The college offers a wide range of facilities, including a swimming pool, theatre, art studios, tennis courts, a sixth form centre, library, gymnasium, music rooms, playing fields, astro turf, and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, hockey, rounders, athletics, basketball, swimming, badminton, cross country, and rugby. There is also a strong selection of clubs such as Eco Club, Gardening, Coding, Science Club, Duke of Edinburgh, Newspaper, Chess, Young Enterprise, and Book Club. The college has extensive SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, hearing and visual impairments, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a college that suits families who value a broad extracurricular offer and specialist support, but who are prepared to engage with the school’s improvement journey following its recent Ofsted rating.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, Blackpool, FY3 7LR |
| Headteacher | Nicola Craven |
| Local Authority | Blackpool |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 29.1% |
| School Capacity | 1,050 |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Sept 2023Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 9 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.59)
2720th of 3,141
Nationally
356th of 445
In North West
2nd of 9
In Blackpool
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/232%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 127 pupils).
- FE college71%
- Apprenticeship13%
- Not sustained9%
- Employment4%
- School sixth form (stay)2%
91% 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.
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
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed152
308
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
128 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% 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 half 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 British83.3%
- White (other)4.3%
- Asian1.8%
- Mixed1.7%
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.
10
Total schools
10
Oversubscribed
5
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Blackpool 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
Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool
Blackpool, FY3 7LR
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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