USP College
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Ofsted Rating
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Capacity
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Pupils
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Demand
About USP College
USP College, a state sixth-form college in Castle Point, Essex, serves students aged 16 to 99 and is co-educational. Its headline academic metrics sit well below the local authority average for secondary schools. The college’s Progress 8 score, which measures pupil progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSEs, is not directly comparable here as the school only offers post-16 study, but its A-level value added score of -0.69 is significantly lower than the Essex LA average Progress 8 of -0.18. This value added score places the college in the ‘well below average’ progress banding, meaning students typically achieve lower A-level grades than their prior attainment would predict. With a points per entry of 22.86, equating to a D+ grade, and only 1.3% of entries achieving AAB or higher, the college’s outcomes are markedly weaker than the top-performing grammar schools in the area, such as King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford, which has a ranking score of 1.11.
In its most recent 2023/24 exam results, the college recorded a best three A-levels average grade of C-, with a points score of 26.09. This is a modest outcome, especially when compared with the highest-achieving state schools in Essex, none of which are direct peers due to the college’s unique 16-99 age range. The college’s value added lower confidence interval of -0.75 and upper of -0.63 confirm that the negative progress is statistically significant. For context, the LA has seven outstanding-rated secondary schools out of 86 total, but USP College does not hold an Ofsted rating in the provided data. The college’s performance suggests it may suit students who are not aiming for the most competitive university courses, as the proportion of top grades is very low. Parents should note that the college’s results are well below the LA average for progress, and the data does not include GCSE or Key Stage 2 outcomes, as the school only admits from age 16.
The college offers a range of facilities including art studios, a gymnasium, science labs, a theatre, a sixth-form centre, playing fields, and a chapel. Sports on offer include rowing, football, rounders, tennis, netball, gymnastics, and basketball, while extracurricular clubs feature Model UN, book club, film club, chess, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, coding, and an orchestra. With 641 pupils recorded in the exam data, the college is a large post-16 provider. No admissions or oversubscription data is provided, so it is unclear how selective the entry process is. Given its academic profile, USP College may be a suitable option for students seeking a broad sixth-form experience with a wide range of activities, particularly those who are not focused on achieving the highest A-level grades. Families prioritising strong academic progress or top university destinations would likely find better outcomes at the higher-performing grammar schools in the region.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 16 to 99 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Runnymede Chase, Benfleet, Castle Point, SS7 1TW |
| Headteacher | Dan Pearson |
| Local Authority | Essex |
GCSE Results
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
28.6
'22/23
26.9
'23/24
22.9
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2337%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 1297 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
3%
Russell Group
3%
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.
- Employment38%
- University (HE)37%
- Not sustained12%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Further education2%
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- Psychology92
- Sociology92
- Mathematics65
- English Language and Literature49
- English Literature49
- Media/Film/Tv Studies46
- Art and Design (Graphics)45
- History41
- Art and Design (3d Studies)36
- Biology36
- Business Studies:Single36
- Art and Design (Fine Art)32
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.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
14Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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 USP College
Contact Information
Runnymede Chase, Benfleet
Castle Point, SS7 1TW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
