City College Plymouth, Plymouth
City College Plymouth is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in Plymouth. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
City College Plymouth in detail
Where pupils go next
Of the 1375 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 12% went on to university or other higher education, 15% to apprenticeships and 31% into work. 1% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Devonport Rail Station, about 560 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is City College Plymouth (w-bound), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 755 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Plymouth (196), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE destination measures; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Contribution to meeting skills needs: Reasonable
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
City College Plymouth creates a welcoming environment where learners behave exceptionally well and support each other. The college goes above and beyond to help struggling students with free food, clothing, mental health support and money for essentials. With football teams, international trips, gym access and community volunteering opportunities, learners have excellent enrichment activities that develop them as confident young people.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and attitudes from learners who are respectful, punctual and create a positive atmosphere
- Comprehensive support for learners including free food, clothing, mental health counselling and hardship assistance
- Extensive enrichment programme with clubs, societies, sports teams, international study opportunities and community charity work
- Well-connected with local employers and responsive to regional skills needs
- Teachers are knowledgeable and keep their expertise current through industry placements and professional development
Areas for Improvement
- Learners with high needs on preparation for adulthood courses do not receive adequate support, particularly those with speech, language and communication needs
- Leaders lack sufficient oversight and quality assurance of high needs education programmes
- Some learners have superficial knowledge of radicalisation risks and British values
- T-level health qualification does not effectively link classroom learning to work placements
- Teachers of high needs courses lack sufficient training to deliver high-quality teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective. Learners and apprentices feel safe at college and work, value approachable staff, and are confident reporting concerns that will be taken seriously.
Extracurricular Activities
Football team, clubs and societies, weekly health and wellness activities (rowing machine competitions, blood pressure checks), subsidised gym membership, international study and work opportunities (Indonesia, Thailand), career workshops, employer talks, community charity work
City College Plymouth is a large further education college with over 3,400 young learners, 1,300 apprentices, and 1,700 adults studying across three campuses. The college has been rated Good overall with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes from learners.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
z
Average grade
z
Best 3 A-Levels
z
Value added
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
2023/24 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,375 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
1%
Top-third university
22%
Degree course
28%
Any L4+ destination
2%
Apprenticeships
Based on 547 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
Keep up with City College Plymouth
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 7 serious and 27 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Plymouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Plymouth
Across Plymouth council
Places available
3,165
Applications
2,761
Got 1st preference
91.7%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across Plymouth council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(14)
Questions parents ask about City College Plymouth
What is City College Plymouth's Ofsted rating?
City College Plymouth was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024.
What is the catchment area for City College Plymouth?
No fixed boundary. When City College Plymouth is oversubscribed, Plymouth allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to City College Plymouth?
Apply through Plymouth's coordinated admissions process, naming City College Plymouth on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near City College Plymouth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 7 serious and 27 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Plymouth is 22 (the median across 107 schools, same distance and years).
Where is City College Plymouth?
City College Plymouth is at Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)