St Helens College, St Helens

Post-16

Further education

Mixed

Ages 14–99

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

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Key Information

DfE GIAS

Head:Mr Simon Pierce

LA:St. Helens

Phone:01744733766

Website:www.sthelens.ac.uk

Address:Water Street, St Helens, WA10 1PP

Area:Schools in WA10

Admissions:Not applicable

Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 9 months ago

Overall

Inspected 9 December 2025View full report

URN:130488

UKPRN:10006174

Diocese:Not applicable

Constituency:St Helens South and Whiston

Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Helens College excels at helping disadvantaged young people access education and develop real workplace skills. The college's tutors are industry experts who teach practical vocational courses exceptionally well, and the college removes barriers to learning by providing financial support, community-based courses, and individualised help. Students who complete their courses typically progress to good jobs or further study, and the college is particularly strong at partnerships with major employers like Network Rail.

Key Strengths

Strong vocational teaching with tutors using industry experience to bring learning to life
Effective support for disadvantaged students including financial assistance and tailored interventions
Good employer partnerships, particularly in rail engineering, heavy goods vehicles and green energy
Welcoming, safe and inclusive learning environments where students feel respected
Well-designed career advice and work placement opportunities that prepare students for employment

Areas for Improvement

Too many students leave courses early or do not achieve, with significant variation across different courses
Quality of teaching in GCSE English and mathematics is inconsistent and sometimes poor, with insufficient progress monitoring
Low attendance in GCSE English and mathematics that remains persistently high despite intervention strategies
Care experienced students achieve less well than their peers, though new support is being put in place
Some part-time teachers and support staff do not receive the same professional development opportunities as full-time staff

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met with leaders and staff maintaining an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.

Extracurricular Activities

Overseas trips for young students, weekend residential course for counselling students, social action projects, fundraising activities, work placements, work-related experiences

St Helens College is a welcoming learning environment in a deprived area that works effectively with employers and community organisations to identify skills needs and support disadvantaged learners. However, the college faces challenges with student achievement and retention, particularly in GCSE English and mathematics and on some longer courses.