United Colleges Group, London
United Colleges Group is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in London. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
United Colleges Group in detail
United Colleges Group in its own words
In its own words: "Learn more about United Colleges Group, our colleges, campuses and the people who make our organisation a supportive and inclusive place to learn and work. Explore information about our leadership and governance, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion commitment, Ofsted performance, alumni network, career opportunities and specialist facilities, including our professional Hair & Beauty Salon and venue hire spaces across London."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, tennis, athletics, basketball, swimming, karate, dance and Duke of Edinburgh.
Coming up: an open day on Friday 13 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Westminster
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 1748 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 22% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 3% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest Underground station is Edgware Road (Bakerloo) Underground Station, about 350 metres away (roughly a 4-minute walk).
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Street Market, 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood United Colleges Group stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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: Strong
Source: Ofsted, further education and skills inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The college excels at supporting young people who have previously disengaged from education, providing them with welcoming environments and staff who actively encourage their participation. It offers excellent work-based learning opportunities such as sports coaching placements and stadium tours, and maintains strong partnerships with employers to ensure students develop up-to-date, industry-relevant skills. Most learners progress successfully to higher education, apprenticeships or employment.
Key Strengths
- Well-planned and relevant work experience opportunities that develop practical skills and employability
- Strong support for learners with high needs through specialist staff and tailored curricula
- Excellent curriculum design responsive to local and regional skills priorities with strong employer partnerships
- Welcoming and supportive learning environments that help disengaged learners succeed
- Good progression outcomes with most learners moving to higher-level courses, apprenticeships, university or employment
Areas for Improvement
- Too many young learners do not achieve English and mathematics qualifications compared to their main qualification
- Attendance and punctuality remains poor, with some learners arriving late and falling behind
- Too few learners with high needs complete meaningful external work experience opportunities
- Staffing disruption has affected outcomes in A-levels, business, English and mathematics
Safeguarding
Learners and apprentices feel safe and appreciate staff support, with effective teaching on staying safe from radicalisation and maintaining physical and mental health.
Extracurricular Activities
Royal Albert Hall visits for music learners, stadium tours for sports learners, coaching sessions delivered to local primary school children, shared cultural activities for ESOL learners exploring London
United Colleges Group is a large further education college with five London campuses serving 7,864 learners across vocational, academic, and apprenticeship programmes. The college has improved from 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' overall effectiveness, with strong support for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
D-
Average grade
15.8
Points per entry
D-
Best 3 A-Levels
0%
Achieving AAB+
Well below average
Value added
87
A-Level students
85%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,748 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
3%
Top-third university
54%
Degree course
58%
Any L4+ destination
1%
Apprenticeships
Based on 642 students completing 16-18 study
2022/23 cohort - "Top-third" = most selective third of UK universities by student intake
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from United Colleges Group
A BBC Radio 4 feature: Our Apprentices share their stories
17 Sep 2026
Beheshta Bakhtari named a national finalist for prestigious Student of the Year Award
4 Sep 2026
UGC and Westminster Virtual Reality Support Student Wellbeing and Learning
1 Sep 2026
Level 3 results celebrate achievement and the range of pathways open to UCG students
19 Aug 2026
What Happens If I Don’t Get the GCSE Grades I Need?
17 Aug 2026
United Colleges Group recognised with prestigious accreditation for outstanding ‘people first’ culture
4 Aug 2026
From United Colleges Group's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with United Colleges Group
Getting There
Train Stations
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 275
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 52
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 275 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 52 serious and 223 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
38 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 Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 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 - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Westminster council
Places available
1,754
Applications
901
Got 1st preference
65.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Westminster council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(15)
Questions parents ask about United Colleges Group
What is United Colleges Group's Ofsted rating?
United Colleges Group was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2024.
What is the catchment area for United Colleges Group?
No fixed boundary. When United Colleges Group is oversubscribed, Westminster allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to United Colleges Group?
Apply through Westminster's coordinated admissions process, naming United Colleges Group 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 United Colleges Group?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 275 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 52 serious and 223 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 38 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 Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is United Colleges Group?
United Colleges Group is at 25 Paddington Green, London, W2 1NB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)