York College, York
York College is a post-16 school for pupils aged 16 to 99 in York. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
York College in detail
York College in its own words
In its own words: "York College was founded in 1827, but our current campus was entirely rebuilt in 2007 during a £60 million redevelopment programme. This means we can combine nearly 200 years of experience with the very best, modern facilities."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are the largest further education college in the region and offer the widest choice of courses. Preparing our students, apprentices, and community for brilliant futures since 1827. York College & University Centre’s position at the heart of the city’s education landscape can be traced back to 1827."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 7 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 19 November 2026, an open day on Tuesday 24 November 2026 and an open day on Wednesday 16 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Where pupils go next
Of the 1934 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 24% went on to university or other higher education, 10% to apprenticeships and 40% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is York Rail Station, about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Old Moor Lane (adjacent), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood York College stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 86 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in York (175).
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 · 4 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
Ofsted rated this school Good at its January 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
About
York College is a further and higher education college in York, England, established in 1999 through a merger of two post-16 providers in York.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Special Measures
Sixth Form Performance (A-Level)
A-Level Results
C
Average grade
29.4
Points per entry
C+
Best 3 A-Levels
5%
Achieving AAB+
Below average
Value added
554
A-Level students
91%
Retention rate
2024/25 academic year
A-Level Subjects Offered
+ 15 more subjects
2024/25 academic year - entries by number of students
After A-Levels - Leaver Destinations
After A-Levels (Year 13) - 1,934 students
2023/24 data
University & Higher Education Destinations
9%
Top-third university
41%
Degree course
46%
Any L4+ destination
3%
Apprenticeships
Based on 1,229 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 1 nearby school
Latest from York College
30 September 2026 REACH winner Sam is Siemens Healthineers' youngest and most extensively trained apprentice ever
30 Sep 2026
29 September 2026 A Levels vs T Levels vs Vocational vs Apprenticeships - Which Path Is Right for You?
29 Sep 2026
28 September 2026 Summer campus enhancement programme complete
28 Sep 2026
25 September 2026 Ex-England football manager Steve McClaren applauds success of University Centre graduates
25 Sep 2026
16 September 2026 Discover your future at York College: Come along to our Open Event
16 Sep 2026
11 September 2026 Art tutor Paul's 'Emily' statue gets fitting home to commemorate Covid's frontline workers
11 Sep 2026
From York College's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with York College
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 15
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
3 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 York is 12.5 (the median across 74 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 - York
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for York
Across York council
Places available
1,977
Applications
1,772
Got 1st preference
93.7%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All secondary applications across York council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(9)
Questions parents ask about York College
What is York College's Ofsted rating?
York College was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2023.
What is the catchment area for York College?
No fixed boundary. When York College is oversubscribed, York allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to York College?
Apply through York's coordinated admissions process, naming York College 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 York College?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 12 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 3 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 York is 12.5 (the median across 74 schools, same distance and years).
Where is York College?
York College is at Sim Balk Lane, York, North Yorkshire, YO23 2BB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)