What it’s like
Founded in 1980, it is a tutorial college with single-site premises in the suburb of Edgbaston. The staff of 35 tutors provide standard MPW college courses. Traditionally a sixth-form college, it now takes pupils from age 14 for a 2-year GCSE course and many students now take 2-year A-level courses. Some 90+% of pupils go on to degree courses. See also MPW (London) for information on the MPW group.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 14–20; 79 day pupils (49 boys, 30 girls).
Entrance: Main entry ages 14 and 16. No entrance exams; for sixth-form entry, 5 GCSEs at least grade C (including sixth-form subjects). School is non-denominational.

Scholarships, bursaries & extras Limited bursaries to parents who can verify financial difficulties. Parents expected to buy textbooks.

Head & staff
Principal: Dominica Jewell, in post from 2002. Educated at universities of Ulster (French & linguistics) and London Guildhall (French). Previously Head of Modern Foreign Languages at Liverpool College and Principal of own English Language schools in Poland and the UK.
Teaching staff: 35 tutors and administrative staff. Annual turnover 10%. Average age 40.

Exam results
A-levels: 44 pupils in upper sixth. About half of the pupils are re-taking some subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 260.

University & college entrance 92% of 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course. 42% took courses in science & engineering (including medicine), 58% in humanities & social sciences.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels: 28 AS/A-level subjects.
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level; AS and A-level general studies additional options. Key skills integrated into academic courses.
Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE and A-level.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum, eg internet research and statistical data analysis. 9 computers for pupil use (11 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access.

School life
Uniform: No uniform.
Houses & prefects: No competitive houses or prefects.
Religion: Non-denominational – no formal religious worship.
Social: No meals; vending machines available. No tobacco or alcohol allowed on college premises.

Discipline All members of college community expected to show mutual respect.