East Coast College

Further education · Mixed · ages 16–adultSuffolk, Lowestoft NR32school website

Fewer than one in five students go on to university — well below the England rate.

Where this school leads
14%

of 16–18 leavers started university · Suffolk 26% · England 37% · DfE destination measures, students who left in 2023

Knowledge sphere of East Coast College: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 1%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 4%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 1%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 5%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 8%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 7%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 2%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
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Ofsted: Not covered by Ofsted school inspections.

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registrations: Lowestoft Sixth Form College (URN 136255, until 1 August 2018); Great Yarmouth College (URN 130765, until 1 August 2017).

After sixth form · age 18

Where do sixth-formers go at 18?

2%went to one of the most selective universities
This school2%
Suffolk10%
England19%

DfE 16–18 destination measures · 1,167 students who left in 2023

14% went to university (England 37%). 10% started an apprenticeship (England 7%). 31% went into work and 27% had no steady place a year on (England 28% and 16%).

Most selective universities — the third of UK universities whose entrants hold the highest grades; the share is of students who completed level 3 qualifications.

Full breakdown7
MeasureEast Coast CollegeSuffolkEngland
Students in the cohort1,1677,162541,441
Any sustained destination67%79%79%
University (higher education)14%26%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students2%10%19%
Further education11%6%5%
Apprenticeship10%10%7%
Employment31%36%28%
No sustained destination27%16%16%
Universities · named

Which universities did they go to?

1university has told us how many applied, were offered a place and enrolled

Named universities — most schools do not publish this; the official DfE figures above only say how many went to university and how selective those universities were.

universities’ answers to sch.today’s Freedom of Information requests · request tracker

What universities’ own admissions data say2

For each entry year: how many of this school’s students applied, received an offer and enrolled. Counts under five are shown as “<5” to protect individuals. Applications exclude Clearing; enrolments are students who completed registration.

UniversityEntry yearAppliedOffersEnrolled
University of Bristol2025<5——
2023<5<5—

A university’s enrolment count and a school’s own destinations list can differ: the school counts places accepted in the summer, the university counts students registered in the autumn.

Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

7.85%of the A level curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 1,259 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

At A level it is Sociology: 31% of students (England 13%).

Law & Public Administration8%
Transversal Skills7%
Business & Administration5%
Mathematics & Statistics4%
Social & Cultural Skills3%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

A level subjects22

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Sociology4031%13%
Psychology2217%23%
Mathematics2116%31%
Law1915%4%
History1612%13%
Business Studies1512%13%
Biology1310%20%
Economics129%13%
Physics119%12%
Philosophy108%1%
English Language97%4%
Politics97%6%
Art and Design86%1%
English Literature86%11%
Photography75%3%
Chemistry75%17%
Film Studies75%2%
Graphic Communication65%2%
Geography65%10%
Further Mathematics——5%
Environmental Science——1%
Computer Science——5%
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses36
SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Social ScienceVRQ Level 36853%—
PsychologyBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*2419%—
MathematicsGCE AS level (All)2217%—
Art and DesignVRQ Level 32116%—
Applied SciencesBTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D*2016%—
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D*1612%—
Electrical installation (Buildings / Construction)Other General Qualification at Level 31411%—
BiologyGCE AS level (All)1310%—
Animal Husbandry: Specific AnimalsBTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D*129%—
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)129%—
Sports StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*119%—
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*119%—
Animal Husbandry: Specific AnimalsBTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D*119%—
ChemistryGCE AS level (All)108%—
Computer GamesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*97%—
Music performance: GroupBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*86%—
MultimediaBTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D*75%—
Speech and DramaBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*75%—
Law / Legal StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*75%—
Music Technology (Electronic)BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*65%—
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)———
Mathematics (Numeracy)Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3———
Graphic CommunicationGCE AS level (All)———
Business StudiesBTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D*———
Applied SciencesBTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D*———
Law / Legal StudiesBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)———
Speech and DramaBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*———
PsychologyGCE AS level (All)———
Graphic CommunicationGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
ChemistryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PsychologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PsychologyBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)———
Childcare SkillsVRQ Level 3———
Music performance: GroupBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)———
A level results8
MeasureEast Coast CollegeSuffolkEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study2,963——
— of whom A level students1292,713261,341
Average A level gradeD+C+B-
Average points per A level entry23.0531.8835.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsD+C+B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects2%11%18%
Average grade, applied general courses———
Average grade, T levels———
Fields of knowledge, all stages11
Law & Public Administration7%
Transversal Skills6%
Business & Administration5%
Mathematics & Statistics4%
Social & Cultural Skills3%
Arts & Humanities2%
Natural Sciences2%
Green & Sustainability1%
Digital & ICT Skills1%
Language & Communication1%
Health & Safety0%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

graph 1.8mathematical model 1.5vector 1.5quantitative data 1.0qualitative data 1.0evidence 0.9trigonometric identity 0.8exponential function 0.8research design 0.8causation 0.7numerical method 0.7gradient 0.7integration 0.7application of theory 0.7research ethics 0.6si unit 0.6inequality 0.5limitation 0.5inverse function 0.5tangent 0.5binomial expansion 0.5sequence 0.5trigonometric function 0.5force 0.5

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses research ethics, conclusion, data collection from Biology, Chemistry, Geography and 3 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses qualitative data, quantitative data, data presentation from Geography, Mathematics, Psychology and 1 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Digital and technology solutions professionalLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses conclusion, data collection, data presentation from Biology, Business Studies, Geography and 2 more · jobs: business analyst, ICT consultant, business economics researcher
More apprenticeships9
Costs lawyerLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · legal, finance and accounting · uses causation, limitation, nuisance from Law, Mathematics · jobs: lawyer, corporate lawyer, lawyer linguist
Social researcherLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · business and administration · uses research ethics, research design, data collection from Geography, Psychology, Sociology · jobs: research and development manager, social services policy officer, monitoring and evaluation officer
Artificial intelligence (AI) data specialistLevel 7 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses research design, data collection, data presentation from Business Studies, Economics, Geography and 3 more · jobs: ICT intelligent systems designer
Market research executiveLevel 4 (higher) apprenticeship · sales, marketing and procurement · uses research ethics, research design, data collection from Geography, Psychology, Sociology · jobs: market research analyst, research and development manager, research engineer
Community nurse specialist practitioner (NMC 2022)Level 7 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses argumentation, data collection, research design from Business Studies, Geography, Politics and 1 more · jobs: nurse responsible for general care, specialist nurse, advanced nurse practitioner
Arts therapistLevel 7 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses qualitative data, quantitative data, performance from Film Studies, Geography, Law and 2 more · jobs: music therapist, art therapist, psychotherapist
Improvement specialistLevel 5 (higher) apprenticeship · business and administration · uses data collection, stratification, value from Geography, Mathematics, Sociology · jobs: business consultant, environmental engineer, civil engineer
Environmental practitioner (Degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · agriculture, environmental and animal care · uses conclusion, secondary data, data collection from Biology, Geography, Sociology
Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses graph, ratio, percentage from Business Studies, Economics, Geography and 1 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
Admissions

How do you get a place?

Admission is by application to the provider, usually against GCSE grades for each course; there is no distance rule.

  1. Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly; most close applications in these months
  2. AugGCSE results day: places are confirmed against the entry grades
Suffolk

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.