Wilberforce Sixth Form College

Wilberforce College has been a prominent establishment in the Hull community since 1988. We have grown year on year and currently serve around 1,350 students from East Hull, West Hull and the East Riding villages.

We offer all the specialisms of a sixth form college, delivering exclusively to 16-19 year old's, but have a broad curriculum that includes A Level, T Level, BTEC, UAL and City & Guilds qualifications. Our Level 3 Advanced qualifications are particularly successful and we continuously see our students progress to some of the best universities and careers.

The College’s support services are outstanding and complement students’ learning to ensure that they have the best chance of success and their experience with us extends beyond the classroom.

We continue to make significant investment in the College’s facilities, staff and students, ensuring that we remain the first choice for students, both now and in future years.

Before you submit your application

Before submitting your application to Wilberforce Sixth Form College, please make sure you have included the following information:

Personal details – including your home address, personal email address (not a school email), contact number and current school.

Next of Kin details - please add parent/guardian contact details including email address.

Predicted grades – please include a full list of all your predicted grades.

What happens after you apply?

Once you have submitted your application, we will contact you using the personal email address provided.

If you decide you would like to change your course choices, there is no need to submit a new application. You can discuss and change your choices at your interview.

You only need to attend one interview, even if you would like to change your course choices or are interested in studying multiple courses.

If you have any questions or need any help with your application, please contact liaison@wilberforce.ac.uk.

Student Services

• Education Mental Health Practitioner from Mind
• College Counsellor
• NHS Nurses
• Hull Domestic Abuse Partnership

Financial Support

You may be eligible for financial support regarding transport, meals, trips and essential college items. Guidance on completing bursary applications and signposts for additional financial support can be found with our team at Reception.

IT Facilities

We have developed our IT facilities to ensure there are no IT barriers to you being able to work independently – be it project work or an assignment that you need to get finished! You can access your college desktop and emails any time, any place, and you can install the latest version of Microsoft Office onto five of your own devices. The College has also implemented Wi Fi throughout the campus, so access during your free period won’t be a problem. Cloud email and storage provided via Office 365 ensures that you get a 10GB inbox and 100GB OneDrive storage. On top of this, you’ll also have remote access to all of the latest Microsoft Office programs, as well as up-to-date and industry standard Adobe Creative Suite software (available only on ICT/Visual Arts and Media courses).

Learning Support

Our Learning Support Team are there to provide specialist support to any student who requires additional help with their learning. The team work on a personal basis with students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), accessibility issues, impairments and other additional learning needs. If you have any additional needs throughout your time at Wilberforce and feel as though you are struggling with aspects of your course, or if you’d like support to help you succeed, the team are here to implement learning aids and a support structure that works for you. This could be individually, in a small group tuition setting, or in-class.

Progress Mentors

All students are assigned a Progress Mentor who will provide individual, focused intervention and support sessions to ensure you achieve the best grades possible. In your second year, your Progress Mentor will give you specific guidance with your UCAS application should you want to apply to university. Additionally, you will attend weekly tutorial sessions led by your Progress Mentor which help prepare you for life beyond College.

Care to Learn Scheme 

Get help with childcare costs while you study. Care to Learn (C2L) helps young parents under 20 with the cost of childcare while they study. It can pay for childcare during lessons and study time, as well as travel costs so your child can get to the childcare provider. This support makes it easier for you to continue your education while looking after your child.

Why choose Wilberforce?

Great Results:

45% of our A Level students achieve high grades of A*-B, with 100% pass rate on all courses year on year. We help young people make the most progress from their GCSEs, this means you will get the best possible grades when you choose us as your next step.

Bright Futures:

OUTSTANDING EXPERIENCES | OUTSTANDING PROGRESSION | OUTSTANDING OUTCOMES

We help students secure job offers with major employers and places at prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Hull, Leeds and York.

Our spacious university style campus offers fully equipped classrooms with use of the latest technology. Find out more about the outstanding progression routes of our students in our success stories section on our website.

Fantastic Facilities:

Our spacious university style campus offers fully equipped classrooms with use of the latest technology. Our industry standard workshops are complemented with state-of-the-art equipment. With a recent investment of over £1.75million to create new learning spaces for Health, IT and Engineering students, we are providing the best possible workspaces for the next generation.

Advice & Support:

Support services at Wilberforce College are outstanding. If you need extra help with your studies or advice on finance, transport or life in general, our Study Support and Student Services teams are always here for you.

New Opportunities:

Our Upskilling Programme (USP) provides opportunities for students to get ahead of their peers and secure those prime places at university or within employment. We will prepare students with key employability skills and knowledge to add depth to their studies. There are many enrichment activities on the Upskilling Programme to choose from, students will discover the full range when they become a Wilberforce student. Examples include the Space Science Society, Ronno Record Label, the Debating Society, E Sports and Future Medics Programme.

Positive Links:

We have great relationships with regional and national employers. This enables our students to take up valuable work experience placements, giving them an outstanding platform for success. We work with Siemens, CHCP, IBM and many more.

We have also sustained quality relationships with many schools within the Hull & East Riding to provide early advice and guidance on their next steps to college.

Study Programmes

• Over 76 courses to choose from including A Level, T Level and vocational courses. See more of our courses here
• Work experience: Every learner has multiple opportunities to learn from employers about various career pathways and the skills that are valued in the workplace.
• Future Medics Programme: A programme for aspiring students who are looking to pursue a career within Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.
• Upskilling Programme (personal development): This programme provides students the opportunity to get ahead of their peers by gaining additional skills.
• Academic Mentoring: Students will attend weekly group tutorials, one to one learner progress meetings and have the opportunity to work closely with their mentor on key areas such as university, apprenticeship and job applications.

Microsoft Showcase College

We were the first sixth form college in the UK to be awarded Microsoft Showcase College status, following our digital learning transformation.

We led the way during the remote learning periods in 2020 and 2021, implementing a transformative digital platform. The award recognises the College’s commitment to educational transformation, which includes vision and innovation in teaching, learning and assessment, computational and critical thinking, creativity and collaboration, and a willingness to promote a growth mindset among educators and students.

Bus Travel

We have routes across Hull and the East Riding to ensure students have an easy and accessible route to and from the college.

College buses from September 2026 are: 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 110 (Stagecoach) and W1, W2 (Ellie Rose). See below a list of areas that our bus routes cover.

Bus times are provided by the respective bus companies and are subject to change, these times are approximate so please be at the bus stop early. The times indicated are timing points along the route, buses can be caught from any stop along the route. You must signal clearly to the driver if you want to board, buses will not stop automatically. Wilberforce Sixth Form College accepts no responsibility for any change to the service or reliability of the service.

We review our routes every year to ensure they serve all the areas our students travel in from. If you are considering attending Wilberforce College next year, but are not sure if there will be a bus that suits you, please contact us to discuss on 01482 711688 or email enquiries@wilberforce.ac.uk.

Return Journeys

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:

All return buses depart college at 4:20pm

Wednesday:

On a Wednesday, your timetabled lessons will finish at 2.00pm the W1, W2 will depart the College at 2.20pm. All other college buses (81, 82, 83, 84 and 85) will not depart until 4.20pm. The College will keep the Learning Resource Centre open on a Wednesday afternoon until 4.00pm giving students a great opportunity to undertake independent study.

For those students who may wish to find an alternative way home during the afternoon, the number 8 bus service stops outside the College on a Wednesday afternoon at 2:34pm, this bus goes to the Hull Interchange from where any connecting buses can be taken.

Other Local Buses

A number of Stagecoach buses stop directly outside Wilberforce, including the 8 which runs every 20 minutes. For more details, see the Hull Bus Guide or the local bus service websites for Stagecoach and EYMS.

Bus Fares

All journeys on the designated college bus routes shown below carry a flat fare of £1.50 per journey for Wilberforce Students. Please be aware that Ellie Rose (Routes W1 and W2) are cash only. Stagecoach accept both cash and card payments.  

Additional Travel Information

Parking

We have ample car parking for cars and motorcycles to the front and side of the college. A parking permit can be obtained.

Cycling

Many of our students cycle to college, we have a large secure cycle compound. Entry to the cycle compound is via a student ID card scanner. 

From September 2026

Research your career pathway

Take the time to focus your interests and do some independent research into what industry you want to aim to apply your skills within.

Have a look at some real-world job adverts and work backwards to see which route you wish to follow – university, apprenticeship or employment?

Get to know our courses and qualifications by browsing the course pages.

Attend Future Student Events

Get yourself to one of our open events which are held on various evenings and Saturdays to aid you in your course research, as well as find out about future careers and what Wilberforce is all about.

The whole campus will be open for you to explore, listen to talks, take part in tours and have the chance to see our incredible facilities.

Make your application

Our applications open on Wednesday 14 October 2026 and we welcome students who are interested in studying at Wilberforce to reach out with an application.

If you are not quite sure which exact qualification you need to study, don’t worry, just be sure to have an area of focus which relates to a career pathway.

Your personal statement is an essential part of your application which you should see as an aspect for us to get to know you before we meet you! Tell us about any hobbies or interests inside and outside of school, achievements you are proud of and why you have a passion for pursuing the subjects or courses you have chosen! From January 2027 Be invited for an interview

interests inside and outside of school, achievements you are proud of and why you have a passion for pursuing the subjects or courses you have chosen!

From January 2027

Be invited for an interview

Your college interview may seem daunting but it is such a useful step within the process as we get to meet you properly for the first time as a prospective student.

You and the Wilberforce staff member will discuss your application and give tailored advice on what specific course/s to apply for at this stage.

It is essential that you know your predicted/mock GCSE grades, your parent/carers’ contact details and if you are applying for an art or design-related course to bring a portfolio of your work.

From May 2027

Good luck with your GCSEs!

You have almost reached the end of your school journey so make the last important moments count in order for you to reach your full potential and move a step further to the future destination that your are dreaming of!

Be sure to take revision seriously, but have fun with it! Find different ways of revising online, whether it’s on your own or with friends. Everyone is different and you need to find techniques that work the best for you.

22 June 2027

Attend W DAY

You’ve now left school and will be thinking much more clearly on where and what your plans are for the end of the summer.

W DAY is a full day event, where you will get to trial being a Wilberforce student to help you make your decision. It will take place on Tuesday 22 June 2027 for successfully-interviewed applicants. You will sample lessons in your chosen course/s, trial your journey to college, meet your future teachers and classmates!

As well as being an incredibly useful part of your Applicant Journey, it is fantastic way of making positive memories with new friends to kick-start your college life!

19 August 2027

GCSE Results Day

We wish you the best of luck on the day you will have been waiting for. If things don’t quite go your way or you have any queries about your results then please don’t hesitate to get in touch on the day.

We will have a dedicated team ready to help on our GCSE Helpline (01482 711688) to answer any questions.

From 31 August 2026

Attend your Enrolment appointment

The final stage of your applicant journey is where you enroll onto your course/s and to Wilberforce.

You will be given an enrolment appointment time and date and it is vital that you bring along your GCSE results with you.

This final process will ensure you are given personal guidance by a teacher to ensure you are enrolling onto the correct course for your career pathway and give you all of the information you need.

When successfully enrolled you will receive your official Wilberforce student ID and lanyard ready to start the following week, so don’t forget your smile!

Early September 2027 (TBC)

Attend Induction Day

You are now no longer an applicant but an official Wilberforce student!

Induction Day will be within the first week of September with date to be confirmed. On this day you will be given all the relevant information you need such as system log-ins and your timetable.

Make sure to bring along your completed summer bridging work that was set by your teachers at W DAY.

Welcome to Wilberforce!

For regular updates of events, course information and general life at Wilberforce, please follow our social media channels @wilberforce_sfc