LIPA Sixth Form College

LIPA Sixth Form College is a 16 to 19 performing arts academy and part of the LIPA Multi-Academy Trust. At this inspection, the education programme for young people was judged strong, with achievement particularly strong, while inclusion, leadership and governance, curriculum and teaching, and participation and development met expected standards. Safeguarding standards are met. Inspectors found a welcoming, inclusive college where students, including those with SEND or disadvantage, achieve very well and progress to prestigious destinations. The college's main strengths are its industry-aligned, well-sequenced curriculum; expert dual-professional teachers; frequent live performance and production work; effective assessment and feedback; and comprehensive personal development and careers provision. New leaders and trustees have brought stability and improvement after a difficult period, including previous industrial action and mistrust, and staff report better transparency and wellbeing. Students feel supported, safe and well prepared for their next steps. Areas for further work include making support for students with SEND or barriers to learning systematic in planning, reviewing and adapting; ensuring consistently high-quality teaching across all pathways; fully embedding the new personal development curriculum so students routinely demonstrate fundamental British values, tolerance and respect; and continuing to rebuild staff relationships and address remaining uncertainty about the college's future.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture where concerns are identified and acted upon.
• Leaders have created a welcoming, inclusive culture where students are known well and supported to participate fully.
• Students with disadvantage or barriers to learning achieve at least as well as, and often better than, their peers.
• Almost all students gain merit and distinction grades across all pathways.
• Students progress to prestigious conservatoires, specialist performing arts institutions, university and employment.
• Curriculums are inclusive, ambitious and closely aligned to performing arts industry needs.
• Teachers are experts in their specialist pathways, with many maintaining professional industry currency.
• Teachers use effective assessment, questioning and real-time feedback to check understanding.
• Students benefit from frequent live performance and production opportunities to industry standards.
• Personal development is comprehensive, tailored to specialist subjects and covers relevant sensitive topics.
• Students receive useful careers advice, industry days and practitioner visits.
• Students develop independence, confidence, self-reliance and a sense of belonging.
• The student council leads social action and fundraising projects benefiting charities.
• New leaders and trustees have brought swift improvements, stability and better staff relationships.
• Staff are proud to work at the college and feel listened to; leaders are mindful of workload and wellbeing.
• SEND staff are well qualified and provide training on adapting teaching and supporting specific needs.

Areas for Improvement

• Support for students with SEND and barriers to learning is not yet planned, reviewed and adapted systematically.
• Teaching quality is not yet consistently high across all pathways.
• The new personal development curriculum is not fully embedded, so students do not routinely demonstrate fundamental British values, tolerance and respect.
• Staff relationships still need further rebuilding after previous mistrust.
• Some staff remain concerned about the future of the college.

In 2024–25, 0.2% of pupils at LIPA Sixth Form College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 LIPA Sixth Form College had 17.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 13.8% of pupils at LIPA Sixth Form College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 LIPA Sixth Form College received £7,904 and spent £7,468 for each of its 402 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £179,000 (-£445 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of The Lipa Multi Academy Trust, income was £8,600 and spending £8,170 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Liverpool · Liverpool local authority: places and applications

LIPA Sixth Form College is part of The Lipa Multi Academy Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• LIPA School Liverpool

What is LIPA Sixth Form College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for LIPA Sixth Form College is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was LIPA Sixth Form College last inspected by Ofsted?

LIPA Sixth Form College was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does LIPA Sixth Form College have?

LIPA Sixth Form College has 398 pupils on roll.

What age range does LIPA Sixth Form College cover?

LIPA Sixth Form College for pupils aged 14 to 19.

Where is LIPA Sixth Form College?

LIPA Sixth Form College is at 41 Upper Duke Street, Liverpool, L1 9DY.