Pudsey Sixth Form College opened by Rachel Reeves

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and local MP Rachel Reeves visited Pudsey Sixth Form College to celebrate its opening, welcoming its first cohort of students earlier this year.

Based in the heart of Pudsey beside Crawshaw Academy, on Kent Road, the new £14 million sixth form has been purpose-built to plug a gap in the local provision of post-16 courses.

Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West and Pudsey, said: “After visiting earlier this year while still under construction, it’s fantastic to see Pudsey Sixth Form College open its doors and begin its teaching. Ensuring access to high-quality post-16 options locally is so important, with this new sixth form marking real investment in the young people of Pudsey.”

The high-quality facility provides capacity for around 600 16-19-year-old students taking A Levels, T Levels and vocational programmes. Students benefit from state-of-the-art teaching spaces and independent study zones. The building has also been delivered with sustainability in mind, featuring air-source heat pumps and rooftop solar panels.

Phil Mark, Principal of Pudsey Sixth Form College, said: “It was fantastic to provide students the opportunity to meet and speak with their local MP and Chancellor. I have been optimistic for the future of Pudsey Sixth Form College for some time now, but the enthusiasm of our first cohort of students has only made me more excited.”

The development of the new sixth form was led by Leeds Sixth Form College, part of Luminate Education Group, working in close partnership with three local secondary schools. It was funded primarily through a £12.7 million loan from the Department for Education.

A key aim of the new provision is to keep education opportunities for young people local, preventing long commutes to sixth forms outside of Pudsey and ensuring students can progress in their own community.

Colin Booth OBE, Chief Executive of Luminate Education Group, said: “I’m extremely proud of what we have built in Pudsey and anticipate the sixth form to go from strength to strength in the years ahead. Having developed this sixth form in partnership with local secondary schools, we are invested in ensuring that Pudsey Sixth Form College provides students high-quality post-16 opportunities for many for years to come.”

Pudsey Sixth Form College forms part of Luminate Education Group, which also operates Leeds Sixth Form College, Leeds City College, as well as other colleges and universities across Yorkshire.