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What it's like

The college was founded in London in 1973 to offer an alternative to conventional education and to cater for pupils needing to retake A-level exams and those trying Oxbridge entrance. It now consists of a group of colleges based in three centres - Birmingham, Cambridge and London. The group offers a very wide range of courses at A-level and GCSE; its reputation is based on exam results and the number of pupils who gain entrance to university and medical school. The colleges have managed to create environments in which those pupils who have lost motivation or confidence in the past are inspired to work hard by the quality of the teaching and their renewed enjoyment of the learning process. The colleges have large full-time and part-time staffs. This permits unusually favourable staff:pupil ratios. At AS and A-level there is an absolute maximum of eight pupils in each teaching group. The method is based on rigorous tuition with great emphasis placed on the demands of syllabuses and on examination technique. Full-time pupils follow a general academic curriculum and also have the opportunity to pursue cultural activities and sport in local facilities. Academic progress is closely monitored by personal tutors who write regular reports and who will arrange a meeting between parents and subject tutors when necessary. These personal tutors have few teaching commitments. MPW London has handsome and well-equipped premises. A predominantly young staff of 45 plus 25 part-timers caters for 400 pupils. A full range of courses is available and very good exam results are achieved. There is some sport available (eg football, badminton, swimming). The college arranges a variety of trips abroad, to the theatre, opera, lectures, etc.

Pupils & entrance

Pupils: Age range 15-20; 400 day pupils (200 boys, 200 girls). Entrance: Entry at 15-18. No entrance exam (except for scholarships). High motivation and appropriate academic ability looked for; no religious requirements. State school entry, 5% of intake.

Scholarships & bursaries

10 pa scholarships, value up to 100% fees, including 1 for a student from the maintained sector. Parents expected to buy textbooks.

Head & staff

Principal: Matthew L S Judd, in post since 2006. Educated at universities of Swansea (geography) and Cambridge (education). Previously Housemaster at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School. Also Chair of Board of Trustees of Education.Action.International and senior A-level examiner. Teaching staff: 45 full time, 25 part time. Annual turnover 10%. Average age 35.

Exam results

GCSE: 45 in upper fifth. Average GCSE score 45. A-levels: 210 in upper sixth. Average tariff points 91 per subject but many students taking just one or two A-levels. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 314.

University & college entrance

94% of sixth-form leavers go on to a degree course, 5% to Oxbridge. 15% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 15% in science and engineering, 70% in humanities and social sciences. Others typically go on to other courses eg art foundation courses.

Curriculum

GCSE, AS and A-levels. 40 AS-level subjects, 39 A-level (including Russian, philosophy, environmental science, film studies, media studies, critical thinking). Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level (breadth aimed for), 3 at A-level; general studies taught but not examined. 30% take science A-levels; 50% arts/humanities; 20% both. Key skills integrated into sixth-form teaching. Special provision: Specialist teacher and counsellor for dyslexia. ICT: Networked PCs including internet access. Specialist internet library.

The arts

Art and design: 20 take GCSE; 70 AS or A-level; on average, 15 accepted for art college each year. Photography, printing, ceramics also offered.

Sports & activities

Sport: Some facilities on site and use of local clubs; squash, badminton, weight-training, swimming, basketball and outdoor team sports available. Activities: Theatre visits, college newspaper, insight in management role-play days, music recitals and concerts, charity show, lectures, careers seminars, guest speakers, drama.

School life

Uniform: No uniform worn. Houses and prefects: No competitive houses or prefects. Religion: No religious worship at the college. Social: Geography and biology field trips, art history trip to Paris/Rome. Pupils allowed to bring own car/bike to school. Self-service cafeteria. No alcohol allowed.

Discipline

Strict rules on punctuality, attendance and homework. Pupils failing to produce homework may be placed on a supervised library regime. Pupils caught smoking cannabis on (or off) the premises would be expelled.