Franklin Sixth Form College

What Franklin Sixth Form College does

Franklin Sixth Form College is a publicly funded further education institution founded in 1990 in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, providing post-16 (ages 16-19) education to students across Northern, Central, and Coastal Lincolnshire. It delivers A Level programmes (99% pass rate) and vocational/BTEC courses (100% pass rate) across STEM, Health & Social Care, Business & Logistics, Law, Teaching, and Sport, and is the only Ofsted Outstanding provider of sixth-form education in North East Lincolnshire (2024 rating). Enriched offerings include the Centre for Professional Development (CfPD), Aspiring Future Medics, High Flyers (Oxbridge/Russell Group preparation), Talented Athlete Support Scheme, and the Grimsby Town Football Shadow Scholarship, supplemented by an annual Careers and Progression Evening with 90+ employers and universities.

The college operates a single-site campus in Grimsby that has received over £6m of investment over three years, including a £3.5m new building opened in late 2025 with eight state-of-the-art classrooms, a 160-163-seat lecture theatre, and a new reception. The technology stack is built on Microsoft Office 365 (with MFA) and Google Workspace for Education, supported by a Student Portal, Google Classroom, an ID-card print release system, and a laptop locker system. There are no proprietary AI/ML capabilities; digital infrastructure is commodity productivity and learning tooling.

The business model is publicly funded rather than commercial: revenue is derived from UK government education funding (ESFA grants for 16-19 provision), supplemented by student bursaries (up to £1,200/year for priority groups) and a £1/journey college-operated bus service. Go-to-market is regional direct-enrollment, relying on open events, school liaison and taster days, and digital presence. In November 2025, the college converted to an empty Multi Academy Trust (Franklin College Trust) — only the second sixth form college in England to do so — establishing a structural platform for partnership-based growth with local schools while preserving their autonomy. The college has 163 employees and a governance structure led by Principal and CEO Wendy Ellis and Chair of the Corporation Alex Baxter.

Name

Franklin Sixth Form College

Legal name

Franklin College Trust

Website

https://franklin.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Franklin Sixth Form College is a publicly funded, Ofsted Outstanding sixth form college in Grimsby, England, founded in 1990 and serving 16-19 year olds across Lincolnshire with A Level, vocational, and professional development programmes through a single-site campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education (Sixth Form)

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

Keywords

• Sixth form education
• A Level programmes
• Vocational education
• Post-16 education
• Further education

Headquarters

HQ city

Grimsby, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Franklin Sixth Form College is North East Lincolnshire's designated sixth form college, delivering 16-19 post-16 education to students across Northern, Central, and Coastal Lincolnshire. The college offers A Level courses (with a 99% pass rate) and vocational/BTEC courses (with a 100% pass rate), supplemented by enrichment programmes such as the Centre for Professional Development, the High Flyers Oxbridge/Russell Group preparation programme, the Aspiring Future Medics Programme, and the Talented Athlete Support Scheme.

Product overview

Franklin Sixth Form College is a specialist sixth-form education provider offering a unified educational portfolio centred on A Level and vocational programmes (including BTECs), complemented by enrichment and career-focused sub-products. Core academic products include traditional A Levels (99% pass rate) and applied/vocational courses (100% pass rate). These are supported by the Centre for Professional Development (CfPD), which provides industry-linked bespoke programmes in STEM, Health & Social Care, Business, Law, Teaching, and Sport. The college also runs targeted sub-products: the Grimsby Town Football Shadow Scholarship (GTFSS), the Aspiring Future Medics Programme, the High Flyers Programme (Oxbridge/Russell Group preparation), and the Talented Athlete Support Scheme. Enrichment is delivered through a Personal and Professional Development (PPD) programme and an annual Careers and Progression Evening with 90+ employers. Student support services include a Financial Support Fund (bursaries up to £1,200/year) and subsidised student transport (£1/journey). In November 2025, the college converted to Franklin College Trust, an empty MAT structure, positioning itself as a central hub for collaborative post-16 provision across partner schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Franklin College Trust: A trust established in November 2025 for the academisation of Franklin Sixth Form College

Products and services

• A Level Courses Traditional A Level programmes across multiple subjects for 16-19 year old students, with a 99% pass rate and pathways to prestigious universities including Oxbridge and Russell Group institutions.
• Vocational Courses Applied and vocational programmes (BTEC and equivalent) with a 100% pass rate, focused on career pathways in STEM, Health & Social Care, Business & Logistics, Law, Teaching, and Sport.
• Centre for Professional Development (CfPD) A sector-leading centre with extensive links to local and national employers, providing bespoke programmes supporting progression to medicine, law, teaching, and other professions, including masterclasses, visits, career events, and talks from industry professionals.
• Grimsby Town Football Shadow Scholarship (GTFSS) Football scholarship programme run in partnership with Grimsby Town Football Club, enabling students to pursue competitive football while studying; the women's team were named champions of the EFL North Women's League.
• Aspiring Future Medics Programme Dedicated programme for students interested in medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry, offering workshops, guest speakers, and mock interview sessions to support university applications.
• High Flyers Programme Preparation programme for students applying to Oxford, Cambridge, and Russell Group universities, providing support for competitive admissions processes.
• Talented Athlete Support Scheme Support scheme for regional and national-level sports competitors to effectively balance educational and sporting commitments, including custom timetable arrangements.
• Personal and Professional Development (PPD) Programme Enrichment programme including modules such as Journalism PPD, providing students with real-world skills alongside their academic studies.
• Careers and Progression Programme Annual Careers and Progression Evening featuring over 90 employers, apprenticeship providers, and universities, with informative talks on finance, Russell Group universities, law, and apprenticeships.
• Student Financial Support Fund Bursary of up to £1,200 per year for eligible students in priority groups, covering travel, food, trips, equipment, printing, and textbooks, available to households with gross annual income of £40,000 or less.
• Student Transport Service Subsidised student bus service with routes updated annually covering Northern, Central, and Coastal Lincolnshire, with bus travel costing £1 per journey and financial support options available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% A Level pass rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Humber (Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting health-related programmes and career pathways. Listed as one of the college's main partners on the homepage.
• ØrstedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenewable energy company partner providing industry insights, masterclasses, and career events for students interested in STEM and green energy careers.
• University of LincolncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing progression pathways, university-level workshops, and collaborative events such as the Creative Conference.
• Grimsby Town Football Club / Grimsby Town FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGTFC Football Shadow Scholarship programme - collaborative football development programme where college students represent the scholarship team in EFL competitions. Women's team were named champions of the EFL North Women's League.
• Lincoln Bishop UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional teacher training partnership launched to provide new regional PGDE teacher training opportunity.
• University of HullcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner participating in STEM Conference, providing life sciences workshops and career pathway information for students.
• RWEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company participating in STEM Conference workshops for students interested in energy sector careers.
• ORE CatapultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffshore Renewable Energy Catapult participating in STEM Conference to provide industry insights for students.
• Career Ready UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational career education charity providing students with employer mentorship, masterclasses, and capital experience events in London. Students have participated in visits to St Bart's Hospital, Clifford Chance, Santander, and other employers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpZsWJQSutkt9Xn8zK1Yp4Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/franklin-sixth-form-college

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Franklin Sixth Form College