A recent report has revealed that students who progress to university after completing their studies at Bexhill College outperform their peers nationally.
The report y HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, analyses the degree classifications obtained by students at UK universities during the 2024/25 academic year. This cohort includes students who studied at Bexhill College between 2020 and 2022.
The data reveals that students progressing to university from Bexhill College during this period achieved comparatively higher results, with 85.6% attaining either first-class or upper second-class honours degrees. This compares with the national figure of 78.2% for state-educated students, while the figure for the sixth form college sector as a whole stands at 79.2%.
Impressively, almost a third (32.4%) of former Bexhill College students went on to achieve the highest classification of a first-class honours degree, a figure significantly above both the state sector and sixth form college sector averages.
Melissa Hunter attended Bexhill College between 2020 and 2022 before progressing to Imperial College London. Melissa is currently completing a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, having achieved first-class results during her first three years at university. Reflecting on how her time at Bexhill College prepared her for success, Melissa said:
“My teachers at Bexhill College put real energy into working through past exam papers with us, and it made all the difference. It helped us understand exactly what examiners were looking for and how to answer with precision.
Lessons followed the same approach: a concept explained clearly, then straight into practising it together, so you knew immediately whether it had actually sunk in. I carried that habit of interrogating a question before answering it straight into my degree, and it’s a big part of why I graduated with a First.”
The report also highlighted the success of Bexhill College alumni at Russell Group universities, a consortium of 24 leading UK institutions renowned for their world-class research, innovation, and education.
Among former Bexhill College students who graduated from Russell Group universities in the 2024/25 academic year, 41.5% achieved first-class honours. This compares with 32.2% of students who completed their pre-university education within the state sector nationally.
Former Bexhill College students also outperformed their peers from the wider sixth form college sector. Just 33.1% of Russell Group graduates who had previously attended a state sixth form college achieved first-class honours, compared with 41.5% of former Bexhill College students.
Anna Leppard also attended Bexhill College between 2020 and 2022. Like Melissa, she chose to study at a Russell Group university. Anna has recently completed an Integrated Master of Science (MSci) in Business and Management with Innovation at the University of Bristol, achieving first-class honours.
Anna described how her experience at Bexhill College equipped her for success:
“The teachers provided significant directed study, which gave me the opportunity to understand and engage with the material before entering the classroom, where I would then be tested on it or asked to apply it. This approach meant that I was constantly reinforcing what I had learnt without even realising it. By the time revision came around, I already had a strong understanding of the topics, making the process far more manageable and effective.
Looking back, one of the biggest lessons my time at Bexhill College taught me is that success is built long before you reach the finish line. Put the work into every small step, build strong foundations, and trust that the bigger opportunities will follow.”
HESA’s analysis also confirmed that the College’s commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion continues to have a positive impact long after students leave to begin their university studies.
In the 2024/25 academic year, 60.8% of former Bexhill College students from areas with the lowest rates of higher education participation achieved either first-class or upper second-class honours. This compares with 48.5% of students across the sixth form sector and 49% across the state sector.
In addition, 53.8% of former Bexhill College students whose parents did not have higher education qualifications achieved either first-class or upper second-class honours, compared with 49.7% of students across the state sector and 49.2% across the sixth form sector.
Karen Hucker, Principal of Bexhill College, commented:
“Congratulations to all of our former students who have recently graduated from university. Our mission is to provide transformational educational opportunities that inspire all our students to achieve their potential. This recent HESA report provides encouragement to our staff by reinforcing that the work they do with students contributes meaningfully to their future success and achievements.”
