Liverpool school explains why it's not welcoming any sixth formers in September

A Liverpool school has explained why it will not be welcoming any students into its sixth form in September. Dixons Broadgreen Academy has not recruited for sixth form provision for the next academic year. The academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form based off Queens Drive. It was formerly known as Broadgreen International School and before that Broadgreen High School and Broadgreen Community Comprehensive. The school officially converted to an academy in 2021 and joined the Dixons Academies Trust in an effort to improve school performance. Dixons , a Yorkshire-based organisation, also runs Liverpool academy schools in Fazakerey and Croxteth. Standards at Dixons Broadgreen have improved in recent years. While the former Broadgreen International School was rated as inadequate by Ofsted in 2018, a 2024 inspection saw the rebranded academy branded good in four out of five areas. However, the sixth form has been struggling to attract enough students to make the continue provision viable. A consultation document produced earlier this year explained that numbers have steadily decreased in recent years and recruitment into Year 12 ceased in 2025 as numbers fell below the level that was required to offer appropriate study programmes. In addition, the document said, the retention rates and outcomes for both A Levels and applied courses have been "significantly below the Liverpool average figures." The trust said it has therefore taken the decision to phase out sixth form provision at Dixons Broadgreen and "focus energies" on improving the 11-16 phase of the school. With no students being recruited to the sixth form in September, the status of the academy will change from 11-18 to 11-16. A spokesperson for the Dixons Academies Trust suggested that a wider review of sixth form provision in Liverpool is now underway. A statement read: "We have not recruited for sixth form provision at Dixons Broadgreen Academy for the next academic year following a decline in student numbers. "We are reviewing our post-16 offer across Liverpool in response to changing demand, qualification reform and changes to partnership-delivered provision. "Our aim is to ensure we provide the strongest possible pathways for young people and the greatest impact across the city region. No final decisions have been made about the future shape of our post-16 provision."