The Further Education (FE) sector has been the Cinderella of English education, attracting less research, despite the large number of students who attend FE colleges. We ask whether the post‐16 institution attended by the pupil, i.e. FE college or school‐based provision, influences pupils' final achievement and whether the gain in pupil achievement at A level is greater in FE colleges as compared with school‐based provision. Allowing for the fact that FE colleges admit more disadvantaged pupils, those who attend an FE college do marginally less well at A level. Sixth form colleges have significantly higher value‐added, particularly for higher achieving pupils.