Prior Pursglove merged with South Park Sixth Form College in 1997, eventually consolidating the provision of education on to the Guisborough campus.

The oldest building on site was built by architect Alfred Waterhouse in 1887 for Guisborough Grammar School, and is Grade II listed.

The building was named after Guisborough-born Olympic gold medalist Willie Applegarth and was opened by his descendants and Jade Jones, a then-current Prior Pursglove College student who competed at the London Paralympics in 2012.

Approximately 1,700 full-time students are enrolled at the college studying a range of courses including AS/A level, BTEC National Diploma and GCSEs.

The college was established in 1973 after a reorganisation of post-16 education in the Teesside area and is based on one site at Bishopton Road West, two miles from the town centre.