Education can be viewed as having both social and individual purpose, and our experience of it can be shaped by both a selective mindset and a comprehensive idea. The comprehensive idea is an expression of values of equality and solidarity which I argue is as relevant post-sixteen as pre-sixteen. England's college sector is vital but often misunderstood, and colleges are at the heart of their communities and economies, offering enormous potential for personal and social transformation and emancipation. I draw on my personal experience of working in comprehensive colleges to make the case for their key role within an education system which can contribute to human flourishing.