The Department for Education’s (DfE) latest performance data for the 2023/4 academic year puts Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) at the “top of the class”, being one of the highest performing further education colleges in England.
If you’re leaving school or sixth form in September and are considering your next steps, NSCG has a long established reputation for delivering excellent education and training and remains one of only two providers in the region to be recognised as ‘Outstanding’ in every category of the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework.
With more subject and study options to choose from than those traditionally offered in school and with a range of progression pathways available, students can choose from A-levels, T Levels, vocational courses and apprenticeships, giving them the freedom to select the subjects that provide the best combination for their future.
The ‘Class of 2024’ A-level, T Level and BTEC students collected fantastic results, seeing NSCG outperform national benchmarks and retain the position of Staffordshire’s leading college. Of the 1364 A-level entries, NSCG celebrated a pass rate of 99.3% with 61% of A-level entries achieving high grades of A*-B and 85% achieving A*-C.
Vocational results were equally impressive, celebrating a pass rate of 99% from those who completed a BTEC Extended Diploma with 74% of students achieving grades DMM or above equivalent to three A* – B grades at A-level.
Additionally, for several consecutive years NSCG has been the top college in Staffordshire for university progression, with 1,167 students progressing to over 98 different institutions in 2024. Our students really go the distance, going to universities in every country of the UK. From the furthest north at the University of Aberdeen to the furthest south at Falmouth University, proving that when it comes to education, there are no limits.
For those who prefer to stay closer to home, NSCG also offer an amazing range of undergraduate options to give you a recognised higher education qualification in your chosen field and unlike many degrees, HNCs (Higher National Certificates), Higher Technical Qualifications and HNDs (Higher National Diplomas) are vocational, so they can lead straight to a career or act as a stepping stone to a higher qualification, such as a university-level degree course.
Not one to rest on their laurels, NSCG is also committed to investing in its learning spaces. Stafford College’s £28m Skills and Innovation Centre opened its doors in September 2023 and a brand new £22.5m Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology will be ready to welcome new learners this September. Courses include digital content creation, Esports and much more.
Specialising in higher level technical programmes, the new employer-led Institute of Technology brings together the training offer of NSCG in collaboration with Keele University and other FE providers, with curriculum influenced by key employer partners including; Dell, Hitachi, MOOG, Siemens and Indurent.
Demand for places at NSCG has been unprecedented this year so if you want to join Staffordshire’s leading college in September 2025 get your application in now, visit www.nscg.ac.uk to apply.
The college has one last open event for this academic year, taking place on Saturday 17th May. For more information and to pre-register visit https://nscg.ac.uk/news-and-events/stafford-open-event
