It is well recognised that higher education students are amongst the most discerning group of consumers, particularly when it comes to their chosen course and college. It is for this reason that the annual National Students Survey (NSS) is so revealing when it comes to understanding the true performance levels demonstrated by higher education establishments.
Shrewsbury Colleges Group (SCG) is proud to announce that in every one of the key performance indicators measured by the latest NSS, it has exceeded expectations, with an overall satisfaction rating of 90% - a jump of nearly 7 percentage points up from last year. This figure far outstrips the 2019 national average of just 84% and leaps ahead of the over-arching national trends.
Students are invited to comment on a variety of factors, including how they view the teaching of their course, the assessment feedback and general academic support. In every area, SCG’s students rated the College higher than in the previous academic year, with teaching standards alone jumping from 83% satisfaction to 90%.
Helen Fellows, Curriculum Leader for Education, Counselling and Higher Education at SCG was keen to praise the members of her team. ‘Whilst I am delighted with these results, it really comes as no surprise, as after 25 years, our Higher Education offering goes from strength to strength. We have a fabulous team of teachers, who work closely with their students to nurture them and maximise their talents, and our new Higher Education Centre provides the ideal setting for the kind of in-depth study that is so important at this level. Today’s school leavers will have fifteen jobs in their lifetimes, and are twice as likely to change career paths over that time as were their parents or carers. We need to be upskilling and re-skilling the workforce in a way which meets their needs and the needs of employers moving forward.’
James Staniforth, Principal of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, is proud of the College’s Higher Education provision. ‘At Shrewsbury Colleges Group we offer a range of qualifications right on students’ doorsteps and the NSS data shows us how much they value what we are doing. The Student Survey confirms the findings of last year’s Quality Assurance Agency inspection, when our Higher Education provision received the highest possible award, and our award this year of the Teaching Excellence Framework.
If you are inspired by our students’ positive feedback, then what’s your next move? The College is currently accepting applications for a range of higher education courses starting in September 2019. For further information call 01743 653333.