16-18 year old apprenticeship take up conversely, is running slightly behind target.
Newton Abbot campus has attracted 175 starters across the full range of provision including Automotive, Construction, Hair & Beauty and into Employment and Training.
Adult Learner numbers are showing initial growth whilst Higher Education student numbers have stayed on target despite the nationwide impact of fee level changes.
The financial climate remains a challenge for commercial course uptake..
Summer investment into facilities at Bradley Lane and Pearl Assurance House, Newton Abbot Campus, has been significant and welcome. Enrolments and open events are progressing and facilities are now becoming known locally. With some delays in building works, the formal opening will take place on 25th January 2013.
'The Cutting the Turf’ ceremony was carried out on 20th September 2012 at the South West Energy Centre’s new site, with the Mayor, students and representatives from contractors Kier present to take part in the photo opportunity. Good publicity was received from this event.
The Vice Principal Corporate Services has been in dialogue with the Department for Education to secure the funding envelope for the premises development at Torbay Hospital for Devon Studio School.
The College’s entry for the National Training Awards achieved a Silver Award at the South West Regional Awards ceremony – out of a field of 1,500. The Award was the Rolls Royce Award for Teacher Training at South Devon College.
The College has been shortlisted in the ‘Modernisation’ category in the national Green Gown Awards, which recognises colleges' and universities' sustainable development initiatives. development initiatives. The winning and highly commended entries will be announced and presented at the Green Gown Awards Ceremony in November.
This report provides a brief overview of the highlights of the beginning of the academic year and some indication of the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Our ‘A’ Level success rate was 99.5% (with 69% achieving A*-C grades). Good media coverage was received. Vocational courses success rates remain impressive with most individual qualifications achieving 100% pass rates. GCSE results were good with an overall pass rate of 100% (with A*-C grades of 47%). All subjects exceeded the national averages. Apprenticeship success rates for the year are some of the best in the country at 85% framework successful completion and very strong timeliness.
We have sustained and further improved retention and our College academic and vocational performance at Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ levels. Indeed, a pre final 96% College retention rate is expected to be in the top decile or better in the country.
Student satisfaction ratings have been excellent and for Higher Education students the National Student Satisfaction Survey placed us as the best in the South West at 91% and only 1% behind Oxford & Cambridge on this measure.
14-16 enrolments remain as last year. We have seen a small growth in the number of 16-18 year olds enrolled at the College this year.
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