Students and staff at New College Swindon (NCS) are celebrating A Level, T Level, and Level 3 vocational results after bucking the national trend with a 4% increase in their pass rate.
Leah Palmer, Principal and CEO is delighted with the hard work and dedication that NCS students have shown,
“Results day is always anxiously anticipated as it is a culmination of our learners' significant hard work, endeavour, and resilience. I am extremely proud of the results our learners have achieved this year.”
Big increases were seen across the board with a 3.2% increase on last years A Level results. Over 57% of the grades achieved were A* - C and 15 subject areas had with 100% pass rate.
There was excitement all round following the 95% pass rate on the core T Level components, confirming that the College continues to deliver a strong provision in these innovative qualifications. The number of students that have stayed on their course to completion is 76.4%, 5.4% higher than the national average. Nearly half of all T Level students achieved a Merit or Distinction and entries have trebled for 2024 from 93 to 322.
New College Swindon was one of the first providers selected to offer T Levels and has overseen a multi-million-pound investment in state-of-the-art facilities to support the new qualification. Introduced as a key part of the Government’s strategy to address the skills gap in various industries, T Levels include a large work experience component and are equivalent to three A Levels.
A similar picture emerged with BTEC and Vocational Level 3 also seeing a 95% pass rate, with half of students gaining at least one Distinction.
Students on STEM subjects are flying high with pass rates for A Level Science subjects up by an impressive 15%. Almost half of all Maths grades were A* - B. Further Maths and Computer Science saw 100% and 95% pass rates, respectively.
Matt Butcher, Vice Principal - Commercial, Skills and Partnerships is delighted,
“Not only have we trained 12% more students over the past year we have gained higher pass rates in doing so. Nationally the pass rate has stayed the same but New College Swindon has increased by 4%, highlighting the importance of the investments we are making.”
Once again, a high number of students will gain university places, with 83% of students holding firm offers through UCAS. 409 of these received their first-choice university with 31 set to go to a Russell Group university. Many others are set to go straight into employment or a higher apprenticeship.
Jacob Ryan, who gained A A*A*in Chemistry, Maths, and Physics starts his university journey with Imperial College London after taking a gap year, says
“I am so pleased, I had the three best lecturers I could have. The teachers really care about the students at New College Swindon.”
Jacques de Comormond achieved a Merit in T Level Science and is heading off to Reading University to do Pharmaceutical Chemistry.
“I chose my T Level course as it was a great mix of science and business. It allowed me to prepare myself for working in an actual job.”
Kaitlyn Ingram, who was a student ambassador alongside studying Environmental Science, Psychology, and Applied Science, plans to take a gap year before attending university for Veterinary Science.
“New College Swindon was so supportive during my learning journey, they were always challenging me and coming up with ideas to improve my grades and develop myself as a person.”
Bryce Barreto gained A A A Physics, Maths, and Chemistry along with a Distinction* in Engineering and is off to study Physics at the University of Bath.
“My chemistry lecturer helped me find my passion for Chemistry. My Maths and Physics teachers supported me to push myself.”
New College Swindon has a long history of providing excellent university-level courses and was granted University Centre status last year. The New College Swindon University Centre achieved a silver award in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) at the end of 2023, solidifying its position as a quality alternative to university, right here in Swindon and Wiltshire. Higher and degree apprenticeships are proving to be a great option too as you can earn while you learn and there are no tuition fees to pay.
Lynne Plested, Deputy Principal – Curriculum and Quality said
“We understand that this can be both an exciting and challenging time for students as they undertake major changes in their lives. Some change their minds about going to university or are concerned about moving away to study. Through the New College Swindon University Centre, we can support with a range of quality degrees and higher national diplomas right here on their doorstep.”
The College is anticipating more success when their GCSE and Level 2 students collect their results next week. It is also gearing up to welcome thousands of students through the doors for enrolment. With fast-track enrolment now open, there is still time to apply to New College Swindon this September.
https://www.newcollege.ac.uk/