We have been graded as 'Good' by Ofsted, with areas of outstanding provision. The official inspection report, published in June 2023, also highlights the college makes a ‘strong’ contribution to meeting the area’s skilled needs. Inspectors found the college to be good overall, with both the personal development of students and provision for learners with judged to be outstanding – the highest grade possible. The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management, were all found to be good, as were programmes for young people, adults and apprentices.
The college achieved the Award for Lived Experience Charter Status – becoming the first in the country to be recognised as part of this prestigious charter. The award recognises the work that the college does towards corporate parenting and protected characteristics for care experienced young people.
We were awarded Carer-Friendly Employer status for our work to support staff who have unpaid caring responsibilities outside of work. The accreditation, from Nottinghamshire Carers Association, is in recognition of the college's commitment and contribution to the Carers Pledge.
Our dedication to LGBT+ inclusion and visibility has seen the college presented with the Rainbow Flag Award – a national quality assurance framework which encourages a whole organisation approach to this important work. The award validates our commitment to improve the lives of all LGBT+ people we work with, including students, learners from LGBT+ families, and staff members.
The college’s assistant principal for health, education and service industries, Nikki Slack, was presented with the Community Hero Award at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust’s 2023 Excellence Awards for being instrumental in the delivery of Trainee Nursing Associates – a programme which brought 50 new employees to the Trust – and three successful ‘Step into the NHS’ recruitment events.
College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley won the award for ‘External Partner of the Year’ at Sherwood Forest Hospitals’ 2022 Excellence Awards in recognition of the partnership between the college and hospital trust to create more learning and career opportunities for local communities to support the area’s prosperity.
The college and Nottingham Trent University were named joint winners of the ‘Excellence in Collaboration’ award at the Nottinghamshire Business Awards 2022, staged by the East Midlands Chamber. This accolade celebrates the successful partnership between the two organisations, which is giving people in Mansfield and Ashfield greater access to higher education on their doorsteps.
Our careers and work placement teams celebrated the re-accreditation of the Matrix Standard – the Department for Education’s kite mark for the delivery of high-quality information, advice and guidance – for the 15th consecutive year. This accreditation also went to our work placement team, reflecting the extensive expertise and knowledge across both teams to support students considering their next steps.
Staff and students in the computer science department achieved double award success in the 2022 Pearson National Education Awards, known as the ‘Oscars’ of the teaching profession. The department was a bronze winner in the Further Education Team of the Year category while digital teacher Tommy Mannix was highly commended in the Award for Digital Innovator of the Year category.
Our fantastic students are also no strangers to awards and accolades!
Four evenings of congratulations and celebrations ended the academic year on a high, as students received awards in a range of categories in recognition of their achievements on their courses. A special award was presented each night by principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley to an individual whose skills, qualities and abilities to overcome a range of hurdles outshone other students.
Charlie Kerry was named Apprentice of the Year at the annual Business Awards staged by networking and membership group Mansfield and Ashfield 2020, while fellow college apprentices Alyssa State and Sydney Burton were highly-commended.
Healthcare and health sciences student Joel Bailey, who dedicates his time to helping veterans and elderly people with cleaning and offering them support, won the Bringing People Together Award in Nottinghamshire Police’s Live Our Best Life Awards.
Childcare student Bobby Cheney and performing arts student Molly Canning were recipients of this year’s Mansfield Rotary Courage Awards, which recognise inspirational and brave young people in the district who overcome adversity.
Uniformed protective services students won the Desert Rat competition after triumphing in a gruelling mock battlefield challenge against five other colleges from across the East Midlands.
And Marshall Fairbrother scooped the Young Person’s Greatest Learning Journey Award at the Inspire awards celebration for his successful work placement with Inspire Youth Arts, where he helped produce a musical piece for one of the country’s top symphonic ensembles.
But what makes us equally proud are the amazing achievements of our students and apprentices each and every day! Here are just some of their recent highlights…
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