Very high student satisfaction in area’s council-run colleges

Each year the Department for Education asks thousands of further education learners about their courses and whether they are preparing them for their chosen careers.

The latest survey, which covers the 2018-19 academic year, attracted 225 from students in North Yorkshire’s colleges and training centres.

Questions covered courses and activities funded by the DfE in further education centres and specialist colleges, as well as provided directly by local authorities.

They did not include sixth form colleges. The respondents rated the area’s council-run further education providers 96 out of a maximum 100 marks.

This was a rise compared to the previous year, when they received a score of 94.1, and above the 86.5 median rating across England.

Commenting on the findings, Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson said: “It’s great to see that 82% of all students would recommend their training provider to friends or family in this survey.

“We will continue to work with providers to make sure more people receive the best education and training possible and standards remain high.

“As the first education secretary to take charge of further education and skills, I intend to drive forward this agenda and make sure that pupils who are getting their GCSE results have many different avenues available to them that are of the highest quality they can be.”

Despite encouraging levels of student satisfaction, the Association of Colleges, which represents further education centres across the country, cautioned that the sector still faces major challenges.

The association’s chief executive, David Hughes, said: “While college staff work tirelessly to deliver high-quality education and training, major policy changes alongside severe funding cuts have made it difficult for colleges.”