Top honours for university-level courses at NPTC Group of Colleges

8th September 2022
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NPTC Group of Colleges has been commended after achieving the highest judgment available for its university-level courses following a review by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

The panel concluded that the College has ‘robust arrangements in place for securing academic standards, managing academic quality, and for enhancing the student experience’. The College was commended for its achievements in several areas, including student support and the use of digital technology.

The review, which took place in June, was undertaken by a team of three independent reviewers who were appointed by QAA. Overall, the review panel concluded that NPTC Group of Colleges meets the requirements of the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) Part 1 on internal quality assurance, and that it meets the relevant baseline regulatory requirements of the Quality Assessment Framework for Wales.

Its commendations include:

  • The institution’s expansion of the higher education (HE) staff team to recognise the distinctiveness of the HE provision and to create a HE community, in order to enhance the student experience
  • The institution’s commitment to providing tailored support to students to meet their academic and pastoral needs to enable them to achieve their potential
  • The development and effective use of digital technology across the College, within a supportive environment, enabling the ongoing enhancement of learning and teaching
  • The institution’s commitment to student engagement and in listening and responding to the student voice. This has enabled students to contribute to the overall quality of provision.

There were no recommendations made, and Corporation Board Chair, Dr Rhobert Lewis, said: ‘The outcomes of this review are excellent, with no fewer than six commendations. This demonstrates how successful staff are in providing ‘more than just an education’, with student support, along with student success, being our top priorities. The message from the review is very clear. Students receive excellent support to study university-level courses with us that are not only delivered on the students’ doorstep but are also affordable, flexible, and career-focused.

Ends

Notes to Editor:

  1. For more information, please contact Kevin McStravock, QAA’s PR, Press and Communications Officer on mcstravock@qaa.ac.uk. or Fay Harris, Head of Marketing and Communications at NPTC Group of Colleges fay.harris@nptcgroup.ac.uk
  2. The NPTC Group of Colleges has been in operation since August 2013, when the merger occurred between Neath Port Talbot College and Coleg Powys. The higher education provision is delivered at five sites: Afan College, Brecon Beacons College, Llandarcy Academy of Sport, Neath College and Newtown College. The College delivers both Further Education and Higher Education (HE) programmes. Approximately 550 higher education students are studying across a range of programmes which are delivered as either franchised or validated provision. The Group of Colleges works with four degree-awarding partners: University of South Wales, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Wrexham Glyndŵr University, and Pearson.
  3. The NPTC Group of Colleges review outcome will be available at https://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviewing-higher-education/quality-assurance-reports/Neath-Port-Talbot-College from Wednesday 7 September. It is a Quality Enhancement Review (QER). QER provides quality assurance and supports quality enhancement, assuring governing bodies, students and the wider public that providers meet the requirements of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. QER assesses providers against agreed baseline regulatory requirements and the European Standards and Guidelines. More information is available at https://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviewing-higher-education/types-of-review/quality-enhancement-review.
  4. For 2021-22, the scope of QERs focused on quality assurance in line with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW)’s changes to external quality assurance requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, QAA published an addendum to accompany the QER handbook which explains the adaptations to the method delivery. For 2021-22, providers have the opportunity to engage with QAA separately on quality enhancement.
  5. There are three categories of judgement for QER: ‘meets these requirements’, ‘meets them with conditions’, or ‘does not meet requirements’. NPTC Group of Colleges has obtained the highest judgement available through the QER process.
  6. The expert team that reviewed NPTC Group of Colleges comprised Ms Tessa Counsell, Dr Osian Rees and Dr Bradley Woolridge (student reviewer).
  7. QAA (The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education) is a charity and the UK’s independent body entrusted with monitoring and advising on standards and quality in UK higher education. We work with and on behalf of our members across all four nations of the UK and build international partnerships to enhance and promote the reputation of UK higher education worldwide. More information on QAA in Wales is available at https://www.qaa.ac.uk/about-us/where-we-work/our-work-in-wales.