The Sheffield College achieves silver rating for high quality university level teaching

The Sheffield College has achieved a silver rating in a national scheme that recognises excellence in university level teaching.

Run by the Office for Students, the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) aims to encourage higher education providers to improve and deliver excellence.

It focuses on the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies. 

The TEF does this by assessing and rating universities and colleges for excellence above a set of minimum requirements for quality and standards. 

Education providers that take part in the TEF receive an overall rating as well as two underpinning ratings for the student experience and student outcomes.

The ratings reflect the extent to which a provider delivers an excellent experience and outcomes for its mix of undergraduate students and across the range of its undergraduate courses and subjects.

Angela Foulkes, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, said:

“Achieving a TEF silver rating overall is a fabulous result for the college and our higher education students.

“It demonstrates our commitment to truly transforming lives through learning and is a real credit to the hard work and dedication of our staff.”

• Overall, the college achieved a silver rating which means that the student experience and student outcomes are typically very high quality.

• In addition to the overall rating, the college was awarded an underpinning silver rating for student outcomes, which are typically very high.

• The college also received an underpinning bronze rating for student experience, which means it is typically high quality and there are some very high quality features.

These ratings were awarded in 2023 for four years. The information was published by the Office for Students on 28th September 2023.

A wide range of degree level courses are offered by the college at its university centre – UC Sheffield – based at City Campus and Hillsborough Campus.

These include foundation and honours degrees, higher national certificates and diplomas and higher apprenticeships.

Subjects range from architecture, building and planning, and business and management to computing, education and teaching, and performing arts.

During 2021/22 the college had 350 full-time undergraduates, 140 part-time undergraduates and 120 undergraduate apprenticeships.

Students join university level courses having completed vocational qualifications such as BTECs or a mix of BTECs and an A Level or from completing access or foundation courses.

All of the courses are validated by leading universities including Sheffield Hallam University.

The college also offers higher technical qualifications in computing, construction and health, available at Levels 4 and 5, and which have been developed with employers.

Compared to university settings, college-based higher education students benefit from smaller class sizes, personalised support and lower fees.

Pictured: Higher education students celebrate at the college’s annual graduation ceremony.