Proud to be rated Outstanding by Ofsted!

We're thrilled that Sunderland College/Education Partnership North East has been rated Outstanding across all areas by Ofsted, including all campuses, courses and types of provision.

This exceptional recognition is highlights our unwavering commitment to creating an environment where students not only succeed academically but are prepared for bright futures across a range of career paths.

Being rated an important step in our remarkable journey of transformation, which continues beyond Outstanding as we strive for excellence.

What Ofsted said about Sunderland College/Education Partnership North East:

Report quote to be added when received

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What is Ofsted?

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Service's and Skills (Ofsted), are a government department that are responsible for inspection educational organisations and other areas of children's and young people's services. Following inspection, each organisation is giving a rating based on a number of different criteria. An Ofsted rating provides an indication of how the organisation is performing in order to ensure that they meet the the high standards for children's services and fulfil the needs of their students.

What does an Outstanding rating mean for our students?

Being rated Outstanding by Ofsted means that we have been shown to provide an exceptional educational experience and level of care for our students. It also means that our students have demonstrated exceptional standards of behaviour and personal development, highlighting the amazing achievements our our students and staff, and how important it is for us to work together to support our students' futures.

Here’s what Outstanding means for our students at the top performing college group in the North East:

  • Top-rated support for personal development and wellbeing - we pride ourselves on our inclusive, supportive culture where every student is welcomed and encouraged to thrive
  • World-class facilities and industry partnerships - with millions invested, you’ll have access to industry-standard training environments, from engineering and manufacturing to health and digital innovation
  • Real pathways to future careers - whether you’re looking to enter a high-demand field through apprenticeships or seeking an academic path with hands-on experiences, we’ve got you covered. Our programmes are tailored to equip you with the skills and confidence to succeed

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Our journey to Outstanding

2016

  • Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College both receive a 'Good' rating from Ofsted

2017

  • Sunderland College merges with Hartlepool Sixth Form College

2018

  • Northumberland College receive a 'Requires Improvement' rating from Ofsted
  • Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form college report an overall increase in AS and A-Level pass rates (97%)
  • New investments at Hartlepool Sixth Form College, including a state-of-the-art Digital Academy
  • Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) accreditation achieved and launched at Sunderland College Hartlepool Sixth Form College
  • Sunderland College’s Programme Lead for Creative Arts, Jonathan Wharton, is named FE Lecturer of the Year at the Pearson Teaching Awards

2019

  • Sunderland College (and Hartlepool Sixth Form) merges with Northumberland College to form Education Partnership North East (EPNE), with campuses spanning from Northumberland to the Tees Valley, and 20,000+ students
  • Nigel Harrett is appointed as Principal of Northumberland college
  • Hartlepool Sixth Form College achieves an overall A-Level pass rate of 99.1%, with 20 subjects gaining 100% pass rates
  • A state-of-the-art Health Hub opens at Hartlepool Sixth Form College
  • EPNE launches its five-year Strategic Plan to shape the group’s strategic direction and position it as a leading organisation nationally, regionally, and locally
  • EPNE named as finalists in the Association of Colleges Beacon Awards for Education and Guidance
  • Sunderland College named as BTEC College of the Year by Pearson
  • EPNE named as one of 64 Further Education providers – one of only two in the northeast – to offer T Levels, with courses in Digital, Construction and Health & Science launching in 2021
  • NextGen students win the national British Esports Championships

2020

  • Sunderland College is named as a finalist in the Careers and Enterprise Company category at the Association of College (AoC) Awards for its excellent careers education
  • EPNE’s innovative response to the COVID pandemic is praised by ministers. The group also supports local employers and the local community by providing free distance learning courses
  • EPNE launches new professional development framework to support and empower its employees develop their professional skills and knowledge
  • Sunderland College announces significant investment to enhance the learning experience of its students with SEND, improving facilities and resources

2021

  • A purpose-built centre for students with SEND and a bespoke Equine Centre of Excellence open at Northumberland College’s Kirkley Hall Campus as part of a multi-million-pound investment. The development also includes a state-of-the-art Digital Academy and new Health Hub at Ashington Campus
  • Sunderland College receives £3m from the T Level Capital Fund to create a cutting-edge learning environment that will offer ‘unparalleled learning opportunities’ at Bede Campus, including a 360 Immersive Space. The college’s City Campus is also granted £1.5m to develop new hybrid automotive facilities and training suite, a digital engineering hub, and a business management zone
  • Toni Rhodes is appointed as principal of Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form
  • The Department for Education’s Director General visits City Campus
  • Sunderland College secures government funding to open a construction training facility – the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy (HICSA)
  • EPNE forms a new partnership with Ford Next Generation Learning and the North East LEP to drive skills training and connect careers to the curriculum following an exchange visit to Nashville Academies in Tennessee
  • Sunderland College is named as a finalist in the Widening Participation category at the AoC Beacon Awards

2022

  • Education Partnership North East receives ‘Good’ rating for Ofsted – it’s first since the mergers. Ofsted praises the group’s “transformational journey” and “remarkable turnaround” of Northumberland College. Ofsted rates EPNE’s personal development of students as ‘Outstanding’
  • James Stuart is appointed Chair of Governors of EPNE, replacing Rob Lawson
  • Sunderland College and Sunderland City Council submit plans to build HICSA
  • Sunderland College’s 360 immersive space wins Education Project of the Year at the Audio Visual News Awards in Barcelona
  • EPNE is shortlisted for the Social Mobility, Student Experience and Employer Engagement categories of the Educate North Awards
  • Sunderland College announces a unique partnership with the British Esports Association which will support the city in becoming a global hub for Esports
  • Northumberland College announces plans to construct a new state-of-the-art gen zero campus after acquiring land at Wansbeck Business Park
  • Gary Potts is appointed Principal of Northumberland College, replacing the retiring Nigel Harrett
  • Education Partnership North East secures STEM Assured Status from the UK STEM Foundation
  • A Northumberland-led initiative receives significant government funding to reshape technical skills training in the green industries
  • EPNE is shortlisted in the Support for Students (highly commended), Effective Use of Technology (highly commended) and Excellence in Governance categories at the AoC Beacon Awards
  • EPNE launches EPNE Training, a new adult skills training organisation

2023

  • Sunderland College becomes an official training partner of the Retrofit CIC Academy
  • EPNE wins the Business/Industry Collaboration Award at the Educate North Awards for its sector-led approach to supporting skills development
  • EPNE’s colleges are ranked among the country’s best for its further education achievement rates – ranked the top performing college group in the North East and second nationally for student achievement
  • Sunderland College, Nissan, and Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust launch the Nissan Academy for 14-16-year-olds
  • Hartlepool Sixth Form College becomes a National College for Nuclear approved provider – becoming the first college in the region to deliver nuclear skills training
  • EPNE announces further multi-million-pound investments across its colleges, including film media and broadcast, alongside animal management facilities at Bede Campus; new engineering, manufacturing, and tech workshops at Hartlepool Sixth Form College; and automation, robotics, engineering and agritech facilities at Kirkley Hall Campus. Immersive learning spaces are also be installed at Hartlepool and Kirkley Hall
  • A Northumberland College-led skills initiative that will transform skills training in the North East and help local people into jobs receives significant government funding
  • EPNE and Etc. group sign a strategic alliance to incorporate a new approach to ‘place-based’ skills strategy
  • Northumberland College’s Equine Centre hosts a world-first workshop featuring leading experts from across the equine and animal management industries
  • EPNE commits to the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals
  • Sunderland College’s NextGen Skills Academy is named as a finalist at the AIM Empowering Futures Impact Awards
  • Construction work starts on HICSA at Riverside Sunderland
  • Northumberland College submits planning permission for new campus at Wansbeck Business Park
  • Lauren Robinson, Programme Leader for Performance at Sunderland College, wins the Pearson National Teaching Silver Award

2024

  • Toni Rhodes is appointed Deputy Chief Executive of EPNE.  
  • Judith Quinn and Lee Lister become Campus Principals at Northumberland College’s Ashington and Kirkley Hall campuses respectively. 
  • Sonya Anderson (City Campus and HICSA) and Michael Chapman (Bede Campus) joining Sunderland College as Campus Principals. 
  • EPNE receives College of Sanctuary Status – the first college group in the region. 
  • Richard Keirl is appointed EPNE Training’s Managing Director. 
  • EPNE wins National SEND Award for Inclusion in Further and Higher Education. 
  • EPNE named Further Education Provider of the Year for SEND and High Needs at the Nasen Awards. 
  • EPNE wins the Edge Award for Excellence in Real World Learning at the AoC Beacon Awards
  • EPNE agrees a strategic academic partnership with the University of Hull, mirroring a similar validation agreement with the University of Cumbria
  • EPNE wins the Student Experience Award at the Educate North Awards. Strategic Lead for SEND, Peter Monaghan, wins the Leadership and Innovation Award
  • Sunderland College, Gentoo, and Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust launch the Gentoo Trades Academy for 14-16-year-olds.
  • EPNE’s Marketing and CRM team are highly commended at the Further Education First Awards for its student recruitment communication campaign
  • Sally Taylor, Programme Leader for Film & Media at Sunderland College, wins the Pearson National Teaching Silver Award
  • EPNE retains its place as the top performing college group in the northeast for student achievement and is ranked third nationally
  • EPNE receives OUTSTANDING rating from Ofsted!

2025

  • Going beyond Outstanding...

Ofsted have five ratings:

  • Outstanding
  • Good
  • Requires improvement
  • Inadequate

As a college group, we received an Outstanding rating.

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As a college group, our overall inspection outcome was Outstanding.

You can see what ratings we received in the following areas:

  • Behaviour and attitudes of students: Outstanding
  • Personal development of students: Outstanding
  • Education programmes for young people: Outstanding
  • Adult learning programmes: Outstanding
  • Apprenticeship: Outstanding
  • Provision for learners with high needs: Outstanding
  • Leadership and Management: Outstanding

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