Quality Mark For The Sheffield College - International

The Sheffield College has received a national quality assurance mark following an independent inspection of its English language provision for international students.

The British Council’s Accreditation UK is a quality assurance scheme for schools, colleges, and universities offering English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses.

The Sheffield College has also been named as a Centre of Excellence by the English Language (EL) Gazette. To receive the EL Gazette endorsement, the College has to be among the top 100 British Council accredited centres out of 600. The College currently ranks as among the top five further education colleges nationally and is positioned within the top 5%.

The Sheffield College - International attracts more than 300 students from 40 countries every year. The British Council report noted strengths in nine areas at the College:

• Staff management
• Student administration
• Quality assurance
• Premises and facilities
• Learning resources
• Course design
• Learner management
• Care of students
• Leisure opportunities 

Bill Jones, Executive Director of Student Experience, The Sheffield College, said: “We are delighted to receive such a strong endorsement of our provision for international students, underlining our commitment to providing the highest possible standard of student experience.”

He added: “International students make a valuable contribution to life at the College and greatly enrich its culture. They also bring economic benefits to the City Region and this excellent report will allow us to continue to bring students from around the world to Sheffield.”

No areas were deemed to require improvement. For more information on courses or becoming a host family to an international student, email international.office@sheffcol.ac.uk. Call 0114 2602600.

The British Council - the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities - renewed its Accreditation UK of the College last month, following a two-day inspection in October 2014. 

Its accreditation scheme gives an assurance of quality to international students who are taking or are planning to take an English language course in the UK.

Inspectors asses the standards of management, resources and premises, teaching, welfare and care of young people aged under 18 and accredit organisations which meet the overall standard in each area inspected.

The Sheffield College – International offers a range of provision to overseas learners that include English courses as well as academic and vocational qualifications such as A Levels, diplomas and foundation degrees. 

The College – which is Ofsted graded ‘Good’ – delivers academic, vocational and professional qualifications to 20,000 young people and adults a year across its five main sites.