NSCG saw a summer of campus improvements totalling over £10 million

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) campuses benefitted from significant investment this summer, in preparation to welcome a record breaking number of students through their doors. The Newcastle College campus has welcomed the completion of a two-storey, purpose built Technical Excellence Centre, which was driven by increased demand for the recently introduced T Level courses. Providing both T Level and Sports learners with an innovative and flexible learning environment reflective of modern workplaces, the Centre contains highly specified technology used in architecture, engineering and construction.

As part of this £8m development, the College has also built a new state-of-the-art Sports Hall which also contains a viewing gallery and 2 further classrooms.

In addition to the new indoor sports facilities, an impressive Sport England 3G pitch has been installed, including LED floodlights, spectator area, and new perimeter fencing. These will accommodate a number of sports, and will be used by the NSCG Academy of Sport and Andy Griffin Football Academy. Changes at the Stafford campus included new classrooms in the Riverbank building, worth around £200,000. This gives students and staff access to new furniture and technology, including state-of-the-art smartboards. Money has also been spent on classroom upgrades within the Grade II listed Tenterbanks building, installation of CCTV and security measures at the Construction Plant Centre and additional facilities for the Student Services department including a private, sound proofed interview pod. This goes alongside the ongoing development of the £22.5m Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology (SoTSIoT) which is underway in Stafford.

Led by Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG), the SoTSIoT brings together a number of colleges and employers in the region, including Keele University, Burton and South Derbyshire College and Axia Solutions.

The SoTSIoT Hub will offer industry-standard facilities for the benefit of Higher Education students, including Apprentices and will offer programmes in engineering and manufacturing, modern methods of construction, health sciences and digital.

Other developments across the NSCG sites include: an additional dining servery, a health lab room, auditorium renovations, new security barriers, landscaping, replacement furniture, various painting projects, carpet replacement and air conditioning upgrades. Debbie Torjussen, Director of Finance and Corporate Services at NSCG said: “The College has completed an extensive programme over the summer period. We are delighted with the new Technical Excellence Centre and the Sports Hall building which has views over our amazing new 3G pitch.

“The enhancements we have made both with this major capital project and other upgrades across both campuses have created additional space for our increase in students and reflect our ongoing ambition to ensure quality facilities for our students across all areas.”