Age 16-18
New City College has been officially graded as Outstanding by Ofsted – the highest possible accolade that can be achieved following an inspection.
The college, with campuses in Epping Forest, Hackney, Havering, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets, is the largest college in the country to have been awarded this status.
A team of 18 Inspectors spoke to hundreds of students, staff and apprentices and observed a significant number of lessons and activities at every campus during their week-long visit in March 2025 – and they were very impressed with what they heard and saw.
NCC was commended for its high-quality curriculum, expert teaching, exceptional achievement and wide range of education programmes for young people, apprentices, adults, disadvantaged learners and those with high needs.
The Inspection team also approached and visited numerous employers and external community venues to piece together their findings, which were published on May 1, 2025.
Inclusive atmosphere
They gave consistently positive feedback across every aspect of New City College’s work, praising the ambitious and successful culture, the innovative learning opportunities, the extensive support given to students for their mental and physical well-being, the inclusive atmosphere and respect students have towards each other and their teachers, and the inspirational leadership that drives improvements across the group.
The part that NCC plays in its local communities was also mentioned with Inspectors stating that the college offers, “a wide range of accessible, innovative and challenging learning opportunities for local communities in east London and Essex”.
The following extracts from the report epitomise NCC’s journey of growth and quality improvement:
- “Students find their studies demanding and highly rewarding. Teachers, who are subject experts, teach the curriculum exceptionally well so that learners and apprentices quickly develop a wide range of knowledge, skills and behaviours. This helps them succeed in their courses and progress to their next steps.”
- “Students thrive while learning in diverse communities across all campuses. They have a sound understanding of each other’s differences and celebrate their varied backgrounds, creating a dynamic learning environment… They demonstrate high levels of mutual respect towards each other and their teachers.”
- “Staff support and challenge learners and apprentices to achieve well, whatever their starting points. Most students make significant progress in their studies and achieve highly.”
The report recognises the work that the college has carried out over the last few years, stating: “Since the previous inspection, leaders, managers and staff have worked relentlessly to improve the quality of education. They have successfully implemented rigorous quality assurance processes across campuses, to ensure consistency in the quality of teaching. This has resulted in year-on-year improvements in learners’ experiences and outcomes.”
The provision for adult learners was also mentioned for its flexible study opportunities that allow students to “gain qualifications and make valuable contributions to their local communities.” Inspectors also noted that “a high proportion of [unemployed adult] learners gain jobs on completion of their courses”.
Staff were recognised for setting high expectations of attendance and punctuality, for enriching students’ experiences with a programme of exceptional extracurricular activities, and for providing ‘high-quality careers advice’ that prepares learners for university, apprenticeships or employment.
Immensely proud
New City College Group Principal and CEO, Gerry McDonald CBE, commented: “I am immensely proud of the New City College staff team who are rightly recognised in this report. And, of course, enormously proud of our students who showcased to the Ofsted team their skills and determination to succeed whilst, importantly, supporting and respecting each other in all that they do.”
New City College has been formed over the last nine years resulting from a series of mergers of previously standalone colleges – Tower Hamlets College, Hackney Community College, Redbridge College, Epping Forest College, Havering Sixth Form College, Havering College of Further and Higher Education and BSix Sixth Form College. It now has 10 local campuses and supports almost 20,000 students each year.
Students include school leavers taking A Levels or vocational qualifications, adults developing skills for work and life, higher education students, SEND students and apprentices. The college also has a small provision for 14-16 year-olds.
Find out from our students and staff what it is like to study and work at an Outstanding college.
