The South Thames Colleges Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing high quality student support services, meeting all standards following a Matrix Accreditation review held on 28th to 30th November 2022.
The assessor identified a number of strengths during the assessment commenting: “Throughout the year, the level of information, advice and guidance (IAG) and support is maintained by a hugely motivated and committed body of staff within Student Services and Admissions, working collaboratively with an equally dynamic body of academic staff.
“The various teams within Student Services are all actively involved in delivering student inductions to help reinforce the wide range of support available to students. Examples include careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG), bursaries, mental health and counselling, safeguarding and pastoral support. All enrolled students have the opportunity to discuss their needs with a Welfare Adviser. A rolling programme of tutorials on careers is delivered, with a heavy focus on UCAS applications, letters and statements. Open career workshops are offered to students, with 113 workshops being delivered in the last academic year.
“Furthermore, students were highly complimentary and consistently commented that they feel staff go out of their way to help them identify options appropriate to their needs and to support their decision-making, by explaining things in simple terms and helping them to understand the implications for each of the options available. “I liked how they took time to fully understand the problems I was having and what my needs are before they started to give me any advice. That way, I felt that what we talked about really mattered to them and that we would look at things that would help me specifically”. (Learner)
“A Wellbeing Hub has been developed to provide IAG on matters related to mental health, resilience and personal wellbeing. As an indicator of its popularity, this hub has been accessed by 3500 students so far in this academic year.
“For those students seeking to improve their employability skills and opportunities, the Employability Hub carries a wide range of IAG on such matters as CV writing, job search, application letters, careers possibilities and options for next steps, including Apprenticeships and T Levels.
“These approaches have all been well received by the students who commented that they have “been blown away” by the level and extent of the support that has been afforded them, both before and during, their time at college. “… I thought the staff that I saw when I first came to college were really friendly and helpful. That helped to put my mind at ease and I felt I could come to them (Student Services) if I need to know anything, or had any problems. I’m quite a nervous person and that was really useful”.
Group Principal and CEO, Peter Mayhew-Smith, said: “We have proudly achieved Matrix Accreditation again, which is a welcome recognition of the great work done by our Guidance and Admissions team. They ensure our students are given considered and careful advice to help them find their way through our huge array of courses, always looking for the right outcome for people joining our Colleges. It’s a terrific recognition of the dedication and commitment of our staff and their endless professionalism.”
Vice Principal - Student Services, David Williamson, said: "I am really pleased that all the great work we do has been recognised by the matrix Standard. Moving forward we remain as committed as ever to looking for ways to develop and improve our advice and support service."
The Group’s Student Services and Admissions departments operate across all four sites, with specialist teams focussed on supporting students with their enrolment and admissions, careers guidance, safeguarding and bursary guidance. The department also takes responsibility for managing approaches linked to ‘student voice’, for example through student feedback surveys and the Student Council and providing students with programmes for enrichment, for example, with their online safety, progression routes and personal health and wellbeing.
The Matrix Standard is owned by the Department for Education and was launched in 2002. It is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and/or guidance to clients either as their sole purpose or as part of their wider service offer.
For more information about the Matrix Standard please visit www.matrixStandard.com.
