The Grimsby Institute celebrates silver accreditation success

The TEC Partnership is delighted to announce that we have been awarded a ‘Silver’ accreditation in this year’s national Teaching Excellence Framework awards. The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national benchmarking system for providers of higher education based on several indicators of quality which provides prospective students with a guide to the overall success of their chosen university.

These include the value placed on teaching and how this is informed by new ideas and research, the standard of learning resources, support for students and how well students are engaged in their learning journey. There is also a considerable emphasis on data such as the number of students who stay and complete, the levels of degree grades that are awarded and also the percentage of students who progress into employment and further study after graduation.

The final decision on the grade is made by a panel of higher education experts and their feedback this year was particularly complimentary about the way in which the Institute promoted the “sustained employment opportunities for graduates.” The responses of current students to a national survey are also used in the judgement.

This year’s award reflects the considerable work and investment that the Institute has committed to ensure that students, many of whom come from deprived or disadvantaged start points, have access to study locally in an environment that meets their needs and aspirations. In the feedback received today, assessors of the award highlighted the way in which course design and assessment practices provide for “high levels of stretch in order to ensure all students are significantly challenged”.

The staff at the college are dedicated to ensuring that students have tailored encouragement to reach their goals and the TEF panel were particularly impressed by the college’s “strategic approach to the personalised support of students, resulting in high levels of engagement and commitment to learning and study”.

Claire Foster, Vice Principal at the Grimsby Institute, said: “We are so thrilled to be recognised nationally as a provider of excellence in degree-level study to match our ‘outstanding’ reputation in further education. For the people of North East Lincolnshire and beyond this is a significant achievement. I am extremely proud to work at a college that is so committed to working collaboratively with students to positively impact on the lives of individuals and the communities that we serve.”

Gill Alton, CEO of the TEC Partnership said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the Grimsby institute Group has achieved TEF silver in recognition of the high quality programmes on offer. It is also testimony to our talented staff who work tirelessly to provide an outstanding higher education experience for our students.”