Walsall College has been named 4th for Student Satisfaction, amongst institutions in the UK offering higher education provision, following the National Student Survey (NSS) 2015. The results from the latest National Student Survey reveal that 96% of higher education students at Walsall College were satisfied with their courses in 2015, far exceeding the national average of 86% for all institutions this year.

The NSS is a high-profile census of nearly half a million students across the UK, which has been conducted annually since 2005. Aimed at mainly final-year undergraduates, it gathers opinions from students about their experience of their courses. It is an influential source of public information about higher education and gives students a powerful collective voice to help shape the future of their course and their university or college.

Further highlights from the survey include the quality of academic support at an outstanding 99% while personal development was rated 97% and communication skills 100%. The exemplary results help ensure Walsall College graduates are best placed to secure their dream jobs in the future.  

The college started offering full degree level courses for the first time in its history last year, and with an outstanding achievement rate of 97%, together with smaller class sizes and lower course fees than universities, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice for students studying at higher education level.

One student said: “My overall time at Walsall College has been a very good experience for me. I have developed greatly both mentally and physically and the course has made me ready for work outside of education.”

Another added: “There is a small group of students in each class which allows you to have more one-to-ones with tutors to check understanding and enhance learning. Compared to uni the course fees are appealing.”

June Morrow, Walsall College’s Director of Student Journey, said: “Students are at the heart of everything we do at the college, so we are delighted that satisfaction levels are so high and that students feel our higher education courses offer them exceptional value for their money.

“Our qualifications are all about preparing people for the real world. We know what employers want from our graduates and we use our close links with industry to make sure that’s precisely what we give them. With the cost of university still on the rise, studying locally has become more of an attractive option and our small classes and personalised tuition appeal to students of all ages.”

Walsall College’s score is higher than the UK’s top rated university, Keele, which received 95%.