Students celebrate T level success at Oldham College

Oldham College is celebrating another fantastic set of results that will launch its latest T Level students onto the next stage in their exciting career journeys.

These are only the second-ever set of student results since the college launched these advanced qualifications in September 2021.

As well as an overall 96 per cent pass rate – surpassing the national average of 88.7 per cent – this year’s results contained notable successes.

That included the attainment of 100 per cent passes and 100 per cent high grades (Merit or Distinction) across four subject areas: Education and Early Years; Construction Design, Surveying and Planning; Management and Administration; and Digital Support Services.

T Levels offer learners that do well in their GCSEs a career-focused option aligned to excellence in the future world of work – and most of these students have already secured job offers, apprenticeships or places on higher education courses following completion of their two-year courses.

Simon Jordan, Oldham College Principal and Chief Executive, said: “We’re very proud of the achievements of all our students and it was exciting to see them opening these great results and congratulating each other.”

“This is just our second-ever set of T Level learners, so they are trailblazers as a group but also deserve huge credit as individuals for working so hard to deliver some really inspiring success stories.

“Vocational routes into employment are now better understood and seen much more favourably by learners and parents alike, which has seen us experiencing significant year on year growth in T Level applications.

"These are up for September by almost 60 per cent compared to last year and we’re continuing to expand the range of qualifications on offer.

“Our strong links to employers across all sectors, our expert tutors who have worked in industry and our state-of-the-art facilities all mean Oldham College is uniquely placed to offer local students a T Level pathway to career success.

“I’d like to thank our dedicated staff for their efforts – and all those fantastic employers who provided industry placements that enabled these students to polish their knowledge and skills in real workplaces and get them ‘work ready’.”

Oldham College held a results day breakfast event on campus, with staff on hand to provide advice to students about their next steps.

Amongst those celebrating were Leah Lucas, who got a Distinction in her Business T Level after joining from Droylsden High School.

“I loved the placement aspect of the T Level course”, she said.

“I did mine at Bupa and I feel like that work experience really sets you apart from the crowd.

"I have also received a job offer from them, which is amazing.”

Sophie Cockroft, Joanna Bardsley and Lucy Buckland all studied Health T Levels and celebrated together whilst discussing their future plans.

Sophie got a Merit and starts a paediatric nursing job at North Manchester General Hospital next month with the aim of becoming a full-time nurse within a year.

She then plans to do a degree apprenticeship to become a Trainee Nursing Associate.

Sophie said: “I spent ten weeks on hospital placements and that knowledge also helped me to get work in the care sector whilst studying.

"The first year was hard with a lot of work to do but now I feel like I am moving into my new job with so much experience already – and in a really good position for my career.”

Joanna, a Middleton resident and parent, left a regional Sixth Form college to take the T Level pathway and her Merit grade is a stepping stone towards a future career as a paramedic.

She said: “I would definitely recommend a T Level to anybody.

"I’d describe it as like doing an A Level for theory but also getting reals hands on work experience in placements.

"It was definitely the best decision for me to take”.

Lucy already works in the health sector and will use her T Level to help with career progression when she moves to New Zealand in 2025.

She said: “I think a T Level is more structured and more in-depth than an A Level.

"It allows you to branch out and look at more specialised areas, which gives you more options – and it really worked for me.”

As well as the overall 96 per cent pass rate, more than half of this year’s T Level students (56 per cent) achieved ‘high grades’ of a Merit or Distinction.

Oldham College’s T Level offer has expanded to include new courses in areas including business and administration, legal, finance and accounting since 2021.

Specialist facilities replicating ‘real world’ digital, courtroom, financial trading floor, science, nursery and hospital working environments have all been built for T Level learners in the past two years.

Information about places still available on T Level courses starting this September is on the Oldham College website at: Oldham.ac.uk – plus details about the next Open Day event on Saturday, October 5 (10am-1pm).

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