Newcastle College - Rye Hill Campus - Newcastle upon Tyne

Suzanne H.

I would strongly discourage adult learners from studying counselling skills (or health and social care) courses at Newcastle College and find a better establishment or local college.

Staff do not challenge discriminatory views or behaviour from students and will actively victimise any student who complains. I was victimised for complaining about very sexist comments from two male students in my Level 3 course. Both course and curriculum leads (female) dismissed my concerns and tried to convince me that adult men saying "women aren't suitable for certain jobs" wasn't even a sexist comment. Seriously?

Following this, Newcastle College victimised me by attempting to withdraw any support, my access to online course materials and tried to prevent me from finishing my Level 3 qualification. Staff refused to answer my emails or communicate with me for months, leaving me to research it all independently.

Eventually, I cited the Equality Act 2010 (which, ironically, they were teaching in class) and threatened legal action. Staff then posted an NCFE certificate dated two days after I fully handed in my coursework. Given there are strict educational internal and external verification practices for NCFE qualifications (which can take up to three months), I suspect this is educational fraud.

Course tutors had no significant experience of counselling or dealing with clients and had only recently passed their qualifications at Newcastle College. Therefore, they lacked real-life counselling experience as a tutor, which is pretty important. In several lessons the tutor couldn't pronounce common three-syllable words (as a native English speaker). However, the Curriculum Lead had found it totally acceptable to make fun of my accent when she taught on my Level 2 qualification.

I have encountered other former students who had similar poor experiences studying their Level 2 Counselling Skills courses and the Adult GCSE Biology qualification too (with terrible organisation and teaching). It's unsurprisingly that these courses are all run and overseen by the same department staff. Newcastle College, you can do much better!

Ellie H.

I would rate 0 stars if i could! I decided to do a fine art degree here after having an excellent experience at Newcastle Sixth Form, i naively thought it would be the same. Over the course of 3 years I received virtually no support from certain tutors. The favouritism was blatant and they never even attempted to hide it. I went through some serious personal issues that did impact my studies. i'm not someone who likes to bring my issues into work/education, so for me to actually go to my tutor and ask for help and support was a big deal to me. i received absolutely no support.

i'm not sure whether this is an art specific issue or is college wide, but my course was severely underfunded. I ended up paying for ALL of my own materials - I would like to know where my £12000 per year went because it certainly wasn't put towards my course. There was never any trips or guest speakers - save for the occasional walk to a local gallery. This didn't bother me until i found out other HE classes were going to London and Berlin FUNDED.

I managed to get my degree, didn't attend graduation as i simply didn't want to. I made the college aware that if they were going to post my degree to me, I was moving house so i provided them with my new address. It has taken until January 2025 to get my degree certificate when i graduated in July 2024. They sent it to my old flat & when i tried to get in touch with someone regarding what to do about this i was met with absolutely no help and eventually they just stopped responding to my emails. I managed to get in touch with the people who now live in my old flat and got them to post my degree cert to me!

in summary, don't waste your time or money here!

Olivia

i would rate 0 stars if i could…
Do not go to this college unless you want to be absolutely messed around with teachers and unsure whether you are coming or going. In 2 years of being at the college i have had teachers well into the double digits (I had signed up to this course getting informed we would be taught by specialists in the subject) this by no means did not happen instead for the first half of year one i had been taught by several agency staff that would last no longer than 2/3 weeks- some who were not even fluent in english?
We were then given a teacher who was brilliant at his job, so supportive and ultimately got me and others to the desired outcome for year one, but then unfortunately left due to personal reasons beyond his control. This shows to me and others an obvious underlying staffing issue which then continued into year two with a teacher handing their notice in half way through the year.
This place is the most unorganised place you could ever go to and you ultimately have to push teachers to do their job of marking and giving feedback on coursework?
I feel that people do not get the time and help needed to get through a (difficult) qualification and others get special treatment. It feels so biased and unfair and at times that you must be different in order to get support and ultimately to even be listened to.
Complaints are also not taken seriously and some teachers make you feel stupid and unthought of. Facilities are dirty and unkept.
The whole college system needs a rejig with staffing and training for staff as well as support for students.
DO NOT FALSE ADVERTISE COURSES!!!

احمد ?.

I came today here to get some information and I got an amazing help from Charlie at the student service many thanks.

nina W.

did my decorating level 1 here from september 2022- June 2023. I had a great time, felt thoroughly supported and felt so comfortable being a female in a male dominated environment. I think the negative view on this college is outdated personally i could not fault it, was genuinely gutted to leave.

Ruby A.

My time on level 3 Foundation Art and Design was a nightmare. Tutor Adelin Clarke's inability to remember names, blatant favouritism, and bad attitude created a toxic environment. Treat me differently from other students, and her indifference made me feel isolated and unsupported. She dismissed any complaints made and the course was poorly run and draining. I wouldn't recommend to anyone. 0 Stars if I could.

Libby H.

this college is terrible, my boyfriend goes to this school and he has to travel to get there every day using his own money. there has been so many days where college has been called off the morning of! do not send your child to this college, it is so unprofessional and unorganised

Imogen R.

i j’adoreeeeee 😍😍😍😘😘😘❤️❤️❤️❤️ (French for love) this collaga guys soo good soo recommend I love teacher I love course I am so good at this it is 1 million percent recommend couldn’t imagine my life wifout dis corse