Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College has announced that it will add two new courses to its offering in a bid to bridge the gap between learners who want continue in higher education and the rising cost of traditional university fees.

The only college in Birmingham and Solihull rated ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED has announced the addition of two new higher education courses from September 2019; HNC & HND in Healthcare Practice and HNC & HND in Performing Arts. Both courses will be added to the curriculum, alongside the current two higher education courses; the Level 5 Diploma in Education &Training and HNC & HND in Advanced Practice in Early Years Education.

The aim of these new higher education courses is to provide greater opportunities for students to progress to higher level study, at significantly lower fees than those charged by universities. This falls in line with the Department for Education releasing its latest Skills Index results, which sees a drop of over 25 per cent in the last five years. The Index uses increases in earnings attributable to different types of training to estimate a total impact on productivity. Many education experts are backing the importance of providing 18+ year olds with opportunities to continue traditional learning in a more inclusive way.

Commenting on the results and the launch of the two new higher education courses at Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College, Principal Tony Day comments:

“Thanks to the introduction of the new courses, we are now able to continue the Joseph Chamberlain experience beyond our A-level and BTEC offerings, which is great for our students looking for their next step and also those returning to education.

“Our dedication to adult learning continues to grow, with our recent partnership with Midlands Engine Project, which is aimed at mature students in Birmingham who have never received any formal education before; to boost their career prospects, as well as their quality of life. In April, we welcomed a new cohort of adult students who enrolled onto the course.”  

Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College is hosting a Higher Education open evening on Thursday 9 May from 5pm – 7pm. For more details, please click here.