‘We’ve never seen anything like it. Other Colleges just don’t do this.’

Independent assessors lavish praise on @BurnleyCollege’s ‘highly impressive’ Student Services team

National inspectors have praised Burnley College’s Student Services team for its exceptional performance and doing the things “other colleges just don’t do.”

Burnley College achieved top marks following the assessment by inspectors for the Department for Education Matrix Standard, the international quality standard for organisations that deliver advice and guidance to students.

Positive feedback from Burnley students themselves also helped the award-winning East Lancashire college student services team achieve the ‘highly impressive’ rating, following the recent review.

One student said: “As I walk into the college, the Student Services team is right there. It is really at the heart of everything.”

Another added: “I really value the service. The team is so skilled, and they are so calm and patient. They always listen to what I have to say.”

Matrix Standard inspectors rated Burnley College’s friendly and approachable Student Services team as “Highly impressive”, further praising the college team for providing a fully-rounded experience for students.

The Student Services desk sits in the main atrium of the college, where students are encouraged to take part in a number of activities designed to improve their education experience.

The inspection report singled out multiple strengths, including how students are empowered to make informed decisions on their future, and the range and quality of extra curricular activities on offer.

Regular activities that take place at the Student Services area were also praised by inspectors, who said: “We’ve never seen anything like it. Other colleges just don’t do that.”

Burnley College was also commended for their commitment to widening access to Student Services and encouraging participation from their learners.

Their feedback system, which uses real-life student experiences to further inform the Student Services department, was praised for increasing the quality and utility of guidance and advice on offer.

Burnley College Principal Karen Buchanan is understandably delighted at the findings from the Department for Education Matrix Standard report.

She said: “I could not be more proud of our college, our Student Services Team and the outstanding work and contributions that our college makes to ensure our students are supported, motivated and challenged to be their very best.

“Without the  hard work and dedication of our college team, we would not be able to build the futures and change the lives of so many people.” 

Head of Student Services Paul Whittaker also expressed pride in his dedicated team.

He said: “Every single day they impress me with their passion, their dedication and their commitment to ensuring every student on campus gets access to the training, the support and the opportunities to which they are entitled.

“When our students work as hard as they do to get the results which make us so proud as a college, they deserve a team of people who will work just as hard to give them that added value, those special moments in their college life, that support, that guidance and that friendly welcome for as long as they are here.”