"Newcastle College students deserve the highest standards of teaching and a college that never turns their back on them; a college that isn’t just a course and qualification but one that sees individuality and nurtures it. My time here has given me the opportunity and privilege to meet students and staff from right across the board and I can confidently say the staff at Newcastle College strive to make this happen.
“The College has changed the lives of so many people and continues to do so, including mine. It gave me a second chance at education and allowed me to take that journey in an environment of acceptance and open-mindedness. I started college after redoing a year of school – bored, disengaged and disliking a big part of me. Now looking back, I was entering a new chapter with an education that was personal, delivered in a way that I could understand and be a willing part of.
“Newcastle College started and saw me through the most valuable and fundamental journey. I learned to accept I was gay and then I learned that there’s nothing wrong with that. From that I learned who I really am and that allowed my confidence to prosper. The equal, open-minded, none judgemental heart that the College leads with, is extremely important in allowing our students to truly grow into themselves. I am extremely grateful for this and for my journey, my growth and my progress on a personal level, I hold the most gratitude for Stephen Ferrel, Connie Wilson and Paula Miller. They have seen me throughout college and provided opportunities and taught me valuable skills and lessons without ever knowing.
This is what coming to college can mean to students. The FE sector is not just education; it is a second chance, a flicker of hope when mainstream education has left students behind, a place that can bring back joy and spark to students, no matter their age or the type of person they were before they walked through the college doors.
“FE is does not discriminate; FE is adaptive, responsive, progressive. FE is a life changing journey. Newcastle College is life changing."