New College is a further

Further education

Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...

 and higher education

Higher education

Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...

 institution, founded in 1983 and located in Swindon

Swindon

Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...

, England. The latest (2009) OFSTED report rated the college as good (grade 2) stating that: "This is a good college with outstanding features and good capacity to improve.." and that: "Achievement and standards are good overall. For adult learners on long courses and for pupils aged 14 to 16 on school link programmes they are satisfactory. Learners’ outcomes do not justify the college’s own view that achievement and standards are outstanding". New College is also one of the largest institutions in the country, for around 3,000 16-18 year olds, 1,500 over-19s and 14-16s "enrichment programmes".

Rebuild

In January 2003, 20 years after formation, there was a rebuild of the main site. The new building has a larger library and computing area, darkroom

Darkroom

A darkroom is a room that can be made completely dark to allow the processing of light sensitive photographic materials, including photographic film and photographic paper. Darkrooms have been created and used since the inception of photography in the early 19th century...

, digital darkroom

Digital darkroom

Digital "darkroom" is the hardware, software and techniques used in digital photography that replace the darkroom equivalents, such as enlarging, cropping, dodging and burning, as well as processes that don't have a film equivalent....

, recording studio, 250 seat theatre, textile

Textile

A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...

 labs, more biological

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...

, physical

Physics

Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...

 and chemical

Chemistry

Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

 labs and a large sports centre.

OFSTED

Overall in the 2009 inspection, the college was rated good (grade 2) in achievement and standards and the same in quality of provision and leadership and management. The report also stated that "...pass rates and the achievement of high grades in A levels are in line with the high national average and are good. Pass rates in AS qualifications are broadly in line with the national average. A-level success rates are mostly in line with sixth form college averages but at AS level they are low in comparison. This is as a result of learners withdrawing from part of their programme of study during the year".

Range of Courses

New College is known for its large range of courses offered, with 52 A-Level subjects (including unusual options such as Ceramics

Ceramic art

In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...

, History (Tudors

Tudor dynasty

The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...

 & Stuarts

House of Stuart

The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...

), Archaeology

Archaeology

Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...

 and Environmental Sciences) and a selection of vocational courses.

Criticism

New College has been criticised by staff and students alike for its businesslike "bums-on-seats" attitude to learning. Some parents of students in particular have commented on a lack of organisation with regards to some of the courses.

Prices

Prices of food in the college refectory and additional charges such as cash withdrawals, and extra expediture on course materials, such as printer credits, is deemed too high for the students. New College has relieved some of these costs in recent years (for example, allowing some students of art-based courses to obtain more printer credits for their money).

Over-crowding

Over-crowding within the college was still a major issue in 2005, with a large influx of students attracted by the rebuild. Limited 'free-time' space is limited gathers in places such as stairwells and classrooms. Parking is also difficult. Students and staff were parking in the housing estate opposite the college annoyning residents. Extra parking has been added but many feel is still inadequate.