ACADEMIC standards and learning opportunities at Bridgwater College have been given the thumbs-up following a review.

A team from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education visited the college earlier this year and has now published its findings.

It highlighted examples of good practice, including the way employability was embedded into the curriculum, and the clear and comprehensive information available to prospective students on employment opportunities relevant to their programmes.

It also praised the college’s integrated approach to transition, from entry to higher education through to further study and employment, and the college’s engagement with employers, including workbased learning.

The review also made some recommendations for improvements including procedures for the return of assessed work and the approach to sharing external examiner reports with students.

Jenny Ashworth, head of academic partnerships and marketing at Bridgwater College, said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of our Higher Education Review, particularly with the emphasis placed on our employer engagement activities and the employability of our graduates.

“A significant amount of work by staff and students at the college has contributed to this and is reflective of the high academic standards and experience our higher education students receive.

“We welcome the recommendations by the review team and will be focusing on completing actions against those to further enhance our provision.”

The successful review means Bridgwater College can display the QAA Quality Mark, indicating to UK and international students that it meets national requirements for standards and quality.

The review team included Dr Glenn Barr, Dr Mary Meldrum (Manchester Metropolitan University), Dr Christopher Stevens (Canterbury Christ Church) and Kanyanut Ndubuokwu (a student at Goldsmith International Business School).