Education Training Collective celebrates “exceptional growth” in Year 12 student numbers

A bumper turnout of new recruits is making it a record year for school leavers choosing to study at the Education Training Collective (Etc.).

The Teesside-based college group is seeing a surge in the number of first year learners enrolling at their campuses, with one site noting a massive 65% increase in 16-year-old students.

The “exceptional growth” at NETA Training, the group’s engineering training arm, comes as the Etc. prepares to launch its brand new £14.7m training centre in Thornaby.

But with growth in first year numbers across all sites, Etc. chief executive and group principal Grant Glendinning said: “This is recognition of all the hard work and effort that goes in to providing colleges that truly deliver for our learners.

“Across the group, we have continued to invest in amazing learning spaces with exceptional facilities, where students have the best opportunity to excel in their studies and prepare for future careers.

“But beyond that, it is about recognising every student as an individual and providing them with the support, skills, confidence and opportunities they need to thrive.”

Rated outstanding in Ofsted’s latest report in 2025, the Etc. incorporates Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College, Stockton Riverside College and professional services provider, Innersummit.

Increases in the number of first year students enrolling at the four Etc. college campuses have exceeded local demographic growth.

At Bede Sixth Form College in Billingham, first year student recruitment is 21 percentage points higher than the 6.6% increase in the local school leaver population.

This follows a summer that saw the sixth form college celebrate a 99% A level pass rate, with 100% success in 16 A levels and 13 vocational subjects.

Bede now has the largest amount of A level entries in Stockton-on-Tees and the strongest best three A level performance in the borough.

Recent developments at Redcar and Cleveland College have seen further opportunities open-up to talented young athletes with the growth of the group’s Institute of Sport and Education (ISE) bringing its sport academies to Redcar.

The college is also forging closer ties with NETA Training to further drive and enhance its engineering provision for school leavers, adult learners and commercial delegates. This includes brand-new A level pathways for students aged 16 to 18.

Student recruitment growth for new starters at Redcar and Cleveland College is almost four times the rate of demographic growth.

Stockton Riverside College, where investment in recent years has seen the development of career-focused teaching and learning spaces that replicate the work environment, has maintained its performance in a growing catchment area.

The latest development for the group, the new NETA Training centre in Thornaby, will open its doors to students and delegates later this year.

It was made possible with an investment of £4.5 million through the Thornaby Town Deal Board delivered in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.

The centre is one of the priority interventions set to bring long-term change and investment to Thornaby as part of its Town Deal. Government support and funding was also secured from the Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Grant said: “We are an outstanding college group with some of the highest outcomes for colleges nationally. We have exceptional teaching professionals that deliver amazing learning for our students, and all of this means we have a lot to share.”

Now looking to the year ahead, he added: “Our aim is to create opportunities that will build successful futures for learners, open access to opportunity and connect education, skills and industry to support growth and, working with regional partners, create pathways that reflect the future economy of the Tees Valley.”