Author Archives: atomix-admin

Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College Achieves Matrix Standard Accreditation

Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College (part of the Tees Valley Collaborative Trust) has been accredited to the matrix Standard, demonstrating the high quality Information, Advice, and Guidance (IAG) services they provide to their students.

The college, with campuses in Guisborough and Stockton-on-Tees, offers a wide range of courses to both young people and adult learners. With around 1,300 students aged 16-18, adult learners accessing Functional Skills and Learning Support Assistant courses, and a specialised programme for SEND learners, the college plays a pivotal role in the local educational landscape. This matrix assessment covered the work of the Endeavour Faculty, which supports students with Educational Health Care Plans and adult learners, all underpinned by Tees Valley Combined Authority funding.

The matrix Standard is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice, and/or guidance (IAG). Achieving this accreditation highlights the college’s commitment to offering tailored guidance that helps students and learners achieve their educational and career goals.

Roger Chapman, Head of the matrix Service for The Growth Company, said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College, and I would like to congratulate the team on their success. We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service, and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available. The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”

Commenting on the award, Anne Donovan, Head of Lifelong Learning, said:
“We are incredibly proud to have achieved the matrix Standard accreditation. This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff in ensuring that every student receives the best possible guidance and support, tailored to their needs and aspirations. We remain committed to continually improving our services and helping students make informed decisions about their futures.”

For more information about the matrix Standard, please visit www.matrixStandard.com.

Our Bold New Direction Featured in Tees Business

We’re delighted to share that our CEO Nichole Munro was recently featured in Tees Business magazine, reflecting on her first year leading Tees Valley Collaborative Trust and our exciting vision for the future.

In the interview, Nichole emphasises our core message: “People first and quality alongside that.” She outlines how the Trust has undergone important changes to better serve our 2,200 students across Prior Pursglove College, Stockton Sixth Form College, Errington Primary School, and Bishopton pupil referral unit.

This transformative year has seen the implementation of three key strategies focusing on international education, employability and entrepreneurship, and mental health and wellbeing. We’ve appointed dedicated heads of centre for each college to provide focused leadership and invested in mental health support with professional therapists on staff, demonstrating our commitment to student welfare.

The Trust has achieved significant successes, including an impressive 88% destinations rating, surpassing the national average of 83%. Our international outlook continues to expand with planned student visits to Germany and Sri Lanka, while Errington Primary School has been recognised as one of the UK’s top performers for phonics.

Looking ahead, we’re preparing for an exciting rebrand that will reflect our bold new direction. As Nichole shares in the article, “It’s what drives me, change for young people. It’s incumbent on us all to do more for them and we’ve got to do it all with quality.”

You can read the full article in the latest edition of Tees Business magazine.