Sunderland College’s Sixth Form celebrates national achievement rate success

Sunderland College, as part of Education Partnership North East, has been named among the country’s top performing for student and apprentice achievement.

The group is ranked third nationally for apprenticeships, and in the top five for 16-18-year-old results in the 2024-25 National Achievement Rates Tables (NARTs) which were published by the Department for Education last week.

EPNE was also ranked as the joint top performing college group in the North East alongside New College Durham.

Continuing to deliver standout performances across priority areas such as digital technologies and engineering, T Levels subjects also excelled, with outstanding pass rates in health and construction courses.

EPNE continues to demonstrate exceptional apprenticeship performance, ranking Top with a 78.9% achievement rate, surpassing the 65.7% national GFE rate.

Construction apprenticeships remain a strength, achieving a 73.3% success rate and significantly outperforming the 60.3% national benchmark – helping to drive growth in one of the region’s most in‑demand sectors.

Business & Administration excelled with an impressive 85.8% achievement rate, well above the 70.3% national rate, reflecting high-quality teaching and strong employer partnerships.

EPNE is also the North East’s top performer in Engineering & Manufacturing, achieving 81.7%, far ahead of the 61.7% national benchmark, and supporting the development of industry-ready engineers and technicians.

Similarly, the group leads the region in Health, Public Services & Care, delivering an 81.3% achievement rate—outperforming the 71.2% national rate and reinforcing the College’s contribution to vital Health, public services and care professions.

The NARTs are one of many summary indicators of performance in apprenticeships and education and training and show the percentage of students that were awarded their qualifications. The national tables rank over 200 sixth forms and colleges.

In addition, EPNE’s apprenticeship provision also demonstrated an exceptional performance, ranking in the top three nationally, particularly in construction, business and administration, and engineering and manufacturing.

Toni Rhodes, EPNE’s Chief Executive, said: “This outstanding achievement reflects the relentless dedication of our staff, the ambition of our learners, and the strength of our partnerships across the region.

“Being recognised as our purpose of creating opportunities and transforming lives through outstanding education, skills and training.

“We are equally proud of the exceptional performance of our apprenticeship provision which has undergone a significant transformation in recent years.

“These milestones are not just a celebration of results, but of the changemaking impact we continue to make in our communities every day.”

This success is another significant milestone in a remarkable place-based and changemaking journey which has seen EPNE grow in reach and scale to unlock potential, create opportunities and transform over 17,000 of lives each year through outstanding education, skills and training.

In recent years EPNE has invested significantly in its campuses through industry standard training facilities and cutting-edge technologies to enhance learning experiences, ensuring learners are well prepared for the world of work, now and into the future.

September 2025 saw EPNE open Sunderland College’s Housing Innovation & Construction Skills Academy (HICSA) in Sunderland, a pioneering training facility which is one of only 10 Construction Technical Excellence College’s (CTECs) in the country.

Rounding off an exceptional academic year, EPNE was also named a Centre of Excellence in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities by the Education Training Foundation, leading on the theme of ‘People’ to empower leaders, managers and practitioners to ensure those with SEND thrive and reach their full potential.