More than five hundred young people who struggled at school with English or maths or both, have achieved their GCSEs at Milton Keynes College, all scoring grade four or above, the equivalent of the old C grade.

MK College Group’s Executive Principal, Mark Fell, says, “These young people deserve massive congratulations for what they’ve achieved.  The exams they’ve passed are vital to their future careers, and will open so many doors for them.  Many of them came to us lacking confidence in their own abilities after a difficult experience of English and maths GCSEs at school, so for them to bounce back like this is truly admirable.  We’re seeing an increasing number of young people needing support with their English and maths GCSEs, and we’re delighted that we’re able to help our learners get the job done and take the next steps for their studies and future careers.”

“The results are also testament to the hard work and dedication of our teaching staff who’ve supported these young people to this great success.”

The College Group also achieved more than90% in the Department for Education’s “achievement rate,” which records all those who gained a GCSE at any grade—well above the national average (for resit exams).  English saw a very positive 7% increase in high grades (4–9), compared to last year, and a 14% higher proportion of Milton Keynes College students retaking the exam achieved grades 4 – 9 than the national average.  Maths results are in line with 2024 and consistent with the national average.

Tyler Watt, who is currently studying Uniformed Public Services at the College said, “I received a grade 4 in both English and maths, which is great.  That means I can go to the next stage of my course now and hopefully achieve my dream of joining the police after that.”

Tyler’s mum Hayley added, “It’s brilliant that Tyler received the grades he needs; he’s been through a lot of studying and it’s fantastic that he’s got there now.”

Augustina Wireko also achieved grade 4 in both English and maths.  A thrilled Augustina said: “I didn’t expect to achieve grade 4 today, but I’m so happy that I did it. This means that I can go on to study Health and Social Care at the College, and I’m really excited!”

Mark Fell adds, “These results show what’s possible when belief, structure, and support come together.  We’re seeing students grow in confidence, overcome barriers, and achieve qualifications that will shape their futures.  It’s a collective effort—from learners, teachers, and support teams—and we’re proud to be part of their success.”

Sally Alexander, CEO and Group Principal at MK College Group added, “We’re very proud of our learners who have achieved great results in their English and maths resits today, as well as those who have received their BTeC Level 2 grades.”

“Today is also about us reaching out to the young people in Milton Keynes who are receiving their GCSE results today.  From today at 1pm until Friday 29^th August, we’re holding our advisory days where young people can come in to talk to us about their results and their ambitions for their studies and careers.  Our staff are on hand to talk you through your options and find the best course to support you in reaching you goals, so visit our website and book your appointment today.”

Anyone wanting to come along to an advisory day at MK College should visit the website to make an appointment: Advisory Days – MK College

Allie Le, People and Culture Manager at F&F Stores Ltd, says that the company’s partnership with MK College is helping them build future talent and deliver it social responsibility goals.

Founded in 2015, F&F Stores is a rapidly expanding E-commerce business based in Milton Keynes. Allie explains that the company started working with MK College just over 12 months ago.

“I arranged a meeting with MK College and it was so valuable for us. After that meeting, we organised an in-house Multiply maths training course to support our warehouse team. Multiply is a government-funded programme that helps adults improve their numeracy skills. Many of our team members don’t hold formal qualifications, so this training was particularly useful given their work with stock inventory. The feedback on the tutors was that they were very supportive.”

The company has since gone on to offer industry placements to T Level students. “We’ve had three T Level students join us since September last year, in different departments. After their 45-day placements with us, we received lots of good feedback from our managers.”

Allie highlights several key benefits to the partnership with MK College. “Firstly it’s an opportunity to enhance our visibility in the community and with young talent for the future,” she said. “Secondly, it benefits our existing employees through training and apprenticeships. Finally it’s about social responsibility – we want to support the community, and we’re especially passionate about working with MK College to give students work experience. It’s often difficult for young people to get these kinds of opportunities.”

When asked why they chose to partner with MK College, Allie said: “There are two main reasons – one is location, but the other is the support and responsiveness of the college. They are very proactive in contacting employers to create opportunities for students. I’ve visited the campus many times and it’s very inspiring. We’re pleased to play a small part in supporting students and the college on this journey.”

“We recently got involved by sponsoring MK College’s 2025 Student of the Year Award for English and Maths, which was a brilliant way to show our support for education and young talent. We really enjoyed the recent employer showcase too – it was a great reminder of how businesses like ours can help young people get started in their careers. Doing things like this is part of how we show our commitment to the local community, and it feels genuinely meaningful for everyone involved.”

The business also supports apprenticeships. “We have an apprentice working with us as an accounts assistant, studying and working at the same time. In just over a year, I’ve seen the benefits of this partnership.”

The company is also exploring new ways to support a diverse range of learners. “We’re now running another placement with a student who has additional learning needs as a trial, and in the future, we’d like to expand this.”

Reflecting on their experience with MK College she added: “It’s all gone well – fantastic! The college responds very quickly to any questions we have. If any issues come up, we can sort them out together. They’re always supportive.”

When asked what advice she would give to other employers considering working with MK College, Allie said: “Working with a local college is very beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses. We don’t have a big budget, so the partnership is very helpful for both sides. For us, we’ve chosen this path and we believe it works. Just start with a conversation with the employer engagement team – see what opportunities they can offer.”

To find out more about offering work placements through MK College, contact the Work Experience Team at: workexperienceteam@mkcollege.ac.uk

 Hello! Who are you and what are you studying? 

Hi! I’m Marcia-Belle and I’m studying a Construction T Level in Design, Planning and Surveying. I’m in my second and final year of my studies. 

What motivated you to choose your course? 

I did a Construction GCSE, so I got into it through there; we had workshops, did woodwork, designs, planning and online work. My grandad also works in the construction industry, so throughout my life I would learn bits and pieces from him; my dad came here and studied some of the construction courses as well, so my family and school got me into it. 

How are you finding your studies and do you feel like you’ve made the right decision with your course? 

100% I’ve made the right choice with my course. I love it and I’ve really learned so much, but it’s the people that are the best thing about the course. It’s a very small class – only 11 of us – and we’ve all become very close, and I really do treasure the people in my class. 

Where did you do your work placement and how did you find it? 

I am doing my placement with WJ Construction where I work once a week. I do a lot of shadowing and I’ve done a lot of work with their sustainability team because that’s what I’m really interested in. 

I really enjoy it because it gives a proper real-life experience of working in a company. When I joined, they said they wanted to allow me to try a bit of everything, which I’ve managed to do. I’ve really been accepted into the company culture too. 

Have you encountered any challenge at your workplace and how did you overcome them? 

I think my biggest challenge has been opening up to new people. I’m one of the first student placements they’ve taken on, so it’s been a lot of adjustment for myself and the company. Meeting all the new people and trying to impress them because they’ve been doing their job for years and I’m obviously very new. 

But I think that’s also one of the best parts because you’re the new face and you get to have a fresh impression for everyone – and you can ask a lot of questions!

What are your highlights from your time at the College?        

There are many! I’d definitely say one highlight has been my sustainability work with the College – I’m in the Student Sustainability Committee and I took part in the Planet Earth Games and won the student prize at MK College, which was exciting. Student of the Year is another one of my top highlights – the event was the greatest thing ever and I loved how student-run it was with the Catering students working there. 

I also met my best friend in College. I think the College is a great place for making friends because it’s a very non-judgmental place. One thing I love about the college culture is how people express themselves with how they dress. 

I like being more independent with my work and I’d say the highlight of the College has been the independence in how you produce your work – you can take your own lead on it. 

Have you done other courses at the College as well? 

Yes! I participated in the “Embedding Sustainable Procurement” online class, which was part of the Planet Earth Games – I somehow managed to convince my class to come to it with me! It was really nice to share my interests with the class. 

I also did a Retrofit course, which is about how you can better old buildings. 

What are your future career aspirations? What are your plans for achieving them? 

I’ve signed up for the HNC in Construction next year which would be good because it’s one day a week and the rest of the time I would be working. I’m planning on taking the Sustainability online course as well. 

I really would love to create something as well; one of my biggest dreams is to create my own company and I’m hoping to work with a company that would give me the experience for starting my own business.

What advice would you give to someone applying for your course at Milton Keynes College today? 

I really do recommend my course, especially for those who want to go into the construction industry but aren’t sure which section of it. The College is a great opportunity to try a bit of everything. 

I’d say don’t stress it too much. I feel like for a lot of people who join the College, it’s the only thing on their minds. Do think about how much other stuff you can enjoy while you’re here, the people and the experiences. Do the work but also make time for doing what makes you happy. Have fun with it as well!

To learn more about the T Level in Construction (Design, Surveying and Planning) at Milton Keynes College, read more here and to see our full T Level offering read more here.

109 learners from Milton Keynes College received their T Level results today. Results were positive, with Construction, Early Years Education and Assisting Teaching (a new course to the College this year) performing particularly well. 

The College also offers T Levels in areas including Business Support, Cyber Security and Laboratory Science. T Levels are a two year qualification that are a technical alternative to A Levels, bringing together classroom learning and an extended industry placement where employers help design the course. After completing T Levels, students can go on to university, additional training such as an apprenticeship or directly into employment.  

BTEC students also received their results today. BTECs are specialist work-related qualifications designed for young people interested in a particular industry or sector and can lead to employment, further study or apprenticeships. 

Fabian Pancu, a student who achieved a Distinction in Construction T Level today, said: “The course has changed my perspective on construction in a really positive way. It surprised me how much other subjects link into it as well, such as science and maths. I’m really happy that I achieved a distinction and in September I’ll be going to Kingston University to study Architecture”. 

Fellow Construction T Level student Marcia-Belle Barnes achieved a merit today and added: “I really enjoyed learning all about the different elements and aspects of construction. I did my placement with WJ Construction and it was fantastic. I’ll be taking a gap year and then coming back to the College to study for a HNC in construction, or potentially going straight into a full time role in construction”. 

Simon Eko, Course Team Leader for Professional Construction at Milton Keynes College, commented: “We’ve had fantastic results today, all the second year Construction T Level students received merits and distinctions, they’re all very happy. 

“We’re very proud that all of our 42 T Level Construction students will be going onto university, apprenticeships or full time employment. Lots of the students’ employers from their placements want to carry on employing them, which shows just how well they’ve done during their placements and courses. It’s been another successful year for us, we’re very proud of our learners and everything they’ve achieved.” 

Sally Alexander, CEO and Group Principal of Milton Keynes College Group, says, “We are all very proud of our students receiving their T Level results today, and of the tutors who have supported them in their studies. T Level courses have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give learners the knowledge and skills they need, producing the next wave of highly skilled, work-ready graduates and the industries they will work in. We are confident that whatever option they choose next, our T Level students will have successful and promising futures ahead of them. Here to support students. 

“We’ve also had a positive first year of our new A Level provision and are looking forward to first full cohort of learners receiving their results this time next year.” 

To find out more about T Levels at Milton Keynes College, visit https://mkcollege.ac.uk/school-leavers/t-levels/ 

If you’re receiving your GCSE results this year and want to study a BTEC, T Level, A Levels or an apprenticeship at MK College, you can visit our advisory days between Thursday 21^st and Friday 29^th August. To find out more and book an appointment visit Advisory Days – MK College

Curious about what it’s like to do a placement while studying at Milton Keynes College? We spoke to Boma, a current student at the College studying a T Level in Digital Production, Design & Development. Read more to discover what the life of a T Level student looks like and what he learned along the way, with insights and tips for college life.

Hello! Who are you and what are you studying?

Hi there! I’m Boma and I’m a student at Milton Keynes College Bletchley campus, studying a T Level in Digital Production, Design & Development. I’m in the second year of my course.

What made you choose your course?

I’ve always wanted to be a web developer. I’m now applying to go into AI and software, and I saw this course as a good start. My dad used to be a big tech guy, so he wanted me to be able to do the tech stuff, since tech is all about the future now. He encouraged me to do it and gave me lessons, which gave me the courage to be able to choose the course I’m in now.

How are you finding your studies?

Very good and nurturing. The teachers always ask questions about how the students are doing with the course and give advice. They are also very friendly and caring; they take their time to make sure you understand the task before you carry on. It’s very intuitive on my side. I feel like I’ve made the right decision with the course.

What work placement did you do and how did you find it?

I did my work placement with the Bedford Modern School. I enjoyed it, I was an IT Support Technician Assistant at the school. I’m now done with my placement and looking forward to getting a job with the certificate that I get from this course.

Can you describe what a typical workday at your placement looks like?

My job was managing accounts and helping people with IT equipment on how to use them properly. Considering that it’s a school, there are a lot of IT problems, like network connections, laptops breaking down or various equipment shortages.

Did you encounter any obstacles? How did you overcome them?

Most of it was smooth sailing but if not for the staff who taught me what to do, it would be very difficult. My most difficult situation was trying to access the accounts and make changes to them because when people get logged out of their accounts, they need someone from the administration to open them up – when most of your staff members are busy, this becomes hard to do yourself.

What are some highlights from your time at the College?

I went to a table tennis tournament in Norwich once. I was able to make friends with a sports coach, talk about various sports and have other friendly conversations.

I’ve also met a couple other people from my country as well as made friends with people outside my country. It breaks a very strong cultural barrier around here, so being able to meet new people and build good relationships – that’s very nice here.

How do you find social life at the College?

I’ve found a couple new friends while studying here. Considering that I came in and I wasn’t a very talkative person, I’ve now found people I’m able to relate to and have some good conversations with.

Do you participate in any extracurricular activities at the college, and what hobbies do you enjoy outside of college?

I’m mostly active with just the course alone, but I’ve participated some events to improve my communication skills and increase my experience and confidence with the course. Outside of College, I like to play basketball and I go out for jogging and walks. I also ride my bike with some friends from the College.

What are your future career aspirations? What are your plans for achieving them?

I would like to become a web designer or developer, with a bit of focus on front-end or back-end of websites. If not, with the experience that I’ve gained from the work placement with the Bedford Modern School, I would like to go into IT support.

I’m planning on studying the Level 4 course for HNC degree in AI and Software, which I’m starting in September. I’d also like to take an apprenticeship after that or get a good job.

What advice would you give to someone applying for your course at MK College today?

There are two categories here. For someone who is used to web development and design, it would be good to start this course when you’re done with your secondary school or sixth form.

For someone who is new to digital society, it would be very advisable to take on multiple projects and always ask questions, because nobody can do it on their own. Coding is very broad, and you can get lost in any coding language that you choose – always seek help from your teachers or use online resources for guidance.

Try to be happy while learning because it’s very difficult to learn when you’re in a down or bad mood – you tend to focus on what’s wrong with what you’re doing. Be sure to always encourage yourself and be happy with what you’ve chosen to do. And if you find that you aren’t really doing well with the course, then be sure to let your teachers know so that they can give you the best advice on what to do next.

To learn more about T levels at Milton Keynes College, read more here.

Getting involved in sports at MK College offers much more than just staying active – it’s about improving skills, creating lasting friendships, and discovering new opportunities. We sat down with Edward Lamb, Sports Development Manager at the College, to discuss how students can get involved in a wide range of sporting activities, from casual ‘turn up and play’ sessions to competitive team sports. With options for coaching qualifications, inter-college competitions, and even a new Esports Club, MK College has something for every level of interest and ability.

Q: What does your role as Sports Development Manager at MK College entail?

A: My main goal is to get students involved in sports, whether it’s through playing, officiating, or organising events. I handle everything from running tournaments to coordinating funding bids, organising training, and referring students to relevant courses. Ultimately, I want to create more opportunities for students and staff to participate in sports.

Q: What sports opportunities are available for students?

A: We offer ‘turn up and play’ sessions that are free for all students – no need to sign up in advance. There’s always something going on in the sports hall to keep everyone active and engaged. We have a sport and fitness timetable posted on noticeboards around the campus with all our offering. For those interested in regular play, we also have structured teams, including football and basketball academies, and badminton, cross country, cricket, netball, futsal, volleyball, golf, hockey rugby, and table tennis teams, who participate in inter-college competitions, tournaments and meets. We have a well-equipped gym and offer regular exercise classes too, such as Boxercise.

Q: How does MK College support talented athletes in balancing sports and academics?

A: MK College is a TASS (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme) college, which means we’re part of a programme that helps young athletes manage both their studies and high-level sports training. As a TASS college, we offer resources, flexibility, and guidance to support these athletes in balancing their commitments and achieving success in both areas. We’ve had some exceptional athletes come through here, including students who have represented England.

Q: Are there opportunities for students to gain coaching or refereeing qualifications?

A: Absolutely. We facilitate officiating and coaching qualifications that students can access for free or at a heavily reduced rate, though there’s an application and selection process. Last year, we helped 12 students gain refereeing experience, and we also support those interested in pursuing coaching badges and officiating courses. It’s a fantastic way to gain practical skills and additional qualifications while studying.

Q: How can students get involved?

A: Students can reach out to us at sport@mkcollege.ac.uk, find information on the MK College app, or check out the MK College Active Instagram page @MKCollegeActive. Updates are also available on Teams under College Life > MKC Active (Sports).

Q: Is there an Esports Club at MK College?

A: Yes, we recently launched an Esports Club for students interested in competitive gaming, which we’ll be running on Mondays. It’s all part of expanding our sports offerings to ensure every student has something to get involved in.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A: We’re always working to grow our sports programmes. Whether it’s through new activities or helping students gain qualifications, we want sports at MK College to be accessible and meaningful for everyone. So, if you’re a student here, don’t hesitate – there’s something for everyone to get involved in!

To learn more or get involved, contact us at sport@mkcollege.ac.uk.