City of Bristol College has reached a major milestone in careers education, achieving all eight of the national Gatsby Benchmarks for the first time.
This marks a significant leap forward from four benchmarks achieved in 2024 and five in 2023, now positioning the college well above the West of England average of 5.9.
The most dramatic improvements were seen in Benchmark 6 ‘Experiences of the Workplace’ and Benchmark 7 ‘Encounters with Further and Higher Education’.
Benchmark 6 rose from 75% in 2024 to 100% in 2025, while Benchmark 7 surged from just 41% in 2024 to 100% this year.
Across the board, City of Bristol College now outperforms both regional and national averages, with standout results in:
- ‘Stable Careers Programme’ (Benchmark 1): 100% vs 90% (regional) and 94% (national)
- Encounters with Employers (Benchmark 5): 100% vs 97% (regional) and 95% (national)
- Personal Guidance (Benchmark 8): 100% vs 91% (regional) and 90% (national)
City of Bristol College is now a regional leader in careers education, setting a benchmark for excellence across the West of England.
Talking of the incredible 100% score under the ‘Stable Careers Programme’ (Benchmark 1), Careers and Employability Manager, Margz Ahmad, commented: “With the support of our fantastic team and management, we’ve built robust careers processes and systems from the ground up – and achieving a 100% Gatsby score shows the outstanding service now in place for our students.”
Head of Student Experience, Jenna Cains, added: “I am incredibly proud of our Careers team for their relentless pursuit of excellence, reflected in achieving 100% in our Gatsby Benchmarks report.
“This achievement, alongside our Matrix accreditation, is a testament to all City of Bristol College staff who recognise the importance and value of high-quality careers education in Further Education and the vital role it plays in supporting our students as they plan their ‘Where Next’.”
For more information regarding careers guidance and support at City of Bristol College, simply follow this link.
