3 Gateshead College reviews

Firstly no information is passed around college and the rarity of information we get regarding our apprenticeships is usually wrong, or incomplete. The staff constantly complain about each other and there has been no checking in on us over lockdown, my emails have been unanswered for weeks and I feel that the college has been a let down when it comes to mental health. They have a crisis waiting to happen. They are short staffed for the amount of students resulting on big periods with no formal education when the only tutor went on the sick.

40

Equipment and facilities available for the course I was on were pretty good, lots of computers available to use at any time with many being quite high powered for more demanding programs. However, the lack of industry standard programs for a games course was quite shocking. No Substance painter, designer etc or even Zbrush. You wont be getting to use anything other than the standard Autodesk package along with Photoshop.

Fairly poor. Again there was talks of 1 to 1 weekly feedback during my time at Gatesehead College but these happened maybe on the first week of the idea and then never happened again. Only time you would receive feedback would be towards the end of a unit which is fair enough, hand in work, receive feedback before the final hand in - I don't see a problem with this. In-class feedback was generally poor, but this is mainly because there was so much time tutors would just simply not be in the classroom. I'm not even joking, the amount of time tutors would simply walk out of the room and disappear for 30-40 minutes at a time was ridiculous. This made asking a tutor for help of advice pretty difficult, as there time in class should to be for teaching and supporting students, so when they do return their is countless other needing support and by the time they get around everybody next thing you know is that its either lunch or time that the lesson ends. However, select tutors when available were great at explaining and helping with work and seemed to genuinely want to be there to help which is something most myself and my peers felt they lacked.

Wasn't made aware of any student union.

Decent location, only short walk to centre of Gateshead and a 15 minute walk to Newcastle centre.

Was not made aware of any in the 3 years I was there.

The thing I like the most about the way the course is taught is the friendly learning atmosphere. The thing I like the least is that the course is taught pretty poorly. No exaggeration, each lesson/lecture is you simply opening up a google slide or power point and cracking on with the few bullet points written on it. Teaching methods aren't that effective and there is lots of time wasted on pointless warm up tasks which are supposed to last 5-10 minutes at the start of a lesson which in reality take up 20 minutes of a lesson. These "warm up tasks" are 90% of the time useless when time could be spent building skills and or knowledge which could actually be useful on the course.

12

Quite little, there was a decent amount of conversation about having links with studios etc and work placements but nothing actually came of it.

Safe, good condition, on the more expensive side.

Computers were incredible, working all the time (except for when IT changed your password without any prior notice) the canteen was average, only downside of that was a poor coffee machine. The worst facility was the printer, never seemed to work ink had always ran out which was annoying as I needed most my work printed in colour.

Terrible. Tutors/Feedback none existent. It was an open joke in the class about not getting feedback. This was particularly annoying as I want to achieve the highest grade so I can go to full University next year.

Didn't get involved as I was only part time and did not interest me.

Live Locally, Newcastle has the best night life period. Clubs, Bars, restaurants are all incredible well worth a visit.

Most liked thing was the people in the class. Least liked about the course I have a long list. Firstly, the teachers did not have much of a clue what they were trying to teach which led to a huge amount of confusion in the class about expectations etc. Lectures did not provide any feedback until the due date of the assignments leaving very little time for you to make alterations. As well as this lectures often say 'just email me, I always reply to my emails' this is 100% not the case. I had to hassle each lecture for feedback and guidance on my work content. This was also changed on a regular bases, assignment where often given before briefs were finished. One instance when the main lecture gave us an assignment that was due two hours later. Needless to say we all underperformed in this section. Another lecturer said "You know more about Health and safety than me so just crack on lads." I have no idea about these subjects hence why I am learning about it. If I had not being sponsored I would have no attended 'classes' from about Christmas, the teaching content was poor and I expected to do self-learning but guidance toward learning resources simple did not exist, the resources that are suggested to use in the assignment brief is all the same. Finally to add insult to injury once I stopped attending the college as all my work had been handed in and I was told my work was at a Distinction grade. The exam boards deemed the marking/ feedback insufficient and changed the grades. I am not saying my work wasn't up to standard and if deemed by the exam board then so be it. Just another point that the feedback, grading was poor on all fronts.

10

I was fortunate enough to be sponsored to attend this course. However, very little effort was made by staff to offer opportunities to others in the class. The only method they seemed to know was word of mouth.