Modern college buildings

About Us

Providing career focused courses, apprenticeships and education

Introduction

City College Southampton, part of the recently merged South Hampshire College Group (SHCG), is a general further education college in Hampshire, providing career led courses, apprenticeships and education for young people and adults.

Located in the centre of Southampton the campus has invested in new facilities and equipment, allowing students to learn and work in real life working environments using industry standard equipment. Students can use this experience to start, build and develop their careers beyond education.

The College offers:

  • Study Programmes - professional, technical and creative courses for school leavers (for progression to university or work)
  • Apprenticeships for young people and adults
  • Adult full-time and part-time courses, including higher education
  • Professional training and CPD for businesses through short courses, adult learning, apprenticeships and higher education

City College has particular specialisms in Marine, Engineering, Early Years, Hospitality, Digital and the Creative Arts industries. The college has close links with employers in the city resulting in our students having excellent access to jobs, apprenticeship vacancies and work experience.

The College is very easy to get to as it is in the centre of Southampton with excellent transport links by bus, train, ferry, bike or car. The city centre shops, cafes and amenities are all within a 15 minute walk through parks from the college.

City College Term Dates

Term dates for the next academic year are shown below. Not all courses necessarily start and finish on these dates so please confirm with your tutor, or upon enrolment, about the arrangements for your particular course.

Summer Term 2024

Term Starts: 15 April 2024

May Day Bank Holiday (college closed): 6 May 2024

Half Term: 27 May - 31 May 2024

Term Ends: 28 June 2024

Staff Development Day (college closed): 3 July 2024

Autumn Term 2024

Term Starts: 2 September 2024

Half Term: 28 October - 1 November 2024

Staff Development Day (college closed): 20 November 2024

Term Ends: 20 December 2024

Spring Term 2025

Term Starts: 6 January 2025

Staff Development Day (college closed): 31 January 2025

Half Term: 17 February - 21 February 2025

Staff Development Day (college closed): 25 March 2025

Term Ends: 4 April 2025

Summer Term 2025

Term Starts: 22 April 2025

May Day Bank Holiday (college closed): 5 May 2025

Half Term: 26 May - 30 May 2025

Staff Development Day (college closed): 3 July 2025

Term Ends: 4 July 2025

High Quality Education for Everyone

City College is committed to providing high quality education for everyone. It seeks to meet the needs of each individual and provide a mature and caring environment for all students.

The Student Charter sets out what we will provide for you as a learner and to clarify what commitments you need to make in return.

The College - In order to provide a high quality learning experience, the College will provide:

  1. 1. Help to choose a programme of study that suits your needs
  2. 2. A full induction to your programme of study
  3. 3. Effective delivery of your programme
  4. 4. Classes that start and end on time (and notification about unavoidable changes)
  5. 5. Learning centres and services to support your studies
  6. 6. Encouragement to evaluate the course throughout your period of study
  7. 7. Access to advice, information, support and counselling on any educational or personal matter throughout your time here
  8. 8. A safe, secure, pleasant and accessible environment for your studies
  9. 9. A prompt response to any problem you tell us about and appropriate support if necessary
  10. 10. A caring and supportive atmosphere
  11. 11. Respect for and the celebration of our differences, and promotion of the College Equality and Diversity Policies
  12. 12. Accurate information about developments within the College which may affect you
  13. 13. A thorough investigation and response to any complaint you may make

The Students - In order to get the best out of your College experience, you should:

  1. 1. Enjoy your time at College and do your best
  2. 2. Take pride in the name of the College and behave responsibly at all times
  3. 3. Treat everyone with respect, regardless of differences in culture, ability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation or social class
  4. 4. Attend all your timetabled classes
  5. 5. Arrive on time to every lesson
  6. 6. Work hard at your studies and complete all your assignments on time and to a high standard
  7. 7. Revise for and attend all examinations
  8. 8. Ask for help if you need it from staff
  9. 9. Help to make the College a safe place for all by following policies on health and safety and behaviour expectations
  10. 10. Be considerate of other College users and the local community and give particular thought to people with disabilities and special needs
  11. 11. Take care of the College buildings and furnishings, and respect other people’s property
  12. 12. Report to a member of staff if you or someone else is being bullied
  13. 13. Take part in student voice activity and tell your teacher any changes you might want to your course
  14. 14. Wear your campus card and lanyard at all times

Our Policy

At City College Southampton we strive to provide learning and working environments where people are treated with respect. The college is committed to the principles of Equality and Diversity for everyone.

This means the college is a place where ALL students and staff, whatever their circumstances or background:

  • Are fully respected
  • Feel welcome
  • Are treated in a friendly way
  • Have equality of opportunity
  • Have appropriate support

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy (pdf)

Gender Pay Gap Reporting

Gender pay gap reporting requires employers with 250 or more employees to publish statutory calculations each year showing the pay gap between male and female employees. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average pay (expressed as both the mean and median) of men and women expressed as a percentage and should not be confused with equal pay.

City College Southampton

On 31st March 2022 City College employed 302 people and is therefore in the category of organisations which are required by the UK Government to publish details of their gender pay gap, specifically the difference in average female earnings compared to average male earnings. 

Mean (Average) Gender Pay Gap[1]

The College’s overall mean gender pay gap at 31 March 2022 was 2.93%, which means that men earn on average 2.93% more than women. However, this number is significantly smaller than the national gender pay gap reported as 8.3% in March 2022 (up from 7.7% in 2021) and is down from the College’s gender pay gap of 5.28% reported for 2021.  

The mean gender pay gap does vary by role type:

  • Management – women earn 13.94% more than men
  • Teaching – men earn 6.4% more than women
  • Support staff – men earn 5.67% more than women

Median Gender Pay Gap[2]

The College’s median pay gap is 5.63% (down from 7.53% in 2021).  Our median hourly rate for males and females combined is £13.99 with the median being £13.58 for females and £14.39 for males – a difference of 81p (down from £1.07 in 2021).

The College employs substantially more women (60%) than men (40%) and whilst some roles have traditionally attracted more male applicants (for example, construction and engineering teachers) or female applicants (for example, administrative support), we are working to attract a more diverse range of applicants across all roles.



[1] Mean gender pay gap is the difference between men’s and women’s average hourly rate
[2] Median gender pay gap is the difference between the midpoints in the ranges of hourly earnings of men and women

In Line With The Common Accord

Teaching and learning in line with the Common Accord. The scope of the Common Accord is supply chain activity using funds supplied by the Skills Funding Agency. For more information on the Common Accord and the requirements needed to be considered as a subcontractor visit www.gov.uk

Terms and Conditions of Purchase

We work with a range of suppliers, large and small, to procure the goods and services that keep the College running. We are always keen to hear from suppliers who share our commitment to excellence and quality and who are interested in doing business with us. If you have any enquiries, please contact procurement@southampton-city.ac.uk

 Conditions of purchase (pdf)

Engaging with Subcontractors

City College Southampton engages with the following subcontractors to better meet customer needs.

  • Itchen Sixth Form College

The quality of the provision will be monitored and managed through the existing college Quality Assurance processes and procedures.

Sub-Contracting Policy (pdf)

With the merger of City College Southampton, Eastleigh College and Fareham College in August 2023, a new South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) Corporation was formed.

Statutory documents and minutes up to 31 July 2023 can be found at City College Governance.

For more information about our governance visit the South Hampshire College Group website (new window).

If you would like to get in contact with our Governors, please email the Chair of the SHCG Corporation at chair@shcg.ac.uk

National performance tables (16-18)

In January 2020 the Department for Education published the latest performance information relating to school and college examination results in the summer of 2019. The Government has announced it will not publish any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020.

Performance table information (new window)