Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) is expanding its main campus after securing £6.8 million from the Department for Education’s Post-16 Capacity Fund.
The funding will contribute to a £13 million extension at the Newcastle-under-Lyme site, creating at least 16 additional classrooms and a dedicated health and social care teaching zone. Construction is due to begin on 10 August 2026, with the new facilities expected to welcome students from September 2027.
For local employers, the development will strengthen Staffordshire’s future skills pipeline at a time when many sectors are facing recruitment challenges and growing demand for qualified workers.
Consolidating health and social care provision in a purpose-built annex will also release teaching space across the wider campus, enabling more learners to access education and training in other curriculum areas.
The investment follows sustained growth in student numbers. Enrolment at the Newcastle campus increased by 700 students last September, while overall enrolment has risen by more than 25% during the past five years.
Craig Hodgson, principal and chief executive of NSCG, said: “With colleges nationwide facing demographic growth, we are thrilled that we can open up further capacity to ensure local school leavers continue to have access to top-tier education.”
NSCG offers A Levels, T Levels, vocational qualifications, apprenticeships and higher education programmes, with its curriculum designed to meet the changing needs of employers and the regional economy.
Planning permission has already been granted, and regional contractor Speller Metcalfe has been appointed to deliver the scheme.
The project forms part of a wider £287 million government investment intended to create more than 22,000 additional post-16 places nationally. For Staffordshire businesses, the expanded campus could support access to skilled recruits, improve workforce development opportunities and contribute to long-term economic growth across key sectors.
