News
18 Sep 2020
Southwark College has introduced new creative arts programmes for adults with a range of courses designed to help you explore your artistic skills in our modern SE1 campus and online. The new evening courses in Dressmaking, Drawing and Painting and Music Production will start on 5 October.
In the UK, the creative industries contribute more than £100billion a year to the economy and continue to power the growth of the workforce employing more than 2million people annually. Whether you are looking to progress your career or considering a course for leisure, the Creative Arts courses cover different disciplines, including dressmaking, music production and drawing & painting.
The College welcomes thousands of adult learners every year and has a proud history of delivering a range of creative arts courses. Once you complete your course, you can progress on to a specialised course, other further education programmes or entry-level jobs in the creative sectors, including arts, music or fashion.
If you have an interest in creative arts and want to develop and test your creativity, then these courses are for you. To secure your place either drop in to an open enrolment session, or alternatively you can book an enrolment slot at southwark.ac.uk/enrolment.
We have introduced a number of steps to ensure everyone is safe while on campus. Further information on our health and safety arrangements can be found in our Covid-19 enrolment leaflet and video.
If you require further information contacts us via the webchat on our website southwark.ac.uk or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
21 Aug 2020
Southwark College students celebrate excellent grades in English and Maths with some truly fantastic stories of individual success in what has been a challenging year.
One of the top scorers is Abigail Johnson, she achieved excellent grades including 9 in Biology, 7 in Chemistry and Physics and grade 6 in Maths. She will progress onto Biology and Psychology A-Levels at Southwark College in September. She said: “I’m really pleased with my results, I didn’t know what to expect! I’m grateful for the help I’ve received from my teachers, I couldn’t have achieved these grades without their support.”
The College Principal Annette Cast made a guaranteed place promise to all 16-18 offer holders collecting their results this week to support all students concerned that their results might not reflect their predicted grades.
She said: “I’d like to congratulate all students receiving their GCSE results today, in what can only be described as unprecedented and challenging times. We’re delighted that our students have achieved the results they need to progress on to their chosen course.
“Moving from school to college is an exciting but also anxious time especially in the current uncertain situation. This year we will be accepting Centre Assessed Grades and we guarantee a place for all 16-18 offer holders collecting their results this week.”
The College will accept the evidence provided by schools, colleges or other providers of Centre Assessed Grades. Applicants do not need to wait for the formal letter from the examination body to enrol. The College will also offer support for anyone who is appealing their grades, including an assessment and induction to provide additional support to bring them up to the level they need in English, maths or their chosen subject.
Once you have opened your results, we will have advisers to chat to you about your next steps. To set up a virtual advice and guidance session with our careers advisor contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For information on exam results, visit southwark.ac.uk/examresults
Enrolment for September 2020 is now open. For information on Enrolment dates and times and to book an enrolment slot, visit southwark.ac.uk/enrolment
17 Aug 2020
Many applicants have contacted us ahead of GCSE results day on Thursday concerned that their results might not reflect their original predicted grades. We will be accepting Centre Assessed Grades (CAGs) and all current offer holders who are aged 16-18 and collecting their GCSEs on Thursday will be guaranteed the place they deserve at Southwark College.
The College will accept the evidence provided by schools, colleges or other providers of the Centre Assessed Grades and applicants do not need to wait for the formal letter from the examination body to enrol.
Annette Cast, Principal at Southwark College, has made the guarantee in preparation for enrolment, which begins on Thursday 20 August 2020.
Speaking from the College’s campus in SE1 in London, Annette said: “We know that moving from school to college is an exciting but also anxious time. This year, with exams cancelled and remote learning that anxiety has been felt more than ever.
“We have a limited number of places but at Southwark College, we have a robust process for ensuring that all current offer holders can be placed on the right level course for them. This includes support for anyone who is appealing their grades as well as an assessment and induction that will provide additional support or study sessions for those who might need to improve in English, maths or their vocational subject.”
For information on exam results visit southwark.ac.uk/examresults
If your grades are not what you expected or you are not sure what to study next, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up a virtual advice and guidance session with our careers advisor.
For information on Enrolment dates and times visit southwark.ac.uk/enrolment
13 Aug 2020
Results day has arrived at Southwark College following an unprecedented year of study. Vocational students received their results on Thursday 13 August, marking the first year they collected them digitally.
Commenting on this year's results, Principal Annette Cast, said: "We are delighted that so many of our vocational students have achieved the results they need to move on to higher education, employment or apprenticeships. The College has a strong reputation for vocational qualifications and it’s great to see that this year we’ve continued that trend.
“I’d like to thank all our students and staff for their hard work this year and their continued efforts in very unusual circumstances."
This year's results day was quite different for learners and staff. Although the results were not delivered face to face, everyone joined in celebrating excellent results with many students being accepted by their first-choice Higher Education institution.
Anna Litvinova achieved a triple Distinction in Art & Design and is off to a Fine Art course at the University of the Arts London in September. She said: "I'm delighted with my grades and I'm thrilled that my hard work has paid off. I wouldn't have been to get these results without the support of my teachers, especially during these very challenging times."
Fitlet Appiah arrived in the UK in 2018 and has been working hard to gain the results she needs to study a Fashion course at University. Fitlet achieved a Distinction in her Art & Design course; she said: "I’m very happy with my results, studying at Southwark College has helped me realise my potential and most importantly helped me to achieve my goals.”
If your grades are not what you expected or you are not sure what to study next, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up a virtual advice and guidance session with our careers advisor.
For more information on exam results and key questions, visit Department for Education.
27 Jul 2020
Creative Arts End of Year Show
The Creative Arts End of Year Show is one the College's most eagerly awaited annual events – when art, design, media, music, fashion, dance and drama students exhibit their work through a combination of recorded performances, installations, projects, images and short films.
At this time of year, students would be getting ready to show their work in the College's gallery space. With new health and safety measures in place due to Covid-19, the event could not take place on campus this year so staff and students worked together to create a virtual End of Year Show and showcase their work, which was produced before and during the lockdown.
The show was streamed virtually and attended by invited guests, Creative Arts students as well as their family, friends and teachers, who watched a variety of drama, music and dance performances, as well as media, arts, design and fashion pieces in the live showreel.
Jon Fell, Head of Creative Arts at Southwark College, said: "Exhibiting our students’ work at our end-of-year show has been a highlight for all Creative Arts students at Southwark College. Showcasing their work online was an exciting project and a platform to engage with future employers.
"Although it was not possible to stage a show on campus, we're confident that our virtual show celebrated the hard work and dedication of our talented students and the encouragement and support they received from their teachers throughout the academic year and during these difficult times."
The Creative Industries offers a fascinating range of careers, and the chance to express yourself creatively through your work. At Southwark College, you will explore and experiment with a wide variety of techniques in our well-equipped studios, benefitting from our central location close to theatres and venues and strong links with employers and industry specialists who regularly deliver guest lectures.
Southwark Live!
Southwark College is also hosting virtual sessions with experienced Creative Industries professionals as part of the Southwark College Live series. The talks focus on the employability skills required in the Creative Industries and so far have featured West End Actor/Dancer Jenny Legg, Festival Stage Production Manager Steve Cheney, Director/Producer and documentary maker Barney Douglas, and Rosemary Cronin Artist, Writer and Lecturer.
These popular free sessions are streamed on Zoom and Facebook Live and are open to students and members of the public, with attendees participating in a Q&A section with the speakers.
For more information on upcoming events, visit southwark.ac.uk/events
12 Jun 2020
Southwark College held the first of its live virtual events, hosting a series of Open Days online for young people and adults to find out more about the College and access course advice and guidance during the lockdown.
The events covered a range of student support services and curriculum areas, including Science & Maths, Health & Social Care, Travel & Tourism, Professional, Creative Arts, ESOL, IELTS and English, Supported Learning, Access to Higher Education, Apprenticeships, Employability and Distance Learning.
Each event included the opportunity to ask questions about courses and meet the College Principal and teachers, who provided further information on the College’s new courses for 2020 and explain how learners could continue to study remotely and in College campuses under the new government guidance.
The Student Services and Careers team were also available to explain the admissions process and provide advice and guidance to those who were not sure what to study next, offering prospective students the chance to experience College life and speak to our staff without leaving their homes.
Annette Cast, Principal at Southwark College, said: "The Virtual Open Days are a great way to find out more about our courses and the Southwark student experience whilst we work remotely.
"We remain committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our staff, students and visitors as we all adjust to the current situation and I want to reassure you that the College is looking forward to welcoming new and continuing students in September 2020."
Southwark College Live
Southwark College will be hosting a range of virtual events throughout June and July as part of its Southwark College Live Series, including guest lectures and Meet the Principal sessions.
The next Virtual Open Days will be on Thursday 25 June and Thursday 9 July. To attend visit southwark.ac.uk/virtualopendays and register for the sessions you are interested in. Once registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also receive a web link and details of how to join the sessions closer to the event.
21 May 2020
Southwark College has partnered with Fika mental fitness to bring the Fika: Student Skills app this Mental Health Awareness Week to help students and staff stay motivated, productive, focused and connected during this unusual time.
18 May 2020
Southwark College proved that its community continues to thrive even during the lockdown as students and staff gathered for a virtual assembly on Thursday, 14 May.
07 May 2020
Southwark College is offering free online courses to help individuals learn new skills and improve existing ones so they can enter or re-enter the workplace.
02 Mar 2020
The Erasmus Exchange, an annual student exchange programme took place at Southwark College last week.
17 Feb 2020
National Apprenticeship Week 2020 began at Southwark College with staff from the College's Apprenticeships team heading out to schools and organisations delivering MythBuster sessions.
14 Feb 2020
Southwark College celebrated Valentine's Day a couple of days early on 12 February, hosting a Personality Contest with live music.
12 Feb 2020
To help students gain invaluable life skills, the Duke of Edinburgh Award will be available at Southwark College for students to take part in.
30 Jan 2020
College is more than studying, it’s getting involved in the topics that matter. Southwark College students organised an event as part of their Business course to raise awareness on Knife Crime in London.
07 Nov 2019
Southwark College Business students got a unique insight into the banking industry when they visited Barclays Bank in Canary Wharf on 28 October.
07 Nov 2019
BUSINESS STUDENTS RAISE £200 WITH CHARITY BAKE SALE!
Learners on our BTEC Business Level 3 Extended Diploma showed off their selling, marketing, and organisational skills when they took part in the Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning on 25 September 2019. The team of students worked tirelessly to plan, organise and run the coffee morning, which took place in the Atrium and succeeded in raising £200 for Macmillan – a charity which supports people with cancer.
18 Oct 2019
Last week seven of our BTEC Level 3 fashion students visited Kielce in Poland as part of an Erasmus+ project looking at role models and democracy. The visit included working with Polish and visiting Italian students in school as well as a city quest around Kielce and a trip to Krakow. The Polish students taught everyone a dance, the Italian group demonstrated how to make tiramisu and the English students showed everyone how to make paper roses.
Their teacher, Tapiwa Dingwiza, said "it was useful experience for students to leave their comfort zones, adapt to new surroundings and make new friends from different cultures. Above all, it boosted their independence and self-confidence through presentations and group projects. These are all valuable skills which will help them to transition to university life".
The next Erasmus project trip will be in November, when a group of Level 3 art students will visit a partner school in Waldkirch, Germany.
11 Oct 2019
College is about so much more than studying, as learners found out at Southwark College’s Freshers’ Fair on 9 October.
13 Sep 2019
Southwark College Media students got a great taster of professional life when they became production crew for a promotional film to showcase the talents of up-and-coming musicians Nikita Bassi and Ajit Gill.
09 Sep 2019
Southwark College staff were in place nice and early to assist and welcome our new students to their induction sessions.
29 Aug 2019
If you’re looking to kickstart your career, it’s not too late to enrol for a course at Southwark College which could launch you on your way. The College – which is ranked no. 3 in London – is open for Enrolment until 7 September for courses starting the week commencing 9 September.
22 Aug 2019
Southwark College students have scooped great results in their GCSE exams, opening the door for further study and employment.
19 Aug 2019
Indeya Ramgoolam, 20, from Brockley (and a mother of one) enrolled on the Access to Teaching course at Southwark College last September. She applied herself to the course and managed to achieve a raft of distinctions, meaning that she has achieved the best results possible in her qualification.
Her results will make the choice of university for further study in teaching much easier for her.
Jane Eley, her lecturer said: "Indeya impressed us with her hard work and diligence from the word go - she has achieved distinctions in every unit where the higher grades were available. She richly deserves recognition for this excellent result."
Interested in following in Indeya's footsteps? Apply for our Access to Teaching course today
06 Aug 2019
Programmes that nurture imagination and ambition can help re-establish the arts as a transformative force, says Robert West.
05 Jul 2019
After a tough final year, our higher education and access students gathered together for our graduation ceremony on Thursday 4 July.
24 Jun 2019
Thursday 20 June saw the pinnacle of a year’s work for Art, Media and Fashion students at Southwark College.
This annual event showcases the work of creative students who all play a role in organising the event, producing the work for display, as well as promoting and servicing the opening night and the subsequent exhibition.
17 Jun 2019
Governors, staff and local partners came together for a very special event on Monday 10 June: the official launch of Southwark College.
The launch was celebrated with an evening drinks reception attended by Councillor Peter John OBE, Leader of Southwark Council
17 May 2019
The Deputy Mayor of Planning, Regeneration and Skills Jules Pipe CBE visited Southwark College today as part of Love Our College’s week, a national campaign by the Association of Colleges to promote the good work that colleges do across the country.
17 May 2019
Media students got an insight into what it’s like to work as a location manager when Joel Holmes, who works on the hit ITV drama series Liar, visited Southwark College.
01 May 2019
Southwark College students showed great creativity when they took part in a three-day workshop at the Royal Academy of Engineering, hosted by Queen Mary’s University London (QMUL).
05 Apr 2019
Performing arts students at Southwark College showed off their talents on 2 and 3 April when they put on three performances of the George Orwell classic, Animal Farm in the theatre space at Southwark.
14 Mar 2019
Southwark College has announced the appointment of a new Principal, marking an exciting new era for the institution.
11 Mar 2019
Neil Coyle, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, visited Southwark College as guest of honour at its Apprenticeships and Careers Fair on Friday 8 March. Marking the end of the 12th National Apprenticeships Week.
11 Mar 2019
The best of Lewisham Southwark College’s apprentices were recognised at an awards evening at Southwark College on Thursday 7 March.
08 Mar 2019
A group of ESOL Level 1 learners from Southwark College participated in a special event on 6 March, aimed at helping young people who are new to the UK.
01 Mar 2019
Dr Adebisi Adewole – who taught business at the College a number of years ago is an expert in African economics – returned to Southwark College to launch his first book on 1 March.
Dr Adewole’s book, ‘Logistics and Global Value Chains in Africa’, will be unveiled at a special event which will welcome business leaders and academics as well as staff and students from the College who are interested in this field.
28 Feb 2019
A group of Media and Fashion students enjoyed a week in Munich over February half term. As part of the Erasmus+ funded ‘Homeland’ project, they collaborated with German and Italian students in classes, workshops and cultural activities. Students presented information, pictures and videos about the rich cultural diversity of their cities.
21 Feb 2019
Neil Coyle, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, will visit Southwark College as guest of honour at its Apprenticeships and Careers Fair on Friday 8 March. Marking the end of the 12th National Apprenticeships Week, the fair will be the finale of five days of activities across both Southwark College and its sister institution, Lewisham College.
14 Feb 2019
We believe in the power of apprenticeships, and we are using our events during National Apprenticeships Week 2019 to highlight the many benefits.
07 Feb 2019
Dr Adebisi Adewole – who taught business related subjects and ICT at the College from 1998 to 2002, and is an expert in African economics – will be returning to Southwark College to launch his latest book on Friday 1 March.
21 Dec 2018
During December our Music Department entertained students and staff at Southwark College.
17 Dec 2018
Level 3 business students joined forces with local charities, doctors and the police to stage a special knife crime awareness event at Southwark College on 13 December.
14 Dec 2018
On 6 December, Southwark college held a ‘Celebration of success’ event to highlight the achievements of learners who have boosted their employability – with three quarters gaining a job – as a result of a course run with ISS. A specialist quality cleaning services company, ISS forms a Sector Based Work Academy with the College.
30 Nov 2018
When Art, Design, Media, Music and Performance students at Southwark College were invited to a special assembly on Thursday 29 November, little did they know they were about to come face-to-face with their hero.
26 Nov 2018
Last week we took part in the Erasmus+ Homeland project. Erasmus, (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) is a project designed to create opportunities for students across Europe through immersive learning.
17 Oct 2018
Level 3 Digital Media students were lucky enough to be among the first invited to take part in the BBC’s ‘Get Into Media’ Programme for 16+ students, supporting them through their course and onto their next steps. The group took part in the Discovery Day on 12 October where they explored different career opportunities in the industry. They also took part in activities for the chance to be selected for the full developmental programme.
17 Oct 2018
Our Graduation Day 2018 took place on the 11th July and we want to say a big congratulations to our graduates! Have a look at our slideshow of photos from the evening!
15 Oct 2018
On 11th October Southwark College hosted a Higher Education event which was thrown open to local schools for them to find out about the opportunities available at Southwark College - and at 20+ other universities and HE providers.
16 Jul 2018
Lewisham Southwark Students strut their stuff at this year's Fashion Show
16 Aug 2018
Lewisham Southwark College students were enjoying Fresher’s activities this week with a range of clubs, societies and teams vying for attention. This year’s students also got the chance to saddle up on the smoothie bike, plus a range of other activities.
Key information
We want to get you on a course and working towards your career as soon as possible. But there are some things you need to know...
