College (16-24)
Inspire College Open Day - Retford Young People's Centre
Come along and find out more about studying with Inspire College at Retford Young People's Centre.
Published 20th August 2026
Inspire College is celebrating another year of incredible GCSE success, with an overall re-sit pass rate of 36% for English and 49% for Maths, significantly surpassing the national average for resits in these subjects.
Nationally, 15.3% of post-16 maths resit students achieved a grade 4 or above, with the English pass rate at 19.8%.
These results are proof of the hard work, commitment and perseverance our students have shown, and we hope they’re delighted with the results – all their tutors certainly are!
I’m so happy for all of those young people for whom the hard work has paid off. I know how much effort our staff at Inspire College have given to make this happen. But, most of all, I am delighted that our young people have been rewarded for their own persistence and hard work, having the courage to try again, gaining a qualification that is sure to have a positive effect on their lives and careers for the future. A massive well done from me!
Inspire College aims to provide a supportive environment for school leavers, with small classes and personalised support. Most of our candidates achieved a grade 3 or below in their previous years of education, and some did not attend school or sit their GCSE exams. Many have faced challenging barriers to learning such as learning difficulties, disabilities, anxiety, and social and emotional issues, and have struggled in the past to receive the support they need. The incredible results our learners have achieved shows how they’ve been able to rise to the resit challenge.
We're currently enrolling school leavers and young people aged 16-19 across their Nottinghamshire bases to an amazing number of inspiring courses. The college, part of Nottinghamshire’s Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries, not only offers qualifications for young people aged 16-19, but focuses on gaining key skills for life – including the opportunity to re-sit GCSEs or work towards a recognised maths and English qualification. So, for those who didn’t get the grades this year, Inspire College can provide support in resits.
We were rated ‘Good’ in our last Ofsted inspection, and have a strong reputation as a high-quality education provider across Nottinghamshire, providing a welcoming, calm, inclusive environment for learners who may feel a larger setting to be a little overwhelming as a first-step into further education.
Our varied programme is offered from eight specialist centres across the county in Mansfield, Newark, Hucknall, Eastwood, Stapleford, Worksop, Retford, and from the new Inspire High Pavement Learning Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield. The new centre features state of the art learning facilities, and serves as a hub for learning for both adults and young people in the heart of Ashfield.
We were also shortlisted for the Outstanding GCSE Resits Provision at the 2020 TES Further Education Awards, with previous re-sit pass rates scoring well above the national average.
Learning opportunities within Inspire College for learners starting this September include:
- Level 2 Digital Promotion for Business course, running at the Mansfield base
- AIM Awards Level 1 and 2 Employability qualifications, including Customer Service and Hospitality
- NCFE CACHE Award in Caring for a Child/Children (Level - Entry 3)
- Aim Awards Level 1 and 2 in Personal and Social Development
- NCFE CACHE Health and Social Care Awards Level 1 and 2
- City & Guilds Level 1 in Hospitality
- AIM Awards Level 1 in Carpentry and Joinery
- AIM Awards Level 1 and 2 in Bricklaying and Construction
- Work preparation and employability skills, alongside a maths and English qualification.
Our learners also have the opportunity to go on trips, volunteer with local projects, and gain key employability and confidence skills alongside their studies.
More information on courses, locations and enrolling can be found here on our website or you can speak to the Learning team by calling 0115 804 3611 or emailing learning@inspireculture.org.uk
I am absolutely delighted that the hard work of our learners has paid off with such excellent results. I know how much this means to each one of them and to the dedicated team of tutors who have helped make this success a reality. This is a fantastic achievement as Inspire celebrates 10 years, growing into a nationally recognised service, delivering thousands of events, courses and activities each year and supporting not just young people but residents of all ages to read, learn, create and connect. Well done to everyone!
