University of St Mark & St John, Plymouth
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
University of St Mark & St John provides high-quality, practical apprenticeships that connect real-world learning to workplace needs. Apprentices particularly value the structured support, expert mentoring, and welcoming culture that help them build confidence and develop independence. The institution excels at using specialist resources and realistic assessments to help apprentices develop the practical skills and confidence they need to succeed in their professional roles.
Key Strengths
- Strong partnerships with employers to develop relevant curriculum pathways that meet real workforce needs
- High-quality practical learning resources, including simulation suites with interactive mannequins for nursing practice
- Excellent support for apprentices, including those with SEND, with personalised teaching and a respectful, inclusive culture
- Effective mentoring and feedback from lecturers and coaches that builds apprentice confidence and independence
- Vocational assessment methods that reflect real workplace tasks and professional roles
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching strategies are not consistently effective across all sessions - some apprentices don't fully benefit from group activities
- Lecturers could make better use of questioning techniques to help apprentices consolidate their understanding
- Oversight of teaching quality is not consistently well developed across different programme pathways
- Careers guidance needs to be strengthened so apprentices understand all progression options available after their programme
- Professional development for staff could be better aligned with identified improvement priorities
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
University of St Mark & St John is a higher education institution with two campuses in Plymouth and Truro, offering apprenticeships in nursing, youth work, and healthcare. The institution was rated as Good overall across all quality measures in its first Ofsted inspection.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
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Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Plymouth
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Plymouth
Admissions Demand - Plymouth
Places available
3,266
Applications
2,784
Got 1st preference
89.5%
Got preferred school
98.1%
Secondary admissions across Plymouth (2025/26)
Inspection History(2)
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