About Us

Orbital South Colleges* comprising East Surrey College, John Ruskin College and Reigate of School of Art is a leading Further Education group, rated Good by Ofsted in 2025 and trusted by schools and employers across Surrey, West Sussex and south London.  We work closely with partner schools in our most local areas but in total with over 60 schools, delivering vocational learning.

Together, our colleges form a substantial college group in the south east. Since June 2022, the Group also includes Orbital South Colleges University Centre as the umbrella organisation for our Higher Education provision.

In summer 2023, we achieved a 91% pass rate across the College group. Our 2022/23 destination data showed that 95% of students we contacted had a positive destination after completing their qualification; with the majority progressing directly to employment related to their course and increasing numbers progressing into higher education.

Students learn from industry-qualified and experienced tutors who bring the world of work to life. Our Careers Team provide guidance and support for our students but also wider careers guidance to our local communities.

We work with many hundreds of employers who say they value the quality of our training, voting us as the top FE College Training Provider in the South East 2023-2024.* The recent Ofsted report rated the group as having a ‘strong’ contribution to skills and we are proud to be the only FE College in Surrey to achieve this top rating. We offer upskilling and retraining courses working with DWP/JCP, our employers and communities.

Since June 2022, the Group also includes Orbital South Colleges University Centre as the umbrella organisation for our Higher Education provision.  We are proud to offer a wide range of vocational higher education courses, currently validated by the University of Chichester, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, Higher and Degree Apprenticeships and professional courses.

We offer a comprehensive range of core skills, technical and professional qualifications, courses and apprenticeships from entry to Degree levels. 

All campuses boast excellent facilities in which we continually invest.  At East Surrey College a brand new Digital and T level suite was completed in August 2022; at John Ruskin College a fabulous Construction Skills Centre was added in 2021 and an Immersive Suite in 2024.  More investment is planned over the next year.

We are a trusted partner working closely with education providers, the South London Partnership, our Local Authorities, charities and community organisations as well as a substantial and growing number of employers who work closely with us on work experience, industrial placements, live projects and sessions and whose input into our curriculum development we hugely value. 

*Highest placed FE College in the South East and 11^th overall in the RateMyApprenticeship’s Top 50 Training Providers for 2022-2023

*Orbital South Colleges is the trading name for the East Surrey College Corporation.