Member Details

Newcastle College has been awarded Learning Skills Council Beacon Status. As a Beacon College, Newcastle College is regarded across the sector as a model of excellence. The Hair, Beauty and Related Therapies section was judged outstanding and achieved a grade one during our last OFSTED inspection (April 2004) and this was reaffirmed at our recent annual assessment visit. The section offers the very best in hair, beauty, spa and related therapy education programmes from entry level to foundation degree, including NVQ 3 and Foundation Degree in Spa. 

The Retreat Beauty, Hair and Spa opened in September 2006 and is situated in the new £17 million Lifestyle Academy building and is resourced to the highest industry standards. 

It consists of 

• A friendly, modern reception area
• Hairdressing salon with 22 work stations
• 14 beauty/therapy treatment rooms, each fitted with colour therapy to create the appropriate ambience for a range of treatments
• Double wet room for spa treatments
• Spa fitted with floatation tank, Kniepp therapy, sauna and steam room, bespoke whirlpool bath, heated loungers, colour therapy wall and a range of experiential showers

The hair salon is modern and bright and provides a fantastic space with panoramic views over the city of Newcastle. The treatment rooms, which are fully enclosed for privacy, are large and comfortable, and each is fitted with its own washbasin and product cupboard. The double treatment room is fitted with showers so that spa clients can complete their whole treatment within one space. 

The Retreat offers a range of professional treatments and uses the industry standard Jessica, Dermalogica, St Tropez and Spa Find products. All areas are modern and neutrally decorated in order to attract both genders and there are special male only evenings to encourage males into the Retreat. It is fully supervised by qualified staff. 

As well as the predictable range of treatments offered, the salon is equipped with the latest equipment and products and include Variable Pulsed Light, Microdermabrasion, St Tropez, chemical peels and the latest high tech body electrical treatments. Thus students are entering the industry often with skills yet achieved by industry professionals, reducing specific product/equipment training required within industry. Indeed some students who are newly employed within industry find themselves training professionals to use new equipment, products and techniques! 

Because of the high standard of resources a number of organisations have hired the facilities for dissemination of new product knowledge and regional training, including Guinot, St Tropez and the Federation of Holistic Therapists. The Health and Safety Executive has used the facilities to deliver information to regional professionals on the prevention of Dermatitis in hairdressing. 

Ofsted rates the Hair, Beauty and Related Therapy department as a grade 1 department. Ofsted inspector Jacqui Deane observed that; 

'Students were highly motivated and keen to participate. They worked collaboratively; in particular teamwork in the Retreat is excellent. Students showed support and respect for each other's job roles and as a result provided a highly professional service, there is an excellent range of equipment and products, which reflect high industry standards. The Retreat is highly representative of industry and helps create a professional ethos that is clearly valued by the students, the salon /Spa uses the most up to date electrical equipment and treatments which extended the learning beyond national standards'.