A new fast-track journalism course has been granted accredited status by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Sutton College has won the NCTJ’s approval for its 18-week fast-track diploma in journalism course, which is being launched its Wallington campus in February.

Accreditation was granted after a panel of NCTJ and industry representatives visited the further education college to check the standards of training.

Industry representatives on the panel were Will Harrison, editor at Newsquest South London, David Higgerson, chief audience officer at Reach plc, and Adele Jones, alumni manager at the Financial Times.

From left: Sutton College’s Roy Lee, Richard Morris and Victoria Scott with NCTJ chief executive Joanne Butcher

NCTJ chief executive Joanne Butcher, who chaired the panel, said: “Sutton College has a fantastic leadership team and there are promising plans in place to make this course a great success.

“It covers all the performance standards we insist on: quality journalism training, close industry links and practical up-to-date journalism teaching, a strong commitment to diversity, innovation and employability – and very importantly, professional delivery of the diploma in journalism.”

The fast-track course will be run by head of journalism Roy Lee, who was previously head of creative arts and media at Lambeth College, and Victoria Scott, a journalist with more than 18 years’ experience previously working at Al Jazeera, BBC and the Daily Telegraph.

Victoria said: “We are delighted and excited to be given the green light to start this course with NCTJ accreditation.

“We believe this course will offer an amazing opportunity for students to learn and develop cutting edge journalism skills for the modern newsroom.

“Accreditation means that students are guaranteed an excellent training ground which meets the standards of the industry they will be working in.”