Engineering Apprentices, studying for their degree at Newbury College, in partnership with Buckinghamshire New University, have scooped outstanding results with six attaining first-class honours and four attaining upper second-class Degrees.
This is the second year that the College has been offering Degree level qualification and the second year of 100% achievement. The outstanding achievement is a great reflection of the hard work and dedication of the students and staff and provides a strong foundation for the degree standard provision available within the University Centre Newbury (UCN) from September 2020.
Tim Coole, Course Leader, commented "This year has shown the second cohort of students who have achieved outstanding results and shows the quality and the range of projects completed by the students throughout the year and excellent dedication they have to their studies" he continued This success follows on from the very successful first year of the degree run at Newbury College and is encouraging the development of the University Centre opening in September 2020. This year has seen a significant increase in the student numbers in the final year of the Engineering degree programme and adds to the success of this programme moving forward."
Jo Houghton, Director of Business and Partnerships, added We are delighted with the standard of work reflected in these excellent results for the degree students. As UCN progresses, we are confident that this standard will continue to provide the community with highly skilled, highly qualified professionals.
The University Centre Newbury will provide degrees and higher-level qualifications in the key sectors of digital technology, business & finance, engineering, health & social care and construction.
The first students of the University Centre will begin their studies in dedicated facilities within the College building in September 2020, before moving into the iconic new building once it is completed.
The Newbury College professional catering team are due to welcome 15 students from the Julius Wegeler School, Koblenz, Germany, for the week on the 4th November, to share experiences and dazzle dishes, as the Restaurant lunch service themes its menu to reflect the German inspiration on hand.
This is the third year that the school has visited, and the College will escort the visitors throughout the week. On Monday the group will visit Havant & South Downs College and then take a trip to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, Tuesday students will be exchanging experiences and ideas as they prep for Wednesday's lunch service, which is already fully booked! Wednesday will be a shared day of cooking and hospitality. On Thursday the students will be escorted to The Vineyard for a perfectly British, afternoon tea.
Malcolm Baggot, Course Leader, Professional Catering, commented This is a great opportunity for our students to experience working with chefs from other countries and preparing a themed menu with new and exciting ingredients. We are delighted to be able to support the Julius Wegeler School and look forward to the exchange visit.
The Restaurant at Newbury College provides a lunch service on Wednesday and Friday between 12:30 ' 1:30 during term time, throughout the year, allowing the professional catering students to hone their preparation, cooking and hospitality skills in a real working environment, overseen by Malcolm Baggot and Anthony Millon.
There are still spaces available for the German-themed menu of Friday 8th November to book for this event or a future lunch, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Newbury College is challenging the approach to full-time, further education with a ground-breaking new programme that facilitates a link between school and work by creating an environment for undecided students to discover their potential.
The Achieve Programme is part of the College's Careers, not courses initiative, an evolution of their sixth-form provision that provides young people with a career-focused education. It has been designed and developed in partnership with local employers, and one of the first programmes of its kind to be launched in the country.
Students enrolling on the Achieve Programme are being given the opportunity to combine valuable qualifications with meaningful work placement and the added support of a college job coach to enable them to progress to an apprenticeship or career in their chosen field.
The new programme complements the college's already comprehensive range of full-time study programmes that cover a variety of technical subjects from carpentry, plumbing, and electrical installation to child care, hairdressing and music technology.
Vice Principal, Lee Hunt MBE, said: At Newbury College, we have been building some fantastic relationships with local employers to shape our curriculum offer. We are delighted that so many employers are supporting this innovative programme and can see the value that it can bring to their businesses and the young people who have taken this opportunity to improve their employment prospects with us.
Enrolment for the 2019/2020 academic year has already started, but the College wants young people to know that it is not too late to enrol. Special advice and guidance clinics have been set up at the College's Monks Lane campus to provide support for anyone who still undecided or unsure about their options.
Lead Careers Adviser, Karen Taylor, said: Making a decision about what you are going to do in the future can be a daunting experience at any time, least of all when you still studying for your GCSEs. We appreciate that some young people may have been reconsidering their year 12 options over the summer holidays and we want them to know that it is not too late to change their minds. We are happy to meet with any young person to discuss their options and help them to decide on the right path to the career they want.
There is still time to enrol on a full-time study programme at Newbury College, the innovative new Achieve Programme or enquire about an apprenticeship with one of the College's many industry partners.
Newbury College opened its doors to over a hundred young school leavers on Monday, providing a taste of college life and their future careers.
The annual event has become increasingly more popular, as the College embraces a new career-focussed curriculum, which is being led by local employers and aims to provide young people with the skills they need to succeed in their future employment.
Vice Principal, Lee Hunt MBE, said: At Newbury College we believe in careers, not courses, and we have been building some fantastic relationships with local employers to shape our curriculum offer. We are delighted that so many young people share in our vision and have taken this opportunity to choose Newbury College to improve their employment prospects.
The school leavers visiting this year's event took part in a range of hands-on, career-related exercises, including graphic design workshops, electrical installation projects, performance car demonstrations from Think Ford and some innovative team building activities, before enjoying some fun in the summer sun with an inflatable bungee-run and a live performance by LongDayLateNight.
Newbury College has been laying the groundwork for the launch of new T Level qualifications, a mixture of classroom learning and on-the-job' experience that will be equivalent to 3 A Levels. These new qualifications will provide the knowledge and experience needed to open the door into skilled employment, further study or a higher apprenticeship.
While the official launch date for T Level qualifications is set for 2020, Newbury College is already making many of the changes ahead of time, allow students enrolling in September 2019 to benefit from studying a subject that is both engaging and worthwhile.
There is still time to apply for a full-time study programme at Newbury College or enquire about an apprenticeship with one of the College's many industry partners.